Izzy Singer shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Izzy, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Three come to mind. The first would have to do with the magazine I run, The Oat Bag. The second issue just released and I am very proud of it. It was shorter than the first issue which ended up being around 140 pages–this one is around 70–but that was by design. The Oat Bag is a one-person volunteer operations so I need to do the amount of work that one person can do (or, at least not too much more than one person can do haha). The second thing that came to mind was an interview for the magazine that really took off where I interviewed a group of Iranian cartoonists. Readers loved that interview and I think it resonated with a lot of people. It was a reminder that around the world there are folks who love comics, love making them, and want to build a thriving art scene that is accessible beyond borders. I can’t take too much credit of course because they are the ones doing the hard work over there so my pride has more to do with hitting “publish”. In addition, promoting work has become a serious second passion of mine that I want to keep fostering through the rest of my artistic career. There were a few times in my early days of art-making that people gave me a chance or a push—no matter how small it was, it was critical. I want to be that person for others. The third thing is overcoming burnout from getting an MFA. I was tired. Exhausted. I tried not to be, but that never works. I even, ironically, made a short comic about it that was published in All My Relations. I finally feel as though I allowed myself to rest enough to create at the level that I want to and I am excited for what is next.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Izzy Singer and I am a cartoonist and artist born and raised in NYC. It is hard to talk about oneself in a way that doesn’t sound like an artist’s biography on a website but I will try my best here. I make comics, publish others’ comics through my comic magazine The Oat Bag, make digital and traditional illustrations, and paint with acrylics, gouache and watercolor. Ultimately, I want to be a storyteller and make others I love delving into fantasy, horror and modern life in my work. At the moment I have a lot of things I am working on including a satirical horror comic about an artist residency gone wrong, a special horror micro-edition of The Oat Bag, and a fantasy-historical comic script that I hope to get done… eventually. Halloween is my favorite holiday so I suppose I have become busy in the days leading up to it.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents. They have some of the best work ethics of anyone I’ve ever met. Sometimes to a fault. They both work as freelancers so I have seen the resourcefulness and motivation that goes into that lifestyle in America. Our economy thrives off of freelancers but unfortunately I do not feel that it makes it easy to be one. My mom is a therapist and my dad works in jewelry. Both are important for the community and the economy but they need to work tirelessly. I have always expected that I would work hard as well so I do my best to do the same–within reason of course.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
Getting a rejection has less to do with your abilities than you may think. I think it isn’t hard to tell when your work needs improvement. Sometimes the thing you gave your heart and soul into just isn’t right for the thing you applied for. That isn’t to say you should stop giving your heart and soul. But I learned that part of being an artist is trying to understand where you fit as much as how “good” you are.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Getting a 100% completion rating in Resident Evil 8. And world peace, of course.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
When I get in the flow of painting or drawing lines. It’s so calming and satisfying.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://izzysinger.com
- Instagram: @izzybleep
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