 Leif Where do you live now? How long have you been living here? Where are you originally from? 現居城市？住在這多久了？你們來自哪裡？ Leif: I was raised in Toronto, then spent the last 15+ years in New York City and now I am currently in Berlin.
Leif: 我在多倫多長大，之後在紐約住了十五年多，現在住在柏林。 What did you do and what do you do? 你們現在和過去都做些什麼？ Leif: I studied first philosophy in Canada then graphic design in New York. I worked very briefly as a designer but quickly transitioned to freelance illustration. I continue to do this but also increasingly work as a fine artist under my middle name Low-Beer.
Leif: 我以前在加拿大唸過哲學，後來在紐約唸了平面設計。我短暫做過一段時間的設計，然後很快地就開始接插畫的案子。在一面做插畫工作的同時，現在我愈來愈常以我的中間名Low-Beer從事純藝術創作。 Corresponding to the previous question, why are you so interested in illustration and art? 為何你會特別對於插畫和藝術感興趣？ Leif: Illustration felt like it condensed the part of design that I enjoyed the most and was the best at. Quick problem solving and image making. I enjoy the quickness and challenge of solving visual problems and trying to find a fresh angle and concept. After years of illustration I wanted to push my visual vocabulary farther which was hard within illustration. I had been interested and happy to produce quite a commercial oriented product that served the market, but this also made it hard to push on the edges of what was expected. In contrast the fine art work is quite loose and free, so now I maintain two practices that exist quite separately and happy together.
Leif: 插畫感覺像是濃縮了我最擅長和享受的那一部份的平面設計，能夠快速地解決問題和製作影像。我很享受解決視覺問題的迅速和挑戰，並試著去找到一個全新的角度和概念。經過多年的插畫創作後，我想將我的視覺語彙推向另一個層次，但那卻難以在插畫中呈現。我一直都很喜歡也很感興趣能夠創作以商業為導向的插畫，但也由於它本身的限制而難以突破。相較之下，純藝術創作就很自由。所以現在我同時維持這兩種迥異卻也無違和的創作方向。 How are your weekdays and weekends like? 你的週末和週間各是什麼樣貌？ Leif: I used to work very late nights, but now I have a young child so essentially I keep quite regular hours 9:30-4 or 9:30-8 depending who is picking up the little munchkin. The weekends are essentially family time, though on Sunday morning I try to go to the flea market to find supplies for sculpture.
Leif: 我過去總是工作到深夜，但是現在我有一個小孩，所以基本上我維持著規律的作息，早上九點半到下午四點，或者到晚上八點，取決於我和另一半誰去接小孩。假日就是家庭時間，但我週日早上有時會去跳蚤市場尋找是否有可用於雕塑的工具。
How many family members currently live with you? What is the style of the house you are living in? 你們的家中成員共有幾位？你們的房子是什麼風格？ Leif: My partner and I live in an apartment in Berlin, I did not exactly choose to live here but came to be together with my partner and child. It is a nice city and I have a great studio here but I do miss my community in NYC and being closer to my family in Toronto.
Leif: 我的伴侶和我住在一個柏林的公寓裡，實際上並不是我選擇住在這裡，而是我的伴侶和小孩原本就住在這裡。這是一個很好的城市，而且我在這裡有一個很棒的工作室，但我確實滿想念我在紐約所居住的社區，以及離我多倫多的家人住得近一些。 What is your favorite decorating style? 你最喜歡的居家風格？ Leif: I tend to like things that are unconventional or odd. I also like to have a very simple minimal clean space but next to another space that is full of objects and clutter and chaos.
Leif: 我傾向於喜歡那些比較不一般，或者古怪的風格。我也喜歡擁有一個極簡乾淨的空間，然後它的隔壁緊臨著一個塞滿東西的混亂空間。 Where is your personal favorite corner in your place? 你最喜歡的家中角落？ Leif: We have an overgrown corner with lots of plants that I quite like
Leif: 我還滿喜歡我們有一個生長了超多植物的角落。 What do you consider as the most important thing at home? 你認為一個家中最重要的元素是什麼？ Leif: If the studio does not count, then perhaps the bed, or mattress more specifically.
Leif: 如果工作室不算的話，那應該就是床了，更明確一點就是床墊。 Do you have any collection? 你有收藏品嗎？ Leif: I have a bit of an art collection that I have been building through trades and purchases over the last 20 years or so.
Leif: 我有一些藝術收藏，是我花了大概二十多年的時間累積，經由交換和購買而來。
What is your life philosophy? 你的生活哲學是什麼？ Leif: haha - rather a big question… I was quite inspired by zen buddhism when I was young. I guess the closest I have found to a way to live is try and find a nice balance between "cessation of desire" and productivity, and trying to do the thing you are "meant to do"
Leif: 哈哈 - 真是大哉問。年少的時候，我經常受到禪宗的啟發。我想我從中學到最關乎生活的體會就是，試著在「中斷渴望」和「大量生產」之間找到一個好的平衡，並試著去做你「註定去做的事情」。 I've learnt that bike is your main transportation? 為何會選擇單車作為你的主要交通工具？ Leif: Bikes are a great mode of transportation. Clean, quiet, fun, exercise, fast, really seems from my vantage point to be the best urban mode of transportation
Leif: 單車是一種很棒的交通模式。它很乾淨、安靜、好玩、快速，也能夠運動，從我的觀點看來它真的是最棒的城市移動方式。 What is your next plan? 你接下來的計劃？ Leif: Try to figure out / negotiate with my partner where to live... settle down and get to work!
Leif: 試著與我的伴侶討論協調下一步要在哪落腳。穩定下來然後好好工作！ Photograph by Leif Parsons |
