In the latest of our series of interviews with queer artists Fallon Gold talks with Travis Falligant, better known as IBTrav, about his glorious works and what it means to be a queer artist.

What inspires you to create a work of art?
Inspiration comes from different things: like how a scene or line from a film made me feel or a warm memory from childhood that comes flooding back (usually involving a film, tv show, etc).

Who or what are your influences?
I’m influenced by nostalgia (memories of growing up in the 80’s-90s), drag queens (they encapsulate everything I love about escaping real life) and horror films. I love to be scared.

Do you identify as a queer artist?
I guess I identify as a queer artist. I mean, I am gay and I am an artist. I create art depicting themes or imagery that are important to me as a gay male.

 What is queer art to you?
Queer art to me is exposing your true self to others. For most of my life I had to hide a number of my thoughts and feelings. Creating ‘queer art’ is putting all that out there for others to process and understand me as a person. Queer art is also making a statement, even a political one. I have no interest in the game of politics, but if I can change minds or get people to think by creating work that depicts what I love or excites me as a gay person, then that’s cool.

Who are some of your favourite artists?
Some of my fave artists right now are: Jason Edmiston, Massimo Carnevale, Jared Moraitis (Beastwreck), Justin Osbourn, Jeff Delgado, Justin Erickson, Glen Hanson.

Are there any mediums you haven’t worked in yet that you’d like to try?
I started out in traditional mediums: colored pencil, pan and ink, acrylics and eventually taught myself how to create art digitally (with a stylus and tablet). I would like to attempt oil painting again (still don’t think I’ll have the patience for it though lol).

What’s are you working on right now?
Right now I am working on various commission pieces and am continuing to maintain my online presence. I try to create new art at least 3 times a week. Social media presence is an ongoing commitment that definitely pays in dividends.

What’s next for you?
I’m preparing to start another year of my ‘31 Days of Halloween’ sketch series where I do a sketch a night depicting a favorite horror film/scene/icon for the entire month of October. It’s something I started back in 2013 and is a lot of fun but also a big undertaking.

Aside from that, I have just recently launched my newly revamped website at IBTrav.com where people can sign up for my newsletter, buy art/products and also keep track of all my works old and new. Aside from that, I will continue to produce new collectible enamel pins, tee designs and (fingers crossed), venture into selling prints of my work!

Check out Travis’s work at IBTrav.com