Artspan Spotlight in VL with Katharine Cartwright

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist? My parents recognized I was an artist before I entered kindergarten, and provided me with opportunities to learn about color theory and design beginning at age 3. Therefore, I’ve always self-identified as an artist and have never lost my love for creating art. Because I think in pictures rather than in words, drawing and painting come naturally to me and are the way I prefer to communicate with myself and others. 

Who has been your mentor, or greatest influence to date?  Susan Webb Tregay, a superb artist and instructor has been the greatest influence on my work. She taught me the importance of concept in creating art. Without that, artistry does not occur because it is the intended concept that makes art “art.”

Who is another living artist you admire and why?  The artists that I admire most are those whose work is authentic – the ones who bravely express themselves with honesty and integrity without the motivation of popularity and sales. Thankfully, there are many that fall into this category.

What is your favorite surface to create work on or to work with? Primarily, I use Arches watercolor paper, cold press 140 pound because it can take a lot of “abuse” and stand up to it very well. 

What are your favorite materials to use? Although I was trained in oils, I now prefer watercolors above any other medium. My favorite brand is Daniel Smith.

Do you have a favorite color palette? No. For me, it’s more important to assemble a palette for each painting based upon the mood, values, and temperatures that I need to employ to best express my concept. That always changes from painting to painting.

How often do you work on your artwork? How many hours a week? When I’m not traveling, I walk to my studio at 4:30 AM and work from between 4 to 10 hours in a single day. I try to do this seven days a week unless I have appointments and other matters that interfere. However, I’m always able to work in the studio between 4:30 and 8:30 AM. I like the discipline, but I’m also eager to get into the studio and work. I love to paint!

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for? The things I would like to be remembered for is what I’ve deemed to be important: my dedication to family and community; integrity as an artist and a human being; creating art that is both meaningful and unique, that contributed to the global dialogue in the visual arts, and, effective teaching. 

There are many culprits that can crush creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure. What tends to stand in the way of your creativity? How do you overcome these obstacles? As you noted, distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure are the usual culprits for most artists and were for me as well. Learning to ignore all that and trust my own intuition and imagination took a long time, but I finally got there. I learned to listen only to my inner voice. That liberated me use my own voice to create work that’s original rather than imitative or derivative. 

What are your inspirations for your work? Because my work relies upon my imagination and not physical references, I suppose my greatest inspiration is my internal vision of the world. That internal vision is influenced by my psychology (which filters and interprets my surroundings) and my life experiences. 

What is your favorite way to get your creative juices flowing?  Wake up and walk to my studio. The juices are flowing by the time I open the studio door. It’s Pavlovian.

Which work of yours is your favorite?  Always, the one I’m presently working on. I must be in love with and cherish the piece I’m creating in order to complete it. So, it becomes the most precious at the time.

Getting to know you Q&A

What is your favorite color in your closet? If you looked at my closet you’d see a full palette of colors without one that is dominant. I love all colors and tend to wear the one that best reflects my mood at the moment.

What book are you reading this week? I love to read women’s travel and homesteading accounts. Right now, I’m reading a number of books on Maine and Alaskan women homesteaders.

Do you have a favorite television show? Not really, but I do manage to follow “Project Runway.” I like the challenges and creative solutions by the designers.

What is your favorite food? Pie (any fruit flavor).

What color sheets are on your bed right now? Aneegoine

What are you most proud of in your life? My son.

Who would you love to interview?An “undiscovered” artist who is naturally gifted and struggling to keep her integrity while attempting to rise through the ranks. Someone who’s truly undaunted by the art scene and perseveres would, in my opinion, be worth knowing about.

Do you have a passion or hobby other than painting? What is it? Yes. I love to sail and kayak.

Who would you love to portray in mixed media? I don’t know. I guess I don’t think that way.

If you were an animal what would you be and why? A well-loved and cared-for Labrador retriever would be my choice because they have a wonderful temperament and are very loyal. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things, what would they be?  A machete, striking steel, and a very long rope. 

Share something with us that few people know about you.  Although I don’t come across this way, I’m actually very shy.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Since I’ve already made that choice, it’s easy: Midcoast Maine, where I live  right now. It’s a slice of heaven.

Visit Katharine's website: www.kacartwright.com

Studio Visit with Colorado Artist Carol Nelson

I wasn’t always an “artist.”  I put that word in quotes because, to me, an artist is one who works at his or her craft diligently every day.  Besides spending time at the easel, in today’s times, being an artist also involves networking, researching, marketing, and spending a great deal of time on the computer.  It is far more involved than sitting at your kitchen table and painting a pretty picture once in a while.

Going way back in my art career, I can see the embryonic form of the artist I have become.  I’ve always been attracted to vibrant color, and my earliest memory of anything artistic is that extra-large box of Crayola crayons I treasured.  When I colored a page, I put on LOTS of color, pushing the crayon deeply into the paper for a saturated color.  

