Fashion illustrator and graphic artist Aileen Holmes can be best described as a “Jill of all trades.” Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Holmes has a wide array of talents ranging from jewelry design to painting. Her whimsical illustrations are easily recognizable as her own. With her feminine aesthetic, Aileen tells us how fashion, vintage patterns, and living in Orange County have inspired her work.

Alisha Domoslai: When and how did you become interested in art and illustration?

Aileen Holmes: I’ve always been interested.  I’ve been artistically inclined from a young age; constantly drawing pictures of the perfect dress, the perfect birthday cake, the perfect house.  I was addicted to the library:  checking out books on how to make books, origami, and make all sorts of random things.  I sewed my own Barbie clothes and later on made my own ‘zine in high school called “Inanimate Object.”  Today I basically do the grown-up version of all the art projects of my youth, except now it pays the rent.

AD: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

AH: Old things fascinate me.  I love going to estate sales to investigate people’s antique treasures and imagine what their lives were like.  There’s always a story – vintage is very voyeuristic!   I’m especially fond of the fashion, ads and advice columns of teen mags from the ‘60s.  I also collect wrapping paper from the ‘60s and ‘70s and vintage fashion from all eras.  I’m especially in love with fashion—it’s a major subject of my art.

AD: I read on your blog that you were working for Mattel, every little girl’s dream, how was that experience?

AH: Yes!  I was lucky enough to work in the Barbie Consumer Products Division as a Senior Designer.  As I mentioned before, I made my own Barbie clothing as a kid to being immersed in Barbie’s rich history was very captivating.  My job was to work on the style guide for licensees and help design graphics, textile prints, product CADs (mostly accessories like jewelry, handbags, socks, shoes, etc), and I also worked on special projects like developing signature product for the Barbie Shanghai store.  I got to work with very passionate, talented people and that was the most fun part of the job.

AD: You dabble in a quite a few mediums (painting, graphic design, drawing, jewelry making, etc.) What is your favorite form of expression?

AH: Drawing is by far my most favorite form of expression—and I do often incorporate illustration into everything I do pretty much.  Actually, a goal of mine is to narrow my focus on more illustration and to broaden its delivery.  My plan is to try out editorial illustration, stationery, and illustrating for books.

AD: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

AH: I’d say it’s very feminine with a bit of sassiness.  I tend to draw lots of flourishes with an organic but heavy line.  Definitely bold and colorful!  There’s a sexy confidence to all my female characters and, of course, fierce and quirky fashion.

AD: Tell us about your Etsy store: what kind of items you sell, etc.

AH: My Etsy store Tangyfruitgirl just launched in November.  It’s new!  So far, I am selling my cute and girly t-shirts, holiday greeting cards, and print reproductions of my colorful artwork.  I have plans to expand and diversify my product line.   To get the scoop on what’s coming up, folks c

an sign up for my newsletter.  Whoever signs up will be mailed a free 2010 Calendar Postcard!  (http://www.aileenholmes.com)

AD: If you could collaborate with any designer/artist on a project who would it be and why?

AH: I’d LOVE to collaborate with Betsey Johnson, Anna Sui, or Mary Quant.  They share my feminine vintage love and are known for their boldness.  As far as more accessible fashion, Free People is my all-time favorite line.  Most of what’s in my closet is by Free People!  I’d love to incorporate my artwork into their apparel.  As far as other collaborations, I’d love to work with the stationery line Paperchase, work with Urban Outfitters on their home goods, and generally have my art on everyday goods for every day people to enjoy.

AD: What is the most important thing you have learned about promoting your work?

AH: I always try to be friendly and helpful to everyone I meet.  Your friends are your best advocates!  We share information and promote each other; promotion is very important – people won’t know you exist unless you put yourself out there!

AD: How has living in Orange County influenced your work?

AH: I was born and raised in the OC.  I’d say that the music scene influenced me greatly.  I was exposed to indie music via KUCI 88.9fm in high school and am eternally grateful for how it shaped my tastes.  Also, I’ve been frequenting the LAB in Costa Mesa from its inception and shows at The ARTery often.  OC is home to many creative and friendly people with entrepreneurial spirits.  From the apparel companies to video game companies, there are many creative companies out there doing great work!

AD: On your site you list your monthly goals, what do you hope to accomplish in the new year?

AH: I’ve been so prolific with the creative side of my business this past year that next year I will focus on the left-brain aspects of business.  I’ve always been interested in licensing so I will investigate that.  Also, as I mentioned before, I want to focus on illustration and diversify.  I’d love to do editorial illustrations for local mags like OC Weekly or go national with magazines like Seventeen, BUST, Venus or art mags like Beautiful/Decay.  Also, next year, I’d love to interact directly with my fans and consumers by participating in local craft shows like Patchwork or the Handmade Brigade of Orange County.  I have many more projects in the works—but they will be a surprise!

Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Jon Ginnaty: My name is Jonathan Thomas Ginnaty and I am an artist, educator and a life-time student of Art. I make a wide variety of artwork, from life-scaled ceramic installations to functional pottery, paintings/drawing/prints to photography. My primary focus, however, has been my ceramic installations.

I was born in Humana Hospital in Huntington Beach in 1976, a Libra. I grew up in the center house of a cul-de-sac in the Moffett track, in HB.  Being a latch-key kid from the third grade forward gave me the gift of freedom. The ability to explore all that Huntington Beach has to offer adolescence.

After high school, I walked on to California State University, Fullerton’s men’s soccer team. My first semester at Fullerton, I walked by the ceramics studio everyday on my way to a health class. I had always wanted to take ceramics in high school but my father, an accountant, made me take math electives. So the next semester I took ceramics and found Art.

Fullerton exposed me to a wide range of mediums but nothing spoke to me like ceramics. The summer before my senior year, my professor caught me breaking into the ceramics studio. He was not mad; he gave me a key and a job as Fullerton’s ceramic lab technician.  After I earned my BFA in ceramics in 2001, I received a teaching assistantship to Bowling Green State University, Ohio.  I continued my education with a concentration on ceramic sculpture, and earned an MFA in ceramics in 2003. Then I returned home to Huntington Beach.

I got my first ceramics teaching position at Chaffey College, in Rancho Cucamonga, in 2004. In 2005, I became Saddleback College’s senior fine arts lab technician. In 2008, I started teaching at Chapman University. In the spring of 2009 I was named the grand prize winner of the OC Art Grant. Currently, I am a teacher and lab tech at Saddleback and I will be teaching a course at Chapman in the spring 2010.

LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies you as an artist?

JG: The terms “Art” and “Artist” are funny words because they are so subjective. What is art to me may not be to you.  So if I say I am an artist, you may disagree and you may be right. I prefer to call myself an “object maker”. But yes, I’m an artist.

LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

JG: My inspiration mostly comes from my daily life.  I am motivated by simple yet meaningful interactions with family members, friends, co-workers, and the world around me. These interactions are what I consider Art. The way we move through space defines who we are and allows us all to be unique and human.

LL: Your portfolio seems to contain a variety of mediums; painting, pottery..is there a medium that you prefer out of all the others? If so why?

JG: I would have to say clay, but all the mediums are an integral part of my creative process. I like to equate my use of mediums to writing styles; pottery is like a haiku, conforming to functional systems or structure.  Paintings are like sonnets or poems, free form and uninhibited. And then there are novels, very lengthy, in-depth and detailed explorations of a subject matter that are analogous, in my case, to life-scaled ceramic installations. All are unique in there ability to express different types of thought and all impact the viewer in their own unique ways.

