Paul for Paul Peng

[bio of Paul from Paul's point of view; get Paul to write it]

Paul approached me about a pursuit commission in the summer of 2024. The way I remember it, he was feeling motivated to get his own suit after fully diving in and acculturating himself to the furry con-attending lifestyle. That year, Paul also finally gave in to having a Fursona. That sounds ridiculous, since Fursona is typically the first thing people assume you need to actually be a furry — but Paul had held out for many years insisting he didn’t have a singular character that represented himself. The closest it got was a recurring character with black fur and a white mask face, the star of his drawing “Gone” from that same year. He chose this character to bring to life, and I was happy to do so.

Paul was a really easy build, and came together very quickly. I had him done by the end of September 2024. The head is four appendages (two horns and two ears) attached to a circular ‘mask’ shape that the lining and fur are held onto. Because he’s such a simple character, I wanted to try to add depth by using unique materials where I could. Paul’s face is made from headstock Antron fleece, better known as ‘muppet fleece’ for its wide use on Jim Henson Company productions. This is a very high-quality fleece that has a high pile with a slight shine, which makes it look much more lively on camera and in person. The fur is a dark grey in Howl Fabrics’ ‘fox’ texture. It’s made up of fibers that mimic a more naturalistic animal fur, with some depth and variation of fiber tones throughout. Paul’s claws are made from carved closed-cell foam, dipped into diluted Plastidip, which is a product typically used to put rubber coatings on tools and other items. The Plastidip is diluted with toluene so that it can be applied in thin layers, giving it a more delicate texture. I left the carved claws un-smoothed and faceted, to look more similar to cut gemstones than real animal claws. I think overall, the effect is a creature that looks equally natural and synthetic. Every part of him mimics some trait of real-world animals, but is just ‘off’ enough to feel manufactured or supernatural.

How would you feel if you were asked to make an incredibly craft-intensive piece of artwork for your favorite artist? Hold that feeling in mind while you look at these photos, because that’s how I felt the entire time I was working on Paul. I found Paul’s work while in college, while I was struggling with feeling incredibly motivated and totally lost with what to direct my energy towards. Some of his earliest pieces, like 2017’s Tomorrow Will Be Better…! Sung to me in such a direct way, I felt for once like every contradiction and well-kept secret I had were being seen and appreciated at once. Paul’s drawings also felt like proof that there was a way for a weirdo like me to move forward and find meaning in the ultra-critical contemporary art world that school was dragging me into. To know that he thought enough of me to ask me to make this dream come true, is something that affirms me day after day.