In high school, my favorite subject was art.  I loved everything we did in class, and it was a straight-A subject for me.  As a college freshman, it was natural for me to declare an art major. However, sometime during that freshman year – maybe during a biology class or chemistry 101 – it dawned on me that perhaps I should think about how I would support myself when I graduated.  My right and left brains were in a battle for dominance.  The left brain won, and I graduated with a scientific degree and a profession (medical technology) that would prove to be both satisfying and supportive.

So my artistic side was buried for several years.  Actually, I “dabbled” a bit with artsy endeavors.  When my children were small, I had a stained glass business out of my basement.  I made custom stained glass windows for homeowners.  Although stained glass is one of the most beautiful mediums there is, it is also very expensive to produce.  When I figured out I was making less than 

$1/hour, I decided it was time to find a different outlet for my creative tendencies.

The momentous day that propelled me into a serious art career came in 1998, when I happened to be looking through the art book section at a Hobby Lobby store.  I picked up a copy of Maxine Masterfield’s, Painting the Spirit of Nature, and was instantly smitten with the images inside.  Looking at the beautiful poured ink abstract compositions, I KNEW I could do this.  I bought all the stuff and went home to start creating. 

Thus started a new passion.  I soon became aware of how much I didn’t know.  They say you don’t know what you don’t know, but at least I knew I had just scratched the surface of something huge and wonderful.  

Fast forward 15 years to where I am now.  I’ve taken many workshops in various painting media – from watercolor to oils and acrylics – and slowly my true love has emerged.  Although I can certainly appreciate the beauty of  rich oils and the flowing transparency of watercolor, it’s that “texture thing” with acrylics and all the acrylic mediums that pulls me back time and time again.

My studio, as you can see from the photo, is always in a state of chaos.  When your medium is mixed media, you have to save everything that might somehow end up in a painting.  I’m not above dumpster diving and picking up ephemera and junk off the streets.   

I love experimenting with new paints, materials and techniques.  Since I work in acrylic, the vast number of mediums available gives me unlimited options  in how I create.  Many of the techniques I’ve developed or practiced in my own work are of interest to other mixed media artists.  I love traveling around the country giving mixed media workshops – I meet the nicest artists!  I love their enthusiasm and delight at the things I present to them.

Last October, I completed a week of training with Golden Artist Colors. Golden chose 18 artists from around the country for advanced study in their Golden Art Educator Program.  Since I already was using Golden Fluid Acrylics in my work, the additional training with Golden’s many pastes, gels, and grits, was like a huge flood of information that I’m beginning to incorporate into my painting process.

Life as traveling artist is sometimes hectic – like when my plane is delayed by a blizzard – but the rewards of meeting and working with other artists makes it all worth it.

http://carolnelsonfineart.com

VL Studio Visit Slav Krivoshiev

“The Mythological Constructivism – this is each one of us”

Slav Krivoshiev

Member of :

ARTIST TRADE UNION OF RUSSIA

WORLD ART FOUNDATION- USA.

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ARTIST (ISA)

Master of Culturology & Art Management  

 Teacher of Fine Arts.      

Freelance Artist.

© Slav Krivoshiev

Author of the “Mythological Constructivism” concept – a style in the modern art.  “The 21st century world is marked with active globalization processes in which a very important part is taken by the intercultural contacts. Through the language of the visual arts we build and share thought constructions, laying in our cultural archetype and defined by the instruments of the modern civilization. Realizing it or not, we are taking part and creating the myth of the global person. Each act of art is a part of the whole, part of the common story for us, the humanity, in the globalization era. This is why the sign of the new age is the Mythological constructivism which is made by us – doesn’t matter if we want it or not.”   S. Krivoshiev

Visit Slav Krivoshiev's website

http://slavkk.in.gallerix.ru/

Artspan. Visual Language Magazine Studio Visit with Elizabeth Chapman

ADVENTURE...in one word that would be how I would describe my love for painting abstracts.  There is the original inspiration or spark that sets the whole process in motion, with the belief that a wonderful work of art will emerge, yet navigating without a plan. Think going on a vacation without an agenda! The challenge is in responding to each new element that emerges on the canvas, capturing a sense of beauty through the use of color, shape, line, values and texture. Realizing that this is all but a glimpse of the bigger picture.

© Elizabeth Chapman

As a modern abstract expressionistic painter, I work intuitively quickly making decisions as I am painting with each new mark leading to the next idea. The initial inspiration for a painting can come from many different sources, but once begun, following the creative flow is important to me.  My work is always in the process of evolving as I grow as an artist. Many times the hardest part of this growth is in the letting go.

I’ve always loved art. A strong passion for creating my own art begun and grew during the years that I worked as a high school art teacher. Through the encouragement of others I began to see the artist within me. Intuitively, I knew that I was an artist first and foremost. This required a huge step in faith in order to pursue working independently as an artist and to believe in myself.

