Alice Snow’s art takes you to a sickly sweet cotton candy world of gore and cuteness – Where space aged women playfully shoot each other with darts in the derrière, anthropomorphised towels cry, Krampus gets a lapdance and fairies dance in the flowers. All executed in a high colour, pop-tastic aesthetic. Bringing to mind artists such as Edward Gorey, Rose O’Neill and Mark Ryden.
Born during the late 1990s in New Zealand, Alice grew up in a family of artists and has been creating since she was a child. After initially exploring other mediums and styles, Alice has settled on the unique visual look she has today!
Wanting to get to know her better, we sent Alice some questions to answer over email.
Take a bite of her darkly sweet world, below…
Getting Acquainted
Name + D.O.B?
Alice Snow
05.06.1998
City, State and Country you currently call home?
City, State and Country you’re from?
Nelson, New Zealand.
Please describe some memories – such as art, music, comics, friendships, adventures, study, romance, politics, work, crime, religion, performing… anything really – from the stages of your life noted below:
* Your childhood:
Growing up, art has always been around me, and I come from an insanely creative background. It feels like my whole family are artists in one way or another!!
My sister is a tattoo artist, my cousin is a fashion designer and seamstress, along with my mother too! She runs her own business making whimsical clothing and accessories.
Both my uncles are artists, one a sculptor and the other more an illustrator.
My grandmother used to do the calligraphy for maps and makes all sorts of gorgeous dolls and watercolour paintings.
And both my brother and father have had a big history with art, though they are both much more musically inclined than the rest of us!
Our big ol pup has even created a few paw print cards in her day too hehe!
I really wouldn’t be anywhere I am today without them and their constant enthusiasm n inspiration; I love them all to bits.
I had a very very weird childhood and I didn’t do a single shred of work in school, so I spent a lot of my spare time doing art or creating games with my siblings.
In a weird way I feel like art really has been all I’ve ever done. Don’t know how I got away with that one… haha!
* Your teenage years:
My teen years I started to take art more seriously and explored different outlets. I first was heavily into realism and then made my way into film photography and found a really lovely community of friends online.
All of my art teachers in high school were amazing and after I created my first children’s book about fairies I realised I wanted to keep creating fantastical lil scenes and creatures!
* Your 20s so far:
Right now I’m living very comfortably.
I’ve been travelling often and have the best group of friends n family surrounding me. I’m hoping to explore some different and exciting art ventures soon… but that’s a secret for now!
Personal motto(s)?
I don’t think I really have any, but my partner always says in a sing-songy voice “I’m living my best life!!!” if things are going a bit badly lol.
I think it’s really sweet and recommend using it!!
What role did toys play in your childhood?
I loved toys!!
I come from a family of collectors, and my father always had the biggest tin toy collection. On special occasions he’d bring out some cool walking and shooting robots or spaceships that would hover a lil ball above it!
I always loved ello and lego and toys like that, and when I was older I got really into collecting dolls and kitschy stuff.
One day I’d like to produce my own toys or trinkets.
Art & Creativity Questions
When and why did you first become interested in art and everything creative?
… and any pivotal creative moments / influences?
I’ve loved art since I can remember!
I have one picture in particular, that is the earliest I know of, that depicts mice eating a cookie from when I was about 3. My parents had it analysed by a psychiatrist doing a case study on me, who told them it was “advanced” for my age??? It honestly seems pretty silly and insignificant now but (while that was probably the peak of my career lol) it’s been a tiny backseat-driving motivator throughout my life to pursue art.
I guess it made me believe I had somethin going for me… ha!
But I think it’s a cute piece and I deeply cherish it.
If you had to explain your creative endeavors to some recently crash-landed aliens…
What would you tell them?
I’d probably try to make them believe I’m trying to spread the word of some secret civilization filled with naked girls and creepy anthropomorphic objects, where everything oozes strange liquid and moves a bit slower.
Surely that actually exists somewhere right?
Maybe they could help me find it, or I could convince them to help me make the various space pistols I’ve painted a reality – I wanna turn people into candy floss!
Who are some of your favourite artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians?
…and what is it about their works that so inspire and move you?
There are so many! But for the sake of time I’ll only list a few that have a deeper connection.
Firstly, my uncle will always be one of my favourite artists ever.
I’m lucky that we’ve had a really close relationship throughout my whole life, and you can definitely see a clear influence in my work next to his.
My love for stippling has definitely come from him, though I will absolutely not ever be as good as him my goodness. We always trade art and are each other’s biggest fans!
I was also lucky enough to meet and work with the wonderful Gary Baseman when he visited NZ a few years back. It was very surreal to meet an artist I’ve adored for so long; cranium cadoo was one of my favourite games!!
I hugely admire the way he works. Creativity flows through every single thing he does and the connections he makes, it felt very magical spending time in his world.
