Out & About: Do you call yourself an artist?
Julie Pelckmans: Generally yes, but there’s always a quiet voice in the back of my mind shouting “No”. As a budding artist who has only been free to explore the artistic market since August 2021, it’s still hard for me to call myself one. I have not yet landed a job in the animation field, as these are rare in Switzerland. I also still lack the necessary self-confidence.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by nature, world history and my love for the dark and macabre.
How did you start?
My interest in art and music was expressed very early in my childhood. The decision to make it my profession came in secondary school. It was suggested that I attend the FMS with a focus on art and then the preliminary course for design in Basel. Only in the last step did I think more carefully about my abilities and talents. The year there gave me the freedom to get to know myself and discover what I like most about art. My conclusion was that I wanted to combine image and sound and animation gave me that opportunity. Before and even during the pre-course, I had seen graphics as my destiny, but then realized that it didn’t offer me the spectrum of storytelling that I wanted.
If you had the chance to study art, would you do it?
In retrospect, I think that studying animation was too constricted for me. I learned a lot about animation itself and also had the chance to experiment. However, due to the narrow time frame in which the projects generally took place, I didn’t feel completely comfortable. The doubts I had gained from unfinished projects or technical difficulties made me a more reserved person than I was before the studies. Also, such a work environment leads to a tendency to overwork oneself. Now that I’m done with my studies, I wonder if the form of such is suitable for animation or if it only promotes existing problems in the animation world.
“Generally [I call myself an artist], but in the back of my mind a quiet voice is always shouting ‘no’.”
Do you think a professional training or education would have led you faster to the current state?
I think studying is a good idea in itself. However, it should be more focused on exercises and techniques and longer overall, so that you have the time to work on a larger project. Also I think such a study should be flexible, so that a good idea that exceeds the scope of a project can still be executed. Also it needs more support, from experienced professionals who can help with techniques, time problems or other.
Do you earn money from your art?
Still not enough to live on, but hope dies last. To set up my own puppet animation studio, I need to be a bit more stable in life first, hence a job in the creative field would help me out. My skills are very broad and I might also find a job outside of animation. At the moment I am looking for work in stage construction, sales, film editing, audio editing, film pre-production and film shooting.
Do you have any additional sources of income?
Many jobs that freelance artists typically have alongside their work have been eliminated because of Covid, or employers have livelihood problems that prevent them from hiring new staff. This made it difficult for me to find an additional source of income besides and after my studies. I am lucky that my parents are still supporting me for now and I can focus on applying for jobs. Finding a job in my field of work would be a dream come true.
“I think a degree is a good idea in itself. However, this should be more focused on exercises and techniques, and on the whole longer, so that one can take time for a larger project.”
Have you ever exhibited your work?
No, I haven’t yet. At least not outside of a school setting. So far I don’t have any work that really represents me as an artist and since I work in a field where a minute of animation can mean a month of work, I haven’t yet had the space and opportunity to make something I can identify with.
“At the moment I am looking for a job in stage construction, sales, film editing, audio editing, film pre-production and film shooting.”
Do you have any advice for aspiring young artists?
My tip would be, when you are young, to get acquainted with as many different artistic methods and ways of expression as possible. Then, once you have an idea for a project or a work, you can help yourself from this accumulation of approaches and find the appropriate technique. One should consider what the execution method adds to the interpretation and appearance of the work.
Dear Julie, thank you so much for your inspiring answers! We sincerely wish you all the best on your further path as an artist and much success in finding a job.
Interview: Ina Bandixen
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In the interview series “Artists without a degree in art” we have conducted interviews with artists who have no formal training in the liberal arts and who combine different backgrounds. It is important to us to show that the often still elitist thinking in conservative art institutions represents a barricade for many people, for example when discriminatory structures, racist and sexist attitudes, or even financial barriers make it difficult for them to enter art studies. On the other hand, it is also about understanding that life courses do not always follow a linear and clear line, and that detours and backgrounds outside the field can represent great added value. In the series, seven artists answer the same ten questions about their own CVs and how they ended up where they are now. They tell of very individual and stubborn paths to art, which show how diverse the path to professional creation can be.