Carla Rene: Originally Funny

Hi Carla, and thank you for participating in this interview. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

At the age of 10, I was discovered as a child prodigy in both music and fine art. One day I sat down with an art kit my folks got me for Christmas, and decided I would paint a picture of an Arabian horse. When I finished, it looked EXACTLY like the photo. That was the beginning of my journey to photorealism and everything artistic. After majoring in commercial music at the prestigious Belmont University in Nashville, Lupus forced me to give up my trumpet, so I began designing jewelry; web-pages; floral arranging; writing novels and short-stories, and all while working in network television and performing professional stand-up comedy.
After being homeless for 2-1/2 years, living in my car with my cats, I was accepted back to University to pursue dual doctorates in astrophysics and applied mathematics where I began painting again to fill my summer months and hopefully get more income.

Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

You mean other than ALL. THE. TIME? Naw. :D Art is one of those professions where it's notorious for not making you money, so you'd be insane not to question that. Even now I still sometimes doubt my talent, especially with social media. We get so used to folks interacting with our posts that when those little likes and such are missing, you begin to wonder if your talent is slipping. It's all very subjective and fickle.
A cab accident just 3 days after moving here for University really messed up my neck (I now have 3 pinched nerves affecting my dominant hand), so I've had to take a break from schooling, which gave me the perfect opportunity to resume my art career.

What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

Right now it's pretty loose. Because I have Lupus, I wake in the mornings with lots of pain and stiffness, so I don't really get going until afternoon, at which time I'll sit in my studio with my headphones and go to it. On good days I can knock out about 5 or 6 hours, but the beauty of that is that I don't have to stop working on weekends if I don't want to.

Take us through your process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you?

I am a very effusive person. God gave us emotions to enjoy our life, so if I see an image or get an idea that really excites me in my gut, then I know I'm onto something. If it's an image taken by another photographer, I first secure their permission so there's no copyright infringement. I think it's the rudest thing when artists constantly paint a celebrity's photo without their permission! From doing network TV here in the states, I have a lot of celebrity friends you would know. They're artists, too, and deserve the same respect we demand for ourselves.
Once that's settled, then I begin with the outline. If it's portraiture--person or chimpanzee--I usually start with the eyes. They're the most important part since they hold the person's emotion and very soul. Sometimes I won't even begin the painting for a month, just so I can study the eyes closely, then work outward from there. I work in small patches at one time, overlapping my brushstrokes to blend. If I have trouble, I'll turn both painting and reference photo upside-down. It stops the brain from filling in detail automatically and forces me to actually see colours and geometry.

HRHNutmeg

Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

I am first and foremost a photorealism painter. Long before this was a genre, I described my artist self as an arm with a camera on the end of it. I strive for that photograph look, so a lot of my pieces reflect this.
However, in 2019 for my first Coloured Pencil Society of America gallery competition, I decided to try something radical. I have a chintzy watercolour filter on my phone, and when I loaded my self-portrait into it, suddenly my realistic face was flooded with gorgeous watercolour effects that I could never do with watercolours. I know, I tried to learn and it was a raccoon party. So now a lot of my portraits, especially animals, will have this watercolour effect done entirely in standard coloured pencils. No other artist is doing this technique, and people are really responding to the emotion of it! BTW, that painting was chosen, and hung in the Brea, California gallery in the summer of 2020 and was sold!

Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

I don't think I could even if I knew how! I think I'm one of those artists that wants YOU to gain your own interpretation. Yes, I can list materials, title, and medium, but art IS emotion and no one can tell you how to feel about it: NO ONE. And actually, I prefer it that way. I can put my emotion into it and know how it made ME feel, but you are a different person with different experiences than myself, so naturally, you're going to bring your own flavour and spices to it, and that's how it should be I think.

How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

I think most of the time with me it's colour. I am addicted to colour. Colour and texture that I know I have the skill to portray make me excited and WANT to paint an image. For my piece "Jengo", it was his eyes. I cropped the image to show just the eyes, but he was smiling like a human in that photo and his eyes carried the smile even though you couldn't see his lips. That inspired me! For my piece "Queen Negra", it was the serene expression on her face as she gently ate her favourite lilacs. For one I'm currently in progress in doing, it's a stack of seaglass on a beach. The glass is my favourite colour of aqua, but she put a hawaiian flower in bright red next to it, and the combination was breathtaking. For my piece "Miss Shiny Cat", I have a crystal figurine collection on a clear acrylic table, so when I saw the afternoon sun shining on them and reflecting the prisms on my wall, that inspired me to paint it.

