Creative Thursday - Paul Revie

This weeks Creative Southsider is designer, signwriter and engraver Paul Revie a man with a wonderfully unusual way of viewing the world, just follow his brilliant tweets and see. His work creates an alternate reality where buffalos have camps inside them, mantraps are giant and tigers lead to San Francisco. Makes me wonder what his sign writing clients ended up with? (I imagine a surreal and less sweary version of Modern Toss' Mr Tourette.) 

Area of the Southside work in?
I think I live and work in Govanhill but my postcode says Crosshill. I think there’s been a mistake in where the boundary line has been drawn.
Describe your creative practice?

I make small, quirky, dark or lighthearted artworks and sell them online and in a few shops. I usually start with a story or predicament and the drawing is born from out of that. If I’m making one of my box frame shadow boxes then the physical process is similar to screenprinting only without the paint. Instead it’s effectively the stencil that’s the finished piece. the image is drawn, cut in micro-thin vinyl and the negative of the image is peeled away, or “weeded” to leave a papercut style. This is then put in front of vintage maps, illustrations or collages.

What's your background?
I went to Glasgow School of Art, studied architecture and interior design, graduating 11 years ago, then worked as a signwriter and engraver for 9 years. The last couple of years I’ve been enjoying getting back to designing and making things just for fun. I’m a lot poorer but a lot happier.

Tell us about your favourite piece of your work?

My favorite pieces are my ‘do not be scared’ series. They are about rebirth, fearlessness and escapism. I like them most because they’ve served me best and pay the bills. Thanks guys!

What's next?
I have recently finished my dark alphabet, an abecedarian with a strange slant. I would like to exhibit the complete thing somewhere so I’m looking into that. I’m very proud of it. I feel kind of lost now I’ve finished it as it has been hanging over me that long.

What is your favourite creative blog/ website or other source of inspiration?

Notcot, poppytalk, ffffound, Woody Allen films, old Humphrey Bogart movies.

What key piece of advice do you wish you'd known?

If I could go back I would tell myself to buy machines and tools earlier. The more equipment I have the less I have to rely on outside parties. The more processes you can keep entirely in your own hands the more controlled the end product is…and just chill, everything is fine!

Tell us your favourite place/ space in the Southside?

Me and my girlfriend like to wander over to Pollokshields and Maxwell Park amongst the detached villas and early morning learner drivers. We speak in plummy tones and imagine what house we would buy. Then we get kinda childishly jealous and narky and head home.

Name another Southside creative whose work you admire?

Southside based photographer/Papergirl Glasgow co-ordinator Heidi Kuisma and photographers/bloggers Nye and Cara of Peonies and Polaroids

If money was no option what would you change about the Southside?
I would drop Govanhill by two and a half feet and use a big garden hose to fill it with water. Like Venice. People would come from miles around to use the little mattress pedal boats.

Tell us one other interesting fact about you?

at 34 I have just tried screenprinting. I’ve printed cheap tights, a large chunk of the sale goes to Japan tsunami relief.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/paulofnavarone

http://twitter.com/paulofnavarone