© Elizabeth Chapman

A verse from God’s word that was given to me in those first days and is still tacked to my studio board, spoke to my heart in strengthening me for the task. It reads: Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plum line in Zerubbabel’s hand.  Zechariah 4:10  I am often lifted up by these words- in that they speak to me about using the talents that have been given to us. Success is in realizing the way that each of us are made and in working to the best of our abilities.

I am very thankful for the support I have received from my family, friends, fellow artists and last but certainly not least those who have financially invested in my efforts. For all these people have played a role in supporting the arts.

“It brings me much joy just to be the brush in the Master Painter’s hand and to realize that His creations are made to bring great joy to all.”  Elizabeth Chapman.

http://melizabethchapman.artspan.com/

Visual Language Magazine Artspan Studio Visit with Kari Tirrell

I never intended to be a professional artist.  Like many artists, I drew constantly throughout my childhood.  Although my lack of formal art education has not been a hindrance for me, had I known I’d become a professional artist someday I probably would have chosen to focus on art in school.  At that time, though, art didn’t seem to be a good career choice.  Being a “starving artist” didn’t appeal to me, and I didn’t want to teach, so drawing was more of a habit.  It was something I felt compelled to do, but had no intention of doing anything with it.

Many years later, when my kids were at an age where they were becoming independent and I started thinking about what I was going to do with my time, I decided to try painting and it completely changed my life.  I painted abstracts in acrylic and sold them on eBay.  It was great validation, super fun to find people liked my work enough to bid on it, and even more amazing to think about people in countries around the world hanging my work on their walls.

Colors by Kari Tirrell

Eventually, I switched from abstraction to realism, which also caused a switch in medium.  I was now painting in oils.  However, soon after changing to oils I stumbled upon the amazing pastel work of Alicia St. Rose.  I had no idea such detail could be achieved with soft pastels, and I knew I had to try it.  Her process looked painfully tedious, and I knew I didn’t have the patience to work like that, so I purchased various soft pastels, pastel pencils, and a variety of papers and set out to develop my own process.  It took a lot of trial and error, but I was able to figure out how to get the results I wanted.

Banana Bread by Kari Tirrell

Once I started painting realism, I realized brick and mortar galleries would be a better fit for my work than selling online.  I had no idea how to go about getting into galleries, so I created a plan: I would join art organizations, get into their shows, and build up a resume.  I decided three years would be a reasonable amount of time to give me the experience and a good enough resume where I could feel comfortable approaching galleries.

I painted specifically for exhibitions, focusing on composition and lighting to make sure I was able to enter at least one award worthy painting into each show.  I believe this focus helped improve my compositional ability as well as my painting technique.  The awards my work received were validation I was heading in the right direction.  My three year plan was successful, and although my first gallery ended up not being a great fit, it was a good learning experience in choosing the right gallery.  I currently work with several excellent galleries, and I truly value my relationships with them.

Train Wreck by Kari Tirrell

While I started my pastel career painting people and animals, over time I’ve gravitated toward painting still life, and I really enjoy it.  I like the challenge of creating an interesting composition with inanimate objects.  I like painting various surfaces (wood, glass, ceramic, etc.) and getting them to read accurately.  My compositions have grown more complex; I like paintings that invite the viewer to stay awhile, something that will keep their interest over time.  On the other hand, I also enjoy creating simple compositions, particularly when I can experiment with changing the scale of the objects.

I like to explore themes, repeatedly painting the same subject in different ways until I feel I’ve said as much as I want to say, and then I move on to something else.  I typically enjoy painting things that touch on nostalgia.  Old toys are a favorite.  Right now I’m working on compositions with candy. 

I recently started working in oils again, in addition to pastels.  My work is very time consuming, regardless of medium, but I feel so lucky to be able to do what I do.  It is definitely work; mostly challenging, and sometimes even frustrating.  But painting satisfies my soul as no other job could, and I plan on doing it as long as possible. 

Traffic Jam by Kari Tirrell

A self-taught artist, Kari Tirrell spent her formative years drawing people and animals in graphite, charcoal, and ink.  She won her first award in an art contest at age 11.  After many years of drawing, Kari changed direction and started painting abstracts in acrylic, selling her work to collectors around the globe.  After returning to realism, Kari’s work has been juried into many regional, national, and international exhibitions, and has received numerous awards.  She lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Northwest Pastel Society,  and a Distinguished Pastellist with the Pastel Society of the West Coast.  Her work can be found at Meyer Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, Elliott Fouts Gallery in Sacramento, CA, American Art Company in Tacoma, WA, and Kirsten Gallery in Seattle, WA.

http://KariTirrell.com

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Visual Language Artspan Interview with Robert Fiacco.

Visual Language Artspan Interview

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist? When I was about 11 years old my father started a small business that involved selling reproductions of famous paintings; we had dozens of these paintings hanging all over the place.  I absolutely loved these paintings and would spend hours copying them; I have been painting ever since.