LL: Any artists in particular that inspire your work, or that you look up to?

JG: Well, I have been blessed with amazing mentors/artists over the years; Vincent Suez, Robby Wood, John Balistreri, Steven Roberts, and Richard White to name a few.

Artists that have impacted my life and artistic beliefs; Peter Voulkos, Jun Kaneko, Goro Suzuki, Sir Anthony Caro, David Nash, Anthony Gormley, Tony Cragg, Jean Michelle Basquiat, Hans Hoffman, Jackson Pollock, Nancy Rubins, Judy Pfaff, Lee Bontecou, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons, and many more!

LL: Who are your target audience?

JG: Humans, and maybe some dogs and cats.  No, really, I hope to communicate on some level with all who view my work.

LL: How long does it take to create one of your pieces?

JG: Depends on the scale of the work, for instance the piece in the ARTery gallery, “All I need is my flip-flops, a hammock and a blender for my margarita” took me three months. Some of my paintings only take a day or two. The longest I have ever worked on a piece is one I am about to show called, “The American Dream in Terra Cotta”. I have been working on this for the past five years.

LL: How would you describe your art to people?

JG: I make life-sized ceramic installations that recreate everyday objects, and I arrange them so that they visually communicate familiar environments. Producing these familiar settings is a way for me to investigate my own life, and create a dialogue about universality and content in the everyday.

LL: How different is the Orange County Art Scene compared to the rest of the world?

JG: I think it is just in its infancy. Our culture is still very young in comparison to others.  We are in the midst of carving out our own cultural identity.

LL: Has the OC/ California lifestyle influenced your artwork?

JG: Yes, in more ways than I could possibly describe. But in this piece, “All I Need is my flip-flops, a hammock and a blender for my margarita”, I think the influence is apparent in the content, and candor, in which it is presented.

LL: How has teaching helped you to grow into a stronger artist? Or has it?

JG: Having my hands in the material everyday and using my creative thought process to help others create, define, and develop their creative thought process definitely helps me solidify my own. Students bring energy, excitement, and purity to art and what art can be. In other words, Yes! I am always amazed at how much my students teach me.

LL: Do you feel art education is important? Or can art never be taught?

JG: I definitely feel that education is important to life in general. Whether it is imperative to be formally educated in the art world, I’m not sure. There is something to be said about naiveté.  But, there is also something to be said against ignorance. In my experience, having an art education has allowed me more freedom.

LL: Do you see your artwork changing styles or subjects in the future?

JG: Yes and No. My work is an ever evolving product of my life and my research. As life continues, I am sure to have different influences and priorities, none of which I expect to have too much control over.

LL: What does a typical day of work look like for you?

JG: I am up at 6, at Saddleback by 7, tech or teach all day (hours vary from semester to semester), and hopefully surf in the afternoon. I go home for dinner with my girl-friend, and then either relax, go back to the studio, or sleep. Most of my studio time comes on Friday and Saturday nights and Sundays. When the students are away the faculty can play!

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

JG: Believe in yourself and stay true to your values. Be a sponge for information, techniques and experience. Get involved!

LL: Any art shows coming up that we should know about?

JG: Yes, please come out to my first solo-exhibition!

“The American Dream in Terra Cotta”

February 6th – April 11th, 2010

The Project room at CSUF’s Grand Central Fine Arts Center,

125 N. Broadway Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Opening receptions Saturday Feb 6th and March 6th 2010, From 6-10pm

Santa Ana Art-Walk

LL: Could you tell us a little bit about your work in the Explorations, OC : An Art Scene Subjectively at The ARTery.

JG: When I was approached, my first question was about the how much space could I have to play with. Once that was decided, I started thinking about what I needed to see. I think right now everyone including myself is a bit stressed-out; we are living in one of the most difficult times I have ever seen or remember. Money, war, government, globalization, are all waning heavy on our minds and it seems that everyone I know has been impacted by the recent events that are changing and challenging the world as we know it. This piece, “All I need is my flip-flops, a hammock and a blender for my margarita” is a metaphor I use when I am stressed out, feed up, and in need of relaxation and relief from the pressures of life. It is an ideal place where there are no worries and all you can do is relax and enjoy the moment. I think that this is a place that we all want to be in right now. I daydream about it like it was yesterday. A place so invitingly familiar, however the reality of the moment, simply will not allow it.

LL: Finally, where can we see your work?

JG: I wish I could say I had gallery representation but… I don’t. I do show regularly at Grand Central Fine Arts Center in Santa Ana. You can view my entire portfolio on my website, www.jonginnaty.com or you can contact me on facebook under Jon Ginnaty.

Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Mia Travonatti: I earned my BFA and MFA from California State University Long Beach, majoring in Illustration.  I’ve also studied in Paris at the Sorbonne, Parsons School of Design, in the studio of renowned French impressionist Monsieur Relange’, and in Italy and Greece numerous times with the California State University International Study programs with renowned international painters Dominick Cretara, Johnny Cariachi, and Demitri Mitsanas.

I’ve been creating art professionally for twenty years, and my work can be found in numerous private, institutional and corporate collections including those of Marriott Resorts and Harrah’s Casinos.  I have exhibited extensively in the US, Italy, France and Greece, and have had work chosen for exhibition at the American Museum of Illustration in New York and by the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators for their annual juried exhibitions

As an Illustrator, I’ve created the art for over twenty books, eight of which I’ve also authored, and the covers for sixty plus young adult, children’s and art instructional books which have been published in over 20 countries. I’ve also worked on various editorial illustrations for trade and mass-market magazines, and projects for corporations including Lysol, Marriot, Toyota, Tomy Toys, Seagram’s, Martha Stewart and Bravo/NBC.

I also paint with glass…my stained glass mosaics weave my experience as a painter with my love of high renaissance glass mosaics. I have created numerous mosaics for restaurants, private residences, corporations and public works projects throughout the US over the last ten years.  I have also taught painting at Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, California for fourteen years, where my students and I have been responsible for the creation of five public murals.

Currently, I work as a fine art painter and the CEO and Founder of Mia Tavonatti Productions and Svelata Inc.

LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies you as an artist?

MT: I certainly consider myself an artist and have for many years.  All of my energy is dedicated to and spent on the creation of beauty through the vehicle of art, and I believe I have fulfilled all the requisites of earning the title artist, including educating myself, passing my wisdom on to other emerging artists and withstanding the lifelong discouragement that comes with this misunderstood life path.

LL: What is the difference (according to you) between Fine Art and Illustration? Is there any difference (to you) at all?

MT: The only difference between being an illustrator or a fine artist is when you get paid.  One gets paid to create the work; the other creates the work and is paid after the fact. Historically, this division did not exist, not until the modernists who wanted to differentiate their non-representational work from all that came before them.  If there were a difference, we would have to call Michelangelo, Leonardo, and all the others who came before modern art, illustrators and not artists as we commonly regard them as.

LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

MT: I am not inspired to work.  My work inspires me.  I practice ritual in my painting and creating that helps me to sink into the work and reveal the flow of creativity that is always there waiting for me.  If I am not working, all beautiful things inspire me, especially extraordinary light and great music, like epic soundtracks.

LL: Any artists in particular that inspire your work, or that you look up to?

