Watch an exclusive interview with muralist Adam Rellah
By OTS Staff | Las Vegas, NV | Discopussy
Off the Strip Founder, Jenna Nye, chats with local artist, Pretty Done (Adam Rellah), inside Downtown Las Vegas’ Discopussy, an old school style club featuring walls adorned with his line work. As the Life is Beautiful festival approaches, they touch base on his upcoming art installations, what he loves about Las Vegas and his sound advice to other creatives pursuing a career in art. Here are a few highlights from the interview.
How did you get the name Pretty Done?
I was drawing in my apartment for a couple years and I had a thousand papers accumulating. It was just a mess. I thought I gotta clean my apartment and I gotta make sense of all this ‘cause no one even knew I was drawing all these things. I started looking at what I was drawing and it was mostly faces and fonts. And I didn’t want to go with a name that’s too boring. So, I just kept thinking and drawing more arms and more legs and more things. It just never felt done. It felt pretty done.
What are some of the craziest comments you’ve had about your art?
People say all types of stuff (laughs). That’s the key to making art. I always tell people don’t listen to anybody. In anything in life, don’t listen. Just do what you want to do. People say all types of stuff like this is awesome, this is terrible, this is weird, this is whatever. It’s all irrelevant to me because this is what I want to make. [I’m] just trying to do something different.
What upcoming projects do you have this year that you could tell us about?
Well, there’s a couple of projects. One is that I am doing a hallway for Allegiant Stadium. I’m very excited about that (smiles). Another one is an alley for Life is Beautiful.
Where is that alley going to be?
Right next to the Downtowner.
What do you love about Las Vegas?
I love the energy. I love the convenience. I love just making art. There’s so many walls and things to paint here. I just love making things up and taking over the city with my lines.
What is your best piece of advice for an upcoming artist?
Step 1: Don’t listen to anybody.
Step 2: Create constantly and become obsessed with what you do.
Step 3: Keep going and going and going and eventually, whatever you do is going to find its spot and it’s going to go where it needs to be.
The main thing is just you getting down what you do. I think consistency and doing it for the right reasons are the key to everything.
Watch the full interview with Pretty Done below.
Check out the Life Is Beautiful Art Motel returning this year.