Who has been your mentor, or greatest influence to date?  I don’t recall having a mentor per se; I have had outstanding teachers early on but never a consistent mentor.  Winslow Homer has been a huge influence.  I am especially impressed that he was able to transition from illustration to fine art.

Who is another living artist you admire and why?  Jasper Johns; his paintings are so unique and intellectually challenging.

What is your favorite surface to create work on or to work with? Describe it if you make it yourself.  I love texture in painting; I primarily work with canvas that is sized with heavy amounts gesso.

B-24D Pelosti Raid by Robert Fiacco

What are your favorite materials to use? I primarily use oil paint and Liquin Impasto and Olepasto mediums.  I am starting to explore encaustic.

Do you have a favorite color palette? I prefer a cooler palette but I really don’t limit myself.

How often do you work on your artwork? How many hours a week? I only average about 5-15 hours a week.

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for?  Honesty and creativity in my artwork.

There are many culprits that can crush creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure. What tends to stand in the way of your creativity? Often financial concerns get in the way.  For example, I often take commissions, which are not very creative endeavors since the customer is usually very specific in what they want hence there isn’t much latitude for creativity.

Hellcat Formation by Robert Fiacco

How do you overcome these obstacles?  I try to be as frugal as possible and maximize my exposure through juried shows/art fairs.  I have been successful in selling some of my artwork, including giclee reproductions without relying too much on commissions.


What are your inspirations for your work? I love narratives or stories of amazing feats.  I prefer to illustrate dramatic events that occurred.  I will research the specific event, learning the life stories of the people involved, and the exact details of the event.  When you fully understand the people and the event; it is quite inspiring to paint it.

What is your favorite way to get your creative juices flowing?  I have two loud kids; sometimes, just having it quiet is enough.

Return to Happy Valley by Robert Fiacco

Which work of yours is your favorite?  Oriskany Rendezvous is my favorite.  I feel that the painting is dramatic and conveys a sense of foreboding associated with war.      

Getting to know you Q&A

What is your favorite color in your closet? Light blue.

What book are you reading this week? “Art and Perception”.

Do you have a favorite television show? Not really; however, I often watch English or Spanish league soccer games.

What is your favorite food? Italian.

What color sheets are on your bed right now? Tan.

What are you most proud of in your life? Taking care of my family.

Who would you love to interview? Larry Gagosian.

Do you have a passion or hobby other than painting? What is it? Soccer.

Who would you love to paint? Nicole Kidman. 

If you were an animal what would you be and why? A golden eagle; being able to fly…can’t imagine anything better than this. 

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things, what would they be?  A book, sketchbook, & my guitar.  

Share something with us that few people know about you.  I believe in ghosts.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Spain.

http://robertfiacco.com/

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Visual Language Studio Visit with Artspan Artist Robert Huckestein

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I have had art in my blood for as long as I can remember.  When I was a child, I couldn’t wait to get up on Saturday morning, turn on the television, (a mew fangled contraption at the time) pull out my box of John Nagy art supplies that I had sent away for, and begin that morning’s art project that John Nagy had prepared for his television audience of young, aspiring artists.  That is one of my earliest memories that had me dreaming of becoming an artist some day.

Ever since those Saturday art projects, I have been drawing, painting, and reading about other artists, both past and present, to help me in my quest to become a professional artist.  However, my art career went in another direction early on because of some well-meaning people, including my parents, who kept telling me that trying to make a living as an artist was unrealistic.  So, I began my thirty-five year career in the engineering field.  Although this career did help me to support my wife, and to raise two wonderful children, it did put my full time art career on hold.  But, it didn’t stop me from drawing, painting, and studying art history.  The years that I spent working in the engineering field allowed me to visit galleries and museums around the world which helped me to learn about art and artists in other countries.  It also allowed me to use my spare time to improve my drawing and painting skills, and take painting workshops from a variety of artists in the country.

Fast forward to today, and here I am living my dream as a full time artist.  The paintings and drawings I create are a result of all those years spent honing my artistic skills, and studying techniques of past artists, as well as contemporary artists of today. My early paintings were experiments of many different styles from abstract to photorealism.  But, I always returned to drawing and painting in a realistic style of which my work is now recognized for.  These realistic paintings and drawings are of the architecture, and the people of the city and surrounding small towns that are distinct of Western Pennsylvania.  I find these buildings and people are interesting subject matter for my paintings and drawings.

I have also worked on learning all I could about all the materials that I use in my paintings and drawings.  Some of the materials I use for these paintings are oil and acrylic paint, pastels, and watercolors.  My drawings are done with charcoal and graphite pencils.  All the painting, drawing, and reading I did in the past has helped me to not only improve my own art work, but also prepared me for the adult classes and work shops that I teach at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and other organizations in Pittsburgh.