How do you select your artworks subjects? Where (do) they come from?

I have no set way of choosing, except for what I've already previously said. I would like to do a series of these seaglass zen rocks, and today I received permission from the photographer--she was honoured that I asked. She has varying colours and shapes in her photographs that I've chosen, some in full sunset and others more subtle. I just loved the idea of painting these for posterity and hope to turn it into a series.
I enter a lot of competitions, so if I see even one of my subjects or even one of my cats that I think I can turn into something truly unique, then I will take the perfect reference photo and then paint it. But generally, I try to stay away from the completely overdone subject.

Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

Of course I'd love to be remembered for every single painting I've ever done, but know that probably won't happen. At least not until I'm dead. HA. But yes, I would love for folks to be amazed and remember my photorealism, but especially my new faux watercolour effect. I think it's just so unique right now that this is what people are beginning to notice and connect with on an emotional level, and that's my goal as an arteest: to move you and make you feel something you didn't feel before.

Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

Wow, what a question! I have the following opportunities coming up:
I was just published in the Ann Kullberg Coloured Pencil Treatures volume VIII with #HRHNutmeg on the cover. You can order that through Ann's web-site.
I currently have a piece done in this watercolour style called "Mint Tulep" and it is in the 311 Gallery in Raleigh, NC for the month of May.
I have 2 pieces in the Tiny Member Show for Art 'Round Tennessee, and that opening reception for the month of June's showing will be on June 3rd if you're in the states and would like to join us.
In July I will be teaching my very first art classes at the Storyteller House here in Cookeville, TN. They will be introduction to coloured pencils classes, along with a workshop on how to create photorealism.
I was offered my own gallery show to be held at the Harper's Rare Books store and gallery in downtown Cookeville, so am working on that right now. Hoping the show will be later this year.
Last week I was just notified that my chimpanzee, "Cy" was chosen for the Gallerium Art Prize International Smart Online Group Exhibition and will be published in their global catalogue.

What are your art influences? Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists and why?

I only have 2 real influences. The first is Laurel Burch. The instant I saw her "Friends in Laureland" painting on a bookmark in Borders, I. was. hooked. Her colours were vibrant and screamed at me, and it was unlike anything else I'd ever experienced before. Sadly, she passed away, but I still subscribe to her web-site and get little things with her iconic cat images anytime I can.
My second is a local artist to Murfreesboro, TN, by the name of Norris Hall. He used to design license plates for the city of Nashville and from that time forward again, I was hooked. His style is definitely like Laurel's--very surrealistic and colourful. But his is almost bordering on illustration which is a style very unlike me and my photorealistic brain. I once painted an old, tired cow clock I picked up for a song from a discontinued store and decided to paint it in Norris's style. When I saw him on Facebook, I sent him a message with the clock and he loved it, and even follows me now on my own art page. That was inspirational and helped me to keep going, because he was so kind and complimentary.

If you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

Laurel. I am high-functioning autism--I have Asperger's, so I sometimes just sit and stare at these artists that can simply dream up brand new images and colours, and I would ask her who possessed her beautiful brain to teach her how to do what she did. Once I study one of her cats it seems very intuitive, like I should've thought of that. But I can't. I've tried and again, big dumpster fire. So, I enjoy abstraction when I see it, but am happy to do my photorealism with a little watercolour thrown in.

This is it. Thank you very much Carla for this interview. I appreciate that you shared a part of your artistic story with our readers. Hope to see you more in the future.

Steven Hughart: A Coping Mechanism

Steven, thank you very much for giving us this time to learn more about your art career and artwork through my interview. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist.

My art background started at a very young age. I was born in the 80’s and there wasn’t a whole lot to do where I’m from. I remember as a young child just drawing and coloring all the time. The older I grew, the more I wanted to improve my technique of drawing so I would sit and draw cartoon characters and trace comic book characters for hours. Marvel’s Wolverine was my favorite to translate from tracing to freehand. I have always had a knack for drawing what I see as opposed to drawing images out of my head. In 1999, I graduated from Dupont High School in Belle, WV. During my time there I had won a few awards, ribbons, and such, but nothing too spectacular. I also played football as well, I can fondly remember skipping weightlifting to sneak into the art room to create art. This is the point where I began to transition from 2D to 3D.

