In his hideaway in the hills deep in the Tweed Valley, Jae Copp has been busy working intently on his installation for Bleach* Festival, a surf-inspired arts and music festival that takes place in the lead up to the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro world tour events each February and March.
Surrounded by solitude, Jae’s studio may only be twenty minutes from downtown Coolangatta, but it’s a complete world away from the hubub that surrounds the kickoff of the world tour as thousands of surf fans pour into town.
Yet while his studio may be physically removed from the ocean muse inspiring his work, throughout his work Jae’s intuitive lines and subtle use of colours suggest a connection with nature that spans a divide greater than geography. It’s not traditional surf artwork per-se, but artwork inspired by the love of nature that surfing engenders.
You’ve been on the coast for a fair while now, how long have you called the Tweed home?
12 years.
Before then where were you based?
I was in Sydney – coastal, south, south-west Sydney.
What prompted the move?
Actually, I went overseas. Then I came back and really focussed on my art as a profession as opposed to just doing it.
So you chose the Coast as a better place to be an artist?
Yeah, it’s healthier here. It’s sort of like a fresh start here.
When did art start becoming a focal point in your life?
Always – in competitions and contests.
Was there a point where you thought – “This is what I want to do as a career”?
I did after school. I tried to get into sign writing and then a job came up in labouring so I jumped into that and chugged along. That’s why I went overseas – to re-evaluate what I was going to do, and then when I came home I moved North.
How have you found the Coast to be as far as working as a practicing artist?
It’s fine for me, its awesome. Mostly the stepping-stones I guess you’d say would be through Melbourne. That has definitely helped along the way.
You don’t find there are geographical boundaries working from a coastal community as opposed to a city?
No. I wouldn’t move from where I am at the moment. I was going to move to Melbourne but I just like having my own space – so there’s not too much direct influence.
You were talking about influences there – so you’re not drawing a lot of influences from your peers?
No. More issues that are going on around the world – I don’t know, it’s trial and error. I’ve changed my style many times.
How would you describe your style?
I don’t know. But I guess I’d say contemporary folk if I had to describe it. But when people ask me I tell them I don’t know. I know what I’m doing but I don’t know how to describe it. It’s not street art anymore, definitely more along the lines of contemporary folk.
You’re art doesn’t look like surf art either. But does surfing influence your art?
No, not really. It’s more nature-driven. More marine life – that’s what I will be doing for Bleach*. Marine life. It will also be story-driven – the telling of stories. It will almost be a celebration of the weird and wonderful aspects of nature and marine life that sort of thing. If we don’t look after this stuff then it won’t be here for us to tell stories about.
Has there always been stories in your work?
There always has been but not a message – just metaphors and there are definitely stories behind every piece, maybe more subliminal.
Coming back to your work – is Melbourne where you’re finding more attention for your artwork?
I’ve sort of dropped off the radar there now – but the biggest stepping-stone would be through Wooden Toy Magazine. I was contributing to illustrations and that sort of thing and the editor Tim got me involved in a couple of shows and it sort of snowballed from there.
What sort of mediums do you usually work with?
I was working with timber a lot and then I changed to paper. I stopped working with wood because everyone seemed to be working with wood and it sort of got a bit boring. But I’m coming back to it with something new like creating something with paper. I’m also still stitching. I’m using really thin timber and I can work it in with the paper as well. You can bend them around and I’m planning to bend the timber into circles.
Do you feel like you get much chance to make much contact with other artists on the Coast?
Not really. Even when I got down to Melbourne and hang with friends down there I can’t work in that environment. I can collaborate but I can’t just sit down and draw with friends. It takes too long to come up with an outline. They have different styles as well they can come up with stuff quick.
Do you think there is a bit of a divide between people who have gone on to become a commercial artist and what you do? On the coast, is there many places to show what you do?
I don’t think so, my places are Melbourne or overseas at the moment. It will just be interesting to see what will come out of Bleach* Festival.
With your own surfing – have you ever competed or been part of a club? Or do you surf for yourself?
Yeah I just surf for myself. I started surfing when I was 9 or 10. I used to skate and snowboard that type of thing too. So basically my background has been skateboarding and graffiti. Probably back in the 80’s that was there things kicked off. Back then I always wanted to be a graphic artist for skateboards. But that never really panned out and I got into labouring. Then I started an uncategorised label for Soopkichn. But it’d come together all at once – I was designing skateboards as well as shoes and t-shirts that sort of thing. I was doing that for 5 years. It was just me and my partner doing it and then he decided he wanted to do something different. But it was good because I definitely learnt a lot. It has definitely helped me.
Have you done anything else like that since? Like designing for shoes and skateboards and stuff?