My work follows a process that begins with an emotional connection to whatever I have chosen to paint or draw.  My early paintings began mostly as studies of the architecture of Pittsburgh, the old homes and the large buildings that were occupied by many of the businesses and corporations that made Pittsburgh one of our country’s largest corporate headquarters.  People were not part of these paintings in the beginning, but as time went on, the figure started to manifest itself gradually into the composition.  As my work evolved, I became more and more fascinated with the figure until eventually the figure took over, and the architecture became just a backdrop for the rest of the composition.  I now use both the figure and the architecture together to make a statement.  I’ll use one figure or a combination of figures in the composition that have a connection to each other, that tells a story, refers to something in the past, or has a connection to a current event that’s associated with a local or national news story.

The technical part of my painting process consists of a pallet with fourteen colors plus titanium white, which I lay out everyday before I begin to paint.  The colors are yellow ochre, raw sienna, burnt umber, raw umber, burnt sienna, french ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, alizarin crimson, cadmium red light, sap green, terre verte, viridian, cadmium yellow light, and cadmium lemon yellow.  Special colors are mixed during the painting process as needed.

My painting process begins by drawing directly on the canvas with paint and using reference photographs, and/or preliminary sketches as a starting point.  The more involved compositions require the use of live models and doing preliminary sketches in order to build the compositional elements in the painting. This approach allows me to resolve problems prior to laying in color.  The first layer of paint is put on the canvas in order to cover the white of the canvas and to help establish preliminary colors and values for the painting.  As the painting progresses, I am looking at proportions, value, color, and edges in the painting, and making any corrections based on these observations that will help bring the painting to completion.  The colors in my paintings are bright, but accurate in order to maintain the realism that I strive for in my work.  I also use warm and cool colors and complementary colors in my paintings to give it balance and unity throughout.  The painting process can take weeks, or months, depending on the complexity of the composition and the size of the painting.

I have developed this process over the years based on many influences including artists of the past such as John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, and Winslow Homer, and contemporary artists Philip Pearlstein, Harvey Dinnerstien, Lucian Freud, and Max Ginsburgh.  Although these are artists that I sometimes refer to while working on a painting, I do not limit myself to just those few artists, nor do I try to copy their styles.  I have developed a style of my own based on bright colors, realism, and a strong composition that I hope will translate into a strong and moving work of art.

I have been the recipient of several awards for my artwork in both national and regional shows, including a painting for which I received the Purchase Award in the Art of the State Exhibition at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, and is now part of the state’s permanent collection.  Many of my paintings and drawings are included in a number of private and corporate collections, and are represented at The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Gallery Shop, Courtney-Laughlin Gallery in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and, Panza Gallery and Frame in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

I have found that there are bridges that we artists cross in our work, which take us from one improvement to another. It may be something as simple as figuring out a color combination, or as complicated as a warm and cool color passage that needs to be adjusted, or a compositional problem that needs to be resolved.  But, no matter what the roadblock, it is important that, as artists, we continue to build a solid foundation, which includes sharpening our drawing skills, strengthening our knowledge of our materials, and striving to create a strong and balanced composition.  All this will turn our passion, persistence, and exploration into inspirational works of art.

http://roberthuckestein.com

Laurie Pace, Editor in Chief, VL Magazine, interviews New York Artist Hall Groat II

Laurie Pace, Editor-in-Chief, Visual Language, Contemporary Fine Art Magazine interviews New York Artist and Art Critic, Hall Groat II.

Laurie Pace - What is your earliest memory that involves creating?

Hall Groat II - Playing in the sand and collecting seashells, along the seashore in Cape Cod.

Pace - Did you ever feel competitive to your Dad or challenged to do more?

Groat - No, never in the field of art, but during my early teens my father and I were very competitive at tennis. 

Pace - Do you have brothers or sisters or other family members that paint? 

Groat - Yes, I have one sister who creates abstract collages. Her work is along the lines of the Harlem Renaissance artist, Romare Bearden.

Pace - What was life like growing up with your Dad painting full time?

Groat - I have very fond memories of my father working at home, and during my teens actually helping him with his business.  I used to assist him in painting the large backgrounds for the various corporate and religious murals he was commissioned to create throughout upstate NY. 

Pace - Did you ever contemplate another profession?

Groat - Yes, while I was an undergraduate student at SUNY Binghamton during the mid-1980’s I was studying to be an urban regional planner, and then changed to architecture. My father took me to several architectural firms located in upstate, NY, and most all of them were negative when discussing the occupation.  I recall them stating, “Why do you want to be an architect, when you are already an artist?; This field is so difficult now to be successful in since there are so many legal restrictions on architects.” 

Pace - Where do you draw inspiration from in your work?

Groat - The history of art, especially 17th century Baroque chiaroscuro painting.

Pace - Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone to try different approaches to your art? If so, what was it?  Groat - Yes, I often step out of my comfort zone and explore atypical, non-conventional subjects. I find it helpful to explore both conventional archetypes and then delve into fresh ideas. For example, over the past few years I’ve been experimenting with polyptychs, which are multi-panel paintings. One of the most unusual ones is entitled “Virgin Earth Challenge” which is 35x35 in. overall, consisting of sixteen 8x8 in. panels.

