Do you ever find it hard to be distinctly feminine while such a large part of your work is so thoroughly gruesome? Or is that just who you are? I think that’s who I am. It’s the same thing as being a girl and having armpit hair: It’s funny to see people like, “Eww, that’s gross. You’re cute, that’s gross.” But then, “Maybe it’s sexy. I don’t know. That’s weird.” It’s the same as when I’ll put period blood in my work—and it’s so funny because it’s so practical. It’s every single month. Every single woman bleeds. It’s no big deal, and I’m not trying to say it’s something mystical or crazy. It’s just so common, and it’s funny that there are even myths around these things. The body is beautiful, but it’s not gross. The work is not saying blood or cum or garbage is gross, it’s saying they’re part of our lives every day. If I’m putting it on a pedestal, it’s only because it needs to be seen and not degraded. I’m trying to switch the balance.

Have people you’ve dated ever been intimidated by the content of your work? The funny thing is that the content of my work is kind of the content of my personality. Most people I date are pretty into it, or into me. This probably isn’t good for an interview, but I wouldn’t date anyone who was like, “We can’t have sex on your period.” If someone’s like, “Eww, that’s gross,” I don’t know if I would date them or not. I’m not judgmental, either. I might date someone who was really conservative and just be myself to see how it went. Who knows?

What initially caused you to be influenced by Dutch still-life painting? At the very beginning, it came out of the fact that I really didn’t want to make stylized work. I wanted to make images and compositions that could express the kind of ideas I was having as clearly as possible.

There’s so much in something so simple. An example would be, if I wanted to put a cell phone in this picture, I wouldn’t be like, Okay, should I put in a rotary phone? No, I’m just going to draw my phone. And if I have a BlackBerry, I’m not going to be like, Oh, it’s a BlackBerry, is that cheesy? Fuck that. If I have it, I’m going to draw it, because it’s what I have and that’s what I’m living. That’s what we’re living. It’s telling the story as it is without trying to romanticize the past. Just go for it straight-up.

What is influencing the work you’re doing right now? I think it’s moving away from this deadpan, negative, ironic thing and trying to make something cool that’s also sensitive, romantic. Being honest and emotional but making it something new and cool and interesting. To make work from the heart, or the heart of others.