MT: I love all the high Renaissance artists especially painters Michelangelo, Raphael, and Da Vinci.  My favorite painter is John Singer Sargent, an American artist. Alphonse Mucha’s Slav epic, a series of 20 mural sized oil paintings on canvas are, in my opinion, the most beautiful and significant body of work created by a single artist since the Sistine Ceiling.

LL: Who are your target audience?

MT: My current work is dedicated to the creative spirit in everyone.  My work typically appeals to people on a more emotional or spiritual, rather than intellectual level.  I set no limits for my work and the people who experience it and I hope that, by making it more personal, it will become more universal and appeal to the heart in anyone who can recognize themselves in my story.

LL: How long does it take to create one of your paintings?

MT: The time it takes for me to create one painting depends on the size and complexity of the piece.  The paintings in my current series Svelata, range from 100 hours for Emerge to 300 hours for Liberata, my largest 7′9″ x 10′2″ painting.  The more I bring transparent layers of drapery, on figures, under water, the longer it takes!

LL: How would you describe your art to people?

MT: Big and wet.  It is difficult to answer this question because they do not really fall into any one prefab genre.  Many have described my work as spiritual, realistic without being realism and ethereal.  One woman commented, “it is as if light is one of her colors”, which I thought was beautiful.

LL: What was it like being a part of the US Air Force Arts Program? What made you choose to become involved in that? Did it change your views on art, or your style or art?

MT: I did not decide, but was rather invited. As a member of the LA Society of Illustrators, and having had earned a reputation as a seasoned artist, it was to my surprise and excitement when one morning I entered my studio to find a message on my machine from the Pentagon, inviting me to participate in a series of missions as an artist for the Air Force, in the tradition of artists recording history with their paintings.  Going on missions, hanging out of helicopters, and basically pitting my own endurance and sense of adventure against trained special ops teams, pilots and night vision goggles taught me more about myself than them, but I also walked away from my missions with a newfound understanding and respect for what it takes to do what they do.  These experiences inspired my best work as a painter and communicator in order to honor them and return the favor of their heroism by serving them with my dedication.

LL: You lived in Italy for a while, did being around all of the classics inspire your artwork? Did your change or grow from that experience?

MT: Absolutely! I have been so fortunate to actually stand in Michelangelo’s footsteps…to know that he stood in exactly THAT spot to do his work…to see his notes written on the closet walls where he took his breaks…to explore a house that he lived in and see his and all the other’s work in person is incomparable to experiencing it second hand in books!  Living outside your own culture also teaches you a wider world vision, temperance and compassion and I believe this is reflected in my work and my life. I aspire to mastering my craft as a form of powerful expression, as the Italian and Flemish masters did.  Just living abroad stimulates your creative juices and inspires more moments of your day as you live in the midst of the history of art.

LL: Do you see your artwork changing styles or subjects in the future?

MT: To be honest, the future of my work is completely unknown to me.  At this time, I find myself completely compelled to paint paintings of myself veiled in drapery in water.  Something outside myself is dictating this and I can’t see past the current painting.  Each one arrives at the perfect moment and serves as a messenger for my state of consciousness for that moment.  I am content to surrender to this and just respond to whatever wants to get my attention.  I have discovered, however, throughout the creation of Svelata, a deep love for collaboration with other artists, so I know that this will certainly factor more into my future and I want to create a more well rounded experience by incorporating multi-media and technology as a way to increase the visceral impact of my installations.

LL: Could you tell us about your foundation and how it got started?

MT: After unveiling my current series of paintings in two extraordinary exhibitions in Italy, I have returned and begun the creation of Svelata Inc., an organization that produces nomadic fine art tours for visionary artists who create work capable of inspiring transformation in people as a way of reconnecting humanity to its creative spark

Svelata is an organization dedicated to the creative expansion of humanity through nomadic exhibitions, documentaries and educational programs designed to reveal the true nature of creativity, and the transformative power of beauty…

As a non-profit organization, The Svelata Foundation is dedicated to infusing a significant portion of its proceeds from admissions and retail sales, generated from our tours, back into the system where young creators will be nurtured.  This will be accomplished through our “From Kids to College” mentoring program, college scholarships, visionary grants, and building and improving art facilities in high schools, effectively raising the self-image and respect for “art class” beyond just being the “easy “A”!  And like I’ve has been doing for years, Svelata will re-educate teachers, with presentations by guest speakers and modern technology, about the immense opportunities in the creative fields so that they can be more effective in helping their students plan for their creative futures.

LL: What made you decide to do this? And how has it helped you as an artist and as a person?

MT: Six years ago I started the Ted Tavonatti Memorial Scholarship fund, in memory of my lifelong artist and teacher father.  Ever since then, my life has become increasingly more concerned with expanding society’s perception of creativity and the role it plays in all our lives.  Like all artists, I had to survive what I call the: art gauntlet” in order to make a life as a creator, and I have realized that I if I can not change how people think about creativity, I will always have to mentor children, and give away scholarships and grants because the problem will never go away.  I love to teach, and nothing inspires my own creativity more then to be surrounded by inspired, creative people.  I believe we all have a mission in life, and that helping people to reconnect to their own spark, through the vehicle of art, is mine.  And being a better person helps me to be a better painter.

LL: What is the “From Kids to College” program?

MT: Having been told over and over again that “they can’t make a living at art”, it is nearly impossible for the artistic dreams and aspirations of our children to survive into adulthood! With the Svelata business model, we have created a forum that effectively eliminates all the reasons NOT to pursue their dreams of being an artist, and sets an example they can look to when they are being told they couldn’t, shouldn’t or wouldn’t be able to become an artist.  Our “From Kids to College” mentoring program is designed to maintain the creative sparks of children throughout their most formative years, and offers them an example to turn to when they are told it can’t be done.

LL: What does a typical day of work look like for you?

MT: Seeing as I am completely engrossed in the production of our first Svelata tour and fund raising, my life is more like that of a movie producer or CEO of a corporation than a single artist.  Currently my days consist of filming, working with video editors, music producers, motion graphics and graphic designers, and many others.  I am enjoying the collaboration with so many other talented artists daily.  I hope to get back into the studio for some solo work soon, but for now, I eat, sleep and breathe Svelata!

LL: What are your favorite tools of the trade?

MT: Canvas, my computer and scaffolding.  I use only oils to paint, unless I am doing an outdoor mural.  I also love to create stained glass mosaic that look like my paintings.

LL: Could you tell us about your most recent project “Svelata”.

MT: Svelata means “unveiled” or “revealed” in Italian.  Svelata’s first layer to be unveiled is a nomadic fine art exhibition in its own custom, portable 17,000 square foot tensile complex. This extraordinary fabric and aluminum nomadic museum will tour the US for fifteen months, stopping in each of five cities for two months, before going international! The 12,000 square foot main exhibition space houses a cutting-edge multi-media experience built around my most recent collection of twenty-two original oil paintings on canvas.  In addition to the art, numerous special events are being planned in effort to include as many creators as possible in the Svelata Experience, including lectures, performances and demonstrations.

Another 5000 square feet of peripheral buildings house a large retail area with the trademarked Svelata product line, a youth exhibition space, the “Creation Station” where the full-length Svelata documentary, independent video submissions and children’s interactive animation zone can be found, admissions and operations.