Blood Money by Hall Groat II

This constructivist piece combines fragments of an internal combustion engine, juxtaposed with insects, bones, a hornets nest and human hand.  Over the past few years I’ve also been inspired by the textures found in popular culture desserts and have painted quite a few of them. I decided one day to explore a few atypical associations, and ended up combing a large peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a pile of coins, entitled “Blood Money”. This initial piece then led to “Dirty Money”, “Bad Money” and then “Bling, Bling”.  In the most recent piece, called “Bling, Bling”, one is confronts with a large piece of strawberry shortcake served on a sterling silver, ornate plate, which is enveloped by a monumental pair of hand-cuffs and coins. Yes, I’ve painted quite a few pieces involving food and money, which is apropos based on what’s taking place worldwide. The pieces are depicted in a slideshow on this page: http://hallgroat.com/painting-a-day/

Pace- What do you do to continue ‘growing’ with your painting?

Groat - Teaching painting at the college allows me to grow since I feed off of the students’ creative energy. I’m inspired by the way college students explore ideas with a fresh vision. Perhaps it’s due to their tabula rasa minds, in the sense that they have not been exposed to too much art history and are not aware of what has been done or not done yet. In terms of painting, pretty much everything has been tried at least once, and knowing too much about art history could potentially inhibit one artistically, resulting from pre-qualifying everything that one considers painting.

Pace- How do you challenge yourself with your art?

Groat - I explore non-conventional subject matter and compositions, both within the large format and smaller, daily painting studies.  For example, within “Human Heart with Brain” I painted an 

anatomical study depicting a dissected human brain on a 12x12 in. panel, which is presented alongside a second panel of a human heart as a diptych.  I have always been interested in science, and the piece was inspired by a scientific exhibit I went to a few years ago in Buffalo, NY, entitled “Bodyworlds” that presented a variety of human body parts preserved through a unique plastination process that was invented by German anatomist, Gunther von Hagens. This piece prompted me to then paint a baby suspended within its mother’s womb at the five or six month point, along with a fetus at six weeks.  

http://hallgroat.com/baby-in-womb-8x8-oil-on-canvas-by-hall-groat-ii/

http://hallgroat.com/fetus-8x8-oil-on-canvas-by-hall-groat-ii/

Pace - Do you ever fight ‘demons’ that slow your creative process or create doubts?  

Groat - Yes, I often ask myself “Why should I paint this; does this deserve to be painted; what’s more important, the subject and content or underlying aesthetic of the piece”?  As a result, I work in series and am pushed towards exploring diverse subject matter, spanning from conventional motifs to the atypical or odd.

New York Street Vendor by Hall Groat II

Pace - Tell us more about your newly launches website. You have always been a teacher and helped others in learning how to develop their own style, market their work ,etc., so how does your new site benefit not just your work, but the work of other artists?

Groat - Within my new site at www.HallGroat.com, there is a section where students may upload their paintings for a free critique.  These critique posts include the student’s statement about their paintings (or what they are working on), along with my critique.  So far, this has been a very popular area within the new web site since students may learn from one another’s work.  Art students may also post comments at the bottom of each critique page, which are networked directly into FACEBOOK. 

Pace - What would be the best advice you share in the classroom with your art students?

Groat - Don’t allow your parents to push you into a practical career, unless this is what you really want to pursue in life.  You will be the happiest and do the best at what you have a true passion for.  There are many people who are making lots of money at what they do and are miserable. I t’s important to find balance in life.  

Pace - If you could live anywhere and paint, where would it be? 

Groat - Paris, or perhaps Santorini, one of the Greek Isles.

Dirty Money by Hall Groat II

Pace - What type of music do you listen to?

Groat - My taste in music is diverse. I enjoy listening to a variety of classic rock and Jazz, all the way to alternative and classical symphonic orchestra music, such as Rachmaninov and Chopin.

Pace - Who are some of your favorite authors?

Groat - In recent years, I would have to say Leo Tolstoy has been one of my favorites.

Pace - What is your passion in life?

Groat - Making art, traveling, teaching and spending time with family and pets. 

Pace - What is something no one knows about you?

Groat - I really wasn’t that talented in art during my high school years. 

New York Art Collection

Hall Groat II, President

WWW.NYARTGUIDE.NET

History

During the late 1990′s, the New York Art Collection naturally evolved from the New York Art Guide publication, and currently showcases the permanent collection of the New York Art Guide quarterly publication, which was last published during the spring of 2000.  The collection consists of various 19th and 20th century artists, including Pablo Picasso, Salvtore Dali, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Raphael Soyer, Leroy Neimen, Xavier Gonzalez, Jerome Witkin, Valfred Thelin, Jan DeRuth, Roger Walton, Romanos Rizk and several other well-known contemporary painters from the United States.

Objectives

The New York Art Collection is committed to both selling and collecting significant works of art, and is dedicated to assisting our corporate and private clients build and refine art collections that reflect their individual interests. We are frequently able to locate original works of art that meet the needs of our clients.