Passion is what motivates artists to draw and create. Passion gives you the patience and persistence to learn and grow as an artist. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

After graduation, I earned a scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, but I never followed through with it. Instead, I went into the workforce and started a family. After fifteen years, I decided to work for myself and make what I want to make. So finally, I chose to go back to school and enrolled at Marshall University in Huntington, WV in 2014. I began taking sculpture and that really ignited my passion for making art with the material I had grown so accustomed to dealing with working in industry, metal. By the time my time at Marshall had concluded I had applied and was accepted into the Metals MFA program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale where I was lucky enough to be Rick Smith’s Research Assistant, and I learned a ton.

Steven, what is your daily routine when working in your studio?

I try to maintain a daily weekday routine. I was blessed with inheriting a small home in Southern West Virginia, where I have built an art studio in my garage. I had grown accustomed to working in the industrial atmosphere for so long that I have just adapted, and my days are a typical 9-5. I spend the weekdays making and creating, and then on the weekends I like to travel around the region going to craft shows and fairs. If there is such a thing as spare time, I am always looking for gallery opportunities to present my work.

You work with mostly metal and wood for your creations. So, take us through the process of making your artwork. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you?

Making my art is a therapeutic process for me. Many events that have happened in my life are what inspires me to create. I feel that I have had an excess of traumatic events that have occurred in my life to this point that really fuel my passion to create. Making helps me deal with traumatic experiences through visual expression. Hopefully, other people feel the same way as I do and can connect with the pieces I develop, but if not, so be it. I do not make my work for anyone else but myself. That may seem selfish to some, but in the end, all of my work is about self-expression. I am a sculptor, and I enjoy using many different materials to create art. However, the medium I use the most is metal. I appreciate its toughness as well as its malleability. Forming things from steel is just so satisfying to me. It represents the area where I am from, through its connection with the steel mills and coal mines of West Virginia.

Somber Toxicity

You take your experiences and hard life lessons and make them outstanding works of art. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

There is a central concept to my work that I am creating now. A vast majority of it revolves around the opioid epidemic that plagues my childhood home. This epidemic is growing uncontrollably not only here in the US, but around the world and no one talks about it publicly it seems, at least not around here. The epidemic was starting to gain the attention of national news back in 2019 but then COVID 19 hit and it appears that society has since disregarded the opioid abuse in this country as if it is not happening. But overdose deaths have since doubled and the tolls this epidemic is taking on my home are unbearable for me to witness. I feel I must at least try to reengage the conversation so hopefully, at least one person’s life may be saved and/or altered in a positive way.
Making art is a therapeutic process for me. I like to make beauty from my pain. It helps me heal.

Different topics come to your mind. You want to bring them in front of the audience and direct their opinion toward the causes, negative points and results. Like, as you said, addiction, and drug abuse. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

My work is inspired by day-to-day life and personal experiences. I am an expressionist who uses art as a coping mechanism to deal with the stresses of my surroundings and day-to-day life experiences. Past personal relationships have had a strong influence on almost all of my works.

Noticing some influences cause strong motivations in an artist’s mindset. What are your artistic influences? Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists, and why?

My influences are few but extraordinary. A lot of my current work is figurative and features a lot of symbolism, but I also enjoy working in the abstract. Of course, I have been influenced by the likes of historical sculptors like Auguste Rodin or Michelangelo, but my favorite pieces stem from the minds of Bruce Nauman and David Smith. Bruce Nauman’s “Hand to Mouth was a strong inspirational reference for my “Into the Abyss” wall-mounted piece.

Steven, Ready to meet art predecessors?! If you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

My one ideal artist from the past that I would have really loved to have gotten to meet would be without a question, Davis Smith. From researching his work and reading his books and watching his historical interviews on YouTube, I just feel that he and I would get along famously. I have so many questions about conceptual development and technique but what I really want to know is what is his favorite cigar to smoke?

Now, let's take off to the future! Any upcoming works or future projects you would like to share with our readers?

Currently, I am working with the Tamarack Artist Foundation and Creative Network of West Virginia to present my work throughout the region, and soon, much more of the country. I was selected for this year’s Emerging Artists of West Virginia Fellowship, which is very exciting for me. I am going to continue to develop these ideas on the opioid epidemic but in the future, I am sure I will expand into other addiction-based themes. Addiction is dark, but broad, and has plenty of room to explore interesting new paths to create my work. The ultimate goal, however, is to expand my presence more internationally and broaden my horizons as a professional artist.

I appreciate your concern about my interview. Thanks for sharing your artistic story with our readers. Always shine on the broad horizon, Steven.

Mina Hosseini: The Creation of Truth

Mina, thank you for taking the time to talk about your artworks and art career. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist.

