Interview by Ed Mathews

1. Tell us a little bit about Robert Mendoza.  What attracted you to visual arts?

How do you sum up the whole of yourself in "500 words or less"? I'm a 27 year old gay artist who originally registered as a Republican, because I didn't know any better. I'm a graphic designer by day, because it pays my rent and the bills. I'm secretly an aspiring comic book artist, who is currently working on several stories I'm hoping to have published soon.

I am a product of my environment: I was raised in New Jersey, and currently live just about fifteen minutes away from Manhattan (close enough to enjoy the view, but far enough to enjoy the silence). My immediate family is small. My father's side is (was?) Cuban "aristocracy". He came from one of the few wealthy families who were not deeply involved in the island's politics. My mother's family is Spanish, supposedly of gypsy descent. I have an older sibling, a sister who was born in Cuba, and arrived in the United States while still just a few months old. She's married now and has two daughters of her own.

I consider myself to be a deeply spiritual person. I believe that life is circular, and the energies we send out towards others always return to us. I believe in Life.

I've been drawing ever since I could hold up a pencil. My Mother has saved most of my early "works". The first drawing I did was of my godfather / uncle playing his guitar, or was it supposed to be a chicken? I was two.

Maybe it was a chicken playing a guitar? What was your first work-for-hire?

I did two murals for a huge Aquarium that used to be on Kennedy Boulevard. I was still in high school at the time, I think. I got a little over $1,000 for it, and a fish tank. They're closed now. I spent the money buying stuff for my fish.

2. What do you think of RPGs?  Do you enjoy them?

I'm a big geek. I love RPGs. My best friend introduced me to Dungeons & Dragons when we were both still in high school. Since then I've played a whole bunch of other role playing games, including a few live action ones like Vampire: The Masquerade, and Changeling. I'm also a big fan of computer role playing games, especially the stuff being put out by the people at Interplay Productions.

Actually... I''m currently working as one of the artists for an online sci-fi strategy and RPG game called Trinity, being developed at Battleatlantis.com.

My own company, Century Productions, is also going to be producing its own online RPG called Abén: The Father's Legacy, based on the Crossroads storyline. The official site for that should be launching within a few months.

Is this your first RPG work?

No. I have previously done some preliminary race sketches for a game called Intrepidus, being developed by The Fellowship: Gamers of Legend Online.

What was that about?

Some of the members were putting together their own pen & paper RPG. I was approached to do some of the preliminary drawings. I agreed. I didn't get much information other than what I needed to know to be able to produce the sketches and then eventually the finishes. You know it was very "James Bondish"... hush... hush. Unfortunately, I ended up dropping the project because my schedule and their deadlines didn't mesh. We parted on good terms.

3. What kind of music do you listen to while creating your art or do you work in silence?

No one ever asked that before... Celtic music inspires me... as does anything atmospheric and instrumental. Dark and moody music is relaxing and helps me focus. Like all big queens, I also love listening to Cher. I Believe she'll make me Strong Enough.

*groan* I get you, babe. What is your favorite Cher shong?

Ok... Ok... It was a bad joke, my apologies... My wit has been much sharper.
To answer your question... Dov'e L'Amore.

4. Are you a beer, wine, or mixed drink type of guy? Or none of the above?

All of the above, but I'm actually not much of a drinker. I don't have the "thirst" for it. When I go out, I'll usally ask for an Amstel Light or a Frozen Strawberry Margarita.

You realize when you're rich and famous that this answer will come back to haunt you at gatherings where people want to buy you drinks...

Everyone will buy me just Amstel Lights or Margaritas? Perhaps... but when I'm rich and famous... I could always do commercials for them.

5. What kind of jobs have you held in the past?

You mean "9 to 5" jobs? Nothing glamorous... When I was a kid... I worked at my father's grocery store, and then a nearby pharmacy. When I was in high school, I landed a position as an intern for PH Promotions, a small NJ ad agency. After college, I worked at my brother-in-law's office for about a summer until I landed a job at a spanish newspaper as a designer. I stayed there almost two years before moving on to The Village Voice. I just recently left that job too.

Do you think professional page layout has influenced your art?

Most definitely - especially my web design. Page layout is page layout, regardless of the medium.

6. Speaking of web designs, what gave you the idea to do Azodnem.com?

Honestly, I don't know. A lot of my friends have websites, I guess I wanted one too. At first it started out as just a place to showcase Century Productions and my portfolio. Then I put my journals online, followed up by some poetry and a photo gallery. The Lounge evolved shortly after that. It still has a long way to go, but I'm happy with the direction it's taking.

7. What are your detailed plans to take over the world?

First I need to pay off my Discover Card. Then I have to learn how to drive. Once that's accomplished, the road to world domination should be easier. I will infiltrate suburbia... start posting tons of Azodnem banner ads on free webspace throughout the Internet... and... once people are hooked... start charging a fee... yeah... yeah... that's it... and show porn.

Will loyal servants get free ice cream?

No chocolate. I'm allergic.

8. How does living in NJ affect your art?

I'm not sure... It affected my education in art. I went to high school in NJ. My art education began there. I can't honestly say that I feel art was actually taken as a serious major there, however. It wasn't until I attended The School of Visual Arts that my art truly began to evolve.

When did you attend SVA?

1992 - 1996, but I took two summer courses during 1990 and 1991.

9. How difficult is it to launch a web site with no corporate support?

Not difficult at all... It's very affordable... corporate support is not a necessity. In fact, I've done my best to keep banners on Azodnem to a strict minimum. When banners are present, it's usually because (a) I have no choice (such as on the Bravenet services, for example) or (b) I actually like the product or the website it's promoting.

