To make a statement or play it safe with your art?

Take it from one who has learned the hard way...no matter how passionate or how determined you are to make art that expresses a “statement,” don't expect that artwork to be readily accepted, encouraged or lauded. And there is a BIG difference between creating for public consumption versus creating for personal catharsis. That being said, I still encourage any and all artists to make their statement pieces, but only for their own edification. You might get lucky and find a niche collector/buyer that is on your wavelength for this area of your portfolio, but chances are this kind of work will be too edgy for those with more sensible tastes. LOL

Case in point was my entry for the 2011 Colored Pencil Society of America's International Exhibition. This year, my cathartic side won out and I created a piece called “They Stand, Resolute....” I was following a muse that told me that my last entry to make it into the International, called “Summoning The Ancestors,” paved the way, with it's eery use of skull and offering bowl, for a further testing of the jurying boundaries. One takes a big chance with “statement” pieces (especially ones with a slightly morbid theme) as the judge changes year to year and one can never be quite sure what their tastes and temperament will bear. Needless to say, the bloodied dove and the impending doom must have been a bit too much! LOL I didn't make it in to this year's show in Dallas.  Dagnabbit...but what can you do?

Well...from what I've observed from my short time at the CPSA International shows, it seems the high quality works that win most of the awards are, in large part, photographic realism-type renderings of traditional (what I would call “safe”) subjects – people, animals, landscape, still life, flowers and the like. There are a few artists that stand out, of course, for focusing their design around plays on words or a specific “style” that they've mastered, but I really haven't seen any where personal statements were made...mood yes, allegory yes, self-effacing humor yes, but statements not so much.

So here's what I've learned from this in the short time I've been showing in these shows (and my other artistic endeavors) – namely that your best bet to gain any recognition is to play it safe, stick to the status quo as far as subject matter, realism (or as close as you can get) is king and, if you're going to attempt to add a miniscule statement, make sure it's done with humor or it won't pass muster. The sight of blood in a piece will probably lose you an invite and, in the end, the judge is god! LOL Taste is subjective and sometimes there's no accounting for what he/she might like...dying, bloody birds included!!! ROFL Also...know your territory...that is, conservative judges, older crowd, traditional mindset – stick to the “safe” subjects and styles; younger crowd, “hip” judges, edgy mindset – they're more inclined to click with your statement stuff. Remember, you attract what you put out there so put out the right stuff for that venue if you want to receive any recognition for your work!

Anyway, I suppose I've learned my lesson, huh? A little weird is OK but blood is a no-no. So take a guess what I'll be drawing for next year. Flowers...portraits...still lifes (without dead or dying things I suppose).  Boring? Mostly. Tedious? Most probably. But you do what you have to do if you want to be included, yes? All this also goes for selling, licensing, marketing your art too, ya know. A painting of a smiley face is gonna go over a lot better with the crowd than your save-the-Earth drawing of garbage along the curb or a photo montage of starving, indigenous peoples. You have to decide what your priorities are for that moment in time and save the commentary for your personal work. Who knows...when you get famous (after you die – LOL), your edgy, personal stuff will be worth a bundle! :)

Don't sell out – just know your intended audience and play to it when need be. Hope this little bit of advice helps! Now go do some creating!!!

~ Amy

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Welcome to 2011!

I hope everyone had a fun but safe holiday season. Now it’s onward and upward into the new year!

It’s amazing what one year can bring, even if you think that you weren’t accomplishing much. Looking back, I’m so grateful to have made some important strides this past year...made it into the 2010 International Exhibition in Los Gatos, CA for the Colored Pencil Society of America; created and published my first children’s book from scratch; signed contracts with ABC/Disney Studios - Desperate Housewives, Season 7 to use some of my artwork on set (although I’m not sure where or when they’ll pop up), and so many more small things that all add up. It amazes me and I wonder how much more could happen if I had more time to devote to my personal artwork endeavors. Wow! I can only hope that 2011 will be bigger and better!

A few things I have in the hopper for 2011 right now? Well, I’m currently working on a larger format piece (12" x 24"P) which will hopefully be juried into the 2011 International CPSA Exhibition in Dallas, TX. If I am accepted, it will be my 3rd International show in 4 years and my induction as a Signature Member of CPSA (which means that I am allowed to use the CPSA designation after my name - a high honor in my book).

I also have another children’s book in the works which I hope to have out before summer. As of today, all the illustrations are penciled and are ready for color, but that’s just the first step. Then I must design the book, which I do digitally in my design programs. It just becomes a question of time allocation to get everything wrapped up and uploaded, so I’m hopeful that I’ll have it done and on Amazon (and in bookstores) ASAP.