In the future, Svelata tours will travel the world…becoming a tool for universal evolution through experience, education, and opportunity. We plan to open 20 tours in the first ten years along two routes, one for Masters and one for Emerging Artists every six months.

All Svelata projects, tours and the lives of the artists involved in them will be brought to the world with a series of documentaries.  The cameras will follow the paths, choices, opposition, risks, sacrifices, loves, and losses, of these artists.  We have already begun with the creation of a one-hour documentary that records the entire creation of Svelata.

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

MT: As my mentor taught me, do what you love, learn to do it really well, and you will be successful in whatever you do.

LL: Any art shows coming up that we should know about?

MT: I currently have a solo exhibition at the Kwan Fong Gallery at Cal Lutheran University and then this event immediately after.

Svelata Foundation Fund/Consciousness Raiser

Sunday, November 22nd from 5-7 pm with a presentation at 6 pm.

Laguna College of Art + Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA

A one evening opening and exhibition in the LCAD gallery, of several of the SVELATA PAINTINGS before their national traveling installation opens in spring 2010. You will have the opportunity to view the paintings, meet the artist, be informed of and support the mission of the Svelata Foundation, and ask questions related to the project, artist, art, and creativity. And most importantly, you will enjoy an evening of art, beauty and purpose. The public is welcome and admission is free.

LL: Finally, where can we see your work?

MT: The Svelata paintings are not for sale and can only be seen in University and museum exhibitions other than special Svelata Foundation events like the one this Sunday at Laguna College of Art + Design. You can find the artwork from my Svelata series online at www.svelata.org until such time when we have additional events planned.

The mission of Svelata is to encourage and nurture creativity.  In order to do so, people must participate in the creative process.  Our intention with the web site was to create an experiential site that required the viewer’s participation and action to give them a sense of discovery and to have them affect change by allowing them to unveil the artwork by moving the mouse.  You must move the mouse to discover the secrets that lie beyond the veil… this also requires more patience than the normal immediate gratification of other web sites, hopefully slowing you down and putting the viewer in a more peaceful state of mind to see the art and read about our project.

I wanted to create a site that would give a taste of the experience we will be producing with custom choreographed LED lighting, original soundtrack and live video inside our first tour designed around my 22 paintings from this series.  The color white stands for spirit, and purity and is prevalent in my work, as is water.  I also strive to create fluid sensuality in my paintings and I wanted the website to be an extension of this.  Overall, I would describe the site as sensual, uplifting and refined.

Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Glenn Arthur: I was born and raised in Orange County, CA. I come from a Hispanic/European mixed household and was brought up in the Christian and Catholic religions. I don’t practice organized religion for myself anymore but the stories traditions and imagery definitely inspire my artwork. Growing up I always had an extremely vivid imagination and would entertain myself for hours doodling, climbing trees and building forts out my blankets and furniture.

School was never easy for me since I have the attention span of a goldfish. My mother figured I needed something active to do so she encouraged me to join theatre. I enjoyed acting and being on stage but it was never really my passion. After high school I didn’t know what to do so I enrolled in the local community college and took a life drawing course. I loved drawing and I learned a lot but I still couldn’t pay attention in the classroom environment. I decided that school was not for me so I quit and started working odd jobs while I would go out and have fun with friends.

All the while I kept drawing and sketching as a hobby until one of my friends suggested that I sell my work. I gave it some thought and entered some work into a group show in a gallery in Hollywood. One of my pieces sold and I knew right then I wanted to make art as a career. I did one more show after that but didn’t really feel like I was ready as an artist to be displaying my work in galleries so I decided to start showing my work online. I joined MySpace.com and started networking with other artists which fueled my drive and inspiration.

Seeing that other artists were making a living from their creativity was huge encouragement for me. The one thing I noticed was that most successful artists had a specific style that made them recognizable so I set out to discover my own. I started working in my sketchbook day and night and eventually the same images kept popping up over and over again (hummingbirds, hearts, skulls, women, tears, etc.) so I began to make them into finished pieces. The feedback on my work as I shared it online was amazing! It felt really good to have people not only enjoying my images but being emotionally moved by them. I felt validated as an artist and had finally found my true passion.

Since then I have been drawing and painting like a mad man. I love to create images that evoke feelings and thought beyond the surface. I also try to give my artwork the sense of a narrative or story being told. Using themes such as love, death, and duality I try to convey a message of strength and hope through being able to cry and not being afraid or ashamed of natural emotional reactions to certain situations in life. Only if my paintings have touched someone deeply and tugged a bit at their emotional heart strings do I ever feel that I have succeeded as an artist.

LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies you as an artist?

GA: Yes, I do consider myself an artist. I believe that an artist is someone who can take a thought or idea and turn it into something tangible that people can touch, hold or view. I try as an artist to create images that would not normally exist in reality. Bringing my imagination to life is what I believe classifies me as an artist.

LL: How long have you been creating art?

GA: I’ve been doodling and drawing since I could hold a pencil. All through elementary into high school I would draw all over my homework instead of actually doing it. I would draw all the cartoons I would watch and later design tattoos for all my friends. It was always more of a hobby for me until a couple years ago when I decided I wanted to take it to a more professional level and I started painting. Now it’s become an everyday part of my life that I can’t live without. If I am not able to make art in some way shape or form at least once a day I go crazy!

LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

GA: My daily inspiration comes from several different things. Music is huge for me. I have to have something to rock out to or something soothing to keep me in a specific mood depending on the image I am working on. I’m also inspired by nature. Animals, flowers, trees and pretty much anything organic spark ideas in my mind for new works. I get a lot of inspiration from other artists as well. Viewing their ideas and styles helps me to explore and push the boundaries of my own artwork. Odd imagery and bizarre dreams also stir my imagination and of course raw human emotion inspires me the most. I believe that too many people in our society try to hide their emotions. I think it takes a strong person to explore and understand their feelings which is why most of my drawings and paintings involve emotional or traumatic situations.

LL: Any artists in particular that inspire your work or that you look up to?

GA: My all time favorite artist ever is Alphonse Mucha. I think Art Nouveau is one of the most beautiful movements in art history. Mucha was one of the leading artists in that era. I love the mixture of flat graphic and three dimensional images in his work. His style and attention to detail are incredible and just the fact that all of his works were done by hand before computers were even thought of inspires me to no end!

LL: What does the hummingbird symbolize in your artwork? They seem to appear in most, if not all your paintings.

GA: I’ve always been fascinated with hummingbirds for as long as I can remember. Their size, speed and agility make them stand out from any other type of bird. I love the fact that they usually only let themselves be seen for a split second and that no matter where you are when a hummingbird appears someone almost always stops and excitedly calls attention to them. They seem so full of life and hope to me which is why I put them in all of my images. I feel that by painting hummingbirds I’m able to sort of capture their fleeting magic and keep it on an image to view whenever I want to.

LL: So why the female nude?

GA: I believe that women are more convincing subjects of art rather than men. My images tend to be very emotional, sensual and romantic with a sort of playful twist and I’ve always felt that best candidates to properly convey the subject matter in my work are women. The fact that they are nude gives a sense of vulnerability and softness to the images while also adding suggestions of sexuality. There is something inspiring and intriguing about the female form and I can’t imagine creating a painting without a woman to help tell the story of the image.

LL: Who are your target audience?

GA: I’ve never really given much thought to a target audience. I create because it’s just what I do. A day without painting or drawing to me is hell. Even if nobody ever saw my work I would still make it. I guess that makes my target audience anyone and everyone.

