I guess the most obvious and honest answer is the internet and especially YouTube, I cant believe how many incredible things I find every day, the other day I discovered a singer called Jan Terri, who makes the most catchy melodic pop songs ever and I also found the brilliant documetary 80 Blocks From Tiffany's in its entirety. I actually started a blog (http://chiefwashharris.blogspot.com) a couple weeks ago because i'm often told i waste so much time looking up random stuff on the internet, so I thought why not use that talent and let other people enjoy it. Other than the internet, just living in London is incredible inspirational, their is so much out their to appreciate, museums (i just discovered The Royal College of Surgeons Museum in Holborn, WOW), architecture, gigs, markets (especially tramps markets), hanging out with friends, getting drunk with friends, its all inspiring stuff.


You've done alot of work throughout different mediums, streetwear, magazines, advertising? Which is your favourite to work within?

They all have their interesting and beneficial points, but I guess the work where I am free to draw what I want, or for bands that I really like. Ive been doing stuff for the band Black Lips who I really like, and im in the process of drawing their next single, Black Kids, and theyve told me to draw what I like. Those sort of briefs are definitely the best and the most rewarding.


What artists inspired you when you were younger?

When I was really young I guess I wasn't really knowingly inspired by any artists, but I loved cartoons like Cities of Gold, Bananaman, Dogtanian and Willy Fog. Ive got an older brother who used to always buy magazines like Viz and Oink, which I used to read when he wasn't round, and my Dad is a huge DC comic collector, especially Batman, and he used to let me look at them. When I was about 7, me, my Dad and my brother went to Brian Bolland's flat in central London (I'm still not really sure how or why we were round his, I think my dad saw him in Forbidden Planet once and hassled him for us to go round), and he drew me a picture of Batman and The Joker which i still have. Also, being half Japanese, I was really fascinated with everything Japanese, and when i was about 10 I heavily got into stuff like Dragon Ball and Akira. So I guess all those things have culminated into my influences and inspirations today.


Who inspires you now, or who's artwork do you admire?

I'm a huge fan of Fergadelic and Misha Hollenbach, but recently the artist whose work I keep looking at and admiring is Matt Lock, he draws pen and watercolour futuristic/fantasy/metal images, usually on coloured paper. What I love about them is the small details, you can look at his drawing for along time and really appreciate all the little bits all over the place, abit like Will Sweeney's work. He seems to like drawing bar brawls in a bar like the Cantina in Star Wars, which is pretty awesome, and he's got a really interesting blog (http://koalas-in-love.livejournal.com).

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