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

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.