Recently we had the opportunity to speak with alternative model and painter Razor Candi about her art, her inspirations, and the culture of her home town of Transylvania.
Starving Artist: How did you get into modelling/performing arts? Is it something you've always been interested in or was there a moment in your life where you decided it was what you wanted to do?
Razor Candi: I’ve always been drawn to the arts especially visual art for as long as I can remember. While I was growing up in the late 80’s early 90’s I found myself very influenced by musicians like David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, and Billy Idol. Later in high school I was drawn more toward the dark arts, film and music so the goth lifestyle was a refuge and escape for me. This is when I found an interest in capturing my ideas on a more permanent level which is why modeling and photography really interested me. It was never out of hopes to become famous or known, just a creative outlet and way to express myself; it wasn’t until about 2004 that I noticed I actually had a fan base and that I was an inspiration for other artists and people like me so I stuck with it. To this day it’s still my favorite way to express myself and a great artistic release for me.
Starving Artist: Your alternative style of modelling is an inspiration for many people. Has punk rock and heavy metal had a big influence on your life?
Razor Candi: Punk music actually came a little later after high school but currently most of the bands that I find myself drawn to now have punk influence especially because of the statements behind what they are singing about. When I was younger I was more of the emotional goth type so bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and The Cure fed my more sensitive side but as I got older I found myself getting more angry than sad and this is when I started to appreciate more of the punk rock stuff.
Starving Artist: Currently you call Transylvania, Romania your home. What is the culture like there? Is it very old world or is it modernized? What kind of an art/music scene do they have?
Razor Candi: The culture is still heavily engrained with more conservative and traditional thinking especially in certain parts of Romania though in the past 6 years since I’ve been living here I’ve noticed the larger cities becoming Westernized very rapidly. In a way it’s a good thing because no one deserves to be kept sheltered or unexposed to new things but at the same time I find it a little sad because living a simple life can be so refreshing. So far the most noticeable music scene here is metal. They love their black metal over here! Speaking solely from my perspective on things is that there is a major discrepancy between the metal and punk scene due to the fact that the punk scene usually has more left wing ideologies which are not very popular while as metal has a certain right winged influence as a reaction to the same communist background, however in recent years both these scene has become more developed and are shedding their political connotations.
Starving Artist: Aside from modeling and the performing arts you also experiment with oil and acrylic painting, as well as scratchboards. Are there any people who inspire you, or that you just particularly enjoy, to paint?
Razor Candi: I really enjoy painting portraits, particularly of bands and musicians who have inspired me though I have painted portraits of friends, models and other visually inspiring people.
Starving Artist: Are all of your paintings done free hand or do you integrate any stencils or digital technology into your work?
Razor Candi: I prefer to paint freehand because I enjoy the different steps of creation from beginning to end. In a way it’s more rewarding to myself to create something from scratch however I have tried using stencils and they proved to be a great aid but I’ll always feel more proud of something I’d done freehand. I’ve never tried digital painting but I’ve seen some amazing work done with it and would love to try it someday. I support art of all forms and I feel whatever steps are taken to achieve the final result is irrelevant as long as the artist found the escape they were looking for while making it.
Starving Artist: How do you get in the mindset to paint? Do you have any kind of personal rituals or does the mood just strike you?
Razor Candi: Mostly when the mood just strikes me. Sometimes there are periods when I just feel the need to create. I only learned how to paint with tempra colors in high school so I’m self-taught with Acrylics and Oils, and though I believe that talent cannot be taught I do feel that certain technique and methods can be which becomes very frustrating when I feel the creative urge to bust out a new piece but lack the knowledge or information to create something I’d be really proud of, which is why I usually end up falling back to modeling for my creative outlet.
Starving Artist: If you had any advice for aspiring or up and coming artists, be it modelling, painting, or another style, what would it be?
Razor Candi: My advice would be to always stay true to your choices and feelings. There are lots of people out there who will talk down about things or belittle your judgments to gain your attention or to prevent you from going places. Always strive to be an individual and avoid belonging to a group or being part of a scene; this will only hinder your ability to think for yourself or to make your goals and dreams come true.
Starving Artist: Where are the best places online for people to check out your modelling work and your paintings?
Razor Candi: To see full photo sets you can join my members only site http://razorcandi.com/, and I also have sets on https://www.zivity.com/models/RazorCandi, Or you can see brief samples to sets in my gallery, read my blog and also see my art work on http://razorcandi.net/.
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