Getting Ugly
Danii Garvey
Determined and uncompromising, Ugly Shyla (The “ugly”‚ part given to her as a child for her “bad” attitude‚) is going places. Though she is an actress, performance artist, alternative model and fine art doll maker, it is this last role which she is most passionate about. Her dolls hold a strong air of morbidity which puts commercial, Nightmare before Christmas style dolls to shame. I had the good fortune of digging to the bottom of this fascinating artists mind and bringing back the treasure for all of you to admire.
So how long have you been making dolls and what motivates you to continue creating dolls?
I made my first doll when I was 16 in 1996, so I have been doing it for over ten years now and have been doing it professionally for like five. I think I keep doing it because it’s a compulsion. It’s like a vocation or a calling for me and I guess I just have a lot to say so I keep doing it.
Religion seems to be a strong theme in your work, how has attending a Christian school as a child influenced your art? How has the discovery of your chosen religion, Satanism influenced your art?
I often wonder if I’d have such an extreme fascination with Christianity if I didn’t go to Christian school but I guess I’ll never know. I’m pretty much obsessed with religion in general so I can’t help but have it seep into my artwork.
Actually, I practice Voodoo and am also a Laveyen Satanist. A lot of people don’t think the two go together but in a way they have a lot of parallels to each other.
I think Voodoo has influenced my art a lot more then Satanism has. I think it’s just that the more Satanic related stuff I do is more recognizable to the lay person who isn’t familiar with Voodoo etc. I think just the fact that there is “another side” or a spirit world, has a huge effect on the fact that I feel the need to make art.
I understand you are involved in performance art, acting and modeling as well as art; how and why did you become involved in these other mediums? Do you prefer any particular medium over another?
I got into modeling mainly because it’s a great promotional tool for my art. As far as for the acting and performance art I guess that just came about because it’s just another way to express myself. I’m a very quiet person by nature so I like anything that is an outlet for me to express myself.
If I had to pick just one medium to work in and could have no others, I’d choose doll making. It’s my preferred art above all others.
What subjects do you address in your performance art? How do your audiences usually react?
I do various different types of performance art from serious stuff to things that are meant to be campy and humorous. Or at least I think it’s supposed to be but people are usually appalled (laughs).
What are your thoughts on the alternative modeling industry?
I think sadly it’s getting far away from what it was originally supposed to be. I think now it’s more about being alternative but not too alternative and the porn aspect of it is starting to almost overwhelm it.
I think alt modeling should be a place for the different, the girls like myself that aren’t traditionally pretty and would even be considered unattractive by some to have a means to express themselves. Just look at any site that has alt models on it, do you see anybody that is more concerned with being themselves then being “pretty” or fitting into the alt mold? Do you see anybody that is plump, or that has small breasts? No, you don’t see that because it’s more about looking like a fuck-able freak than being yourself.
I think a lot of girls that really are alternative are too intimidated to even try and get into alt modeling, and again that is totally sad but to those girls I’d tell them to just say fuck it and make your own way and your own niche in the alt modeling scene and don’t stop trying. This scene was originally a place for people like us and we need to take it back.
How did you get into art? What do you believe is the purpose of art, what does it mean to you?
I just kind of fell into it. I never had plans to become an artist, it just kind of happened. Art is a way to get a point across; at least that is the case with what I do.
I understand you don’t classify yourself as Goth. What are your thoughts on the Goth subculture in general? You’re often mistaken for being Goth – does the label discomfort you?
I really don’t have a problem with the Goth subculture, and the only reason I don’t like people mistaking me for Goth is because I’m not. To me somebody that is “Goth” is someone that listens to Gothic music and dresses in a Gothic style. I guess I tend to lean more towards punk but I really don’t have a classification for myself. I tend to dress like an old southern lady and listen to everything from Loretta Lynn to GG Allin so I don’t even know what the fuck I am to even classify it (laughs). I’m closer to being one of those crazy bag ladies that talks to buildings then being Goth (laughs).
What was it like for you growing up, having different interests and outlooks to your peers such as not drinking/doing drugs or sleeping around? What influenced this decision to stay clean in the first place?
Growing up in a small southern town I naturally was very different from everybody else around me. I mostly kept to myself and I kind of still do in a way. For the most part I never had a problem with the fact I was so different. I just considered the fact that others had a problem with it as their problem. Thankfully, I wasn’t picked on by the other kids when I was a pre-teen or a teen but I think that is just because I grew up in Southern Louisiana and everybody knows a Cajun girl will kick your ass as fast as any guy will (laughs).
As far as the fact that I don’t drink, do drugs, smoke or am promiscuous; I just never saw the point in it and still don’t. At times it shocks people that I’m a Satanist and a non-Christian in general and don’t participate in things like frying my brain cells. It holds no appeal to me and I don’t understand why people would assume because you are a Satanist it would.
I just don’t get the attraction of getting so drunk you piss yourself or go about sleeping with people you don’t even know, which I think just cheapens the relationships you do have with people you actually have love and an emotional connection with.
Growing up in Southern Louisiana not drinking especially is an extremely odd thing not to do, and if people have a problem with it, again it’s their problem, not mine. I’d rather spend my time doing meaningful things and not pissing my pants from being drunk.
Can we expect any new projects from Ugly Shyla in the near future?
More of me being spastic (laughs). I’m actually working on Uglyshyla.com which I have almost done. It will be a separate website from my Uglyart.net site that focuses on the things I do besides doll related stuff.
I’m also learning the art of porcelain doll making from scratch, including kiln firing and mold making. So I should have some new porcelain dolls available soon.
And for all our undoubtedly intrigued readers out there, where can your dolls be purchased?
They can be viewed and purchased at my website www.uglyart.net and you can also find them at a few galleries and indie owned stores; details are on my website. I also have a myspace page for my work at www.myspace.com/uglyartdolls |