LL: How long does it take to create one of your paintings?

GA: The time I spend on a painting is kind of hard to narrow down. I’m a huge multi-tasker and usually work on 3 to 4 paintings at the same time. It also depends on the size and complexity of the painting. On average I would say that it could take anywhere from 25 to 30 hours on a larger piece and maybe 15 to 20 hours on a smaller one.

LL: How would you describe your art to people?

GA: I would describe my work as emotionally charged images blending graphic styles with fine art techniques. I believe my art would be considered lowbrow as I like to mix styles and images that would not be found in classic works of art.

LL: Your backgrounds are quite beautiful and mysterious; they remind me of old baroque wallpaper. Is there a certain feel you are going for with the background i.e. does it set the tone for the rest of the painting?

GA: Actually the images in my paintings set the tone for the backgrounds. I usually come up with the concept of the painting first and then decide what type of wallpaper to add at the end. I love Baroque and Victorian styles of ornate designs and create my own patterns based on them to give my paintings a certain depth and kind of vintage feel. Sometimes I’ll put little images throughout the wallpaper patterns that tie in with the rest of the painting.

LL: Do you see your artwork changing styles or subjects in the future?

GA: Absolutely. I like to work in series with my paintings. Currently I’m working on a series centered on the duality and contradictions within ourselves called “The Ghost and The Banshee”. Once I bring the series to an end I’ll begin on my next series that is already in the works. As the subjects and styles will change I still plan on keeping the staples in my work such as the hummingbirds and heart patches.

LL: What does a typical day of work look like for you?

GA: My days always start off with a big cup of coffee! While I’m waking up with my coffee I go through my emails and networking sites and check up on any gallery events or functions that I’d like to either be a part of or attend. I figure out what projects need to get done or what bills need to get paid and then it’s time to paint. I usually paint for about 2 or 3 hours before I take a break, have lunch and run my errands. After that I usually work on new sketches and designs before I get back to painting. I’ll usually have dinner with friends or family and the paint the rest of the night away unless I have plans to go out.

LL: What are your favorite tools of the trade?

GA: I’m always searching the art store for new tools and products to try. I love experimenting with colors, brushes and surfaces to work on. My absolute favorites are acrylic paints which I use on wooden artist panels. I use smaller watercolor brushes for most of my paintings because I work in very watered down layers of acrylic paints. When I’m drawing I prefer to use prismacolor pencils because of the rich colors and textures.

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

GA: DON’T EVER STOP! Be prolific and create as much as you possibly can. Get your work out in the public eye and network like crazy. Don’t underestimate yourself and try not to compare your work to anyone else’s. Let your art be your voice and shout with it as loud as you can!

LL: Finally, where can we see your work?

GA: I’m currently booking shows for 2010. I have one confirmed show at the Rothick Art Haus gallery in Anaheim, CA for May and I am talking with other galleries in the OC/LA area to establish other shows.  Until then you can always view my work online and check my sites for information on up and coming events and exhibits showcasing my work.

www.glennarthurart.com

www.myspace.com/glennarthurart

www.facebook.com/glennarthurart

www.twitter.com/glennarthurart

Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Cheri Wilson: I am lucky enough to be the Director of Sponsorship Development for the Newport Beach Film Festival but my formal training is in graphic design. After watching a tutorial on YouTube I tried needle felting which I’ve found to be perfect for expressing my creative side.

LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies you as a real artist.

CW: I do consider myself an artist now, but only after peers and fellow artists encouraged me to think of myself as one.  My pieces are one of a kind, and take over a month to complete. I put a lot of dedication and detail in them, and hope that that shows through in their personalities.

LL: How long have you been creating art?

CW: Since I was in junior high. I had an art teacher who taught us how to make rugs with burlap and a special punch needle. I was really pleased by the outcome and this sparked my interest in fiber arts.

LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

CW: I have always been a little on the eccentric side and gravitated toward the underdogs of society. I’m inspired by those who are a little seedy, a little needy, the unloved and the lonely. I like to create characters that someone will look at and feel an emotional connection to.

LL: Who are your biggest influences?

CW: My grandmother who kept me busy with arts and crafts as a child. My mom who is a talented writer and never gives up. Christy Kane; a most brilliant doll maker, filmmaker, and overall entrepreneur. Darren Caulkins and Kerry Judd of Paris to the Moon in Costa Mesa who have given me encouragement by being delighted with everything thing I do.

LL: Who is your target audience?

CW: Myself. If I have to please other people it takes the fun out of creating for me. Often times my pieces are not appropriate for more main stream art shows. At first this hurt my feelings and I tried to make characters that were a little less creepy, but that took the fun out of the process and only made me frustrated.  When I let go of that way of thinking and got back to letting the process guide me; I became ultimately happier, and I think my work reflects that.

LL: How would you describe your art to people?

CW: I don’t know if I have figured that out yet. There are times when I refer to them as dolls and other times a soft sculptures. Most of them turn out to be slightly odd, tragic characters with a whimsical twist!

LL: Do you see your artwork changing styles or subjects in the future?

CW: My work changes in style from one piece to the next. I never have something in mind when I begin a new piece. When I first started felting, my pieces were very loose and crude. Now that I have more confidence and experience, my work is a little more detailed and refined.

LL: What is a typical day of work look like for you?

CW: I made a promise to myself to just do a little bit every day. More often than not, once I sit down and start working the day is gone before I know it. I start with floral wire and make an armature for the body and then begin adding the felt to build the torso, legs and arms. The head and face always come last.

LL: What are your favorite tools of the trade?

CW: A rainbow of wool roving, which is raw carded wool. A sharp barbed needle and a large piece of foam are my main tools.  The needles come in various sizes and serve to adhere the wool in different ways.  I relate the needles to paint brushes, in that, different sizes produce different results.

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

CW: Do what you love, create for yourself. Be aggressive if you want people to see your work. There is an art show or gallery somewhere that your work will be perfect for. Also try not to become emotionally attached to your artwork,  It makes it very difficult to put a price on your emotions.

LL: Finally, where can we see your work?

CW: MySpace – www.myspace.com/76843113
Facebook – Cheri Macoubrie Wilson www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1579482969

Lamia Larkin: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Chris Richmond: I will graduate from Chapman University in 2009 with a bachelor of fine arts in cinematography and a minor degree in studio art. In addition to my work as a cinematographer, I have an active practice in installation, performance, photography, video, and conceptual art. My work has appeared in seven shows at Chapman University’s Guggenheim Gallery and I will have his first solo show this June at Vienna’s C17 Gallery featuring old work and a new video installation. In spring 2008 I was awarded Chapman University’s Faculty Sponsored Student Grant and Best Junior Show for his mixed media work, This Is Institutionalized Space. In winter 2008, two of my performances, Chasing the Horizon and Painting the Sky Blue, were selected for Germany’s Szpilman Award.

As an artist, I am concerned with the postmodernist’s semiotic analysis of the information age – the study of signs and symbols by theorists like Michel Foucault, Hal Foster, Jean-François Lyotard, and Fredric Jameson, examining how meaning is interpreted and understood.  This interest has led me to a similar inquiry of the tangible world and the everyday object.     Employing photography, video, and performance, I invite the viewer to explore his encounters with various phenomena and to facilitate a dialogue around unobserved associations within everyday experience normally overlooked as points of artistic inquiry.

