Vinu is in the Masters’ program in the computer science department, and is wrapping up his final year here at PSU.
Q: What is your favorite book?
A: Hands down, my favorite book is The Telling Pool by David Clement-Davies. It has all the grit to seem real, with just enough of a hint of magic to be fantastic. Oh, and the prose in the book! I gush over writing like that.
Q: Who or what influences and inspires your art the most?
A: When it comes to poetry, I am acutely inspired by spoken word artists. Shane Koyczan, Neil Hilborn, Harry Baker. The way you can let words mean more than they should be able to is just magical, and these poets do just that. Other than that, I just think it’s really cool to be clever with your words. To write yourself into a puzzle, and write yourself out. And I find this a lot from rap artists like Watsky, Eminem, and Kendrick. If you can make it rhyme, and make it funny, or deep, or tell a story at the same time, you’re doing something right.
Q: What are your favorite art mediums to work with?
A: I love poetry and prose, so I write as much as I can. And I also dabble in a few of the visual arts. This mainly means illustrations, and some graphic design. A little video editing here and a little music production there. I grew up on the internet, and that came with the perk of learning things like that.
Q: What do you do about creative blocks?
A: I am a firm believer of the fact that you have to take art to make art. Whenever I feel stuck, or just can’t seem to create, I consume art. I read, and I listen. A lot. I don’t know if this is everyone, or just me, but sometimes when I read a poem, or hear a song, I’d notice some detail and wish it was done differently, how I would have done it differently, and following that idea long enough leads to making things again!
Q: Do you listen to music while you make art? What type of music?
A: While drawing, yes! I listen to a lot deadmau5, and Bonobo. Progressive music, no vocals. They really keep me in the zone. But when it comes to writing, I’m usually in my head too much to even notice the sounds around me, let alone listen to music.
