Peep some of our favorite photos from the book, below.
Photos by Julia Fox, Michael Krim, Sean Maung and Adam Jason Cohen; courtesy of PAPER WORK.
"Last Dance" book release is March 1st @ 110 Winston Street Los Angeles, CA. 90013. Head to PAPER WORK for more information.
How old are you, and where are you from?
Hello! I am 26 years old and I am a nomad. Let’s just say south Florida to make it easier.
What don’t you do and why not?
I don’t do drugs. I used to be a stoner in my early 20’s but I don’t smoke anymore, surprise! It’s ironic because people assume I smoke weed all of the time because of my relaxed demeanor. I’ve tried cocaine and MDMA once in my life and I didn’t enjoy it enough to do it again. I’ve also never tried psychedelics and I don’t think I ever will. I have nothing against them, and I will never judge you for your recreational use, they just aren’t for me.
What was the last thing you changed your mind about?
I decided to not get up and plug my phone in my charger. Now it’s dead.
What does beauty feel like?
Beauty to me feels like a midday nap after being out at the beach all day, sun kissed with salt washed hair. The feeling when you needed a nap and wake up refreshed. Beauty feels like walking outside in the busiest part of NYC and feeling composed and unfazed by oncoming foot traffic and the sound of sirens. Sounds corny, but my emotional well-being makes me feel most beautiful, not so much my attributes.
What is the most insightful thing you’ve learned while being a popular person on Instagram?
Instagram is a weird power dynamic that permits you to have influence over millions of people if you navigate it smartly. But also, if you take a swipe back, or even a gander in the explore section, there are mad trends happening. You can hop on the fast train to 10k, but I’m sure your content is going to be unoriginal, diluted and highly consumable. This is so incredibly boring to me. I want to post content that I want to see, not what you want to see. Content that makes you stop and think, “wtf?” If I’ve learned anything from Instagram its “likes” mean essentially nothing, and I don’t really give a fuck about your 3-course-meal, I’m fine with my string cheese stick.
You’ve have your photos taken down from Instagram, when no nipple was showing. What frustrates you most about being a woman on Instagram?
Yeah! That was some bullshit. Kind of took me off guard. It was a picture of me without a shirt on but my nipples were cut out. But in my experience, women, especially big breasted and hairy women, are not safe from the almighty Instagram hand! Most people I know will ask “is this Instagram safe?” Seems to be the norm question to ask when posting an image. Fuck that, it shouldn’t be. I spend a lot of time thinking of ways to seamlessly censor female bodies on social media without losing its beauty and aesthetic. Sometimes a wasteful amount of time but other times creative. Thus, the rise of my collages! That constant feeling that Big Brother is watching you, my body is being policed and there is nothing I can do but cross my fingers and hope my Instagram will not be deleted, because my boobs are too big. That frustrates me.
Who buys your art more, men or women?
It’s pretty balanced to be honest as far as gender goes. Which makes me very happy.
Do you think you'll ever start using your nudes and incorporate them into your art?
I’ve have actually taken a nude of myself and used it for a collage about 7 months ago. I wasn’t particularly excited about the nude, the quality kind of sucked, but it was a great feeling to know I could at anytime place myself directly into my art.
Do you like being blonde or brunette better?
Blonde was a nightmare for me. My friend was the first person to bleach my hair, and guess what? it turned orange and spotty. Yes people, if you have brown hair, have a professional bleach your hair. And that means a colorist. Because I also made the mistake and trusted someone who had a hair license and completely botched the fuck out of my hair because she only does cuts. Also blonde never worked with my skin tone, completely washed me out. Over it. Done. Retiring the blonde forever.
You a Truth woman or a dare woman?
I’m definitely a truth woman. It would make more sense for me to be a dare woman because I literally have no shame, and never get embarrassed. I just don’t really consider myself much of a risk taker.
Willoughby thinks about issues ranging from the serious—grief, racism, period cramps (trust us, those are serious)—to the less so, i.e. Willoughby likes to chill in nature and smoke weed. The cartoons are hilarious and sharp as a knife. And through the character's sarcastic yet meaningful thoughts, Corey has found an audience for Willoughby: people who suffer with mental health, people stigmatized by society, and anyone who needs a little reality check. We talked to her to learn more. Read on.
We know you love plants/nature. Are you a very healthy/active person?
I wouldn't say I'm VERY healthy, but I've cut all junk food from my life. Everything I eat comes from the ground or the water. I don't work out much, but I've started to do 15 mins of yoga in the morning even though I skipped today!
How did the character Willoughby come about?
Willoughby came about when I started drawing these plants in my friend's apartment. I was doodling everything surrounding me and then started putting little characters into place! Willoughby sprouted from there.
Did you base their name on the Brooklyn street?
I actually didn't! I walked past the street one day and called my boyfriend because I was so hype. Actually, Willoughby's name comes from one of my favorite episodes of The Twilight Zone (it's called "A Stop at Willoughby" for those that want to check it out).
Are their thoughts based on what you want to say to the world?
Willoughby is a reflection of my thoughts, and of those around me. People I've known forever and people I've never met.
Your drawings are based on controversial topics such as politics, feminism and mental health. Do you suffer/find life hard as a female? Do you struggle with mental health?
Life is hard as a human, life is harder for women, and it's a lot harder (understatement) for black women. But life is also weird and beautiful. I suffer just as much as I enjoy it, so I try to find peace in the balance. As far as mental health, I think to an extent we all struggle with it individually. Everyone struggles with racism, politics, feminism and gay rights... of course on very different levels, depending on your experience, but these things affect our mental health as a whole, as a society, and that's something I don't see being brought up in discussion. It's not just the people who speak up about it.
What’s the next step for Wiloughby? Where do you see him/her in a couple of years?
Willoughby wants to travel ;)
Do you have any other talents aside from drawing?
Aside from drawing, I like to cook, play my bass, build installations, direct videos, and take photos of friends/landscapes.
Check out more of Corey's work here.
