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Interview with Donny Miller

About a year ago, I received an unexpected package from my best friend Nicholaus.  In it was a signed copy of Beautiful People with Beautiful Feelings by Donny Miller.  This book instantly became one of my favorites, and an item that I constantly purchase copies of to randomly send to friends as was so delightfully done for me.  If you don’t already own a copy, I suggest you purchase one ASAP.  Satisfaction (and much laughter) is guaranteed.  The man is genius!

If you are not already familiar with Donny Miller’s subversive illustrations and saucy art pieces, then you have surely seen his commercial work.  Rooted in skateboard culture, Donny was previously seated as the Creative Director for Vans Shoes and has since provided art direction for RockStar Games, Etnies, Toy Machine, American Apparel, Cartoon Network, Orbit Gum, and several others.  Donny’s success is proof that you don’t need to go to art school to become an accomplished artist.  A man of many talents, he has successfully made a name for himself via various outlets: from designing logos like the Paul Frank signature, the Rusty Surfboards update, the Vans corporate icon, and the Vans Triple Crown Logo to illustrations, advertisements, music videos, and commercials.

Donny took some time out of his super busy schedule to answer some of my questions and I have to admit, this interview is definitely my favorite so far.  Enjoy!

In my opinion, Beautiful People with Beautiful Feelings is the BEST coffee table book ever.  What other books do you think are worthy of coffee table goodness?
Shawn Mortensen, Gregory Crewdson.  There are a bunch.

What is the first thing that usually comes to your mind when you wake up in the morning?
Coffee, who owes me money.

Your art is, without any doubt, a committed message to the world.  What, in your opinion, could help people to react against this world and change it?
See, most people don’t want to believe that they’re headed for a collision.  We’re seeing this with the housing crisis and bailout.  When you give someone a loan who can’t afford it, then of course there will be a fallout.   If you want to get peoples’ attention, grab hold of their money.  If you want to control people, put them in debt.  If you really want to change the world, you have to be that change you want to see.  Ghandi said that.  Be the change.

What inspires you as you begin a new project?
Selfishness.  Bills.

Do you ever say to yourself, “What the fuck am I doing?”  If so, what do you do to get past it?
I don’t give a fuck what people think about me, in relative terms.  People either get it or they don’t.  I don’t have time for it.  Here’s the trick to life.  Just hang out with people who are on your side and want to see you succeed.  Fuck everyone else.  I’ve had to cut people off who were just assholes who didn’t like seeing the successes I’ve had.

Do you believe artistic creativity is innate, generally and personally?
I don’t know if it can be taught.  Enhanced, maybe.  If someone “doesn’t have an artistic bone in their body” they usually become gallery owners and we need them, sometimes.  Plus, there’s more money in that.  The ones who can only draw stick figures are always the ones holding the money bags.

How to make money off of creativity or very little creativity is taught and taught well.  All those Otis and Art Center kids can tell you all about that.  The final courses at those colleges are money managing, portfolio making and the like.  The other colleges just have you draw an old man’s nuts for a few weeks and then expect you to open at the Met.  Somewhere I have a bunch of drawings of an old man’s nuts from life drawing.  They should have called the class nut sack drawing.

Personally, I was born an artist.  I was a better artist when I was a child than I am now because I was way more honest and I wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

You have been selected to go on all expense paid drinking binge for three days with three historical figures – an artist, a writer and one free choice. Who are your drinking buddies?
Myself as a child, Carl Jung and my wife.  We would certainly figure it all out.

Do you think that artists create over-the-top personas for themselves?  Is this based on the ‘myth of the artist’, or the fact that assholes tend to congregate at places serving wine and cheese?
All shit.  I know a lot of artists and they’re all insecure little babies that worry about what people think of them.  Myself included.   Art is kind of a scam.  Artists are always trying to sell you something you really don’t need.  But without artists, how would you know what brand of shoes you’re wearing or where to put your coins in the machine?  All that “myth” shit is a PR company.  A lot of artists have PR companies that get things on the news for them.  That’s just the cult of personality, in a way.

How much money did you spend on gas driving from gas station to gas station to put up those signs in your latest public art piece “Gas Signs Truth in Advertising”?  I¹m also a bit curious as to why you are singling out the oil companies at the local gas stations (who themselves only make cents per gallon as opposed to the huge margins), and not targeting the OPEC?
I used a hot air balloon to get around that ran off of marshmallow swastikas and rainbows.