Services

We collaborate with designers, architects and developers with the selection and acquisition of works of art for corporate, hospitality and institutional interiors.  From just a single giclée print to an entire fine art collection, we are dedicated to personal service, competitive pricing, strict regard for quality control and adherence to delivery schedules.

We currently provide a diverse selection of giclee gallery wrapped prints, which are perfect for the home or corporate office, and have over 2000 image files for residential and corporate designers to review for current and future projects. The New York Art Collection sells and collects significant works of art, and is committed to assisting our corporate and private clients build and refine art collections that reflect their individual interests. We are frequently able to locate major works of art that meet the needs of our clients.

We provide thoughtful, creative solutions to artwork requirements. Considerable research and time are invested prior to a proposal being developed and presented. Taken into account and investigated are historical ramifications, geographical locale, design sensibilities, and thematic concepts. Esteemed, knowledgeable consultants, qualified to contribute, are retained, assuring authenticity at this level.

From the art program to the accessory package, we achieve an individually customized approach for all areas within the hotel. Fulfilling the designer’s vision and the owner’s expectations, within budget, is our goal, whether it is a luxury facility, a themed environment, a boutique hotel, or an historical renovation.

http://hallgroat.com

Visual Language Interview Spotlight with Artspan Artists Melissa Post van der Burg

Visual Language Studio Spotlight and Interview 

with Melissa Post van der Burg

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist?  When I was nine years old, my third grade teacher asked me to be the official class artist—my job was to illustrate the book reports written by my classmates.  I loved the responsibility and feeling kind of special because I was actually good at something.

Who has been your mentor, or greatest influence to date?  Well, living in Maine, I would have to say Andrew Wyeth, although, sadly, he passed away a few years ago.  But his work has been very important to me—especially the fact that he stayed so “close to home” in his subject matter.  Many of his models actually grew up in his work.  I think Wyeth’s work has given me permission to not stray too far from the images and people I know.  And, of course, he set a great example in his work ethic.

Who is another living artist you admire and why?  The wonderful Maine painter, Linden Frederick is a great favorite of mine.  He has the ability to capture a mood, and then make it hold—that’s very difficult.

What is your favorite surface to create work on or to work with?  I love tempered masonite panels when I’m working on paintings 16x20 or smaller—anything larger becomes too heavy.  I cut the panels to size, sand them lightly and then gesso them—usually 3 coats of gesso that I tint a steel gray.  Then I lightly sand with #400 sandpaper, creating a super-smooth surface.

What are your favorite materials to use?   Since drawing was my first love, I would have to say a graphite pencil and a piece of beautiful, creamy white paper.  Or gray-toned paper—that’s nice, too.

Do you have a favorite color palette?  Yes, and I always set my palette up the same way—it saves so much time when you know where each color is.  So, I go around the edge of my palette with: titanium white, ivory black, ultramarine blue, raw sienna, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, cadmium red light, cadmium red medium, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, raw umber, burnt umber, sap green.  

How often do you paint?  I’m lucky enough to be able to work every day, so that’s what I do—a total of 30-40 hours a week.  I think of it as a job.

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for?  I would like to be remembered for my head-on, confrontational portraits.

There are many culprits that can crush creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure. What tends to stand in the way of your creativity?  Sometimes I forget that painting is a choice I make every day.  I can choose to work through distractions, and in spite of self-doubt and fear of failure.  The only thing that really stands in the way is choosing not to work.

What are the inspirations for your work?  The natural world is my greatest inspiration.  I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to spend time observing and painting nature, the landscape, and animals. I seek to capture emotion……a frozen moment, a feeling…..and translate that to the canvas…….I’m still figuring out how to do this…It is not a tangible thing…Success will come when the viewer experiences a similar emotional response to a painting…The best practice may be to run around at night catching fireflies….it’s the ‘AHA’ moment if you ever really get one…THAT’s what I’m after.

How do you overcome these obstacles? Well, I treat painting like any other job.  I show up and do my part no matter what the circumstances or conditions—and, like all human beings, I have my share of days that are not ideal—but I still work.

What are your inspirations for your work?   I find that I am often inspired by film and by opera.  When I see or hear something really remarkable, a painting will often begin to formulate in my mind, and then I spend time with that idea.  I begin to think about the right model, and creating or finding a setting or location.  What props might I need, etc.

What is your favorite way to get your creative juices flowing? I like to be quiet.  There is usually something in my head waiting for expression, but I have to spend some quiet time with it, thinking of the possibilities and various meanings.

Which work of yours is your favorite?  A  48”x48” painting called “3 Young Men on Canal Street.”  I really loved the guys, who were obviously “gang-bangers” trying to look tough-- but to someone my age, they were just 3 boys hanging out.  Plus, I love painting  kids on the edge—I think they deserve respect.

Up Close and Personal

What is your favorite color in your closet? Teal blue.

