Don't Worry, I Learned a Lot

Don't Worry, I Learned a Lot

BY Kelsey Sheppard

Interviewing Sebastian Ayerbe is a little dark, self-deprecating, and occasionally absurd. He doesn’t use flowery language - his paintings are "dark and gritty, pop culture, dumb shit that I like." His comics? "Fucked up, dark and depressing." He tries to make them funny, though he admits it does not come naturally. For Ayerbe, painting and drawing serve different purposes. When he is emotional, he turns to acrylic paint on canvas as a release. When inspiration strikes, he reaches for paint markers and micron pens to develop stories, characters, and ideas. "Painting is more of a release, and my drawing is more structured," he says.

Ayerbe's love of art began with an elementary school art teacher who left a lasting impression. He later explored music but found the pressure and expectations weren't for him. Visual art became a way to carve out his own path, leading him to experiment with sculpting, sketching, painting, and eventually comic creation.

"There's always that question of whether anybody is really going to like this," he says. "If I tell myself it sucks, I won't be disappointed if anyone else thinks it sucks." That same self-deprecating humor inspired the name of his company, Nullity, which he insists carries no deeper meaning - it is less of an intentional framework for the art and more a jab at his perspective.

For the past ten years, Ayerbe has been working on the first volume of his comic series. The book is complete and currently in the editing phase. His next project is the sequel. When I suggested ten years was a long time to wait for the next one, his response was immediate: "Don't worry, I learned a lot, so fuck off." The commitment has come at a cost. When asked how comic books have affected his sex life, he admitted he may or may not have turned down a booty call to finish drawing page 38.

With the first book nearly finished and a second idea already waiting in the wings, Ayerbe hopes completing these projects will create the momentum to keep telling stories for years to come.