Every once and a while an artist will come along that commands your complete attention. Such was the case with artist/illustrator Alexei Vella. This award-winning illustrator’s work has been recognized by some major players in the illustration world, including Juxtapoz, 3×3, American Illustration, Applied Arts and Creative Quarterly. When this creative juggernaut isn’t working on illustration assignments, you can find him earning his MFA at OCAD in their Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design program.

We asked Alexei to continue our “Filling in The Blanks” series, where we ask local artists, musicians, and designers who live, work, or play in Toronto to finish off 20 questions that we give them. Here are Alexei’s responses:

• Q1. The thing I like most about being an illustrator is the satisfaction of coming up with interesting visual solutions to conceptually hard or bland material.
• Q2. If I could collaborate with any person or company on a creative project, I would love to work with a dream team of my own invention consisting of Barry McGee, Gary Panter, Yoshitomo Nara and Banksy. If you do not know who these art stars are, it is time to call up your friendly neighbourhood web-search.
• Q3. The last good movie that I saw was …let me interject before I move on… a “good movie” depends on one’s definition of “good”. I personally have not seen a movie I would consider “good” in a while; but that does not mean others have not. The way I see it is, all movies have their merits and shortcomings and I am not just saying that to be safe. What I do know from what my friends and family tell me, is that when I recommend a movie they know what to expect – one of Alexei’s bizarre and often-curious choices in movies, I guess I am not one for the mainstream. If you are interested in my strange tastes watch some of the following films: The Holy Mountain, Stalker, Begotten and Freaks. P.S. But you don’t have to take my word for it…
• Q4. One thing people would be surprised to learn about me is that although my illustrations are bright, colourful and often positive I am quite the opposite, it really all stems from my love of Black Death Metal. However, that does not mean I fit the brooding artist stereotype… Well, actually now that I think about it, that is the image I project to those who do not know me well enough. I guess that happens when you consider yourself as the “other” in the crowd and share an affinity with the Elephant Man, Skeletor and Frankenstein.
• Q5. I believe everyone should experienced the 80’s. Those of you that do not know who Gizmo, Megatron or Skeletor are you are totally missing out and should not exist at all; you are a waste of space. All seriousness aside, everyone should have a sense of humour.
• Q6. My creative inspiration comes from a variety of sources and is in constant flux. If you had asked me last year where my creative inspiration came from I would have responded with vintage comics and cartoons (E.C. Segar, Joe Oriolo, et al.), ephemera and the early 20th century, but I find that stuff so passé and over done right now, marketable yes, but over done. With that said, it does not mean I do not use that visual vernacular in my work – what it does mean is that I have been looking elsewhere for inspiration, especially after returning to school. Graduate school really changes your headspace – currently what inspires me is the concept of abjection, the occult, monsters and psychoanalysis. If I was asked for a broad all encompassing source of inspiration (past, present and future), which I think this question was expecting, I would have to say it would be popular culture.
• Q7. Another illustrator whose work inspires me consists of a list of about 50 or so artists and illustrators – there are so many out there, all rightfully amazing and inspiring, so I cannot say one inspires me more than another. I am currently enjoying the work of Alex McLeod, David Altmejd and Andy Warhol.
• Q8. If I wrote an autobiography about my life to date, the title of the book would be a tie between “One Foot In Front Of Another” and “Kick Ass And Take Names” or possibly a combination of the two – “One Foot In Front Of Another, Kicking Ass And Taking Names: The Life And Times Of Alexei Vella.”
• Q9. The best thing about being an illustrator is drawing and getting paid for it.
• Q10. The worst thing about being an illustrator is drawing and NOT getting paid for it. SPEC work is evil… avoid it at all costs.
• Q11. My favorite place in Toronto to hang out is difficult to say. Being a recent addition to Toronto, I really do not know where to “hang out”. Can you recommend a place to hang out? I will seriously try it out. I suppose I enjoy hanging out in my ivory tower, contemplating my artistic revenge by squishing people’s heads from out my window. Seriously though, I would say the Art Gallery of Ontario, it is like a 2-minute walk from where I live and it is free entry for OCAD (name drop) students.
• Q12. The thing in life that scares me the most is change. I see myself change everyday and not in the good way. I guess all we can do is accept change and move forward.
• Q13. I love it when it rains.
• Q14. If I could go on a vacation anywhere in the world tomorrow, it would be California. Not exotic enough? Okay… fine… New Zealand/The Land of Mordor.
• Q15. The most important lesson I’ve learned in life so far is there is more than meets the eye. Just because someone might be crippled does not mean they are any less than everyone else. If you are afraid of them, do not further the fear by calling them names like freak or gimp. Karma will get you in the end… I am certain of that.
• Q16. I love Toronto because it is a city and I love cities. I think I am biased though, I think it stems from living in suburbia for so long, everything there is so far apart.
• Q17. One of my favourite places to eat in Toronto is not one but rather many. Toronto is littered with a ton of its fine fast food establishments and I love my junk food. I know… I know… I should be eating healthier. I hear enough of that from my mother.
• Q18. The most influential person in my life is Skeletor… no wait your Momma… no wait actually my Momma.
• Q19. My ultimate goal in life is to eliminate everyone standing in my way of becoming the king of everything and attain world domination through the use of image.
• Q20. If I could meet anyone in the world, I would love to meet Stephen Hawking, Slavoj Žižek, Hades or Skeletor, depending on what world is being referred to.

If you have iTunes installed on your computer, each link will take you directly to the listed song, album, or artist. If there isn’t a link, we couldn’t find it on iTunes.

Alexei’s Playlist: 10 songs currently getting heavy rotation on his MP3 player.

1. Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, by Radiohead.
2. Molten Light, by Chad VanGaalen.
3. Iron Man, by Black Sabbath.
4. What’s He Building In There, by Tom Waits.
5. Bad Romance, by Lady Gaga.
6. The Donkey-Headed Adversary of Humanity Opens the Discussion, by Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.
7. East Hastings, by Godspeed You Black Emperor!.
8. Aghartha, by Sunn O))).
9. Delìrium Còrdia, by the Fantômas.
10. The Magic Position, by Patrick Wolf.

To learn more about Alexei Vella, you can visit his website or Facebook page.