More than 60 Seconds with Gary Baseman

FC: You got your first big break with the cover of the New York Times Book Review. How'd you land a job like that?

Baseman: I came to New York and I took my portfolio and went door to door to every magazine. And if I got a spot illustration, it helped pay for the plane flight. Eventually, I moved to New York, and started becoming this kind of expert in visual message making. I started learning how to take a thesis, or how to take a unique selling point, or any kind of message you want - and come up with an intriguing visual that's gonna grab the viewer into your work.

FC: That was 20 years ago. Any major setbacks?

Baseman: One of them was when Nickelodeon didn't pick up my first or the second pilot. That was pretty difficult to take. Because you put so much of yourself into it. Then, when you don't see it happening you have to start having to look at "plans." "This is plan A; this is what I plan to do. And if that doesn't come through, this is what I'll have to do to rework what my goals are going to be." You have to spend a certain time mourning, hunkering down, figuring out where your strengths are, then you go after your goal again. I was determined to get a series on the air, and I moved back home to Los Angeles.

FC: Why?

Baseman: Well, first off, I was very inspired by old animated cartoons from the '30s and '40s as a child. I wanted to touch people in the same way. Though, when you work with TV, then you're definitely going to have to collaborate with the studio, with your writers, with your director. There's a real nurturing and a lot involved. I call it dumb luck, where you have control over some things, but you don't have control over everything.

FC: You never went to art school. Why not? Was it the people, or the idea?

Baseman: The whole notion that you signed your work, that you had your own style, that you had your own particular look. I didn't think school could have taught me that. I wish I could say after college I decided I'm just going to be an artist and I went after it. The reality is, I tried to do everything but to try to make a living because I was scared.

FC: What kinds of things were you doing?

Baseman: That's when I interned at the FCC. I was going to go to law school -- I was preparing for my LSATs, and I was a legal intern. And there I decided I could be a good attorney, but I'd rather be a great artist.

FC: Is there a commercial direction that you wouldn't go? Handbags? Fashion?

Baseman: Not at all. I like the idea of commerce. As long as you keep the quality high. Like with Martha Stewart -- regardless of her unfortunate situation now -- her products at Kmart were very good, quality products, for the mass audience. And Ralph Lauren -- people laugh, but he's somebody who creates high-quality merchandise that works on a very high end, but at the same time has enough product for the everyday person.

FC: Do you have people warning you that you're going to overexpose yourself, that you'll hit too many mediums and you'll be burned?

Baseman: (Laughs) No, nobody's mentioned that. I don't think I'm overexposed yet!

FC: Who are your contemporaries?

Baseman: There aren't too many people who do what I do, which is why I came up with the term "pervasive art." Most people are comfortable in their niche, but some are expanding: Mark Ryden, J. Otto Siebold, William Joyce, Yoshitomo Nara, Benedict Taschen, Haruki Murakami, Ian Faulkner. Paul Frank actually told me I was part of the inspiration for the Julius Monkey icon. And I like what Jim Henson did: good entertainment that followed through.

FC: Does it surprise you what people like and don't like of your work?

Baseman: Always. I never know. That's why I try to concentrate on what I enjoy.

FC: Advice to someone in your position 20 years ago?

Baseman: That's the one thing I wish I'd had. Perspective. When you look at every little hill, it looks a mile high. Then you look 20 years back and you're like, "That's not a giant mountain." Everything smooths out.

FC: What's more important to you: massive audience or critical acclaim?

Baseman: Both. Not a lot of people can do it, but I believe I can make both work. Walk that razor's edge.

FC: 30 years from now, what do you want to be doing?

Baseman: Everything. A nice-sized basement organization creating really intriguing films, TV, books, toys, and apparel. That's where I'd like to go next. You never want to expand too big, so you don't have any control left.

FC: The Simpsons?

Baseman: The best written TV show ever. (pauses) We're not the Simpsons yet.