…though probably my favourite artist all together is Christian Rex van Minnen.
His work is all just so haunting and grotesque and his pieces often feel like a weird floating monster in the corner of the room.
His techniques just astonish me and make me eager to explore different avenues. That’s one thing I really admire about him, he drives me to grow.
One of my earlier pieces was actually inspired by a dream where I was looking at a painting he had created of a monstrous 7 headed lumpy clown creature, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen and I was so distraught it didn’t exist when I woke up that I painted it instantly, ha! (photo attached)
It’s always been one of my favourite pieces, though I would obviously love to see his interpretation of it.
I could ramble on forever about many different creators but I will end with my ride or die band, Green Day!!! All my teen angst stems from them haaa! I have always loved their music though, and you will often find small hints of them scattered through my art.
The piece I did “Longview” is very obviously about the song in question. I like to believe most people who own a print don’t know it’s about masturbation heh.
If people wanted to check out your art, work with you or buy some of your wares – Where should they visit and how should they get in touch?
I am most active on instagram! My username is @byalicesnow – you can also find me on most other platforms by the same username.
My shop is etsy.com/shop/alicesnowart where I sell heaps of goodies from stickers and prints to books, totebags and clothing!
I’m also open to commercial commissions, if you’d like to work with me! Or if you have any questions about anything, you can get in contact with me through alicesnowbusiness@gmail.com
Odds & Ends
If you could live in any place, during any historical era – Where and when would that be?
…and why would you choose that time and place?
Maybe obviously not to live (ha!) but I just wish I could see what the world was like before humans.
It’s hard to be anywhere now that feels like it hasn’t been touched or affected by us in any way. I just wanna be so totally detached from everything, it would be so peaceful and gorgeous… if I don’t get killed immediately haha.
What does “God” mean to you?
In the sense of Christianity, to be honest, not a whole lot.
I didn’t grow up religious nor am I religious. But my family have always had a love for spiritual art, which has definitely seeped into my art; I love how ornate a lot of it can be. My version of “The Temptation of Christ” is still hanging amongst my parents collection!
Does sex change everything?
I think sex in itself is ever-changing, and is unique to every individual!
And then I guess some people fuck cars ya know.
What are the top 3 items you own?
… and what is it about each of them that you so love?
The collar and fur clippings from my late kitty, Bubba. My best friend and 1# hunter on god’s green earth!
I miss him dearly
The original copies of The ABC Book of Horror, there was a (very stupid) time in my life where I was considering selling off the original pages of my book! I’m so glad I never sold them, it’s been a staple piece in my art career.
A t-shirt of my parents photoshopped into western clothing/scenery.
100% irreplaceable and absolutely hilarious and needs to be shared – I love it so much ahaha.
In a fight between the following advertising mascots: Ronald McDonald (from McDonalds) Vs a Kewpie (from Kewpie Mayonnaise) – Who would win?
…and why would they be victorious?
Not that I wouldn’t love to see them scrap… but I believe this is a fine opportunity for us ALL to win, and Ronald McDonald + Kewpie form a flourishing alliance.
Because if you haven’t had sriracha kewpie mayo on a McDonald’s cheeseburger then you’re the one losing.
I’d like to see a crossover in the near future.
Here is a very crude depiction of the magic…
Please describe your last dream in detail…
I can’t remember any of my latest dreams, but the last vivid dream that has stuck with me was in this crazy apocalyptic orange desert world with derelict buildings and skyscrapers scattered everywhere.
Kinda mad max-y but with more cities.
I was jumping from floor to floor in this giant half destroyed skyscraper and then one of the buildings around me came to life kinda like a transformer and was tryna kill me. It’s like they were these giant building monsters that would disguise themselves as buildings but then turn into a giant robot or then maybe a boat on the water.
It was very cool!!! But very scary haha!
I think it would make a cool movie.
Of everything you have done so far, what would you most like to be remembered for?
I dunno, I don’t think I have anything in particular.
If anything I hope it’s different for everyone!
One of the most rewarding things I’ve found is the variety of people who connect with it. Everyone, from all walks of life, has their own different “favourite” piece or something of mine they personally relate to for all different reasons.
The last time I was at a market, the first item I sold was a piece about lube made from the tears of a 40 year old virgin (which is never the most popular item of mine haha) but the guy buying it told me a story of his brother bringing a giant bottle of lube on a family vacation has never lived it down, and so he bought it for him as a gag gift.
I just love sharing such weird intimate connections like that.
I find a lot of solace and fulfilment connecting with those who like what I do and hearing how they connect with it, even if it is about a bottle of lube made from tears heh.
Links
- Alice Snow – Online Store via Etsy
- Alice Snow – Instagram
- Alice Snow – Facebook
- Alice Snow – email: alicesnowbusiness@gmail.com
