1. What would you say is the most important theme in your work?
The most important theme in my work would have to be love. I hate to sound corny, or even too girly, but there are so many different avenues of love and I find it working itself into each of my pieces. Whether it’s a protective love of something, or love of cake, it’s the most important theme.

2. What’s most inspiring to your working process?
I would have to say music. The way a song might make me feel, or a lyric that stands out to me. Music is a huge inspiration and without it I would suffer greatly – in my work and in my life.

3. Have you any strange talents that influence the work you produce or the way you produce it?
Um….strange talents? It’s not really a strange talent per se, but the way I think is a little odd at times (which might be true for a lot of creative people), and that aids in making my work a little different. I wish I had a strange talent though, I wish I could bend in half and smoke with my foot.

4. Which artist of the past would you resurrect to collaborate with and why?
I would chose Andy Warhol – even though I’m not his biggest fan. I think I would love the ridiculousness of his scene and antics, and I could learn a few things about marketing from him as well. Plus I love a man in a white wig.

5. Do you think your work is understood or misinterpreted and why?
For the most part, I feel my work is probably misinterpreted, because of it’s happy sugary appearance. My work is emotionally driven, it can be very dark and sad in my approach, but it kind of hides itself behind my characters – strawberries, ice creams, candies and such. So in that way, it might be misinterpreted. It’s a huge compliment to me, when someone see’s passed the smiley rabbits and see’s the true me.

6. If you could decorate one place in the world what would it be and how would you do it?
Dang, at this point in my life, I’d like to decorate a home for my family and myself to live in. To paint and incorporate weird things and make it warm and liveable and unique. I know that isn’t very impressive or artistically grand, but my body’s itching for it!!! I love those decorating magazines, my favourite was Home Companion before it was cancelled.

7. What to date has been your ‘cherry on the cake’ moment and what was it that got you there?
A “cherry on the cake moment”…hmmm. I have to say all of it. My life at this point. Having solo shows, having a book, people supporting me, asking me if I’m ‘Brandi Milne’. It’s an unbelievable life, one I never really thought I’d achieve. My work is my blessing, and I can’t thank people enough for their love and kindness supporting it.

8. What we ask everyone! Does your artistic style influence your underwear?
Yessss!!! This is a wonderful question, thanks for asking! Cute underwear is kinda hard to find, but I will hunt for it throughout the land if I have to!!! Polka dots, stripes, candy colours, lace, print, fabric, cut – it all has to come together in perfection for me. I love it! That’s one of my favourite questions, good job!

More info: www.brandimilne.com

Currently he works both solely and in collaboration with fellow artist and good friend Rutger Termohlen. They’ve worked on a number of projects – sharing a vision on life and work – which as resulted in canvasses about daily life that question the society we live in.

Colin also has the pleasure of being the first of the UPFRONT’s new A8 [Artists Eight] questionnaire…

1. What would you say is the most important theme in your work?
Trying to give things and situations that I do and don’t understand a place in my work. Things like human and animal behaviour (they’re quite similar). Our information generation, references to my childhood also. Basically everything that surrounds me every day.

2. What’s most inspiring to your working process?
The moments when things go wrong in a process just when you didn’t suspect it so you have to adapt to the situation you are in. All my thoughts have to ‘fit’ while working on paintings and installations.

3. Have you any strange talents that influence the work you produce or the way you produce it?
It seems that I always talk to myself while I’m working… to me it’s not that strange but for 99% of the people I know it is…

4. Which artist of the past would you resurrect to collaborate with and why?
My grandfather who passed away years ago, he taught me how to draw birds, he was really good at it because he had many tropical species. Think it would made him proud if he could see what I’m doing now.

5. Do you think your art is understood or misinterpreted and why?
Basically most people understand the work, because the situations I paint reflect on many people, it’s only how you interpret it of course, but that’s different for each one.

6. If you could decorate one place in the world what would it be and how would you do it?
Maybe paint all the ugly huge skyscrapers in big cities around the world because the pollute my view! Paint them like huge forests for example, so nature fights-back on the concrete, would be a life-lasting project but why not.

7. What to date has been your ‘cherry on the cake’ moment and what was it that got you there?
Hard question because I’m always looking forward, but there are some moments of course that are very satisfying like the exhibitions we did in Paris, Berlin, N.Y.C. and here in the Netherlands of course, the people who you meet and the friendships that grow out of it. Last year I was involved in making a video clip for DJ Funkerman feat. I-fan and we had to paint almost every part in that video, crazy to do but to see your work moving is so nice. All things that you dreamed of as a little kid coming true.

8. What we ask everyone! Does your artistic style influence your underwear?
Ha-ha, I reverse the question, once I painted the pattern from my boxer shorts on a canvas, so the underwear inspires the style I guess…

More info: www.collinvandersluijs.com | www.flickr.com/photos/collinvandersluijs