What book are you reading this week?  “The Year Of Magical Thinking,” by Joan Didion—I’m reading it for a second time.

Do you have a favorite televion show? I don’t actually watch TV per se—I rent movies or watch BBC America from time to time.

What is your favorite food? Split pea soup.  (Cooked all day in the crock pot—yum.)

What color sheets are on your bed right now? Goldenrod.

What are you most proud of in your life?  My kids.  They are each fantastic in their own way.

Who would you love to interview? My mother.  She died when I was still pretty young.  I think she was the most interesting person I ever knew.

Do you have a passion or hobby other than painting/sculpting? I love to cook, and I read cookbooks as if they were novels.

Who would you like to Paint? Some of the people I see walking around with all their worldly possessions in a grocery cart—they are, themselves, an interesting hodge-podge of color and texture.

If you were an animal what would you be and why?  I think I’d be a crow.  Crows are incredibly clever and have sophisticated family groups—not to mention, of course, the flying thing.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things, what would they be? A beach chair, a good book and some sun block.

Share something with us that few people know about you. I dream in black and white.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Monhegan Island, Maine.

http://www.mpostvanderburg.com/

Visual Language Studio Visit with Texas Artist Sarah Beth Banning

Sarah Beth Banning was born and raised in South Texas among rolling farm and ranch land before moving into the heart of the Texas Hill Country.  She now lives in Wimberley, a.k.a. “A Little Bit of Heaven” where she is raising her 3 children and pursuing her artistic career.  Sarah Beth currently shows work at Texas Treasures Fine Art in Boerne, TX and at her own gallery/studio space called SongBrush Gallery in Wimberley, TX.

About Me:

When I was a child my favorite toys were a pencil and paper.  My mother, grandmother, and aunts will all tell you I always knew the proper way to hold a pencil.  I’d sit for hours at 4 years old drawing the usual things little girls draw; fairies, princesses, birds and horses, so many horses.

When people ask me how I became an artist I tell them it was my love for horses.  I was a little girl without a real horse so I drew myself herds of them.

At the age of 9 I was fortunate enough to begin riding lessons.  The teacher, knowing my love of drawing horses, gave me stacks of old horse magazines.  I studied them cover to cover and made many drawings using the horses in the magazines as inspiration. What an amazing gift that old stack of magazines was to me.

I did finally get that horse at the age of 14.  She was small and dark and I named her Sassy for good reason.  I discovered that my favorite part about owning a horse was watching her run thunderously across the pasture and kick up her heels in joy.  It’s an amazing sight to see.

It was summer and I was 16 when I began to paint.  My father had bought some wood panels from the local craft store and I borrowed one, went into the attic with some craft paint, and started painting.  I was amazed at what I had done.  It actually looked good.  I think it was a painting of deer by a lake. Next, I did a beautiful horse running through a field of bluebonnets. 

The painting bug had bitten and all summer I was in the attic with my coffee, blueberry bagels, and my CD player.  It was heaven on earth.  I sold every painting I made that summer.

The following summer was truly inspirational. In high school I played the french horn very well and I had the invited to tour 7 countries in Europe with a band made up of high school kids from all across America.  I was able to see the old and magnificent European cathedrals and tour the Louvre in Paris, France.  Seeing centuries of art all together in one amazing palace was more awe inspiring than this small town Texas girl could have dreamed.

Of course my life hasn’t been perfect and filled with nothing but horse riding and European vacations. I got married far too young and that did not turn the way I thought it would when I was 17 and so naïve.  I went through some pretty dark times in my life but haven’t we all?  Without the down times how could you possibly want to reach higher and grow?

I found myself with three children, a divorce, and moving back in with my parents.  I was 24 and had no idea what to do with my life.  So, in between changing diapers and nursing babies I started going back to school.  I took my first painting class and hit it off with the teacher.  Soon we were pretty good friends and it was her influence that helped me realize I needed to pursue art.  I am very grateful for that.

I received a B.F.A  with a major in painting from Texas State University.  I guess I was like a lot of graduates and struggled with the post college dilemmas of job hunting and real life.  It didn’t take me long to just start doing what I had always done and before I knew it my house was full of giant paintings. That’s when I teamed up with Justin Black and together we opened a gallery and studio space in downtown Wimberley, TX.  Justin is a wonderful musician, artist, and designer.  He has been very supportive of me and all my artistic endeavors for the past three years.  He is my rock.

We call our space SongBrush Gallery and we are coming up on a 1 year anniversary. If you find yourself in Wimberley stop by, say hi, and watch me work on my latest painting.

                                         

 About my style:

I have started using gold leaf in most of my oil paintings because I feel it gives the paintings the right dramatic effect I am going for.  I want my art to make an impact.  I want them to have a rich vibe and be larger than life.  My paintings consist of old school subject matter with graphic elements.   My art is transitional because it takes iconic western images and brings them into the now and that is epic.

Visit Sarah's website

www.songbrushgallery.com