- Published on
Q&A with Chuck Anderson
My name is Chuck Anderson. I'm an artist, designer, and creator of a bunch of other random things. Most recently I've added podcast host to my list of "what do you do" answers. I started a podcast called Life + Limb in late 2013 where I interview super talented, creative, interesting people. It's a lot of fun. But besides that I make a lot of different kinds of work. A lot of it is for clients and commercial purposes, collaborations with musicians, magazines, agencies, etc. All kinds of stuff.
Software / hardware
Photoshop + a Wacom tablet have been my key tools for years now. I use Illustrator on occasion and do a lot of photography using both a Canon 5D MkII and a Sony RX10. I use my iPhone for photos a lot too like everyone else. I used to work on a Mac Pro...for the last 2 years I've been on a pretty souped up iMac which I really love. But the new Mac Pros are a real thing of beauty I've considered...but something really great about the streamlined nature of an iMac.
Ideal work environment
I spent the first 5 years of my career working from home while I lived around the Chicago area. I moved to Grand Rapids, MI in 2008 and worked out of a few different offices with friends there for about 5 years and that was really great. Lot of fun and it was a good, healthy change for me to get out of the house. But we moved back to Chicago in 2013 and I'm working from home again. At the end of the day, my ideal work environment is wherever I can be alone. I work best in solitude and always have. I certainly miss working with and being around friends I shared studio spaces with while in Grand Rapids though...
Inspiration
I've been asked this question a lot over the years and I still don't know exactly what to say. The stock answer is always "friends, family, my environment, nature, traveling" and so on and so on. More and more I don't know that answering this question helps anyone because I've found inspiration to be intensely personal. As far as artistic inspiration, the list of artists is endless. I'm just inspired by anyone who works their ass off and does what excites them.
Admire most
KAWS, Jacob Bannon, Deanne Cheuk, David Allen, Jon Contino, Daniel Arsham, Nigo, Scott Campbell, Thomas Hooper, Pat Perry, Benny Gold, James White, Geoff McFetridge, Alex Trochut. I could keep going, but at some point you realize no matter what you do you'll be leaving people out of the list.