Inspiration Profile - Joel Middlemiss

It's a balmy sunny Friday in Wellington so lets finish the week with an Inspiration Profile.
Today we have Joel Middlemiss - I call him my 'tile guy' (sorry Joel - you deserve a better label than that). Based at Heritage Tiles, Joel is the guy I call when any tiles are required on my jobs and he's so great to deal with hence the many return visits (of course, the products are great too.)
It was during a conversation with him that I found out he has another creative career outside his day job - a designer/artist influenced by surfing and skateboarding. I LOVE finding out about what people do and this inspired me to find out more about the people I work with. So over the next few months, you will see some of my cool colleagues who help me, by day, achieve my interior design projects.
Have a great weekend all.

Joel Middlemiss

2011 Skateboard Illustration design for Limited Edition Collaboration Board for Foundation Skateboards and Manual Magazine.

Name:Joel Middlemiss (a.k.a Faith – my art name)

What do you do: Commercial Design Consultant for Heritage Tiles by day and designer/artist by night – keeps me very busy! I have worked in Commercial sales and consultation for over six years and also as a freelance illustrator/designer for roughly five. I’ve painted and illustrated all my life really, but didn’t really start “putting myself out there” until a few years back.    

      

Where do you live: Wellington, N.Z.

What are you working on:  Currently I am working on a series of art pieces for a solo exhibition at a new boutique art gallery/ coffee house in Wellington, can’t let too much out of the bag on this one yet sorry but it will be happening in the next couple of months!  I’m also putting my sales and design experience into work on my own fashion and design label Faith Creative. This has been a project I have been working on for a while and a way to combine my love of skateboarding, surfing, design and fashion.   

Tiki – 2013 Mixed Media on salt water stained, watercolour board

Ray of the Dead - 2012 – Mixed media on Canvas

Who/what inspires me: Some personal favourites of mine are David Choe and Greg “Craola” Simpkins, also Chris Senn – Hawaiian based – skater and tattooist. 
On a local level Dunedin based artist and skater Phil Frost’s work inspires me and can definitely not forget to mention Mephisto Jones, a musician/artist/skateboarder from Wellington who has moved to Australian shores. Mephistos’ work was a great inspiration growing up, many Wellingtonians will have passed his street-art on the daily, but he also did a lot of high profile works for NZ bands and labels as well.    

    

I work best: Unfortunately for me my inspiration seems to strike first thing in the morning (when I should be heading to my day job!) Or in the middle of the night. I can often be found sitting at a computer or huddled over my drawing desk with paintbrush and pen in hand at 2 am in the morning!

What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Sometimes I browse through magazines or on design websites, but often the best medicine is to go out for a skate or surf and just free my mind, that is when the creative juices usually start flowing!  

The best advice I have been given is: Whatever you put your hand to, act is if you are doing it for God. Then you will always be giving your best!

My latest discovery is: Coca-Cola with an Espresso shot poured in, saw it on a French film and had to try it, amazing! – If you want to get a little creative, try a shot of your favourite “poison” in it as well. 
 

Tiki Board – 2011 Mixed Media, Paua Inlay on carved/stained ply (skateboard) – Piece for Te Papa’s Skate of the Art Exhibition.

Books that I get inspiration from: The Books of Psalms and Proverbs (Bible) and usually biographies or real stories, not much of a novel reader. I also have a good little collection of art history books that find their way off the shelf and beside my bed from time to time.     

Magazines that inspire me: Juxtapoz Magazine, Monster Children, Urbis, Tattoo Candy. Skate Mags - Manual Magazine, Thrasher. Surf Mags – Tracks, Damaged Good Zine.  

I love magazines, I have spent way too much on them throughout my life-time. Even in this internet world, nothing beats the smell and feel of a new mag, and the excitement of scanning through the pages looking for an article of an artist designer or skater/surfer you like. Or just simply lusting over equipment and art supplies you can't afford!      

  

Blogs that I enjoy: Juxtapoz, Fancy, Mostly Skateboarding, Crailtap, and of course, Charlotte Minty! (Ha, thanks Joel!)

My favourite room at home is: Probably the kitchen/dining – that’s where the coffee machine is!

My office is: shared with my wife Abbey (interior designer), gym equipment and far too many paintings and old skateboards, not to mention the bookshelves full of magazines etc. Probably a bit crammed at the moment, but definitely full of inspiration.  

What am I looking forward to: The birth of my first child in March! Also a few good exhibitions and jobs coming up that will be exciting to work on. 2013 is shaping up to be an epic year.

Check out this video here where Joel's illustrations has been projected onto skate board ramps for a skateboard shoot (see image below). Also you can follow Joel on his FB page. 

All images used with permission from Joel Middlemiss.