Yeah I’ve done stuff for Element. I did some stuff for Red Bull – a packaging thing where each box came out different. That was over 12 months with 12 different artists. I also did some stuff with Darcy Surfboards.
Did you get any boards out of Darcy Surfboards?
Yeah I have a few boards. That was awesome.
Do you see more of this stuff happening? Like this stuff with combining your interest with your art?
Yeah I definitely hope so.
Is that one of the areas that you can see that you can make a living from?
Yeah. It was good because it was all artist focussed. It wasn’t just an email to say can you please do a logo or something. It was like No Comply. No Comply is an artist thing in Melbourne. In 2007/2008 they had 200/300 artists on skateboards in Federation Square.
Do you find you get grouped more with skate artists in that sort of show?
Definitely as opposed to surf and more contemporary artists.
Do you worry if you get catagorised into niches like skate or surf art?
I don’t think it’s up to me to say who is going to take on my work. Personally I’d like to see my work appreciated everywhere but I wouldn’t just want it to be mainstream. It’s not up to me who my work appeals to and I’m not trying to look to a niche. I’m sure it will find a niche eventually again – it’s gone from skate culture sort of thing to going into something else but I don’t know what it’s going to be. I hope my work is constantly evolving.
What’s an average day for you? How much time do you put into art?
It’s hard to say because I get stuck in the garden sometimes. And I’ll want to get something finished and I’ll go and work on it. My art is definitely main priority but I’m not being dictated by my art. I can’t just sit down and create a piece. I have to scratch around all day and get absolutely nothing done.
Are you a night time person?
No, definitely morning. I get up at like 5am. Sometimes 3am. Definitely work in the morning. From lunch-time to afternoon I’m doing other things and I’ll come back to it at night – it’s sort of random. When it happens it happens.
Where do you normally surf?
Predominately D-bar. But I haven’t been for a while. I sort of just have other things to do. Like interest pockets. Like I’m building a pizza oven at the moment it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. There will be little random things like this I’ll stop my art for a month or two for.
Did you study formally?
No I did a graphic design course when I was doing the clothing label just to learn how to use the programs and that sort of thing. Once I learnt the basic sort of thing I just taught myself. There were some really good teachers there. I’m actually enrolled to do a course in forest re-generation. It’s not always art.
So you’ll be doing forest re-generation?
I’m just thinking I can do this a couple of days a week until my next show. So I don’t have to rely on commercial work constantly. Just get out there and work outdoors and come home and then stress about my deadlines.
Do you think deadlines affect your work?
Definitely. They take you out of your comfort zone and you’re forced to work different ways as well. They also spark different ideas.
Back to Bleach* – you were talking about presenting you work round illustrations?
Rounded circle pieces, timber frames.
And how will they fit into the shipping container?
I don’t know yet – I was thinking about doing collage pieces
Why circular?
I made this piece for a show in Sydney and it’s what I do with the paperwork and the stitching. But I was forced to and taken out of my comfort zone and it forced me to do that and that was the result.
You were talking about sea creatures?
Just to tie it all in with the ocean-y, Bleach* connection. Last year I didn’t see my work tying up into the existing surf culture. For the average person to walk in there, they wouldn’t see the connection. Those pieces were more environmental statements. This time it’s all nature and environmental inspired but it’s going to be more ocean driven – so marine life. My piece will incorporate these stories. These stories won’t be told if we keep doing what we’re doing. There will be fish and marine life that will be in odd situations. I won’t give away too much but the things they’re doing are so odd they just shouldn’t be there. Like the Great Barrier Reef – it’s just so odd they’re doing the things they’re doing.
Some of the other artists in the show also have environmentally themed pieces – do you think the reason for that is that surfers respond to something like that?The coast isn’t just surf. There’s also hinterland, it’s the whole lifestyle of the Coast I think. I don’t hang around surfers all the time – just because you don’t hang around surfers doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate the coast. People will be more wave orientated and surf orientated because that’s the lifestyle they live. We’re all living in the same environment but we don’t all see the same aspect of living here.
What are you most looking forward to seeing at Bleach*?
Just the whole thing put together – I can’t wait to get started in putting it all together. As far as enjoying the festival, then just definitely the outdoor living we should be enjoying more of. We have the environment to enjoy but we’re bit too focussed on indoors.
Catch Jae’s Work At Bleach* 2013
Bleach* Festival will kickstart with a Pre Bleach* Weekend teaser on the 15th-17th February, then run from February 22nd – March 3rd at venues across the Gold Coast. Jae’s work will feature at the Gold Coast Bulletin Bleach* Hub in Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta, housed in big shipping containers placed beachside. For a full schedule of events, catch the wave at www.bleachfestival.com.au
Interview & Images thanks to Jae Copp & The Bleach Festival Committee.