At the age of 8, I realized that I was very excited and interested in the days when we were studying art. This feeling first came to me when I looked at my classmate who was painting a picture printed on a crayon box in art class. That was a very deep and wide sense of joy that arose in my mind, and I was subconsciously drawn to art.

What happens in a child's mind about art plays a very important role in the future artistic personality of the artist. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

Not really - I may have felt weak and helpless at times, but it was fleeting and cursory, and I tried harder each time.

That's true. Amid these doubts, it is important to be able to overcome the situation and continue the journey. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

I usually work from 10 am to 5 pm and spend the night watching paintings and reading, although this current lock and quarantine has greatly aggravated this.

❝To escape from the truth that is bitter, to relieve of worries that undoubtedly arise in every artist or human being's mind, I paint.❞

Yes. Despite its limitations, this lockdown has provided more time for work. Now, take us through the process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you?

A deep look and attention to the social, political, and moral events in society and around our personal life are pictured in my mind in the form of an image and created my idea. Also, paying attention, focusing, and interfering with personal feelings and expressing them through lines, shapes, and colors can create pleasure in me and finally turned into an artwork.

Untitled

Great job. The artist's accurate look and feeling directly illuminate the art path and guide the artwork process. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

Yes. I think they are in the same direction. Because the issues such as being caught between do's and don’ts, the extreme and fanatical atmosphere and the imposition of beliefs on children, confused people in today's world, fighting and insisting on blindly thoughts and attitudes, have made my mind involved since I was a child. They are my biggest concerns in today's society.

Oftentimes, inspiration defines as an unconscious burst of creativity in artistic endeavors. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

By reading philosophical books, poetry and deep films, and great artists’ paintings.

Concerning some influences remain strong motivational factors in an artist’s thinking. What are your rtistic influences? Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists and why?

Inspired by great artists like Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and Carvajal and contemporary artists like Salvador Dali

Mina, let's travel to distant times! If you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

Picasso is the artist I’d like to meet and ask him what his horizons are and how he got ideas from different influences and found this exceptional capability, as well.

Now let's go to the future! Any upcoming works or future projects you would like to share with our readers?

Yes, my next project is about reincarnation, which I’d like to work on.

I appreciate your time about this interview. Thanks for sharing your artistic story with our readers. I wish you success and hope you always shine, Mina.

This interview ends here. We hope that you enjoyed reading this inspiring interview with Joseph. If you want to ask your own questions, please put a comment or write to us by email.

Barrie Dale: The Spirit of Mysticism

Barrie, I appreciate your time and consideration in this interview. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

I have always found much aesthetic interest in everyday life. Also, as a teenager, I knew Trevor Chamberlain, now an established Artist, and he inspired me to paint. But at the same time, I was being inspired equally by the beauties of Science, Mathematics, Music, and Chess; so I have always been split five ways.
My pivotal visual moment came while out painting at dawn on a very misty morning. The rising sun suddenly picked out some chimneys and roofs; and there, just across the fields, was my village, which I thought I knew so well, brightly lit, hanging in the air. This taught me much about beauty, mystery, and the capricious nature of reality.
Science tells us that what we think we see is not what is there; and also that our mere presence changes everything. So visual reality is a never-ending mystery that can be explored forever. This leads us to Paul Cézanne.

Exactly. Barrie, you are a man of science whose art is an integral part of his life. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

I have no idea where my ‘art’ comes from. Is it real? Does it signify anything? Will it always be there? Or, one day, will it simply dry up?
My images exist because, at one tiny moment, they were instinctively attractive to me. Does anybody else find them attractive? Why should they? (They are not me).
I am trying to find things that haven’t been seen before. But does anybody care?
Having read many books on the subject, I have no idea what ‘beauty’ means.
So in my images, I seek metaphor rather than beauty. Is this even legitimate?
Is my wide range of interests a blessing or a curse?
I still have all these doubts, but I am still taking photographs - the world is such a beautiful place.

You photograph natural forms and try to show what you really want to say. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

I always photograph looking into natural light; cloudy days are frustrating.
I work hand-held at high magnification. Every image is abstract. I am interested only in those with instant appeal. I capture them immediately.
A session starts with a detailed, high-magnification scan of the subject. There will be hundreds of abstract images to look at. I will capture very few, if any. After half-an hour I will be exhausted. I down-load the files, and then the slow step begins. Knowing that each image was taken without thinking, I now have to ask ‘why did I find this image instinctively attractive?’. Being suspicious of ‘beauty’, I have to find meaning. ‘This image must have expressed an idea to me; what was it?’. This interpretive activity spans everything from very easy to very difficult. Only when I have found the metaphor is the job finished.
I frequently have problems with insufficient light. I edit my images, but only to the minimum extent. I do not manipulate them. I abhor ‘fakes’.

