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Jeremy Hight: What artists and writers are your main influences?
Richard Sanchez: Jack Kirby's Marvel superhero creations. Jaime Hernandez's Love n Rockets characters and how he portrays different ethnicities. Derek Riggs's Iron Maiden covers and Shawn Kerri's "Skank Kid." Oh and the artists for the Love Gun and Destroyer records by KISS. I feel that without those artists kids like me would not have been attracted to those records.
JH: How long have you been making art?
RS: I've been drawing as far back as 1973; trying to copy the best in comic book history.
JH: How have punk rock and skateboarding influenced your art?
RS: Punk and skateboarding were all the influence I needed to view the world as a child and it affects everything I create. Punk showed me I could draw anything and it could be valid no matter what! Also the skateboard toy symbolizes youth and freedom, which makes it rebellious.
JH: What made you first want to be an artist?
RS: I think to prove to myself that I could create something memorable.
JH: What work have you done as far as art with skateboards and posters for bands? Has this influenced the style of your art?
RS: Sacrifice skateboard company owner Rene Morales who is 100% DIY legit believes in my work and ideas. You'll find boards I have shaped and designed graphics for as well as numerous T-shirt designs. Music wise, Travis Barker from the band Blink 182 called me up requesting a piece for his solo record Give the Drummer Some. Every song on the album has a picture that goes along with it which made the project more of an honor having my work alongside artists like Pushead, Mr.Cartoon, Mike Giant, Mr. Brainwash, etc. The song given to me was called "Raw Shit." It just so happened I had a piece I was working on for a larger body of work. My slam dancing scene went perfectly with Travis's song.
It does influence me because it gives me freedom of expression which I believe is every artist's dream.
JH: What are you working on?
RS: At a snail's pace it seems I have been working on a large body of illustrations that portray a healthy violence of our generation that I hope soon will be up for display.
Richard says, "Getting away from the school of Hollywood Boulevard and a life of foolishness was a hard-knock experience. I was born again in San Francisco but forgot how to socialize so isolated myself away from the culture I knew. The only time I left my room in the city was to go to work which was stimulating. My bicycle or skateboard was the only transportation I needed or wanted because I was tired of being behind a steering wheel. The ride would be from one end from the city to another. My ride was through The urban tribal squatters that stunk of patchouli oil and bo in the Haight, vato loco gangbangers that didn't see life outside of la mission and the down bruthas from Hunters point always bumpin KMEL out their rides.
"My inspiration comes from desperate hot days of youth! Comic books, punk rock, heavy metal, hesh skateboarding in someone's backyard to the dirty streets of Hollywood Boulevard or the Tenderloin with some dopehead nodding off in the courtyard of an apartment building. The 80s movies The Road Warrior and Conan the Barbarian were a huge inspiration to my art. But I have to say that Jesu Cristo and his rescuing grace inspire me most."
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