One more thing to add to my “To-Do” list was to sign up to help out at the Art League a bit more. I had been asked to be on the Board before but was never sure of scheduling conflicts. I owe them some quality time, so I’ll be seeing what they need me to do...possibly signing up as the exhibit coordinator. We’ll see what they recruit me to do this coming Wednesday meeting. LOL Hope the rest of the Board can stand my goofy sense of humor!!! :)

So...that’s it for now. We’ll see what surprises 2011 brings. I wish you all much love, success, health and happiness in the new year!!!

Dream BIG!!! ~ Amy

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Ode to Itty Bitty Art....

You have probably noticed if you have wandered through my personal, online galleries that there are quite a few pages of itty bitty artworks called "Artist Trading Cards" or ATCs. They are a phenomenon that came about when a few artists in Europe in 1996 decided that they were tired of not being able to afford to own full sized art from other artists. They began creating small pieces which they mailed to each other in trade.

See here for a little more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_trading_cards

I was introduced to ATCs in early 2007 when our Chicago Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America had it’s own little demo on the topic. We eventually had a terrifically fun swap a month or two later with some marvelous artwork swapping hands amongst the members. That was it...I was hooked!

I joined an ATC online swap site called IllustratedATCs.com and soon I was off and trading. So far, I’ve traded all over the US and Canada, Mexico also, and as far away as New Zealand, Europe and Japan (with cards owed to a marvelous artist/trader in South Africa). If you get a chance to check out the site, I think you’d really enjoy seeing all the different styles as these are not only for drawings or painting but collage and other forms as well.

It’s probably very obvious from the subject matter that different swaps have different themes. But one doesn’t have to join large swaps...you can also trade one on one if you have a favorite artist or wish to swap for more than a regular swap (which is either 3 or 6 cards relating to the swap theme). I’ve had my cards featured in magazines and in books on the subject (one will be coming out soon - I’ll let y’all know when it’s available) and have won a few awards for them.

The best thing about these cards are that they don’t take as much time as trying to finish a larger scale piece. Not only do they allow you to loosen up artistically, but they allow you to change techniques and subject matter quickly from piece to piece. You just can’t get bored doing these!

If you get the chance, I would suggest creating a few ATCs yourself and see how much fun you’ll have. I bet you get hooked too! Pre-made ATC cards are available through most online art supply stores (I shop DickBlick.com for both blank cards and little envelopes to send them off in).

Any questions on ATCs or where to get materials? Just drop me a note!
Have a wonderful week!
~ Amy

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Patience, Patience, Patience!!!

It seems that the one thing that I am constantly reminded to have is patience. Patience with people, patience with myself, patience with circumstances, patience with creating art. Obviously, my chosen creative medium, colored pencils, demands much patience; layer upon layer, inch upon inch to cover, detail upon detail. Beyond the technicalities which I can control, patience, like a mosquito buzzing in your ear, is always just out of reach but you know it’s there somewhere!
The hard part for me is to finish a project, probably one that has taken me quite a bit of time and effort, only to have progress stall once it leaves my hands. This instant gratification world probably has more than a bit to do with that, but more often it’s the enthusiasm I have for the project which gets the better of my patience.
Take in point the children’s book I have been working on. It has been quite a learning experience for me in that I have read all of the guidelines needed, mastered certain techniques and took the project from an idea straight through to production in one fell swoop...with no errors so far. I’m very proud of myself and hope to do this many more times with my own picture books. That said however, now I must wait for the large company I am dealing with to grind through it’s process and here’s where the patience must be applied.

As of today, I am still waiting for a proof book...one which was supposedly mailed a week ago (my mail gets to Japan faster - I know, quit crabbing). Then I gauge to proof, see if everything is to my liking. If all is well, another proof goes out to the story’s creator (another week, two). Finally, when everyone agrees, the book goes live on Amazon. We’re actually in the home stretch but it feels like forever.

I actually began the project back in February 2010 with an email from the author, Lindie Racz. She gave me a rough outline and I was off to the races. Roughs to lay out the action, illustrations made, then text written to match the illustrations...when I finished all this, then the fun of scanning, design, layout and pre-press. Last week, all was uploaded and voila, okayed for print.

So like I said, the waiting is the hardest part (isn’t that a song?), but makes the whole thing worth it in the end. So patience it is! Ah, elusive patience!

Thanks for reading! Have a terrific week!
~ Amy

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Acknowledging The Small Things - Am I Just Goofy?

