Oddica: How'd you get your start as an Artist?

Blair Sayer: Man, thats a big question. My father used to paint when I was growing up, so some say it's in my genes. He also had an interest in comics as a kid, and I used to pore over his collection and his old attempts at comics.

Oddica: He drew comics?

Blair Sayer: Well, he tried to, never commercially though. He never got past pencils, and he left alot of them unfinished. Now that I am older, I can say he had talent, but not patience. I liked his paintings better actually, and he even won an award for a landscape in 1978. It hung in our living room for years, til it was bumped for a portrait I did of him while I was at design school.

Oddica: So now you are following in his footsteps as a painter ... how many paintings have you completed so far?

Blair Sayer: HA! I am hardly a painter! I have finished 1.8 paintings so far, but this is new for me. After years of illustrating in ink (and photoshop), I recently decided to take up acrylics. I'm learning, and 90 percent happy with the results. Each painting I do I discover a technique that works for my style, and each painting will get better. I can't wait to see number 10!!

Oddica: Did you sell that first painting?

Blair Sayer: No. I'm hoping to have an exhibition in a new store in Wellington that sells Art prints and limited edition toys etc. It's a cool store, and I am in there as soon as Tony (the owner) gets new prints in. The prints by Scott Musgrove, Glenn Barr, James Jean etc, are selling really fast, which is a good sign. I think alot of people in New Zealand haven't seen much of the Lowbrow movement to be honest, but it's a good time to plan an exhibition. And then of course there's the plan to submit to 'Cotton to Canvas' ... shameless plug there.

Oddica: Can't wait to see Bunny Business as a painting. So your day job is illustrating for various clients?

Blair Sayer: Yeah, I'm very lucky to do this for a living. I have a bunch of different clients at any giving time, and some months are great and some ho-hum. I do alot of publishing work, magazines and childrens books mostly, but also get some good campaign work, and recently did some packaging for kids biscuits. I think you call them cookies ... Anyway, I'm usually busy, touch wood, which suits me. I'm not about to retire though, maybe my paintings will be my retirement plan?! Again, touch wood!

Oddica: Fairly amazing that these are your first two paintings ever. So did you attend Design School to be an illustrator?

Blair Sayer: Yeah, I attended, what was in those days, the Wellington Polytechnic School of Design from 1991 to 1994. I came away with a diploma in Visual Communications and Design (dipVCD), some freelance work under my belt, and a 100% 'traditional' portfolio. Alot of mixed media, scraperboard, and watercolour. How times have changed, now my portfolio is 80 percent digital.

Oddica: Are you more comfortable now with the pen and ink, or with the mouse?

Blair Sayer: I still use ink to draw, and the Mac to colour in, basically. I used a Wacom tablet to color stuff with. I'd be lost without a tablet. A mouse will give you nothing but trouble.

Oddica: What's the New Zealand art/design scene like? Has the success of Peter Jackson and WETA made it a better place, or worse?

Blair Sayer: The scene, it's great, really revolves around the creative, if you know what I mean. There's a good standard down here, and some really good illustrators to compete with. I use the word 'compete' loosely, as we usually all go for beers, and I was my major competitors groomsman at his wedding!
PJ and WETA: they have a really top team over there, and a couple of the major illustrators were a couple of years ahead of me at design school. I see one around alot, he's really modest about all the hype, which is typically kiwi. Also, PJ and Richard Taylor are very, VERY set on employing local talent. It's kinda cool to think that there's a bunch of kiwis in the burbs of Wellington competing with Hollywood, don't you think?

Oddica: Yeah, talent is talent, no matter what burb it's from. Speaking of talent, who are your influences, or some of your favorite Artists?

Blair Sayer: Man, where to start. I have comic books by Mike Mignola, Eric Powell ( The Goon rocks), Dave Cooper and Frank Miller, which have influenced me of late. I have started to recognize really good Lowbrow artists also, like Glenn Barr, The Pizz, and Tood Schrorr. Big Daddy Ed Roth is a god to me. Since painting, these guys and there works are in all my books next to my easel! I still pinch myself that I am working among guys like The Pizz and Jordan Crane at Oddica, as well as the some new talent, like Kenneth Lavallee and Hydro74. I'd also better mention Rob Gould and Grayehound. I'd get in trouble if I didn't! HA!

Oddica: What can you tell us about the Zombie that lives inside of you?

Blair Sayer: Haha! That made me laugh out loud! I don't really think there's alot I can say, except that I am very proud of him! That film had 3 rules; shot on a DVX, under 5 minutes long, and had to have zombies. Here, let the Oddica folks have a look:
http://www.neogine.co.nz/article.php?section=2&subsection=5&content=19
We got 11th equal out of about 70 films. I have to be the world's fattest zombie though.

Oddica: World's Fattest Zombie, that's a fun title to carry around with you. Did you have to study for the role?

Blair Sayer: My motivation was 'I'm thirsty, and constipated.' Yes, I am a Method actor. The film was shot at the studio where I sub-let space from, and all the cast are friends. The only actual established actor is the chick behind the mike! True story.

Oddica: Where did the name Mr Rocks come from?

Blair Sayer: Thats a good one! A while ago, I went over seas, to live in the UK for 2 years. Alot of kiwis do this, nothing new. Before I went, I needed a 'travel' e-mail address, and in those days I was a bit technophobic. I asked a friend of mine to set one up, and she put me down as blair_rocks. A good friend of mine has, since then, refered to me in all his correspondence as Mr Rocks. So thats that. I have even designed tees for a company here in New Zealand that put 'Mr Rocks' on the design as a signature. Nowadays most people think it refers to my dancing skills, or my balls, but now you know the truth. Not as rock and roll as everyone thought huh?

Oddica: Anything you'd like to say in conclusion?

Blair Sayer: Nothing that I haven't said before. Mostly I am absolutely stoked to be on board at Oddica, and find the group of assembled artists really inspiring. I won't mention my favorites, but there really is some top-notch talent here. I will wear the Art with pride and strut like a 5-foot-7 inch peacock around the streets of New Zealand. Maybe even the streets of California next year, who knows.