An interview with: Jackson Howell (Beachghost)
- Brandon Pestano
- Jun 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 17
In conversation with insanely talented watercolour illustrator @beachghost
Jackson Howell, also known as Beachghost, is a watercolour illustrator who masterfully interprets popular anime and sci-fi iconography through a distinctly trippy watercolour pallet. Beachghost transforms famous characters from the films and TV they love into mind bending artworks that create a uniquely recognisable fusion of pop culture and psychedelia.
"I’m always striving to exceed what I’m capable of..." - Beachghost
Read the full interview below...
Where are you from and when did you first start drawing? how did the name Beachghost come around?
I’m from Naarm (Melbourne) Australia. I grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, on the coast of Victoria. I’ve been drawing since I was able to hold a pencil, I didn’t have any kind of exceptional skill for making art, I just enjoyed doing it.
I haven’t got an interesting anecdote for the name. Basically I like drawing creepy things and I spent a lot of time surfing. I felt that my name didn’t convey the themes I wanted to represent in my work so I decided to go with beachghost.
What do you think has been one of the biggest inspirations on the art you create and way that you see the world?
Definitely being exposed to pop culture at a young age. I was gifted a gameboy for Christmas when I was 5 and I played Pokemon red religiously. I always made sure to catch the anime before school since it aired in Australia weekday mornings. I also watched a lot of movies, particularly science fiction and fantasy.
I was a timid kid and scared easy. A lot of my favorite films I saw as a child left such a big impression on me because they terrified me. I recall not being able to sleep because I was worried that the terminator was going to ‘get’ me. I’m drawn to anything that reminds me of those experiences.
How long did it take you to refine your trippy signature style of art? We love how you have created a universe for your artworks to exist.
I’m always striving to exceed what I’m capable of. Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew, maybe more often than not. The work that people see is what I consider experimentation. I’m still finding my ‘style’ perhaps that’s what I find interesting about making things.
I think the universe that my characters exist in is a consequence of that exploration. Since I’m always building off what I learned from the last piece, there is a sense of cohesiveness. I’m always thinking about how the art I’m making fits into my body of work.
We love how you take elements of pop culture and transform them into psychedelic style. Have you ever had hallucinogenic experiences or is it all from your imagination?
I haven’t. I did try magic mushrooms when I was younger but the experience wasn’t hallucinogenic just euphoric. Honestly I find drugs to be antithetical to my personal creative process. Generally I work from my imagination and find a lot of references to help me articulate my thoughts and ideas.
What is your process like of creating a new artwork?
I like to look at how other artists work to find inspiration, whilst I’m looking I’ll sketch out some ideas of my own. It can be fun and it can be tedious.
I make a lot of fanart because having a starting point can be a great way to get things moving. I’m careful to make sure I add my own ideas to a character if I’m making work based on another artists characters.
What do you love the most about what you do?
Sharing my work with others. I feel that my work isn’t complete until I release it to an audience. I love the various interpretations that people have and the feedback I get is invaluable for my art practice.
Sharing the characters and world that I make with other people feels like engaging in a conversation, the art that I make takes on new meaning when a person with different life experiences than my own views it.
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You can purchase Beachghost prints via:
& discover more of Beachghost's art by following their:
- ASTRAL Magazine
