Senior Art Editor Brandy Reed conducted a candid interview with prolific web presence, Jose Illenberger, designer and author of redberger.com.

Jose is a graphic artist and web designer with a cultivated and distinctive graphic style. Brandy Reed: Let's start off with your website, which is where i discovered your artwork. What led you to begin an independent personal website? Jose Illenberger: Geocities was all the rage back in 1997-98 among web surfers. I was tempted to try it because it looked like so much fun. That's partly why i got interested with web design.

BR: You've had formal training in art and graphic design. When did your interest in art begin, and what inspired you to pursue a career in art?

JI: The earliest memory of my interest with art was when my Mom taught me how to draw a treehouse in kindergarten. Shortly after, a sister who later became an artist herself and a locally awarded film editor let me borrow her drawing book intructionals. That and my wonderful elemetary school art teacher who encouraged me alot. God bless her heart.

BR: Who, or what, influences your art the most?

JI: I guess the environment I live in. The Philippines is a very rich and textured society.

BR: What mediums do you prefer or work with most, and why?

JI: I guess dat would have to be the digital medium. I started out using analog tools in school, during college, but when I was introduced to Photoshop, it was love at first crtl-z.

Why? I guess because it afford me the freedom to experiment in a way that analog tools would be too difficult to employ. In creating art, I think freedom when it comes to experimentation is a big plus.

BR: You seem to be a fan of children's illustration. (referring to Ang InK)

JI: I became a member late in my college years. I was determined to become an illustrator after school. So I joined an illustrator club (i.e. Ang InK).

BR: Do you often work as an Illustrator? What kind of work have you done in the past?

JI: Yes. In the past. But not for print. It was for a literary webzine based here in Manila. It has since been gobbled up by another company, but you can still read the archived articles here: http://www.legmanila.com.

BR: What are your favorite children's books?

JI: Dr. Seuss books. And one very old book, nicely illustrated by a Filipino American artist ( i forgot the artist's name) entitled, "Juan and the Aswangs."

Aswangs are mythical creatures of the night based on Filipino folklore. I also collect a lot of locally published childrens books. I guess you might say I am a fan of this kind of literature. It brings me back to the time when life was so much simpler...childhood.

BR: Are you partial to children? Do you have children/a family of your own?

JI: Yup. I've got a two month old daughter...Sofia Elise. One day I will read to her all the books I've collected.

BR: Let's talk about PhilWeavers. You co-founded the site. Where did it all begin?

JI: Philweavers is a local web design community aimed at improving the talent pool on web design here in the Philippines. We started it a few years back when there was not much of a "web design scene" in the country.

As a whole, how does PhilWeavers serve the design community of the Philippines?

JI: It's not a "design" community per se. But it would be appropriate to say that Pw is the only web design community of relevance in the Philippines.

BR: What do you draw from the group?

JI: Satisfaction in the fact that as a group we have influenced a lot of Filipinos to be better at their chosen craft and inspiration to develop further and to push the envelope a little more.

BR: What moves you to create?

JI: It used to be boredom, a can of coke and a packet of m&ms. But now it's my two month old daughter.

BR: Your art is full of religious references. Has religion had a large impact on your life? Are you religious?

JI: If you define religion as organized, then no. I think organized faiths have a tendency to obliterate other people not of the same belief. If you define it somewhere along the line of if I believe that there is a God, then yes...I do believe in a supreme being. It's hard to look up at the heavens and the things around me and not to think so.

BR: What art movements or ideas do you identify with?

JI: Dadaism and Expressionism. It's about a century and a half old but I still find it exciting. I dont know if it shows on my work.

BR: I see a Latin-American mural influence in your art. Is this something you relate to?

JI: Yes. I think that is so because, like most Latin American countries, the Philippines was once a Spanish colony, just like Mexico and the others. Our society is heavily influenced by three hundred years of Spanish colonization and catholic indoctrination. It's safe to say that whether we like it or not it'll still show in everything we do as Filipinos and as former colonials.

BR: Is there a message you like to spread through your art/graphic design?

JI: Celebrate life. Even if it's downside. It's all part of the experience and the journey.

BR: Lastly, Do you hang art in your home by other artists? What pieces?

JI: Well, yes. A few oil paintings by art school classmates and a large collection of well designed posters of local plays, Chinese movie posters I got from Hong Kong, and other local artsy fartsy events. Thank you, Jose, for the interview.