Now you may think I’m crazy but I wanted to throw something out there that has been rolling around in my mind for a while now. I hope you’ll indulge me here....

I’m sure we’ve all spent some time admiring garden flowers, sunsets, mountains, things of beauty in general, maybe even regarding things that are not so beautiful. We may just give things a passing glance, study them a bit more closely or some of us may even put them under a microscope. We might pay some cursory attention during our day to all that surrounds us or simply ignore most of our surroundings as we rush to make deadlines. Am I right in making the general assumption that all of us bypass the vast majority of all that surrounds us?

Well, call me goofy, but something hit me a while back that kinda changed me a bit, deep inside. This might not be a revelation to more enlightened souls but it struck a poignant chord with me. It has even crept into my artwork as of late and it all started with a trip to a gas station, of all places!

So I’m sitting in the car, gassing up, staring off into my own thoughts. When my mind came back to the task at hand, I was staring at a small, scraggly bush that had been apparently thrown behind a cement block wall but had managed to root itself on it’s side and survive, despite the neglect. I thought to myself, “Wow...what a resilient little soul... lucky it’s hiding from the world behind that wall...hope no one sees it or they’ll just dump it in the burn pile.”

This got me thinking as I sat there. This little bush actually had someone who took care of it, at least as it was maturing. It was chosen, loaded on a truck, sent out to be used in landscaping then someone discarded it behind a wall as trash, but it survived. It was lucky...and it’s still attempting to fulfill its purpose despite being discarded. There’s a complex little story there that no one cares about, let alone ever thought about. For a moment, I was glad to have regarded the scraggly little bush and acknowledge its story, knowing that I’d be the only one who, in all likelihood, ever would.

OK...have you ever glanced out your car window on your way home and regarded a single blade of grass in the median and come to the realization that you’ll probably be the only person EVER to acknowledge that blade of grass? Am I freaking you out? LOL Or do you just think I’m a bit goofy? Well, I’m probably guilty as charged there, but it’s the same thought process as with the discarded bush. Almost like it existed for you in that moment and all it wants is a fleeting acknowledgment of its reality and purpose. If you take the thought out further, all things seem to want this same acknowledgment. - Isn’t it funny that only we humans, it seems, have the capacity to perform a thought process such as this? We are pieces of work, aren’t we? LOL

This may all just be the rantings of an off-the-wall artist, but if you take a look at my piece, “Transcendent Flight,” you might recognize this line of thinking there, along with other familiar undercurrents. I’m not sure if my explanation has made any sense, but I’ll leave it to you to come to your own conclusions about it all.

Thanks for stopping by!    :)     ~ Amy

PS - I bet you start looking at the grass in the median in a whole new way!!! LOL
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Why Colored Pencils?

“Why colored pencils Ame? Have ya ever tried any other mediums?”


Well, the long and short of it is yes, I’ve tried other mediums...oils, acrylics, watercolor, clay, print-making, pastel, scratch-board, pen & ink and so on. What always happened though is that I’d become frustrated at the difficulty/inability to produce small detail with most of these and would eventually move on to something else (unless, of course, it was needed for a class).

Pen & ink, ebony pencil were my favorite mediums during my school years even though I was knee-deep in all of them for my degree in Graphic Communications/Fine Art. These seemed to give me the detail, sharp edges and high contrast that I used to crave. The subtleties I could elicit from the Ebony pencil really “floated my boat.” - Am I dating myself there???

I was enamored with photo realism back then...still am as it takes a special hand to recreate something to fool the eye in that way. The artistic athleticism involved to perfect one’s mastery of a medium to that degree continues to stun and amaze me every time I see it! And the Ebony pencils, pen & ink, were perfect fits (for me) when attempting this style.

As the years have gone by though, my taste for black and white has given way to more and more color, much like my taste for photo realism has softened a bit. Don’t get me wrong...photo realism rocks...but, although I can thoroughly appreciate the technical expertise involved, just copying a photo of fruit, or flowers, or a street scene, or whatever kinda leaves me bored, especially if fruit is all that artist seems to produce. LOL I’m getting picky...I need a storyline! But you’ll probably still see some fruit or flowers or street scenes coming out of me sometime because these seem to most often win the laurels. I’m hoping to change that up a bit though!