Climate Change 4 - Global Conflagration

Your images appear so genuine that can cause viewers to feel they are immersed in their surroundings, beyond the senses. Now, take us through your process of making your artworks.

I am celebrating Nature. That is central. My subjects have to be natural forms. They have to be intricate, otherwise, the possibilities would be limited. I have had success with flowers, leaves, and grasses; but Orchids are preferred as they are always available, and stay in flower for months.
At the magnifications I use, the eye is no guide to what might be interesting. I have to choose a subject and then start to explore it. I have no idea what might turn up. I cannot decide to take this or that image. Natural light is forever changing, natural forms develop, so every hour, every day is different. I cannot plan.
I want to access my ‘Inner Self’, minimizing the influence of the rational mind. I do not allow time for thinking before capturing an image - for me, the initial reaction is more honest than the considered one. I am looking for ‘the first fine careless rapture’.

❝Once Beautiful, now Fragile; once Stable, now Erratic; once Assured, now Fearful❞

“The first fine careless rapture”…. What an excellent interpretation! You mention you are interested in challenge and adventure, the mountains, human interactions, human achievement, the state of the Earth, etc. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

My work has to be of Nature. I want it to be new, different, interesting. At normal magnification, much of what could be said about natural forms has already been said; so I work at high magnification. Here everything is unexpected and abstract.
I have to be able to distinguish between good and bad images. I am wary of ‘composition’, ‘balance’, ‘harmony’, since these are subjective. So I rely upon the evidence of metaphor. To me, this means that in the instant I made the capture the image was saying something to me that I agreed with.
I accept that this stance may be indefensible. All I can say is that I am an artist. I produce pictures. This is how I do it. I just hope they are different.
I frequently have problems with insufficient light. I edit my images, but only to the minimum extent. I do not manipulate them. I abhor ‘fakes’.

You superbly express your innermost feelings using metaphors and mysterious natural and visual real scenes. We can also feel there is always something that appears to be glowing in your images. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

As far as I am concerned, inspiration is all around me. I love the beauty of the familiar. There are few things that wouldn’t reward closer examination. I am constantly seeking inspiration from great, and also not-so-great, artists. Any artist who has made an honest contribution is worthy of attention.
Anybody who has overcome adversity to achieve something important is also an inspiration.

You do know how to attract and engage your viewers’ thoughts. What are your art influences?

My earliest influence, as I said earlier, was Trevor Chamberlain. He started me off and taught me what a wonderful colour grey is.
My three major influences are Turner, Monet, and Cézanne.
Turner showed us, in his watercolours, what a magical, spiritual place the Earth is.
Monet showed us what a wonderful gift a good pair of eyes is, and also transported us into spirituality.
Cézanne, with incandescent honesty, showed us that expressing reality in paint may be beyond us, but that that shouldn’t prevent us from trying.

Excitement

Barrie, come with me to the past art era. If you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

I would like to meet Cézanne. I would like to ask him what he would have done next had he lived another half life-time.

Your enthusiasts evoke a whole range of emotions in your artworks. Any upcoming works or future projects you would like to share with our readers?

As far as future work is concerned I would hope to be like Cézanne. He stumbled along, following his nose, painting the same things over and over again, finding new puzzles at every turn. Robert Hughes surmised that Cézanne was asking himself ‘Is This What I Am Seeing?’ My question would be ‘Is This The Message I am Seeing?’
You can’t plan to have an unexpected revelation; you can only be open to one.
I don’t aim to be in control; I aim only to be receptive.
I hope to be exhibiting with the Guild Society of Artists in the Spring.
Beyond that, I want to see where the various Biafarin initiatives lead to.

Thanks a million for taking the time and making us familiar with your luminous art and ideas. I am also looking forward to visiting your brilliant works in numerous future exhibitions. We definitely try to do our best. We wish you the best, Barrie.

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This interview ends here. We hope that you enjoyed reading this inspiring interview with Barrie.
If you want to ask your own questions, please write to us now.

