Yvonne Doll
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Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Yvonne Doll and I'm an abstract oil painter and the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Indie Rock band - The Locals. Why did you choose art and what influenced you to have the courage to create? I was always really drawn to art (no pun intended). I just naturally gravitated toward it from a very young age. My grade school teachers used to say that I'd have the art projects finished before they got to the end of the sentence (telling the class what the assignment was). For me is was never about having the courage to create, creating art was always safe place for me, the place where I always felt very at home and comfortable. What is your meaning of life? Wow, that's a tough one. I think life is meant to teach us things about what it truly is to be human. The good, the bad and the ugly. I think our job here is to experience all of it and allow ourselves to become whatever is next. I think it's about connecting to other people and connecting to our higher selves, for me that is via art. How did you get to this point in your life? I have no idea. Wasn't it just 1992 like 3 days ago? But seriously, If I had to guess I'd say I've gotten where I am by working hard, connecting with people and being nice. Seriously. That's really really true with the band stuff. Every great opportunity we've gotten has been because we respect and appreciate folks we meet and we try to be nice & cool to work with. Why Chicago? I came here from Cincinnati at 17 to go to SAIC, where I got my undergrad in Painting and stayed. Great town, I really dig it here. So much good FOOD! What are you afraid of? Losing my ability to sing and play music. I was recently diagnosed with Meniere's Disease (an inner ear disorder), which is a really tough one. But I'm fighting the good fight!! What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced as an artist, as a human being, as a societal member? Well as an artist I think, it's just a tough business all around, you know? The work is rewarding in many, many ways, but it's tough to make a living. As a human being, well the last few years have been a real humdinger with the annoying ear disorder and I lost my best friend (Anne) to a car accident (drunk driver). She was my art school pal, so it's bittersweet every time I work in my studio. My band is currently in the process of recording a new album, most of it is about these challenges. These songs (and the visual work I've done) over these last 2 years have been the most difficult, but the most amazing to write and create. I do count myself lucky to have this outlet to be able to express the depths of all of this grief. I'm also so grateful to be able to have this lasting, living thing to create in honor of Anne. As a societal member, you know this whole political climate is unnerving to say the least. I hate to see funding for kids school lunches and meals on wheels cut. That kind of stuff really gets me. But I do have faith that the pendulum will swing back, and compassion will come back into the fore. What are your dreams and has that changed your reality? Well, my dreams often help me ignore reality, So in a way I think that changes it, lol! I laugh but I actually do think that is true. My dreams are really to be a working artist in both music and visual arts, to be able to explore.. and just.... follow the art. What do you admire in yourself? What do you wish to improve upon yourself? I'm tenacious, that's served me well in my life. I'm logical and practical but I also believe in MAGICAL things. I obsessed with The Muppets, it's deep and it's real. ( I trust anyone who loves The Muppets, so I'm putting that down as an admirable trait) What is next? Where will you go? Who do you want to be in 10 years? Near term I want to get this album in to peoples hands and I'd like to get my visual work out there a bit more, set up some gallery showings, connect more with the Chicago arts community. In 10 years I want to be a bad-ass, artist chick who creates a shit ton of really good, really honest work. 
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