J. Isobel De Lisle‘s photos say so many things at once. Dark, sexy and haunting, she evokes a broad range of deeply hidden fears and fantasies with her images. She seems to have a special talent for taking your (above) average good looking model and turning them into major player in your latest internal drama. As a group that tends to lean to the dark side and has a soft spot for twisted imagery, J. Isobel’s work is right up our alley. Thankfully for us, she’s a really gem to talk with and she took the time to answer some of our questions about her art, her love of tits and her hopes to make it big in NYC.
“ this shit is fucking classy.
—J. Isobel De Lisle ”
You are peculiarly introspective with your work as a photographer. How do you redefine the medium to better capture your own expressions?
Every photograph I do is a portrait of myself and how the shoots are set up and styled is an expression of what I’m feeling. All the little details are there for a reason and placed just so because I have mild OCD and am very particular about composition. I am a very shy, socially awkward individual and there was a period of time where the only way I could look a person in the eye was through my camera.Explain your love affair with the nude female form.
My simple answer is that I just love titties. Going deeper… I totally blame my father. The walls of my childhood home are covered with nude artwork, both done by my father and other artists. Even the library has a section of erotica photography books. In my family, nudity was never anything to be ashamed of or hidden, but rather to be celebrated, so I continued on and started photographing nude models. Funny enough, I actually prefer photographing men over women, but I have a hard time getting men to do the ideas I want to do.
Is there something very particular that you strive for in your use of predominantly tattooed models? What are these images within images telling your fans?
When choosing my models I generally as a rule only pick those that I myself am attracted to. to me, to be covered in well done tattoos is the most beautiful form of expression and so ungodly sexy. Oh baby!! What a person decides to get inked into their flesh really helps you better understand what is on the inside and every tattoo has a story, good or bad, and I like to showcase that in my work.>What first inspired you to personally take the plunge into body art? Do you have a favorite?
When I was seven years old and discovered that you could permanently put art into your skin I became completely fascinated. pretty much since birth I have been surrounded by art. My friends and I always joke that my house is like a museum except you can touch the art, so when I found out that i could actually have my favorite pieces that define me as a person on my skin forever i couldn’t wait to get my first one.
Of my current tattoos i have two favorites. My very first one that is the mark of the Tarakian from the 1983 movie Heavy Metal, which was the first tattoo I ever decided I wanted when I was eight. My second favorite is my Dr. Mrs. the Monarch (The Venture Bros. cartoon) pin up calf piece by Alex Feliciano at 12oz. Studios. she’s so sassy.
What is your strongest connection to New York?
I’ve always had this dream of moving to New York and living in a giant open loft apartment, being a big time photographer, and running an art gallery. Working hard on that dream. Ha-Ha! One day I will be there. Until then I’m running around in Philly with naked people and hoping for that big break.Are there any grand experiences or ideas you feel you have taken with you from the Antonelli Institute? Did anything change for you as a result of your time there?
Antonelli taught me all the technical skills I needed to be able to create the ideas i had in my head. the entire experience is something completely unique and something i think every aspiring artist should do. i blame a lot of the amoral things that i do on the fact i went to art school. it is a very sink or swim type of environment though. you have to be able to take hard criticism on your work because every photograph you do is like a piece of yourself and it will be ripped apart by your teachers and classmates. not every photograph you take is as amazing as you think it is, and once mistakes are pointed out that is all you will see. growing some thick skin and surviving art school helps you deal with how brutal this industry is.