So, I’ve always been DRAWN to pencils for various reasons. Guess it wasn’t a stretch that I’d go for colored pencils next, huh? Maybe as I have to cross my eyes harder to see my drawing board, I’ll get into the “looser” mediums again. And, for the record, I have to blame this “detail gene” on my artistically inclined father who spent much of his work life at a drafting table in various design oriented jobs. Thanks a BUNCH Pops!!!! LOL But really...thanks Pops. :)

Thanks for taking a peek!
~ Amy

"Where Did You Get THAT Idea?" - Dream Inspiration

As artists, I'm sure we all get questions about how we integrate our passions and ideas into our finished works.  And oftentimes we're asked what motivated or inspired certain designs/compositions. So, for anyone who has ever looked at my portfolio and thought, "I wonder how she came up with THAT one,"  here's my attempt at an answer.  :)

I guess one really has to start with the basics, like how and where you were raised.  Sometimes heritage plays a big part in molding our creative talents, or family traditions.  Then there are the influential moments in our lives...maybe as big as a man walking on the moon or as small as receiving a special book on your fifth birthday or picking flowers in your mother's garden.  Obviously we are all made up of countless experiences which shape our spirits and guide us along our way.  Well, me too!

Some of my favorite memories as a child were being out in the garden with Mom -  helping plant, listening for birds, studying the flowers and animals.  Whether on family vacations to lakeside cabins or National Parks, going to camp, fishing in the Ozarks or throwing snowballs in July atop a Rocky Mountain ridgeline, the beauty of the natural world has always been a piece/peace of my soul.  This connectiveness probably drove my interest in Native American cultures as well from a young age.  Having family in the Southwest also heightened that interest even more and their traditions still facinate me to this day. You can see the Native American influence in several pieces I have up in my personal online galleries HERE .

On the polar opposite end of the spectrum, another fond memory was getting to stay up late with my sister to watch scary movies (you'll probably also see a little evidence of this in my galleries).  I saw all the classics and then some by the time I was ten and was absolutely facinated by the make-up and creature effects (but then again, growing up with Star Wars, who wouldn't be wowwed by that).  If I wasn't drawing animals or Native American themes, then I was combining them into creatures and characters very similar to what you'd see in today's video games and movies.  That was my dream back then...to make my living at one of the Hollywood "creature effects" studios.  I wish I still had those drawings today!  Maybe I'll start a collection of them up one of these days!  LOL 

Now when you combine all these influences with a sleep-deprived mind, sometimes you get some interesting ideas!  The majority of recent compositions in my portfolio were jotted down after being awakened in the middle of the night by a mental snapshot of the finished piece.  I'm not sure how many other insomniac artists work this way but it seems to be working rather well for me so far.  Not ALL of my work happens this way, but I have to say that the more successful, eye-catching ones all have this is common.
 

So with all that background in mind, let me take you on a quick journey through the process of creating one piece...say "Summoning The Ancestors."
 

As with many other pieces, this one awakened me at around 3:30 in the morning.  I recall dreaming of fleeting images in Amazon Rainforest and native peoples gathering in a small village for ceremonies.  I was brought before a row of skulls, the ancestors of the inhabitants, and watched as they placed the ceremonial feathered headdresses and colored cloth upon them and spread before them offerings of beaded necklaces, herbs and sacred plants.  With the souls of the departed appeased from these offerings, a ceremonial bowl was then filled with fresh water and offered to the ancestor.  They believed that the water would renew them to life.  As I watched, I saw the living faces of the ancestors reflected in the offering bowls and was startled back into wakefulness.  Back from dreamland,  I got up and scribbled a quick sketch of what I had seen and when I saw it the next day, I really liked it. 
 
I'm not sure if these kind of ceremonies actually take place.  I remember seeing a photo some years back of a South American native laying with his head resting on the skull "of an ancestor" and a mention of "ancestor worship" of which I probably made a mental note.   But I'm not sure if that was what triggered this dream...although a more recent documentary showed an elder accompanying some boys to see the forbidden cave of the ancestors (I think that was how they explained it).  Maybe these have something to do with it or maybe it was the spicy tomato sauce?  Just not sure. 
 
In any respect, this is how the idea for "Summoning The Ancestors" came to be.  A mish-mash of background interests in nature and native cultures, some obscure mental notes taken from old photos and possibly documentaries, a penchant for drawing feathers and beadwork, a glance toward the paranormal/spiritual realm, a continuing personal journey of transcendence and then some.  All these things working together toward the finished product...all these things converging on a piece of white Canson paper for you to interpret through the lens of your own interests/experiences. 
 
Well, I hope this gave you a bit of insite into the dream-inspired aspect of my process.  It doesn't always work this way, especially if I'm doing commissioned work, but I have a sketchbook filled with them, ready to be let loose on paper.  LOL
 
Thanks for reading and have a terrific day!!!