Lelio Starr: The Imaginarium of Mister Supernova

A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown

Parallel Planets presents Lelio Starr

in The Imaginarium of Mister Supernova

Story and Interview by Erin Emocling

Mentioned: time-lapsed shrooms, cardistry, and being a cat's scratch post

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Silent waters run deep. In Lelio Starr’s case, depth could only mean connecting to another soul through the disguise of his drawings. I imagine the guy as a taciturn fellow, who always minds his solitary business, someone who doesn’t look straight into the eyes of the people he’s conversing with, not because he dislikes them, but because that's innate of him. However, he still notices all the creases and grimaces of their faces and the juxtapositions of their gestures so when he converts his short-lived memories onto a piece of paper, everything would seem exactly how they appeared in real life. I picture the dude as if he’s the kind who dwells in his own quietude, the one who enjoys every minute of it.

I may be all sorts of erroneous about these aforementioned assumptions. But whether I’m wrong or right, Lelio’s illustrations are the giveaway of what he’s trying to conceal and, ironically, reveal. I’ve seen some of his works and I’ve always thought how foolproof he is at what he does. Faulty intentions and false pretensions aside, this clandestine clown is a combination of what he really is and what he wants to be.

illustration by Lelio Starr

I’ve always been a sucker for couples who excel at a common field because it takes more than romance and all that jazz to make a partnership work. So when I was thinking of artists to invite on Parallel Planets, I immediately thought of Lelio and his mystic muse, Luna. They both work as artists in the “Desolate Sands of UAE,” as he cleverly put it. Things happened pretty fast, considering that we’re living in different time zones, but the next day after I contacted them, I already received a finished banner from him. Of course, I was thrilled. And was thrilled all the more as days passed by.

I feel like I’ve hit a donkey piñata right at its ass and now I’m swimming in candy bars and all that Wonka shit—because aside from a badass banner for the website, Lelio also said yes to an exclusive interview (ergo, we have this!), agreed to making more illustrations for a brand new series and chose me as his writer (coming soon!), and even sponsored Parallel Planets’ spanking new domain name! And everything’s for free of charge. Score, right?

illustration by Lelio Starr

Just like the universality of water, his art doesn’t need to be translated, mutated, or denatured in order to convey its meaning, substance, and worth. His renditions of wicked women, macabre maidens, horrid heroines, fiery females, and devilish dames are perceptible proofs of his anatomical elaborations and arbitrary hallucinations. Drugged or sober, Lelio’s illustrations are more than enough to cause me, or anyone, a palpable placebo effect. In all honesty, I really wouldn’t be surprised if he’s going to make it really big someday and become, not just a timid star, but a torrid supernova.

Read on to my interview with Lelio Starr and learn how he became enamored with terrifying artworks, what he’s good at aside from creating cool art, and what he thinks he is in an alternate universe.

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Parallel Planets: Tell us something about Lelio as a visual artist and before you became one.

Lelio Starr: "I still need a lot of discipline as a visual artist, that is if I can say safely that I'm, indeed, an artist. I was a lost, curious, freaky little kid. I still am sometimes."

Parallel Planets: When/How did your inclination with art begin?

Lelio Starr: "I remember the first graphic novels that I've read and seen when I was a child. They were old and mature horror comic books printed locally on cheap, grey paper. They were my uncle's, so whenever he's not at home, I used to snatch some of them so I could read them from time to time. The stories and images were horrifying. They involved monsters eating humans, obscene sex scenes, drugs, and even profanities. They actually gave me nightmares but that did not stop me from reading. Those images remain in my head and that's how I manage to re-draw them.

I also remember how my uncle caught me reading those comic books. He punished me with an airsoft gun by shooting me twice on the legs. I cried. That time, I appreciated my Mom's love for me when she fought against my uncle because of my bruises."

illustration by Lelio Starr

Parallel Planets: What defines your artistic style? What are your “trademarks”?

Lelio Starr: "I guess its always a mix of beauty, horror, and a bit of psychedelia. I always focus on the faces or the eyes, to be exact. I like painting/drawing girls, skulls, mushrooms, flowers, and blood."

Parallel Planets: What influences your work? Who inspires you?

Lelio Starr: "There are lots of events in my life that influence my work. I was an arrogant kid back in college. I used to be so full of myself. People usually despise you when you act differently. I probably got the attitude from a friend of mine, who I met a long time ago. He used to deny how arrogant he was but I know that he knows that, somehow, he is.

