Mica Angela Hendricks is a multi-talented artist who has seen the entire world. Being born in a military family, Mica started drawing at a young age and after a few years of being out of college, she decided to join the US army.
While being in the army, Mica served four years in Hawaii as a photolithographer and it was there that she became an expert on Adobe Photoshop and instructed senior officers, MOS instructors, and was also enlisted personnel on the process of digital manipulation, 4-color process printing and color separations.
After leaving the army, Mica now travels all over the world with her husband, Mathew who is serving in the US army, their four-year old daughter Myla and their two dogs Scout and Adie. And whenever she gets time she works on art projects making whimsical illustrations, tattoos, making crafts and working on random things. She also maintains a blog, where she shares her works and art projects. Mica specializes in ballpoint pen and acrylics.
Mica draws inspiration from the works of Eric White, Maurice Sendak, Roberto Parada, Mark Ryden, Kari Barba, CF Payne, Robert Crumb, Kat Von D, Shepard Fairey and more. She is also encouraged by her husband's creativity. To know more about Mica and her work read on.
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1. Hello Mica, please introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Mica Angela Hendricks. I'm a full-time work from home graphic artist and part-time freelance illustrator.
2. What prompted you to take up art as a profession? How has your military upbringing contributed to it?
I have always been interested in art. When I was younger, I didn't realize you could "choose" your profession—I just thought if you liked something and got better at it, that's what you were supposed to do. Being an army brat raised in military life just meant that we moved a lot, and going to art school meant going across continents.
3. What is 'Photolithography' and could you describe the process for our readers.
When I was in the army, my job was officially "photolithographer." I was basically a printer. We printed topographic maps from info gathered by survey & topographic teams.
4. What was your motivation to join the Army and how was your experience in it?
The real reason I joined the military was to explore a different side to my personality, one that didn't revolve around art. I wanted to know what I was BESIDES that. I had just gone through a difficult time in my life, and the army helped me find my strength. I loved my experience in the army. I used to be quite introverted and afraid of conflict. In the military, you deal with conflict every DAY, and after awhile, you get very good at it. I found my strength in the army. (Later, after my time in the military, I found it again in Roller Derby!)
5. Your portfolio consists of so many variations, tell us about some of them.
I explore whatever I'm interested at the moment. I love faces, so I focus on those, on distorting them and playing with the shapes and expressions.
6. Tell us about the priceless experience of the project where you collaborated with your 4 year old daughter.
Being an artist was always a self-focused existence, in my experience. It was about how I was feeling, and how I reacted to things. Being a mom is not. For me, it is ENTIRELY about another person. It is difficult at first to make those two sides of yourself coexist. For a long time, I kept my artwork to myself on my own at night, after my daughter went to bed. This experience, which I describe on the blog, was the first time I had considered making her a PART of that thing that I love so much, and it was amazing. I appreciated her work on her own, and I loved creating my work on my own, but it was amazing to combine the two, like combining the two sides of myself. And as much as I think of my work as quite happy-go-lucky and quirky, there is nothing like working with a kid to make you realize how far you've strayed from that carefree, childlike style.
7. What led you to get into tattoos since they are such a different genre from the general art you depict?
I love tattooing. In art school, I apprenticed with some friends who ran a very artistic custom tattoo shop in Savannah Georgia. They showed me the respect for it as an art form. I learned from them. I got my own equipment and sort of trained myself, and apprenticed in little shops here and there. Early on, since I have a background in art, brave friends let me tattoo them. Still, it is a medium I've not quite perfected and therefore don't feel COMPLETELY at ease with. I would need much more training to feel comfortable with it!
8. Share with us some of the most exciting moments you have experienced through your journeys around the world.
I explored much of the world when I was a teenager, so I feel I may have overlooked or under appreciated quite a lot. My parents made it a point to see every major castle on the Rhein River, and as much as I complained as a teenager (!?!?) I would give quite a bit to go back. School trips to Paris, spring break in Spain, road trips to Prague. I miss Europe a great deal. I've seen quite a lot of it, and experienced so many wonderful things over there. My heart has missed Germany for a long time! We tried my whole army career to get stationed there, and have still tried through my husband's duty stations, but I'm guessing it just might require some well-planned vacation time. :)
9. What compliments have you got for some of your favourite illustrations you have done?
People have said some wonderful things about the collaborations. Mostly about the idea of respecting and listening to your children's ideas, making them a PART of what you love, and getting them involved. People have told me their pastors used it in sermons, teachers have taught the idea in classrooms, nurses have shared it with their patients. Artists who were new moms have told me that they feel that connection again, as if they might also be able to reconcile that artistic side with the "mommy" side some day. People have said the idea has allowed them to create with their own kids, and make them a part of their projects, and that is an amazing compliment to me.
10. What advice would you like to give to budding and aspiring artists?
Advice? My advice to young artist would be that if you like something, do it. ...A LOT. Learn new things, try new things, don't be afraid to fail. It doesn't matter if it doesn't turn out right—there are NO mistakes. You are learning from EVERYTHING. The more you love something, the more you do it, the better you GET at it. Explore new techniques, talk to other artists, ask questions. People love to share what they've learned, and a good artist loves helping someone else discover something new. Explore new perspectives. Draw with your mouth, draw with your toes. Have fun exploring. Draw something. Change the lighting, then draw it again. Study other peoples' work, and find your own style through it.
Mica, thanks for such an extensive interview. It was a great experience learning about you. Wish you good luck!
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