LL: Do you consider yourself an artist? If so what do you think classifies as a real artist.

CR: I hope so. I think Kosuth did a good job encapsulating the premise of art in 1969. “The ‘value’ of particular artists after Duchamp can be weighed according to how much they questioned the nature of art.”  Modern art is essentially self-reflective: its intention is to interrogate what art is, to define the concept of art.  It is no longer a question of producing beautiful objects, but of producing questionable or problematic ones. I am interested in reception and perception—enacting a loss of control in the world. My practice is a consequence of what the work does in the world.

LL: How long have you been creating art?

CR: Since my first word. I believe it was “duck.”

LL: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

CR: I derive much of my inspiration from philosophy and art. I read books and journals by authors like Roland Barthes, Jacques Lacan, Michel Foucault, Hal Foster, Jean-François Lyotard, Fredric Jameson, Georges Bataille and even Walt Witman and Antoine de Saint Exupéry. I also look at art. Recently I have spent a lot of time looking at work by artists like Bas Jan Ader, James Benning, Thomas Struth, Sharon Lockhart, and Manfred Menz. Everything else is chance: I trip on a stranger’s shoelace and fall over on the ground. When I look up, I see mystic truth next to a stray cat hiding from the sun underneath the hood of a turquoise sedan.

LL: Who are your top three biggest influences?

CR: Roni Horn, Hans Peter Feldman, Felix Gonzales Torres, Ray Charles, and an ever-expanding list.  Usually when I look at these artists though, I don’t feel like they influence as much as they give you permission to do something.

LL: Who is your target audience?

CR: Everyone. Especially humans. My work relates to anyone looking for answers. When we find answers though, we only find more questions.  This is my point of departure. My work is accessible as long as the viewer is willing to hear a question that will only generate more questions. I don’t make answers. I don’t think they exist.

LL: How would you describe your art to people?

CR: My most recent work, titled As Far As Opening Mail is Concerned, was a four-year project.  After I moved into a new apartment, I began to receive letters addressed to previous occupants. As initially conceived, the project was to be about these letters as displaced objects and signifiers for the knowledge and information concealed within.  Legally I could not open nor keep the letters, so I photographed them and sent them back to the sender.  As I continued, however, I began to see that it made sense to think about other objects, including some photographs I made, in a similar fashion.

Combined with the letters, appropriated images, and images of my father, I created fragments of what were otherwise unknown worlds. Materially, the work consists of photographs, yet the real subject of this project was the way that these palpable, material objects convey what is unknown and intangible.  Together these images actively function and engage the viewer by means of juxtaposition, fragmentations, sequences and implications, incorporating structures of interruption and montage.

The images of this project are displayed as a loose grid filled with gaps and varying size prints, to reflect the complexity of awareness and the nature of existence without signifiers to place them in context. The photographs in this work are not windows into a known world—a souvenir of an exotic land, the face of a lover, a landscape, or a documentation of objects. Rather, the content of this work is like the knowledge concealed in the letters, and is not based upon any concrete information that is known. The meaning lies in the recesses of the photograph.
In another work, Chasing the Horizon (#2), I chased the horizon until the sun set and the horizon was obscured by night and no longer visible. My objective in this performance was to chase the sun, so that it never set. This work can be viewed as both rational and illogical, and challenges the viewer to question and critically discuss phenomenological conditions central to one’s experience of time—a phenomenon linked to the movement of the sun.

LL: What does a typical day of work look like for you?

CR: It takes me a while to work through the development of a piece.  I do a lot of research and photography.  I can’t draw and I can’t sketch, so I take photographs.  Sometimes the work ends in photographs, but sometimes it doesn’t.  I spend hours processing film and looking through film.  Sometimes I end hear, sometimes this leads to large format, and sometimes this leads to performance, video, installation, or text.

LL: What are your favorite tools of the trade?  Mediums, supplies, software, etc.

CR: My Mamiya RZ67.  This is my workhorse camera.  This comes with me everywhere I go.

LL: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

CR: I can’t answer this question. I’m still asking others.

LL: Finally, where can we see your work?

CR: I’m still trying to tame this Internet contraption. I will have a website up soon, but in the meantime you can see my work that was selected for the shortlist for Germany’s Szpilman Award (www.award.szpilman.de/best08.html). I’m also always willing to do an open studio for anyone interested. You can contact me via e-mail: cyrichmond@gmail.com.

Jennifer Vincent: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Shayla Maddox: I grew up in Orange County, and spent most of my life pursuing acting and modeling. Once I started getting too busy with painting, I realized I had accidentally stopped acting. Didn’t mean to, it just happened that way. Right now, I spend all my time painting, doing yoga, gardening, and dreaming of Hawaii, where I hope to move to one day. I paint circles, sort of my own brand of Zen circles. Some feel that a Zen Circle is the graphical depiction of enlightenment itself, as well as the fingerprint of the artist who created it. My circles reflect my interest in science, the study of the universe, and my personal views of spirituality. I donate 10% of all art sold to Acres of Love, which provides “forever homes” and families to children in South Africa that have contracted and/or been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Please visit their website at www.acresoflove.org to learn more about this extraordinary organization.

JV: How long have you been painting?

SM: I’ve played around with many forms of art my entire life. My mom was an artist, and I was always given as many art supplies as I wanted. I guess I first started when I was able to hold a crayon! In 2007, I quit my day job and have been working full-time as a painter ever since.

JV: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

SM: I am inspired by stars, sunsets, tropical beaches, humidity, coloring books, crayons, glo-worms and lite-brites, the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade, Jules Verne, The Science Channel, ancient technology and civilizations, down-tempo music, the study of the universe, spirituality, stained glass windows, sea glass, Glenn Miller, fireflies, rainbows, water and light.

JV: Who are your top three biggest influences?

SM: My mom is a huge influence. She painted amazing pictures of people and flowers, and also made stained glass windows for friends and family. Every time someone mentions that my art reminds them of stained glass, I credit my mom. Ray Friesz, who was known in Laguna Beach as a “plein-air abstractionist” is the person who gifted me the confidence I needed to focus on painting. He gave me much advice and encouragement, and I’m truly grateful for the mentoring I received from him in the years before he died. The first thing he told me was “Don’t make it good!” which helped me understand the difference in making art that I enjoy instead of art that I want others to think is well-done. Finally, Antonio Arellanes was an incredible artist with similar philosophies to my own. His work is mind-boggling and reminds me to pay attention to detail. I aspire to manipulate light and color as well as he did.

JV: Who is your target audience?

SM: I’m actually still learning about that. I don’t have an audience in mind when I create, because I paint for me, but I hope that those who enjoy my art understand me better as a person. Some people gravitate towards the spiritual aspects, others enjoy the sheer fun of the colors changing in the light. I like to think that people who collect my paintings are interested in the same things as I am, and I truly value the friendships that have developed with some of my collectors. I’ve had numerous bio-physicists buy my work, which I think is both intriguing and completely awesome.

JV:  How would you describe your art to people?

SM: My art is Light Reactive. It changes appearance in all forms of light, including when the sun disappears behind the clouds. Blacklights will show a whole different look, because I use UV reactive paints as well. After the lights are completely off, phosphorescent pigments will glow literally all night long. When I’m painting, I feel like I’m 5 years old, coloring in a coloring book, although now I use more advanced colors instead of crayons. I like to paint ALL the colors, even the ones only visible under UV light. Birds and rocks have UV color, and the sun gives off UV light, so I feel it’s only natural to paint with it, too. Why be limited to just visible colors, you know?

