This week we were able to catch up and conduct a mini-interview with Canadian comics artist and cartoonist, Patrick Kyle. Kyle is exhibiting a number of works on paper within ‘A Clear Blazing Fire’, the group show currently being presented in the Magic Pony gallery space. Besides having experience showing his work within galleries, Patrick Kyle is also an accomplished illustrator having produced work for such notable clients as The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Transistors Studios, The Walrus, THIS Magazine, Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, and VICE Magazine. In addition to his gallery work and illustration practice, Kyle is the co-founder and editor of Wowee Zonk, a contemporary comic book anthology, as well as the founder of a small press company called Mother Books which focuses on printing small, afforable artist’s books, zines and comics.

‘A Clear Blazing Fire’  is the Magic Pony’s first exhibition of 2013 and features work by Alexandra Mackenzie, Howie Tsui, Jamiyla Lowe, Laird Henderson, Nathan Jurevicius, Patrick Kyle and Theo Gallaro.

March 15-April 14, 2013
Opening Reception March 15 from 7-10pm

Click here for join the event on our Facebook page.

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MP: Over the last couple of years, there has been a slight shift in style for you from what could be described as a more organic and quasi-traditional cartooning aesthetic to something which is now much more minimalistic, abstract, and seemingly more inspired by elements of graphic design. What sparked this evolution in the way you think about and create your work?

PK: That’s interesting how you’re viewing my shift in style because I feel like I’m becoming more of a quasi-traditional cartoonist now whereas my work was more abstract before. I do understand where you’re coming from though and I can’t really say there was any particular thing that sparked this change. I’m always actively trying to change the way I draw. I don’t actually look at any graphic design but I have become more conscious of creating balanced images and I’ve found one particular fine tip pen that I’ve been drawing with a lot and it makes my work look a little neater.

MP: How have your recent experiences publishing books through your small press brand, Mother Books affected the way your think about your practice. How do you select the artists you choose to work with? Also what influenced your decision to print your publications for most part using a risograph machine?

PK: I had only been out of University for a year or so when I decided to start a publishing imprint so my practice has grown up around the duties of book making, distributing and exhibiting at trade shows. I undertook the pursuit of publishing prematurely and I wasn’t entirely confident about the first couple of books I produced. Since then I’ve mostly used Mother Books as an imprint for my own works while I slowly gain more experience publishing. The few artists I’ve worked with were all friends of mine who’s work I admire. I’m working towards publishing more books that aren’t my own but I’d like to make sure I have the proper resources, equipment and time before then. The Risograph is kind of like a screen printing machine. It’s incredibly cheap to use and offers a lot more control and variety than either photocopying or screen printing. Having the machine in our apartment is also wonderfully convenient.

MP: How does it feel to have a solidified and published graphic novel version of your ongoing comic series, Black Mass? I know up until this point many of the various issues were printed on a much smaller scale using DIY methods more associated with zines rather than traditional book printing. Does it feel at all like you have reach a milestone in your career?

PK: I look at Black Mass as formative work. I’m proud that I went through with publishing it all in one volume and I’m happy that it will be available to a wider audience. My approach has already changed a lot since finishing it and I’m looking forward to working on new books. My experience with the overseas printer was kind of stressful so I think I’m going to stick to self-publishing or local printers for the foreseeable future.

MP: Do you have any particular preferences with your work as far as working within the medium of the comic book versus creating a singular fine art piece for a gallery show? Do you approach them in any radically different way or are theY extensions of each other for you?

PK: The approach is mostly identical, except when I’m making “fine art” I might be more conscious of making a balanced image or of how I might eventually apply colour. I also generally don’t draw backgrounds or word balloons when making a piece for a gallery show. I think my comics used to be a little more straight forward and my artwork was more esoteric but I think that might be the opposite now. That’s all subjective though!

MP: Could you at all briefly describe some of your favourite or especially unique creators within the comics and zine community. Anyone you might be currently inspired by?

PK: Noel Freibert (Baltimore, Maryland) is perpetually developing his approach to drawing and story telling while retaining an unmistakeable personality. Michael DeForge (Toronto) makes work that is both accessible and challenging. Like Noel he’s not afraid to turn his approach upside down. Ginette Lapalme’s (Toronto) confidently minimal drawings are like a catalogue of a vast imagined world. Jon Boam (UK) creates some of my favourite  drawings that are exciting for both their fantastic content and atypical approach.

MP: And lastly, do you have plans yet for the next anthology you will be producing with your cartooning and comics collective, Wowee Zonk?

PK: We have talked a little about producing a fifth collection of comics but we have no solid plans. Chris, Ginette and I are all pursuing personal work and I think we’re pretty content to focus on that.  There’s a lot of comic anthologies out currently and I’m not really sure that there needs to be another issue of Wowee Zonk right now.

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We would like to extend a big thanks to Patrick Kyle for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in this interview and answer our questions! Come check out some of his work in person at the opening of  ‘A Clear Blazing Fire’ at the Magic Pony gallery on Friday, March 15th between 7-10pm. See you there!