Li Mei Norton: Bold Essence

Li Mei, we are very grateful that you gave us this time so that we can get acquainted with your wonderful art through this interview. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

I was a little girl at 5 loved to draw faces and figures with hundred clothes and design.. Unfortunately, my Taiwanese parents won't recognize any of my gifts of art and I started to pursue my sales career after college till last year when the Pandemic hit and I realized the mysterious gift from God is always here, after 35 years I picked my pencil and painted my first color acrylic painting Red Flower on July 7, 2020 which was selected by all artworks.net After that I painted over 100 paintings and most of them are portraits. My sales background make me who I am today, love the connection of every relationship and know different races from different countries and ages, background. I consider myself very lucky to live in LA for over 19 years, where I developed my sales career from Lexus to Real estate and now to my true calling Art! Love the diversity of culture and as an artist with my sales background, it really helps me to catch each individual's spirit and essence. I think the purpose of my life is here to paint each one's life story and share the beauty of this world.

Great job! You are a self-taught artist. You picked up your first paintbrush when you were five years old. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

Yes, especially to a new artist only a bit over a year and realize there are a million artist in this whole world and feel I'm nothing to compare with other great artists.

Some artists commit themselves to showing up and working every single day. How about you, Li? What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

My daily routine: Morning meditation, yoga, or work out. Then checking email or any marketing update. And finally painting for 2-3 hrs.

We look forward to hearing about your behind-the-scenes work. So, take us through your process of making your artworks.

I'm a portrait artist, sometimes I watch a show on YouTube, commission art, or special incident like MLK then inspired to paint all different subjects or people. Mostly I use acrylic or oil paint on paper or canvas. I do quick draw first their color.

As you said, you are a portrait artist and focus on creating bold, colorful art through Portraitures. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

The central concept, usually I can connect with spirit with each individual picture, I feel them first, then I paint, that is what people comment my art with soul and spirit.

Through your Portraitures, you express the life and soul of each subject matter. Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

No, I don't think I need a particular interpretation of my work, portrait art is very easy to see, mostly I hope the audience can feel each unique soul of each painting.

Some artists get inspired by observing their surroundings. Some Take a sketchbook with them and take down the sketches that stir them. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

I was inspired by daily life, from the TV movie, news, or some stories,

What about your art subjects? How do you select your artworks subjects?

I select my art subject based on my feeling of each portrait. Do I feel to paint them? Which pictures that I prefer to use? How do I tell my audience about the story of painting?

Sometimes an artwork means, kind of special to an artist compared to other works. Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

Spain Flamenco, I painted 6 of them, sold the first original flamenco to Spain Marid and a fine print to South France, then I traveled to Spaint a month this summer, painted 5 more of them and sold one original art to Taiwan, my friend, I think it's a very good series.

Our readers are waiting for good news about your future works. Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

Actually, I just open my art gallery in Pasadena and love to invite people to my galley if they are in the LA area.

The works of past artists affect the fundamental sense of self. What are your art influences?

Van Gough is my number one favor artist, ppl comment on my art strong colors as an impressionist, and his commitment to art was so moving. I was at his museum in Amsterdam, and it's one of the best experiences I ever had with great museums.

And, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

Van Gough, what keeps him moving forward? Even he didn't sell any art when he was a full-time artist for 8 years.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent restrictions have had profound effects on art activities. How have you been affected by the current lockdown, social distancing, and all limitations and cancellations in the artistic world?

I feel it kind of back to normal, I just open my art gallery, and ppl walk in chatting with me which I love the most, connection with people.

Gary Aagaard: Sociopolitical Visualizations

Gary, thanks for taking your time to answer our questions and make our readers more familiar with your works and art career. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

When I attended college, I went to play football. I had absolutely no idea what I'd focus on academically. When I was a junior, my counselor stressed I needed to declare a major. I drew quite a bit as a kid, so I picked Art. After graduation, I kicked around as a plastic fabricator, burl table maker and finally landed a job as a yardman in a Seattle lumberyard. Finally, making money for a change allowed me to go back to school and major in illustration/painting. Several years later, I moved to NYC (Brooklyn) and freelanced as an illustrator, and after 9/11 as a so-called fine artist.

Great job! After all, there was a trace of art in each of the jobs you did. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

Of course, there were times I questioned my decision to go into The Arts. When I first arrived in NYC, I started doing romance book covers. Considering my focus was editorial work, this was a tough period. Within a year, a newspaper in Riverside CA, The Press-Enterprise, hired me to be their editorial artist, which I jumped at despite still not getting my fill of NYC. After 2 years in Riverside, I returned to NYC (again Brooklyn) with a portfolio full of editorial illustrations. This garnered editorial work from The New York Times, Village Voice, New York Newsday, etc. I was finally in my element.

