The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Getting to know you
PhD student Russell Pepper has organised 18 street art pieces on 18 different doors by 18 local artists around the city centre of Dundee for the OpenClose project. We chat to him...
Q Which artists, alive or dead, inspire you?
A I don’t have any particular favourites bit I prefer more modern stuff. The degree show at Duncan of Jordanstone is always good to go to.
Q What was your plan B career-wise?
A Currently it’s a toss-up between street art facilitator (if that’s what you’d call it!) and renewable energy resource assessment. Before that it was marine biologist. And before that it was structural engineer. You get the idea...
Q Your house is on fire, what one item do you save?
A Tiggs – my lifelong stuffed companion.
Q Last meal on earth?
A Moules frites.
Q Dream dinner party guests?
A Sounds cheesy, but all my family and friends. I don’t want dinner with strangers!
Q Quiet night in or big night out?
A Somewhere in-between – a night in a good pub drinking good beers and whiskies.
Q Early bird or night owl?
A I’m really trying to become an early bird so I can feel smug in the morning, but it’s so hard without some kind of incentive, so have recently gone to yoga at 6.30am and that seems to be working!
Q Save it or spend it?
A I kind of fluctuate wildly between the two.
Q Who do you admire most?
A My parents.
Q Couch potato or fitness fanatic?
A Neither really. I’m not a couch potato but I’m not fanatical about exercise either. Somewhere in the middle.
Q Sweet or savoury?
A Savoury, all the way. Even desserts with salt are better.
Q Cats or dogs?
A Cats. My parents always had cats when I was growing up.
Q Most embarrassing memory?
A I’ve done some pretty embarrassing things but I don’t tend to get embarrassed! It’s more likely that whatever I do will embarrass Karolina, my girlfriend.
Q What are you proudest of?
A I wouldn’t say I’m really proud of anything – I’m not that kind of person. But I’ve really enjoyed doing OpenClose and I hope the public enjoy it too.
Q Home or abroad?
A I like travelling around Europe and if we’ve got a bit more money, we’ll go somewhere like Thailand.
Q Who would you like to thank?
A My parents – they (I think!) raised me very well, I had a very happy childhood with them and they’ve always supported and encouraged me in everything I’ve done. They’re why I believe in myself, and they’re always there for me.
Q What advice would you give to your younger self?
A Take a gap year before university! It’s crazy that at 16 you’re expected to choose your life path without living out in or seeing the world. People need time and experiences to form their opinions.
Q First thing you’d do if you won £1 million? A Get a mural painted on the gable end of the Groucho’s building.