David McSwiggan is a visual artist and illustrator who sometimes goes under the name, Max Swiggan. He has the honour of being our first Northern Irish meet the artist. David hails from Omagh and will be exhibiting –  motivation permitting – in both Belfast and Dublin in the New Year.

Has your job ever got you laid, free drink, arrested?

It depends what you call a job but I got lots of free drink when I worked in a bar. I have never been arrested. I try to keep sex, love and labour exchange as separate issues.

What did you want to be as a kid?

An artist, a computer programmer, an architect or generally a well-paid rich person. Not the sort of thing you found in Tyrone during the 1980s.

What's the best tool of your trade?

Without doubt the brain and then the hands, I am not too hot with the feet unless you need something kicked in.

Why did you choose these three images?

They best illustrate where I am going visually at the moment. I am interested in how we visualise our external and our internal environment and what we think we are seeing. I am not worried about contradicting myself stylistically. I don't work exhaustively on one project I like to keep many visual strands on the go at one time.

How would you describe them to a blind person?

I like to use space, minimal but strong colour and shape in my painting so maybe the experience is similar to being inside an underground bunker with large cuboid Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling. The photographic work is similar to working as a security guard in a shopping centre.

If your art was music what would it sound like?

I imagine it would sound like lots of people talking, mumbling and whispering at the same time in a large room with a window overlooking the sea. You could only hear some words and sentences but what you could make out would be both exciting and disturbing at the same time, probably a Moog playing in the background.

Slate yourself.

Procrastinating shit talker who is so unfocused he cant even finish a sentenc...

Big up yourself.

Insightful visionary who if fed the correct input and regularly poked with sticks will be showing at the Black Box in Belfast throughout March and at the Crow gallery, Temple bar, Dublin During April 2009.

How far have you gone for your art?

Never more than five metres from my own body.

Gimme, gimme, gimme more.