Community Connection

Apis Teicher

She is a Canadian writer and illustrator based out of Vancouver,      Canada.
She earned a 2014 Aurora Award nomination for best artist  and is an associate member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Her bio can be found here: http://www.uneide.com/?page_id=99 and the same website is were you can find her art and books.

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I asked her why she was passionate about art and she said:

Art is my therapy. I couldn’t NOT draw or write; I do it wherever I go and its a way of processing my feelings and expressing myself. It has helped me through some difficult times and it has allowed me to create worlds. I have peers that are much better at it, but they are telling their own stories through their writing and art; only I can tell mine, and I think the world is richer the more we can express a variety of perspectives.

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I asked her what challenges she faced and she said:

Opposition from family was a big one. I wanted to become an artist and my family didn’t see it as a career — or as anything useful. I was only allowed to go to university at first if I chose a ‘useful career’; I ended up in business, which I hated and wasn’t particularly good at. Only after two years of misery  and an acceptance into animation school in Vancouver was I allowed to pursue it, with the understanding that I would still have to finish my other degree as well ( which I did).

When I first graduated with my degree in animation I was one of only two women in my graduating class. I ran into a lot of gender discrimination at the time, and often at interviews. Things have changed now and you find a lot  of female animators, which makes me happy.

There were challenges trying to find work with my own style, and there were years I didn’t have the opportunity to pursue it while raising my young child.  Definitely there have been also many challenges with getting paid adequately for work, as many people still want to have it done for ‘exposure’ or very low rates.

There were definitely challenges in writing my trilogy as well; the first book was written in 2010 and the 2nd and 3rd not until 2019. It took me a long time to feel comfortable opening myself up to criticism to my writing, by having it available to the public.

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I asked what advice she would pass on to someone interested in what she’s doing and she said:

Get good fundamentals at an art school or university. It isn’t only that you are exposed to a variety of media/ instructors and art styles, but you also get to connect with peers and mentors. As you grow in your career these connections become your community and they can help you find work/ support others as well.

Be open to constructive criticism and seek out ways that you can always improve; recognize your weaknesses and target them.

Don’t follow it just because you are good at it. You have to want to do it with every ounce of your being to the point you can’t really imagine doing anything else. There are much easier and less frustrating ways to earn a living, and you’ll always have to reinvent yourself and continue looking for work.  If you can’t imagine doing anything but art, then go for it wholeheartedly and never give up  on it.

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I asked her what she would be doing in 5 years from now and she responded:

I will write and draw until my dying breath. Whether it will be as a career or more as a continuing passion I am not sure.

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I was wondering what some of her highlights in her career:

One of my favorites would have to be being nominated for an Aurora Award for my fantasy art in 2014. While I didn’t ultimately win, being nominated among Canadian artists and writers that I had admired was definitely a highlight for me.  I am also immensely proud of my work in illustrating the story ‘Benny Comes Home’ as it was one of my better known published illustrations.

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Other opinions:

Don’t be afraid to fail. Sometimes you have an idea in your head and life throws a curve ball. Animation didn’t pan out for me, but I went into illustration and have  found my way to grow my art in that field.  Often to keep going forward you just sort of have to go sideways.