JV: What is a typical day of work look like for you?

SM: I work on and off throughout the day from when I wake up (around 9am) until I go to sleep. I paint until it’s time to let things dry, at which point I’ll spend a few hours marketing online or doing other computer-related business. Then, I’ll paint some more. I generally have at least 5 paintings in progress at any given time. Sometimes I’ll work for 12 hours straight if I’m feeling motivated. I adore working from home. Having so much freedom inspires me to get a lot done.

JV: What are your favorite tools of the trade?  Mediums, supplies, etc.

SM: I work primarily in acrylics, but I also love to add fun things like real beach sand and sea shells to the paint for interesting texture. I’ve been known to drip candle wax straight onto the canvas. I also adore those glowy phosphorescent pigments, they’re so much fun! The sun itself is a useful tool, especially in the summer, because I can dry paintings quickly on the patio. It also allows me to see the colors really intensified in the bright sunlight.

JV: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

Don’t make it good! Enjoy what you do, make it look the way you want it to. Also, be inventive with your career.  Sitting around while waiting for some rich benefactor or art agent to discover you is not realistic anymore. Research where art exists in the world outside of galleries. Use the internet, be bold, and remember to brand yourself – You’re the artist!

JV: Finally, where can we see your work?

My blog: http://shayoa.blogspot.com/
My online gallery: http://www.shaylamaddox.com/
My shop: http://www.shaylamaddox.etsy.com/
You can also visit Gen Kai Japanese Restaurant in Dana Point – a painting of mine is hanging in the lobby!

Jennifer Vincent: Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

Kitty Brown: My name is Kitty Brown and I’m a freelance illustrator currently studying at the Laguna College of Art and Design. I’ll be graduating from there with an Illustration/Animation dual major. I’ve also studied at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy. I’m 22, an OC native, and I live in the water during the summer. When I’m not working on art, I’m usually surfing, biking, or dancing.  I’m also a firm believer in the power of coffee.

JV: How long have you been an illustrator?

KB: I’ve been seriously pursuing art since I was in junior high, when I fell in love with comix. It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized that I wasn’t a fine artist, but an illustrator. Up until that point, it had all just been art and, in a way, it is still all just art.

JV: Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

KB: Music is always a constant source of inspiration. I find myself trying visualize the music, then put it on my canvas. I’m also very fortunate in that I have a lot of sexy friends who will pose for portraits and paintings.

JV: Who are your biggest influences?

KB: Artistically, I draw a lot from Alphonse Mucha, Andy Warhol, and Naoko Takeuchi. Sort of a mixed bag artistically. I’m also really influenced by David Bowie, Depeche Mode, and The Cure.

JV: Who is your target audience?

KB: I have two distinct target audiences.  The free thinkers, the rebels and revolutionaries, the movers and shakers. Most importantly, I never want my art to be just for the elite, because its for everyone.

JV: How would you describe your art to people?

KB: I do so many different types of art; children’s book illustration, editorial, illustration, character, prop, and background, designs for animation, and a lot of portraits and figurative painting. The common thread, however, is that I always want to take the viewer to another reality. Its almost theatrical; the curtain rises and you stand before an open door to another version of your everyday life. I give the viewer an invitation to go beyond the mundane and into something bigger than themselves, they only need take the first step.

JV: What is a typical day of work look like for you?

KB: I tend to do my best work from 1-4 in the morning, so I awake at the crack of noon. I cycle through projects throughout my day, so I never get burnt out on any one project. Really, I just wake up and paint with the occasional breaks for food when I remember to eat. I just get so into my work that it consumes me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

JV: What are your favorite tools of the trade? Mediums, supplies, software, etc.

KB: I really love working with oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints. I tend to combine the three because each lends itself to a different look, texture, and mood. I also insist on outlining and inking everything with a kolinski sable brush size 2 and black waterproof ink. When it comes to my digital work, I primarily stick to Photoshop and Illustrator and I’m just now starting to get into flash.

JV:  What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

KB: Don’t be afraid to put yourself and your work out there, even if you don’t feel ready. Take risks and submit work wherever you can and remember that a “no” is not the end of the world. Eventually you will hear a “yes”.

JV: Finally, where can we see your work?

KB: You can find it on the web at www.kittybrownart.com and at kittybrownart.deviantart.com.  I will also be appearing in the “Strength in Numbers” show April 19th at Gallery X in Downtown LA, and I’m going to be having my first solo exhibit at the Neighborhood Cup in Aliso Viejo in May. Also, I show at the Ruin Night Gallery in Hollywood on a regular basis.

1. Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

I’m 22 and a recent college graduate from Chapman University with a BFA in Studio Art. I was born and raised in Orange County California as well as in Baja Mexico. It’s these two places that have, and continue to shape the type of art that I make. Most of my work is done by painting on velvet; a form of art that is commonly labeled as “low brow” and “kitsch.” What I try to do is find ways to combine the touristy kitsch forms of art and the traditional styles that I learned from studying the old masters. In my artwork, and in general, I like to point out the irony in things that people wouldn’t take the time to notice. I currently live in Yorba Linda and spend my time working on my artwork and helping out at the Orange County Museum of Art. I have shown my art in both the US and in Europe, and have had the pleasure of being a part of two performance/happening pieces; one at the Getty and the other at the Orange County Museum of Art for the 2008-09 California Biennial.

2. How long have you been an artist?

I come from a very large and creative family, my mother is a doll artist and my sisters are all very talented when it comes to the arts so I guess it runs in the family. Having been exposed to art my whole life, it seemed only natural to pursue it as a career choice for myself.

3. Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

Most of my inspirations come from my lifestyle contradictions of having lived in wealthy Orange County as well as in tourist dependent Baja Mexico. Themes such as wealth, class, and appearance are all very common. I also love pointing out the irony in things; such as with the Chapman Donor paintings. I did those because I felt it was rather Ironic that there were all these portraits of these wealthy donors who I was supposed to respect and be grateful for, and because the portraits were done so poorly I couldn’t help but notice the negative things in the images. When I should have been thinking about their dedication to academics and willingness to supply me with a classroom to paint in, instead I noticed that the light in the photograph made their hair look purple and their sweaters creepy.  Its a sad realization that I knew I shared with my fellow classmates, so I decided to heighten that creep factor by painting them as I saw them on black velvet. Combining again my Mexican influences, the black velvet, with more traditional art styles, classical portraiture.

4. Who are your top three biggest influences?

I guess that Glenn Brown is a major influence of mine. He’s a contemporary painter and I remember seeing his paintings for the first time a few years ago at MOCA during their Ecstasy show. That exhibit in general changed the way I viewed art.  But it was his paintings that changed the way I made art. His style of painting helped me to create my series of black velvet paintings of the Chapman Donors. I also love Robert Rauschenberg, for his bravery and boldness with different materials. He was able to take items that no one thought had any art potential and turn them into masterpieces. I look to his work for ways to be brave with the usage of my own materials. Elizabeth McGrath is a contemporary sculptor and painter whose works have a kind of a Tim Burton lowbrow feel that I really enjoy. I saw her artwork a while back at the LA gallery La Luz De Jesus; a gallery known for showing kitschy low brow artwork. All of her pieces have this sort of tragic dark humor that I find really fascinating.

