Q: When did you first come up with the idea for Pig People?

A:  I was 12, back in 1998. It goes back awhile. I was in Grade 7.

Q:  Were you always one of those folks who took an interest in art and drawing?

A:  Yeah, absolutely. I started drawing when I was a kid. Before kindergarten. I’ve always enjoyed it.

Q:  Was there any inspiration behind the Pig People characters or was it something that kind of materialized out of the blue?

A:  It kind of came out of the blue. I was scratching compasses or protractors onto my desk in Grade 7, so it was there almost permanently. It resembled that shape of a pig person. I took it and made a face out of it and thought it was funny looking, so I kept doodling them.

Q:  What have your family and friends thought since you’ve been published in The Herald? 

A:  People love them. A few of my neighbours say they’ve been buying The Newfoundland Herald every week just because I got a comic in there. So it’s keeping the sales up I’m sure. There’s a few Pig fans out there.

Q:  What’s your routine for illustrating these each week? Do you have a particular pattern you follow?

A:  I find I come up with my best ideas if I kind of wait until the last minute. I usually go home after work and start a new one. I like the pressure and it keeps me kind of sharp.

Q:  What is some of your inspiration? Were you big into cartoons or comics growing up? Any particular favourites that come to mind?

A:  I get a lot of inspiration from cartoons. I’ve been reading cartoons and watching comics a lot over there years. Even some of the more inappropriate ones like South Park and The Simpsons.

A lot of my inspiration comes from Gary Larson’s ‘The Far Side’ and Jim Unger’s ‘Herman.’ Those two artists were very influential on me.