GALO: In an interview in 2009 for the InsideStorey blog, you mentioned that when you work, you tend to listen to audiobooks rather than music. Is there a reason for this?

YB: I work for many hours a day doing very meticulous, precise and repetitive actions, I need something else to concentrate on. With audiobook there is always a story to focus on. I like music in general but it doesn’t provide me with sufficient mental distraction from the monotonous working process. After a few songs I find myself thinking the thought that must be avoided at all times, it sounds like “this process is taking unbelievably long, it is so slow, I’m never going to finish.”

GALO: Your artwork is full of intricate details. For instance, your artwork on your Website of the old woman has distinct features exemplified from the tired facial expression to the wrinkles around her forehead – even the guitar she is holding possesses the complexity of the instrument. Why are the details of grave importance to you? Is it because of their emotional aspect on the viewer?

YB: Intricate details suggest a great care that artist puts in the work (I know that many art critics can argue with this statement, but that’s what I personally think). This is my way of showing how important this artwork for me is. I think a viewer gets this message and can appreciate the effort.

GALO: Your favorite color is black, yet your designs are always colorful and vibrant.

YB: I like black in all aspects of life, not only in relation to my work. Maybe one of the reasons that I choose black is that I can’t pick any other color. I like them all…

GALO: Describe what you do in three words.

YB: ‘Paper artworks’, oops that’s two words…If you need three, then ‘amazing paper artworks’ [winks].

GALO: Besides your illustrations and commercial work, do you dabble in anything else?

YB: My interests range from cooking to fashion and interior design, however, I must admit, I do only cooking and mainly because that’s what I have to do daily. Just don’t have time for anything else really.

GALO: Has your artwork, specifically your illustrations, ever found its way into galleries?

YB: Not yet. I’d love to exhibit the paper works, I just think I’m not ready yet. I want to showcase my personal works, not commercial ones; this means I need to create a few more before taking part in any exhibitions.

GALO: You mentioned once that the advice “Don’t give up,” helped you the most. Who offered this advice to you and would you give the same recommendation to those who are just starting out in the world of paper art — or would you tell them something different?

YB: I don’t remember who gave me that advice, probably no one in particular as it is so common. It is basic for anyone who is struggling to achieve something, not only artists. There are so many moments when you feel like giving up, and that’s when this advice is so important – of course providing that you do something that is absolutely essential to you.

GALO: Lastly, the digital age is changing the perception of many mediums. From newspapers and magazines to illustration and design, the way things are construed and viewed by the public is constantly evolving and moving toward a more technological standpoint, where the once handcrafted creations become something archaic. Yet, you yourself treasure the detailed, handcrafted work, and tend to prefer working with it over the digital components of programs like InDesign and Photoshop. Why do you feel this way? And do you think that despite the fascination and evolution of technology there is still a place for those who prefer working with their hands rather than a computer mouse?

YB: There is a tendency for the handmade images in the visual communication industry, paper art is in fashion right now, and this makes me think that not only there is a place for analog works in our ‘digital age,’ but there is a significant place because they also evolve/blend and adapt to the new reality. It would be absolutely boring if we were limited to all things digital.

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