5.    Who is your target audience?

People with a sense of humor.

6.    How would you describe your art to people?

Traditional classical art with a lowbrow, kitsch twist.

7.    What is a typical day of work look like for you?

I don’t really have a “typical day.”  Each one varies, but as of right now I spend most of my time with my family and helping out at the Orange County Museum of Art. And of course creating my own art. Most of my art is made at night.  I’m a bit of an insomniac, so it works out better that way.

8.    What are your favorite tools of the trade?  Mediums, supplies, etc.

I really like painting on velvet so being able to find good quality fabric is really important, and its even better when multiple colors are involved. Honestly though I love going to the art store in general and stocking up on all kinds of paints, pens, pencils, inks, ect. I also build my own canvases so I make many frequent trips to Home Depot to buy nails and wood.

9.   What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

It didn’t take me long to realize that making connections is huge in the art world, I highly recommend that you start going to as many art events and gallery openings as you can. Its a fun way to get great art ideas and see what the art world is like. Don’t be afraid to talk to people there; meeting people who are involved and interested in the arts is one of the most beneficial things you can do. You not only gain valuable connections from this but you are able to find and meet up with people who have the same passion and excitement for art as you do. There are a lot of really great galleries and art walk events located in Orange County, you might as well take advantage of them.

10.   Finally, where can we see your work?

I’ve just posted an online portfolio that has not only my velvet pieces but other works that I have done as well. This can be found on the blog that I keep, lamialarkin.blogspot.com which has updates about my work and local art events. You can also see the Flashing Nipple Happening by Mary Kelly that I was involved in at the Orange County Museum of Art, it will be up until March 15th.

Lamia Larkin will be joining OC Arts & Culture as a contributor.  You can also follow Lamia on Twitter.

1. Please tell us more about yourself, your background, education and what you do as an artist.

I am a fine artist living in Laguna Niguel, CA. I was born in Binghamton, NY. I knew art was my calling at a very early age in life. Throughout school I focused on that subject and was awarded for it. My formal college studies were in architecture for a year, then I studied fine art for another year in TC-3 in Dryden NY. I studied fine art and fashion history in Hood College, Frederick, MD. I switched to Fashion Design at FIDM in LA, CA. I had to stop just short of a Bachelors degree to return to NY. I was pursuing my art studies independently while trying to raise a family. I wanted to learn impressionism, so I studied the French masters through books and museums. That’s when I discovered several art organizations in the OC and became a member. I naturally liked to paint out in nature, so I tried en plein air. En Plein Air is taken from the French and means “in the open air” or painting outdoors in natural light as opposed to a studio. The French Impressionists such as Claude Monet and many others introduced this style of painting back in the mid 1800’s. It has remained popular to this day to artists and collectors of art. I paint with fellow artist outdoors every week, but also do work in my art studio at home.

2. How long have you been painting?

Since I was three years old I was caught drawing all over the walls and floors. I was wild, I loved seeing colors all over. I am from a family of 10, so we weren’t affluent. My father would come home with clean butcher paper back in 1959, so I could continue my craving, it saved them a lot of scrubbing. By the time I was eight years old, I was painting in watercolors and continued to sketch. I was given an award for a poster I drew for the DMV in California, it was first place. In high school I won several more awards and was given a scholarship to go to the College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. I didn’t attend, I married instead. I spent the first four decades of my life not quite getting serious about an art career, but I enjoyed my life never the less. Then in the year 2000, I made a vow to get really serious about a career as a fine artist and haven’t stopped painting since. Plus, I am still enjoying life.

3. Where do you get your daily inspiration from?

I wake up each day with an inner sense of what I want to do as far as painting outdoors or inside, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all the choices to paint around this beautiful region. I meditate everyday to keep centered and go deep within my soul for inspiration. I also rely on our grand nature to show me beauty, it never steers me wrong. I feel lucky to be given this ability to make art.

4. Who are your top three biggest influences?

I would have to say Claude Monet, Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci. In my early years, it was da Vinci because of his incredible drawing skills, I used to draw realistically. I have to add Picasso in there too, we studied him so much in high school and went to NY City to see his works. When I really began to paint in oils, I started to read books on Monet and Van Gogh, then go to any museum exhibition of their works. There is nothing like going to see their art in person, a metamorphosis would occur in my every time and I would have to paint when I got home. Lately I have been studying the early California Impressionists, like William Wendt, Guy Rose, Alson Clark, Maurice Braun and many more.

5. Who is your target audience?

I would say the OC and then around the globe. I have most of my works sold here but there are a number in different parts of the world.

6. How would you describe your art to people?

I am an impressionist. I do love plein air and that is a style of impressionism. I like to paint seascapes, landscapes, figural, floral, animals and still lifes in the impressionistic style using oils on canvas. Impressionism can be representative of the subject being painted but it can be abstracted and changed to suit the design of the painting. It allows an artist to have free range of creativity. I do studio works of art that require more detail.

7. What is a typical day of work look like for you?

I spend my mornings sipping my café latte while reading emails or visiting blogs and art websites. I take many images of my locations I paint at, so there is a lot of Photoshop time. I have a family so there is some juggling with two teenagers. I also have a lot of pets, I love animals, they take time. My art hours are squeezed in at anytime I can find the time. I like to paint in 3 hour stretches, either at home or on location. Sometimes the housework or dishes do not get done. I keep very busy and multitask as any mother learns to do. It’s amazing how everything seem to fall together and I get to enjoy creating art. Focus is my mantra.

8. What are your favorite tools of the trade? Mediums, supplies, etc.

I like painting in oils of course, but I still like watercolors and do some once in awhile. I always loved the pencil and sketch like a maniac sometimes, that has always stayed with me since I was a pre-schooler. I have tried many mediums in my 50 years of creativity since I was three. Oil paints are rich, luminous and I can almost sculpt them into shapes on the canvas, I like to paint thickly sometimes. It’s all those wonderful saturated colors I can make from blended red, blue or yellow on a palette and see a new color emerge.

9. What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to an artist that’s just starting out?

From my experience, I would say learn to draw, and most of all, learn the fundamentals of good art like your existence depended on it. Learn the elements of art, line, shapes, values, textures and color. Each and every one of these can be studied independently, but they all depend on each other to make a work of art succeed. We never stop learning as artists.

10. Finally, where can we see your work?

Actually, I am looking for gallery representation at this time in southern, CA. I removed my art from several places it was and would like to be in a fine art gallery or two. I often have art in the San Clemente Art Gallery in downtown San Clemente. I belong to four art associations in the OC and have just entered several juried exhibitions that will take place in the next few months and year. I am with the Southern California Plein Air Painter’s Association, Southern California Artist’s Association, San Clemente Art Association,  and Laguna Plein Air Painter’s Association. On each of their webpages you can click on the member’s page to see my info, each of these groups have shows during the calendar year and you can go to each website to find the current exhibition.  I can be contacted at ew@visions2art.com.   I accept commissions.

I have an outdoor fine art show coming up April 3-5 at the Mission San Juan Capistrano. You can reach me through my website (still under construction) http://www.visions2art.com or my art blog at http://estherjwilliamsart.blogspot.com. I actively add my new works on the blog. I sell my smaller paintings and work sketches on eBay under the name visions2art sometimes. On Twitter you can follow me, @EJWilliams.

Every Monday, we feature a different local artist.  If you or someone you know should be featured, please let us know.