He was arrogant in the sense that he could influence, teach, or hurt someone emotionally. Most of the time, he talked about art, his passion, and his points of view in life. I would stare at the faces of people whom he's having conversation with and kind of investigate what reactions they would have. Most reactions were bad, but for me, I took those points of views and opinions seriously, because I could totally relate to what he was saying.

I've changed through the years, though. I think everybody does or not. I guess I could say that that old friend of mine still inspires me until now, even though we don't talk that much anymore."

illustration by Lelio Starr

illustration by Lelio Starr

Parallel Planets: How does your work, as a multimedia artist, affect your personal endeavors and vice versa? How do you deal with the so-called “artist’s block”?

Lelio Starr: "I quit school as soon as I found a job that could earn me money. I've been an animator for about 5 to 6 years now and as good as it sounds, I'm not really happy. It's a good source of income but these characters are not my creations. The truth is that I'm more passionate about creating characters, comics, and paintings.

I play a lot of video games, alcohol helps too, and of course, sometimes a dose of herbs from Mother Earth."

Parallel Planets: What is your mantra in life?

Lelio Starr: "My greatest fear, perhaps, is getting old and not doing anything significant or should I say not accomplish or bring about anything to this world. I believe people are meant to do something and I know that I was meant to do art.  I don't want to be pretentious and say what I do is art but I love what I'm doing. For me creating something, whether it's art, music, or literature, is a temporary escape from the reality that we live in. Creating paintings and comic books keep me sane. They prevent me from doing violent things. I'm not saying that I am a violent person (or I could be). What I'm saying is that art is a way for me to unleash my negative thinking.

To make it short, my mantra in life is creating. When you create something, I believe that there's a sense of power in that, a power that you can affect or influence someone's feelings, either emotionally, mentally, or physically. It also gives me a feeling where I can be in a place where the world does not exist."

illustration by Lelio Starr

Parallel Planets: Aside from the arts, what other fields are you interested in? Tell us more about your other creative pursuits.

Lelio Starr: "I'm interested in lots of things. One of these is playing with cards. Well, its actually called "card flourishing" or "cardistry," and there's actually a big community of it around the world, with talented individuals creating card flourishing sequences, moves, and videos. I have my own videos that I made myself scattered on the Internet.

I'm a frustrated pianist but I enjoy bass playing, I want to have a band where I could play bass and write songs.  I'm also interested in psychedelic substances and airsoft battles.

I love art books and Japanese culture. I want to create a couple of short films that are under one minute."

Parallel Planets: Mention three of your favorite things.

Lelio Starr: "Music. Pretty girls. Cats."

illustration by Lelio Starr

illustration by Lelio Starr

Parallel Planets: Do you have any weird habits? Strange quirks? Surprise us.

Lelio Starr: "To tell you honestly, I have a lot of weird habits. One is staring at people who I think are interesting. I don't do it directly but I have my ninja-like ways of doing it. I know it's quite rude, freaky, and creepy but I can't help it.

Another is that I openly compliment people who I think are unique in an awkwardly manner.

This may be strange, or not, but I like getting bitten by cats. Cats could make my arms their personal scratch post any day."

Parallel Planets: What project(s) are you currently working on?

Lelio Starr: "I'm currently working on my own title, which is going to be a graphic novel. I have an old colleague who's a really good writer. I can't give much details about it for now but I'm squeezing it in after work. It's taking quite a while now but I don't care, as long as it'll look good when I finally release it. It will also be my first self-published work that would make me, or someone else, proud someday."

illustration by Lelio Starr

illustration by Lelio Starr

Parallel Planets: In this planet that we're thriving in—

What is your power animal? "A bat perhaps, or a cat."

Who is your alternate ego? "A random male prostitute? I'm kidding I actually have no idea. I guess someone who's blind and is happy being one."

Parallel Planets: In an alternate universe where art does not exist—

What will your name be? "Leila, because I'm a girl in an alternate universe. (That's a joke, or not.)"

What do you think you would be doing instead? "Journalism, I guess."

illustration by Lelio Starr

More from Lelio Starr

lelioart.tumblr.com

instagram.com/lelioart

youtube.com/user/BlackStarlight13