I’m not targeting the gas stations, rather the companies and what it represents to us right now.  What happened over the summer with gas hitting the high mark, I believe, was the oil companies testing the ceiling for what people would pay.  Gas got too expensive and people stopped doing any driving except what was essential and they saw a drop off.

The reason I didn’t go to a corporate building to put those up was the armed guards.  No one is going to pull up to a gas station with a negative sign on it and then have it suddenly dawn on them that they’re paying too much for gas.  And as far as targeting OPEC, well, I didn’t plan on going to Vienna and lets not even get into the security detail for OPEC.  Plus, I think it’s a little abstract.  It got featured on digg.com.  Man, what a bunch of stupid assholes.  They had no idea what I was driving at and some people are too dumb to get it and even went so far as to defend the oil companies right to gouge us. They have that right and I also have the right to say, that’s wrong.  I’m not going to stand by and not say anything.  So, I’ll spell it out for everyone.

Here is why I did it: Oil companies charged a lot for gasoline.  At the same time, they were making record profits.  So, they were profiting so much that I felt we were being gouged.  I wasn’t the only one.  The Oil CEOs and their lawyers spoke in front of Congress and were asked why gas was so expensive and they said it was just like any other industry’s ups and downs.   Do the math.  We were getting gouged.  I smiled when people came to the rescue of big oil, as if they were in the same league as them.  They never will come to your aid, so remember which side you’re on.

Have you noticed the drop in oil prices?  No thanks necessary.

What do you think of someecards.com?
Those guys who bit my style?  I get a lot of emails asking if I’m affiliated with them.  I’m not, of course.  It’s just a jokey ecard upstart.  On one hand, whatever, lots of people “get inspired” (euphemism for ripping off) or “borrow” a couple things here and there.  In fact, I did a piece recently that read: The only thing we have to fear is opinion becoming fact.  Then I read a quote that went something like “people are entitled to their opinion, not facts.”  I like theirs better.  In a way, it’s saying the same thing, but I wrote that before I read it.  It was a coincidence.  Who knows?  If they did bite my style like many people said they did, I’m flattered - now get your own style.  They want to make stuff for now.  I want to make stuff for forever.

Do you plan to make more music videos?
Yeah and here is why I don’t illegally download music.  When you take away from a band’s money, they don’t have any money for “extras” like music videos.  Then they want someone like me to do a video, but they don’t have any money.  I’m talking about bands I do things for.  Not Mariah Carey or someone like that.  There will most likely be some sort of money for those types, because of the mega tours and product tie-ins.  I would love to have done a Dead Kennedys video.  I think when it gets to movies getting downloaded really bad and people in those industries start closing their doors, then we’ll see a lot more lobbying to get Washington DC to track and punish people.  Count on human nature to ruin it for everyone.  It will be those things that could destroy net neutrality.

This is one of my favorite quotes of yours:

Heroes are only manifestations of ourselves and what we can be.  Never meet your heroes unless you’re prepared to accept them as average people.  If you’d like to be let down, then by all means meet your heroes.  I have people I respect a lot.  Heroes should be limited to comic books.

Can you tell me what prompted this statement?
Have you ever met someone you admire a lot and when you meet them, they’re total assholes?  Me, too.  I really try not to do any hero worship.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a total asshole and I can be really mean, but not to someone I don’t know.  I’m only that way with the people I love. I met Joe Frank once when I was about 20 or so and he was the biggest fucking asshole I’ve ever met in my life.  Just an arrogant prick.  If I meet someone like that nowadays, I’m quick to ask them why they think they can act like an arrogant asshole?  I love asking people questions they aren’t ready for.  Usually, people aren’t expecting anyone to call them out on those kinds of things.  Glen Friedman was super arrogant.  I was just disappointed, but I was young and I’m sure he thought I was some stupid kid.  I guess, what I was trying to say is - don’t try and make me a hero.  I always try and be nice to people who like my work.  I’m a humble person by choice.  I really hate arrogance.  Fuck you, heroes!

Why aren’t you working on an art object now, instead of answering questions?
You’re an experimental art piece of mine.  I’m going to sell you to a rich family.

What is next for you and your career?
More art.  I’m working on a second book and an art show.  I love fighting, so more fighting and training.  I’m studying Muay Thai Kickboxing.  I love getting punched and kicked.  It makes me feel alive.  It feels good.  That millisecond right when all you can see is the color of the glove is like nothing else.  Landing a solid punch is super satisfying.  It’s a Hemingway sort of thing.

Links:
Donny Miller website
Donny Miller on YouTube
Donny Miller on MySpace
Purchase Beautiful People with Beautiful Feelings here