I-WITNESS: First, I noticed that you wear a lot of black. Are you mourning or something?
Larry Bonds: Actually, I’m mourning the loss of my innocence (laughter). I usually tell people that “I’m only wearing black until they make a darker color.”
IW: Are you visually impaired?
Bonds: Yes I am.
IW: What do you do for I-Witness?
Bonds: I design all of the pretty pictures and arrange the words so that everything can fit in 24 pages.
IW: A “blind” artist? That’s a unique job description!
Bonds: Yeah, almost as unique as a hooker with a chastity belt! (Laughing)
IW: How did you get into art and what did you do before I-Witness?
Bonds: Well, I’ve been drawing since I was three. I always knew that this was what I wanted to do. I even turned down a full scholarship at Rutgers to attend the Art Institute of Philadelphia!
IW: Wow!
Bonds: Yeah. My parents were pissed! After I finished art school I landed a job with a local ad agency and hated every minute of it. I tried to change the system and it didn’t work too well so I quit. I got an internship with Saturday Night Live doing set design and that led to a job with film director Kevin Smith. I worked as a storyboard artist. Then I lost my sight.
IW: Fascinating story so far.
Bonds: Don’t worry. I get it back! (laughter)
IW: Where do you see I-Witness going?
Bonds:
I want to see it to
become more informative.
I want to
push myself as far as the layout and graphics are concerned. I want people to
wonder “What the f*** was on his mind?”
IW: I think you’ve already accomplished that!*
Bonds: Thanks! I think!
IW: How did you lose your sight and how did you react to it?
Bonds: Most of my vision loss can be attributed to diabetes and the rest to detached retinas.
Bonds: I underwent three successful surgeries and the rest is history. The coolest part of it is getting an implant that makes my left eye look blue. It really freaks people out!
IW:: Here’s a quick Q&A to pick your brain: Who’s your role model?
Bonds: Spider- Man.
IW:: Do you believe in conspiracies?
Bonds: “Conspiracies?” no. Now, ‘conspiracy’? As in one big one? Yes!! It’s all relative, believe me.
IW: Where do you get your ideas from?
Bonds: I don’t know. I’m always thinking. I could be in the middle of a conversation, watching a movie and I will still be thinking ahead to my next project or the next big idea. Wheels are always turning in my head.
IW: Favorite TV show?
Bonds: It’s a toss up between ‘24’ and anything animated. (Unless you count Days of our Lives as animation!)
IW: What type of music would we find in your collection?
Bonds: A lot of weird s*@#! Different music reflects different moods when I draw. I can go from Metallica to Mozart and back to Motown within a 10 minute time span. I am currently into a Japanese jazz band I discovered called the Seat Belts.
IW: Any hobbies? What do you do in your off hours?
Bonds:” Off hours?” What are those? I am always working even when it looks like I’m goofing off.
IW: Boxers or briefs?
BONDS: Neither! (laughing)
IW: I think that ends this interview! Thanks for your time.
Bonds: Not a problem. Take it easy.