Is the goal to break even?

Finance is not part of the goal or the equation. Azodnem is a means for expression, not profit. It's an avenue for me to vent my frustrations, display my artwork (and that of my friends), or just goof around in my spare time.

10. Do you see the web as a viable medium for art, or is there something gaudy about it?

The medium has outweighed the art. Its accessibilty has made it gaudy. So many sites are just about having an internet presence. We spend hours at our keyboards and terminals, constructing the internet, reconstructing it, making it better, quicker, adding to it, making it grow and expand. We serve the internet, and like so many other little moths, we become trapped by its web.

With high speed internet access becoming more common, do you think that sites will start doing broadband versions of the site which are more filesize intensive?

The internet porn industry, at least, would benefit from the smoother flow of traffic. So I would say "yes".

11. Do you like the fantasy genre more than other genres?

Yes. I enjoy sci-fi, goth and horror too, but there is something about the fantasy realm that is simply more appealing to me.

Is it the "magic" aspect?

Most probably, yes. Into every life a little magic must fall.

Do you believe in magic?

Life is magical. The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly is magical. Every breath we take, every other second that we live, is magical. A dark midkinght sky filled with stars is magical. The sound of the ocean is magical. There is a beauty and "magic" in everything around us - and as cliché as it may sound, I never stopped looking at the world with a child's wonder. The answer to your question, is "yes".

12. What's your favorite food?

Ass.

With or without Nutella?

Any type of spread will do.

13. Speaking of speads, how difficult do you find page layout to be for storytelling purposes on the web? Do the rules of the printed page need to be adhered to?

Actually, I think the web is a great medium for storytelling purposes. The ability to incorporate sound and animation, as well as the interactivity can give it a whole other dimension unavailiable in print, while still mainting a "page" concept.

Is there anything that the printed page provides (aside from portability) that can't be duplicated on the web?

The tangibility of it, perhaps... the ability to "share it" has a different feeling when it's a physical book. The ability to collect it, to keep it and store it somewhere. Imagine how different comic book conventions would be if they became all digital.

I have to pause for a moment and envision this serene moment... ok... never gonna happen.

14. Do you like comic conventions?

I've been to a few where I just linger about for an hour or so, but I prefer toy conventions, honestly.

What kind of toys?

>Grin< I like Star Wars stuff... all things Wonder Woman, and X-men, of course.

15. What is your favorite Star Wars movie and why?

I would have to say Star Wars: A New Hope. It was the first movie. It was complete in and of itself. Effects were kept at a minimum, and were ground-breaking for the time. The plot was primary with the eye-candy being secondary. It has an innocence most sci-fi movies today lack.

Hmm... most people (myself included) would have picked Empire. Was it the optimism that edged it out for you?

Don't get me wrong - I love Empire and Return of the Jedi too. I have three huge curios in my living room full of toys dedicated to the films, but my favorite is the first.

16. Comic books sometimes don't translate very well to film. What do you think of films that translate to comic books? Do they have to be a specific genre in your opinion?

Actually, I'm not fond of movies translated into comics. Those comics are usually released before the film, and end up telling you a lot of what happens in it.

What about ones that are loosely based on the film?

...eh...

How about videogames loosely based on comic books loosely based on Vampire legends? ;-)

Blood-sucking's cool.

17. So... you dig vampires? Since when?

Vampires and all things goth... I've been an Anne Rice fan for some time. I've always been attracted to the darker, romantic images often present in her work.

What did you think of the movie adaptation of Interview?

I enjoyed it. Kirsten Dunst as "Claudia" was amazing.

Kirsten Dunst is always amazing. Is she one of your favorite screen actresses?

Yes.

What do you like most about her? (don't make me hit you.)

Hit me? Do you want to hit me, Ed? Have you ever fantasized about hitting people? or do you just want to smack the shit out of Kirsten?

I wish no ill upon Kirsten, nor do I have a particular wish to hit you, Robert. :-) Answer my question. ;-)

Honestly, my first exposure to her was in Interview, I was incredibely impressed with her acting ability especially because of her age. I believe she was great as Claudia, and stole the film. - Happy now?

Um, yeah... moving on...

18. What's the most irritaing question you've ever been asked aside from the last one?

(I was only teasing... It wasn't irritating. I guess that's the problem with e-mails, you never really hear the tone of someone's voice.) As for as the answer to this question... I'm not really sure. It's takes a lot to actually irritate me.

How about "What's it like to be a gay artist?" ;-)

Is that your best shot?

No, that was a softball. ;-) Hit it.

I'm not sure how to answer that. During high school, I was one of two openly gay artists / students that I knew of. While attending SVA, I knew only 5 other gay artists. So, I guess the answer is "lonely".

Do you think this helped you focus on your art?

I don't think my dedication to art can be attributed to the lack of homosexuals attending The School of Visual Arts in 1996.

19. How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?

6

Without biting?

I never bite a Tootsie Pop.

Whoa! How long is your tongue?

The secret is in the duration and thoroughness of the lick.

20. Two-parter for the final question, Robert. I'll let you see part 2 after you answer part 1. (A) What's the most peaceful situation you can imagine being in?

Simplicity... sitting at home on my futon, some candles lit, incense in the air, and just sitting back watching some tv or listening to music and forgetting that the rest of the world exsists.

(B) If you could have that situation without having to worry about a source of income at the price of losing your creativity, would you choose that situation? Why or why not?

No. Without my creativity, I wouldn't be the same individual. My drives would be different. My definition of self, and of what would bring me peace would be different. There would be no peace at the cost of one's self.

And on that note, thank you for playing 20 questions, Robert!
Do come again sometime.