particularly hard drawing day, or I know I'm going to paint after work, I'll sketch. But I don't stress too much about drawing. My whole point is that because I redraw things constantly in animation, I don't want to lose the playful energy when I'm doing my own work. I'll have a loose composition, but I don't like to overthink it. I work a lot of it out directly on the painting. It leaves room to discover something new or try something unexpected. Sometimes that bites me in the ass, but I've done enough of these now that I can usually wrestle my way out of a tight situation. Keeping it light and fun has helped keep the passion alive. I've always come from a place where maybe I didn't feel like I drew quite as well as the next person. I think I get scared to put too much energy into a drawing because I might realize I don't like something and abandon it. If I start with the painting instead, I'm already committed. For my kind of punk style, it's more like, "Let's make it happen." Birdy: Free association. Flow state. It’s kind of how you go about life. You're very in the moment, always moving on to the next creation. Joe Vaux: It's ironic because I'm also highly neurotic and anxious. You'd think all of these things couldn't exist in the same head. Birdy: For whatever reason this is bringing a saying to mind: "In life No. 150 you need two things: thick skin and a good sense of humor." Joe Vaux: Yeah, both of those get tested daily, whether you have them or not. I guess some people naturally let things roll off their shoulders a little better, but for me it's been something I've had to learn. Either you learn to avoid the situations that threaten your thin skin, or eventually it gets a little thicker. Artists are sensitive little creatures. Birdy: We are. We're also not meant to go through everything alone. It's okay to ask for help, to reach out. A quick message to another artist can remind you that you're not the only one feeling a certain way. Joe Vaux: It's like birds of a feather flock together. Different birds have different stories, but you're all kind of feeling similar bird feelings, so it's nice to have bird friends. SEE MORE WORK & FOLLOW ALONG: JOEVAUX.COM | @JOEVAUX SIGNALS FROM ELSEWHERE | GROUP EXHIBITION MORTAL MACHINE GALLERY | NEW ORLEANS, LA THROUGH JULY 2026 | MORTALMACHINENOLA.COM BUG OFF | SOLO EXHIBITION BRASSWORKS GALLERY | PORTLAND, OR OPENS SEPT. 12, 2026 | BRASSWORKSGALLERY.COM IT CAME FROM QUAHOG
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