MRR Comics & Art Issue Artist Q&A with Dustin McChesney
This month’s MRR magazine is the Comics & Art Issue! Throughout March we are highlighting some of the participating artists right here on MRR.com. Today we hear from Dustin McChesney, aka Dusty Cadena, from Minneapolis.
What are your main publishing projects?
I have made countless zines, small runs usually. I make them to hand out when my bands are on tour. I’ve made some collaboration pieces recently, one with St. Louis’ Queen-Bee Ashley Hohman, and another with Jillian from Teenage Moods. I have done T-shirts for Slut River and all the art for the bands I have been in.
What are some of your artistic influences?
Some of favorite artists active in the DIY scene are: Josh Feigert, Ashley Hohman, Olivia Gibb, Cal Calorie, Brendan Wells, Heather Benjamin, Barf Boy, Ross Adams, Sarah Sequoia, Joe B., Alex Ratcharge, the lovely Anastasia Tasou and the Crazy Spirit nerds. Also, I can’t forget the all-holy Big Daddy Ed Roth.
Musical influences?
I listen to more Neil Young and John Coltrane than anything. Lately it’s been sad boy music, like the Gun Club and the Smiths. Wymyns Prysyn, the Dumpers, Brain Tumors, American Hate, Gas Rag, Good Throb, School Jerks, and Nervosas are my favorite hardcore bands playing right now.
How would you describe your style of drawing?
I’ve struggled with ADD my entire life. I think that it is easy to see in my art. I find it hard to describe the art I make, so you can just take a look at dustinmcchesney.tumblr.com or at dustin_mcchesney on Instagram.
What other punk projects are you involved with?
My band Total Trash was called “new essential Midwestern hardcore” by you luddites over there at MRR. All the art for that band was made with pastel colors. I thought it was funny to take notes from childhood television, like Doug and the Rugrats, and juxtapose them next to the crap noise I was making. Right now I play guitar in a “shoegazze” band, Waveless. The imagery I use for it is a lot more stark, black and white. I think that reading too many existential novels put me in a grey place. You can listen to those bands for free at wvlss.bandcamp.com and totaltrash.bandcamp.com. I think all of the Total Trash shit is free online.
What’s in the future for you as a cartoonist/artist?
Hopefully I will make enough money one day to buy a Rat Fink skateboard or some shit. If not, then the future is fucking bleak.
For links and more info about this artist and all of the artists in our Comics & Art Issue, check out the artist bios page.
