RD: When did you start painting and doing graffiti??

Mike Shantz: Since around grade 7 the thought was in my head that i wanted to be an artist and i usually drew daily and tryed to develope a style. High School i started painting more and then in university i realized the potential of watercolors for coloring my inked works as well as using spraypaints and acrylics together. Fine Arts school was pretty much just a huge jolt to my brain that made me realize my potential. Graffiti i started doing in grade 8ish. I tried to learn the history as well as just how to point a can at a wall. Now i incorporate it into my paints and as well as stencils and paint.

RD: Where are you from??

Mike Shantz: I was born in Salmon Arm British Columbia Canada, its a smaller town in the okanagan valley, known for its beautiful huge lakes and orchards and now for its houseboating in the summer. It was wierd growing up there and being an artist because the only real art i ever got to see was old ladies landscape watercolors and native art. Thank god for the internet in highschool. Then i went to university and got a Bachelor of Fine Arts at OUC in Kelowna, which is still in the okanagan area. The teachers there are the best i could have ever asked for and im seriously glad i didnt go to a stuck up typical art school because at OUC i learned to be an artist and not how to eat cheese and make other people feel like shit. I gott mention some of them in case they ever read this because they were a huge part of my art life, Briar, ruth, jim, stephen, johan, you all pushed me to be the artist i am now, so thanks. After graduating i moved to Vancouver, which is where i am now, and im working in a tattoo shop and trying to get into some galleries. Im also working on 2 clothing lines, designing and doing other stuff as well as still doing designs for bands in this area as well as a few down in LA.

RD: Main art influences??

Mike Shantz: At an early age i'd say it was manga and cartoons, and those are both still a huge influence. As for now i'd say a lot of the lowbrow artists in san fran, some of my friends like mildred, my brother jeremy shantz who is finishing up fine arts school and is amazing at video, as well as my parents who both took fine arts as well and always pushed me to grow as an artist and not stay stuck in one style or one medium.

RD: Do you have to get in the "zone" to paint, or do you just jump right into it??

Mike Shantz: When i paint and it turns out good im usually in the "zone", but i dont have to be to start painting or drawing or whatever other medium im working in. Sometimes i just start working and it just turns into art without me knowing it even. I do photography as well as going out and taking photos helps to draw the creative thought process out of my head and onto the paper or wall or canvas.

RD: What kind of Music do you listen to??

Mike Shantz: I love and hate this question because i listen to a pretty good variety of stuff, so i will just give a little list for ya. Stick to your Guns, lights below(from vancouver), HIM, gorillaz, cradle of filth, conducting from the grave, msi, dragonforce, Soul Source, Eisley, and billions more.

RD: How did you develop your stylle??

Mike Shantz: I tried to copy manga mostly, back in highschool, but then in Univsersity i think life drawing really helped to form my style into what it is today. I can draw portraits or kids stuff, or manga and anyone can look at it and say, ya thats mikes art. Im really happy that i have a strong style in art, i belive it is what sets an artist apart int he art world. If you different your noticed, and thats definatly what i want.

RD: Do you have any crazy art gallery moments??

Mike Shantz: Not really, but setting up for my grad show was pretty rediculous. I didnt have a space for my work at all and was stressing so hard, so i ran around asking everyone if they would give me a square foot of thier wall to put up one piece of mine, then i managed to get a space, as well as a huge wall over everyones head as they walked in, in which i put up two pieces, each 4 foot by ten foot. Putting those up was nuts, but its something about a ten foot tall skeleton mickey mouse stabbing me in the head that really made that show great.

RD: Whats your biggest accomplishment in terms of Art??

Mike Shantz: Definatley getting my bachelor of Fine Arts. Having that shows that i was willing to take the time and effort to perfect my skills and knwoledge of art and myself. I hate when people tell me they do art but never want to go to art school, art school is like taking a lifetime of art knowledge and jamming it into 4 years, its awesome and then you have the rest of your life to learn even more about it.

RD: Do people ever send you pictures of tattoos of your work??

Mike Shantz: Nobody has gotten my art tattooed yet except me, but a lot of people have gotten little designs i did for them and a lot are planning on getting a few pieces of my art tattooed pretty soon, personally i cant wait to see them.

RD: What do you think of porn??

Mike Shantz: Well.........porn was a good friend in university, thanks to the internet, probably because i was interested for art reasons but obviously i also love hot girls, naked, what guy dosnt. But i think theres a line between porn and beyond stupid.....but its thier lives and as long as i dont have to see it everyday im fine.

RD: What kind of girls are you into??

Mike Shantz: Creative ones, fashionable, fun, not a clone of every stupid ditz you see walking down the street with 40 bags of new clothes thier daddy bought for them. My girlfriends what i want, shes all those good things plus stubborn as hell and really independant, she dosnt need me but im glad shes keeping me......in a shed.

RD: Do you have any "art groupies"??

Mike Shantz: Not that i know about. I have a few fans, mostly my friends and maybe random myspace kids. I kinda of hope i have obsessed art fans who read my page everyday hoping for new art, its that kinda stuff that makes good movies.

RD: Any Crazy Sexual Exploits??

Mike Shantz: Not that i can remember. There was this one time, when i rented that elephant and had 40 girls and some spray cheese........nope nothing i can think of.

RD: What do you think of razordolls??

Mike Shantz: Well im poor so i dont have a membership, but from what i do know i think its a good crew. Girls, art, music...its everything you need and its done well. It also dosnt push the whole "you have to look like this to be hot" steriotype. Hot girls are in every shape and form.

RD: Whos your favorite razordoll??

Mike Shantz: Mary Murder

RD: Do you think Porn will ever be an accepted art form??

Mike Shantz: No. Maybe for some people but not the general public, and i think thats a good thing. Porn and sex shouldnt be seen everyday because it takes it from being a special thing. It becomes boring and makes porn and sex have to keep growing into something more entertaining and more crazy. I think what razordolls and other such sites do is becoming more of an art form. The photography is getting better and better and while the focus is still on the models i think the viewer also appreciates the artistry of the photo.

RD: What upcoming artists should we look out for??

Mike Shantz: Me. My bro. Mildred.

RD: Do you like Horror Movies??

Mike Shantz: If so Whats your Favorite??

Mike Shantz: Oh man, do i ever love horror movies. But picking a favorite is hard. Recently it would have to be Shaun of the dead, because they took all the great aspects of horror and made such a great movie. But as for scary gore filled movies....texas chainsaw was sweet....Battle Royale was sweet....Ichi the Killer was so sweet!!

RD: Whats your opinion on the art scene today??

Mike Shantz: Its growing and starting to allow newer artists into shows and into the spotlight a bit more, which is great. Its still SO hard to get gallery shows when your not mainstream, but its well worth the effort.

RD: Anything else you want to say??

Mike Shantz: i will save it for the shameless plug section....

RD: Anything you want to plug, do it here:

Clothing: Process{modus operandi} clothing, Ghost Town clothing,

Music: Lights Below, ME and,MY BRO