In Conversation With Stanley Chow

Manchester-born artist, illustrator and DJ with a passion for pop culture, food and football!

Okay... it's true we love pop culture over here at Utility and no one does it better than Stanley Chow. With a strong art style and instantly recognisable depictions of famous icons and legends, we couldn't resist asking our favourite illustrator/DJ some questions about himself and his work.

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1) We would love to know more about the person behind these incredible illustrations! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in Manchester, which is where I still live. My illustration career started when I left Art School in 1995. I started out working for magazines like Marie Claire, Just 17, More, Sugar and many of the weekend newspaper supplements doing fashion-based illustrations. I got bored of that after 10 years or so, and then I concentrated on doing more portraits and caricatures. I’m married with 2 daughters and I have 2 cats. I’m a Manchester United season ticket holder and I spend most of my spare time watching TV and films. I’m also a great cook too.

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2) What got you into illustration?

It was something that I was always good at from a young age. From the age of 5 or 6 I knew that I always wanted to be an artist some way or another. I spent most my childhood working out how I was going to be an artist and not to have a proper job. I’d been helping out at my Mum and Dad’s Chinese Takeaway since I was 11. I knew if I couldn’t find a path into art, I’d probably be still working in a takeaway.

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3) We see that your work is influenced by music and pop culture, do you have anything else that inspires you?

I get asked this a lot. Politics and football are the 1st things that spring to mind, however, to be honest with you, I don’t think there’s anything that doesn’t inspire me. I like to think I have an open enough mind to allow all things to have an influence on me. 

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A post shared by Stanley Chow (@stan_chow)

4) You're also a DJ! What inspired you to get into that? does your DJ style and art style ever cross over?

I like music, I had a lot of records and I needed money to supplement a not very successful illustration career at the time. In my 20s I flatly refused to find a proper job. It was at a time in Manchester where they seemed to have a shortage of DJs, so finding DJ work wasn’t that hard. The music I played was an eclectic mix of funk, soul, jazz and psychedelic rock from 60s and 70s… I’d like to think there was style cross-over with my illustration, but in reality, I don’t think there is.

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5) Where and how do you work best? What does the creative process look like for you?

I work best in solitude, peaceful and quiet, so when everyone’s gone to sleep in the small hours of the morning, no distractions like emails or phone calls or my noisy children. Unfortunately, that’s impractical if I want to maintain a healthy family environment. So it’s basically wake up at 8, have breakfast, read my emails, send out a few pithy tweets on Twitter and then crack on. The only way now is to treat it like a 9 to 5 job and hope creativity is flowing on tap. I haven’t worked out a creative process as such, other than just getting on with it.

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6) What are your plans for the future?

To actually do less ‘illustrating’ and more painting and drawing for myself. If people like what I paint, great… if they don’t it doesn’t and shouldn’t matter.

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7) Have you ever received and good advice that stuck with you or words to live by? 

I can’t remember who told me this, but “If in doubt, say no!”. This also fits my mantra which is “simplicity is the key”… that can also be interpreted as, always go for the easy option… why make life hard for yourself… not just in my art, but everyday choices in life.

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A post shared by Stanley Chow (@stan_chow)

Quickfire round...

1. What are you listening to at the moment? Ty Segall
2. What are you currently reading? The Sunshine Kids (The autobiography of Rafael & Fabio Da Silva with Wayne Barton)
3. Favourite city break destination? Lisbon
4. Last TV series you binge-watched? Time
5. Favourite Instagram accounts to follow... @davidchang @eatmcr @postersofmcr 

Discover more of Stanley Chow's iconic art work here.

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