The Right Phibes - Sex~Kitten.net

It's true. I found some objects, read the tag, put the name in dear old Google, and forced the artist to speak with me. (I'm pushy like that.)

Before we get into the art, let's cover for those that don't know, briefly, your days as Vulnavia Queen of Nails.

I worked on and off for a few years as a sideshow performer doing various stunts, such as hammering nails up my nose and lying on nails- hence the term “Queen of Nails. “ I started off just doing little shows in clubs around New York, but ended up working full time for a month in Alabama with the Modern Gypsies Sideshow. I did one last show, actually more of a play with a group of other performers and then I called it quits.

How does one go about hitting on the former Queen of Nails?

With a hammer- haw! But seriously folks, how do people go about hitting on Vulnavia, Queen of Nails? Badly.

What attributes do you find sexy?

Psychologically the key thing for me is bravado. Men who are not at all my type have totally won me over by being fearlessly full of themselves. There are lots of fine lines, however. In a man who is neither clever nor exceptional in any way, bravado can just be annoying. Cleverness can be sexy, but it can also be mean-spirited, which is not sexy.

Physically, the key thing for me is size and, congruently, strength. I like very large men, thickly built, preferably twice my body mass or more, who can pick me up with one hand. This is probably why I am so enthralled by professional wrestlers: Because they're generally excessive in both size and bravado.

Have any stories of good or bad pick up attempts?

Most people would just smirkingly ask me if I ever had sex on the bed of nails. You’d be surprised at how often this happened. I’ve also had a guy who claimed he was doing a book on “people like me” who offered to fly me to Canada to take pictures of my “pretty feet.” Needless to say, my answer to all of the above was “no.”

What would be the best way to get A.V. Phibes attention?

The aforementioned bravado works, as does being exceptionally good at something. Also being a large, dark-haired hunk with tattoos.

You left the stage in November of 2002, & have said this about leaving: "Hurting myself on stage just didn't feel like it was worth it any more." Do you ever miss it?

No. Not even slightly.

Tell us about the comic, Kitty & Robot...

It was a concept that stemmed from jokes with an old boyfriend. I used to call him Sexy Robot, then the Kitty thing came into play somehow. Thus came my idea for an adorable yet morally reprehensible Cat/Robot couple. It’s the one comic I’ve created just to be a web comic and has never been published. I figured this way I could take it whatever direction I wanted.

Even though I wouldn't describe your art as 'erotic,' it has a definite sexual tone; dark, funny, signs of retro & pop, but still sexual. How do you categorize or describe it?

I try to be kind of an anti-pretentious artist. I really just want to make accessible, comprehensible art that looks like something and tells some kind of story. Even though I tend towards themes of love and sex I always want to give it kind of a cute, package. I like to keep it more wink, wink, nudge,nudge than overtly naughty. Even in my art with overtly sexual themes,I rarely even draw a nipple.

To me this begs the question of erotica vs. pornography.... Any thoughts on the spectrum, your definitions, & where you fit in?

Erotica is in black and white and porn is in color. But seriously, I think what erotica aims to do is add another level to the straightforwardness of pornography, by adding a psychological element or different levels of meaning. With my own work, even when I do something about sex or that I am trying to make sexy, there is always more innuendo or irony than overt sexuality. My work might make people think about sex, but it's not as likely to be masturbated to.

Is there a difference between erotica for men & erotica for women?

My inclination is to say that men's erotica is more straightforward, dick-in-a-hole stuff and women's is more psychological and seeks to engage more senses. I don't know if that's entirely true, though as more men than women seem to be into the sorts of fetishism where it's all about objects and scenarios. Perhaps I'm wrong. I'm no expert.

Who do you think is your main audience, men or women?

Definitely women. I think a lot of my stuff comes across as too cute for men...although, interestingly, more of my art is purchased by men than women. I guess I don't really understand it entirely.

What is your favorite piece/project? Why?

My favorite things I've ever done are my "Queen of Broken Hearts" portrait of Connie Francis. It's one of the few times that I've envisioned something fairly complicated and actually managed to make it exactly how I envisioned it. "Woman's Ruin" is another favorite in this respect, but it's also my first "man pin-up" and probably still my favorite. It just makes me kind of giddy to look at him. Another favorite is "El Valiente," which I did as a tribute to this wrestler I hooked up with one time. I have that one hanging in my bedroom. I spent a long time sketching that one out so that the curves of the lines all did what I wanted.

What's on the horizon for you & your business?

The main thing on the horizon that I’m excited about is that we’re going to start manufacturing more of the products myself, which will allow me a lot more creative control and let me do some more specialized designs and limited editions. I’m also looking into publishing a picture book, but that might take awhile.

Let's face it, you are a bit of a freak, what with the Queen of Nails bit, being an artist etc, who & what are to blame for all this craziness?

A lot of it is being raised by hippies, where I was encouraged if not outright shoved to explore my creativity in whatever manner I wished. Ironically, nothing I do that people consider outré is motivated by rebellion at all. I’ve always been in an environment of artists and subversives where the only way I could rebel was by abstaining from sex, voting republican and things like that. It’s a topsy turvy world.

Devil Dog from the Hades and Gentlemen Series by A.V. Phibes

What is success for A.V. Phibes the artist? And for the woman?

That's a tough one. I feel like both are pretty interlinked. I'd like to be a competent and distinct artist. I'd like to be financially successful. Ultimately, I guess the gauge is to imagine that me as a kid or a teenager is looking at me now and think "would they be impressed?" I think they would be.

I think so too. I know I am.

For more on A.V. Phibes (until I get her to talk with me again!), visit her websites: evilkid.com and avphibes.com.