“One day we didn’t exist; the next, we did. We just sort of ‘woke up.’ We do not know where we come from, what our purpose is, or where we belong. So we—those that don’t know what they are [ttdkwta]—wander this world in search of community, purpose, and art.”
It’s not often that a bewildering, bearish creature opens its mouth to tell you its species’ origin story. But the furry-bodied beasts in illustrator Kenneth Nowlan’s evolving digital universe—ttdkwta—“have a lot of feelings” and aren’t shy about expressing them. With blockish, robot-like heads, rubber-hose bodies, and long, sharp claws, these creatures are “strange, playful, curious, and often a little awkward”—less Dark Crystal and more Grover from Sesame Street, with a surreal 21st-century upgrade.
Kenneth, who also goes by ttdkwta, says his work mainly reflects “exaggerated observations, feelings, experiences, and frustrations with the world.” Inspired by cartoons, pop culture, film, and street art, his art feels thoroughly modern, while its underlying ideas hinge on classic humanistic philosophy: Be yourself. Stay curious. Being different is OK. As Kenneth puts it, “The ttdkwta universe is rooted in the belief that uncertainty can be a strength rather than a weakness.”
In “paycheck2paycheck.ttd,” Kenneth’s entry in our September exhibition, The Art of Resistance, a ttdkwta creature opens its mouth and a stream of unstoppable text pours out: “Our survival is more important than your bonus,” repeated ad nauseam. It's a raw portrait of frustration with unnecessary suffering, a rainbow-colored cry, projectile-vomited into the universe. As Kenneth notes, “some of the scariest things in life are wrapped in the prettiest packages.”
Still, the ttdkwta universe chooses self-reflection above all else. “Life asks a lot of us,” says Kenneth. “Having feelings is awesome, and expressing them is what life is all about. Life is beautiful and tragic at the same time.”
View The Art of Resistance below, then scroll through to read our interview with Kenneth and see his work.
In Today’s Q+Art Interview…
Kenneth Nowlan, aka ttdkwta, discusses the illusion of “good” and “bad” art, taking purposeful breaks from distraction, and why every artist should keep a small notebook of observations.
What's your biggest barrier to being an artist?
ttdkwta: If I am being honest, it’s money. I really don’t like the power money has over people. I just wanna make awesome stuff with awesome people. Don’t get me wrong, you can do a lot of beautiful and awesome things with money, but not having enough to create the way your soul desires? Woof.
What do you wish you learned in art school but weren’t taught?
ttdkwta: “Good” and “bad” art is an illusion. Art is about feelings and conversations. Everyone succeeds for different reasons. Comparing our work to others is a waste of the imagination. Make things you care about, and the rest will work itself out.
What do you do to maintain your mental health?
ttdkwta: Journaling and quiet time. At the very least, I do my best to write down five things I enjoyed and two things I would have improved. Makes my life feel more like a TV show, and it is my job to play the best me I can. I have learned it is also important for me to have thirty minutes of quiet time when I come home for the day and before bed. There is a HUGE difference in the weeks whether I do those two things or not. It’s important to take breaks from distractions and stimulation. It’s crazy how sometimes I can literally tell all the noise is out of my head after my alarm goes off. Everyone is different, though. I think it's important to find something that works for you personally. However, discovering it is the easy part. Showing up every day and doing it is the hard part.
What are you listening to in the studio right now?
ttdkwta: “deign” by Deb Never. I can’t get enough of her, to be honest.
Which books, art-related or otherwise, belong on every artist’s shelf?
ttdkwta: I think every artist should have a small notebook filled with things that stand out to them. Especially if they don’t know why they are drawn to it. Randomly attracted to a specific color one day? Write it down. Noticed a coincidence? Write it down. Experience some deja vu? Write it down. More times than not, when you go back and flip through those observations at a later time, you start to see how things add up and why.
What are you working on that you’re excited about right now?
ttdkwta: My first designer toy!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. All images published with permission of Kenneth Nowlan, aka ttdkwta; featured artwork: ‘rainbow.retrospection.ttd.’