Interview with photographer Monique Alvis
This young Brisbane chickee is well traveled and has some amazing photos to show for it! Currently completing a dual degree at QUT – that you need a big deep breath to pronounce – she’s definitely got a bright future ahead!!
How have you got to where you are today?
I believe my love for art grew from a childhood full of art and craft. Embroidery, paper crafts, painting, pastels, clay… I pretty much tried my hand at anything I wanted.
In regards to photography, I’ve always been fascinated by cameras and loved to take photos. Within my group of friends, I was known as the one that always had a camera on hand! Then in Grade 11, I became a photographer for my school. This is when I discovered SLRs and fell in love! Ever since I’ve been trying to get better and better!
In a few words, describe yourself…
Quiet, but full of pretty strange ideas.
What are you spending your time on at the moment?
I’m completing a double degree in Fine Arts (Interactive and Visual Design) and IT (Information Technology). I always get told it’s an odd mix, but it provides me with a good balance between two things I enjoy.
Do you have a ritual for getting into the creative mindset? Or a creative process?
Not really. I struggle at times, especially when I’m around other people. I tend to much work better alone.
What or who inspires you?
I draw inspiration from a variety of sources, including the people and environment around me, and the internet (I love StumbleUpon!).
One of my earliest inspirations was Jo O’Brien from Redbubble and more recently Jamie Livingstone’s Photo-a-day project (I’d recommend looking up the story behind it) which led me to start my own similar project. There’s also one particular ambitious person in my life who I find very inspiring in a non-artistic way.
What are you most proud of?
I’m such a perfectionist… I’m never truly happy with my work, but I have enough faith in it to exhibit it. The comments I receive usually makes me feel proud.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was in preschool I used to collect gemstones and wanted to be a gemmologist. I then wanted to be an interior designer and then an architect right up until leaving school.