And finally your doubts faded. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

Rather than bore you with my daily routine, I'll focus on my painting process. Since my paintings are generally conceptual with a focus on political satire and social comment, I keep up on current events (depressing as that sounds). Once I decide to zero in on a concept, I do a series of pencil roughs until I arrive at an image that echoes what I'm attempting to convey. Thereafter, I draw it on a toned canvas and then paint away, making changes as I go. I used to paint a lot at night, but my new dog is an early riser, so I've adapted.

Our readers want to know how you move from an idea to an artwork. So, take us through your process of making your artworks.

I kind of responded to this in my previous answer, so I'll supply some specifics. I spend at least a day working on sketches. This is a luxury I never had as an illustrator when deadlines were tight. Conceptual work requires you to convey your theme in an interesting way, hopefully with humor (satire), conviction, and avoiding visual cliches. Painting well helps, but the concept should always be paramount. I always tone my canvases, so I can cut to the chase when I'm doing likenesses, which I do frequently.

Your artworks' themes are known for your use of satire and humor, as opposed to some artists’ sledgehammer approach. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

Generally, I jump from theme to theme, usually social or political comment. During the last 5 years; however, I've aimed my paintbrushes at Trump and a few of his shadier associates. The experience has been both gratifying and depressing. I'm starting one more political painting, which I'm excited about. Thereafter, I plan to paint frisky unicorns, multicolored butterflies, and seascapes with rocks shaped like hearts. But, I kid......

Viewers can form their own conclusion by viewing an artwork, but sometimes they seek for explanations to read an artist's art. Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

I try to let the viewer make his/her own interpretation. However, sometimes at an opening, when asked a specific question about a painting (and if I feel they are on the right track), I'll supply a hint. At one solo show in Tucson, visitors kept asking about the meaning of one of my paintings, Eve's 1st Day. I finally gave one of the group a hint. She returned to the people gathered around the painting & repeated the hint. Soon, one of the groups solved it verbally and the rest shouted out the answer. It was kind of gratifying.

You illustrate political and religious hypocrisy, general apathy, and dogma. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

Usually, my inspiration is news-based. I'll see something which moves me, digest it for a while, confirm it's a fact (not an "alternative fact"), add it to a painting list in my notebook, and if my desire to paint it persists, I paint it. Note: I still have a long list of concepts. Politics has been my primary focus for the last half-decade, but prior to that, social comment took priority. I look forward to getting back on that horse.

So the daily news, political and social events, and environmental issues are the most things that have caught your attention over the last three decades. How do you select your artworks subjects?

It's easy to do research for political caricatures which are often subjects in my paintings. Trump, for instance, loved to be photographed, even prior to being President. So, there are plenty of pics of The Donald. Other politicians’ pics are readily available thanks to the internet. I always work from at least 3 photos, so I really get a sense of the subject's face.... bonus, You don't infringe on any copyrights. When I work on subjects for conceptual pieces, I'll usually hire a model who has a face and essence that will help me nail the concept.... bonus #2: Some friends work for beer.

Gary, is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

Probably my Trump series. I think it was important to call this guy out. I had already finished 3 Trump paintings before he was elected. I lived in Brooklyn for 22 years, so I witnessed many of his cons. As a grifter, he couldn't be equaled. Also, several of my Trump paintings have won Best of Shows in international and national juried shows. Eight of them were recently published in "Not Normal: Art in the Age of Trump". My 2nd choice would be my two Mother Nature paintings. "Ma Nature: This Time It's Personal" and "Ma Nature Revisited" were painted 20 years apart. Like the decline of our environment, the difference in the two paintings is telling.

Our readers are awaiting your near future projects. Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

I've got a toned canvas with a pencil drawing on it sitting on my easel. It stares at me every day. My working title is "GOP 2.0: The Imperfect Organism". Now, let your imagination run away with the possibilities.

What are your art influences? Were there any artists or artworks which significantly influenced your art in different eras?

My up-close-and-personal art inspiration was a remarkable illustrator named Dick Brown. He taught at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Later, he founded and taught Illustration at The New School of Visual Concepts. His work was so painterly and expressive. He'd be featured in CA Magazine profiles and Society of Illustrator Annuals. He masterfully painted the illustrations for The Franklin Library's version of "The Reivers". His career was just taking off when he died of a brain tumor. The last thing he said to me several weeks before he passed was, "Go to New York", which I heeded.
Other inspirations were illustrators N.C Wyeth, Brad Holland and Bernie Wrightson, and painters Edward Hopper, Eduoard Manet, and Edgar Degas. Honestly, too many to mention.

And, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

Well, I'll stray from my favorite inspirations, and pick Michelangelo. I graduated from college with a BA in Studio Art (Sculpture), so I admire Michelangelo's diversity.... painter and sculptor extraordinaire! I'd be interested in what it was like to paint parallel to a ceiling, back against a hard scaffold, for 4 years with poor lighting. Talk about poor working conditions.

Tanya Dora: Electric Rhythms

Tanya, thank you a lot for accepting our invitation to this interview, and we are so glad that you are talking to us about your artistic life. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

Growing up I, fortunately, explored art on my own at home quite a bit for my own enjoyment. I could easily get very creative with different ideas. People used to always love the appeal and aesthetic that my art projects carried with them - as I was easily able to get in the zone while drawing, painting, crafting, etc., even at a young age. Art was my favorite subject while in school, and I was naturally drawn toward the aspect of exploring, or growing with the art project. My personality would show the most in my artworks, as if I was putting something on to wear that was my own individual style.

So, you established a satisfying relationship with art from an early age, and displayed your art and creativity with pleasure and satisfaction. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

In a way, I feel that I may have grappled with the idea a little bit. I already know that I am an artistic person, but I sort of think of the future road ahead. If I wanted to do it and get involved in the art world, I would have wanted to know more about it. There are things like artist talks to attend, but I feel that the strongest point an artist can have is the passion and inclination to keep creating. And, it’s important to meet people with an interest in art. I have been studying more art history on my own, just for the sake of it, as well as attending webinars, especially during the pandemic.

Yes, that’s right. There’s no must in art, but just passion and inclination. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

I love working in my studio on a daily basis. Over time, I have realized that I am honing in on a space within 4 walls, and the space becomes a personal and professional hub for an endeavor I enjoy -where I spend time for drawing, journaling, reading art history, looking at magazines, printmaking or editing photos on Adobe Photoshop for digital paintings or cyanotypes on paper. I do love using the software, editing the brushes, using my photos, and digital painting every day. And, sometimes I give myself time to explore with new mediums or techniques, or even try out the endeavor of papermaking, or sewing and see my ideas come to life and fulfill the pursuit of making things tangible. My routine mixes with my commitment to my studio, which once I’m there I just go with it from one thing to another. This is the main thing. My nights are open to sketching or jotting down notes for current or future works, as well as doing other things like scanning, or research online, etc.

Great job! You try to study art history, as well as using different materials, levels and techniques. You obviously have a creative and searching spirit. Now, take us through your process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you?

I think my artworks start from a few different places each time. Sometimes it does start with the photo. Other times, I am heavily influenced by a topic I am reading about or a movie I am watching. My personal thoughts and feelings drive me to react -to communicate via drawing and eventually painting… Sometimes, I want to spend time developing the concept beforehand. Thirdly, I might actually start with a drawing that I drew randomly or earlier in my sketchbook and think of the message or color scheme I want to add to it. It’s a visionary-type approach. I think and observe while I’m walking around, as well as while traveling.

Some of your artworks impress the viewers by depicting a woman as the one who boasts her strength or solitude, and some pieces are inspired by the aspect in life and nature all around you. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

Mainly the central concept is the concept of womanhood. The idea of a woman’s emotions or state of mind or life experiences, good or bad. Subjectively speaking where a woman can get in touch with the emotion behind the painting or the story behind it. Things like a woman and strength, or the idea of the everyday woman dealing with stereotypes, or image or identity issues, etc. One piece, titled “Pretentious”, relates to the aspect of being perceived as being too boastful about oneself.

You say you are essentially a creator of what you would like to see in the world. How would you like to convey this "creation" to your viewers? Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

I think my own interpretation is close to what I mean by the situation that is being shown in the painting. But I love it when another woman can also relate to it, I think a lot of other women can connect to my pieces even in their own lives. There could be some common ground that meets the eye when looking at my works.

Creating artwork is naturally the result of artists’ understanding of how they see, hear, feel, and what motivates them. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

I might seek for inspiration going through old photos I have from traveling. I get intrigued by sometimes constantly taking photos, even random ones with my iPhone. I also seek inspiration by looking at magazines, or watching tv or movies. I also get inspired by material things out and about like texture, or lights. In addition to that, I have my own life experiences, including conversations and opinions, which propel me to paint along the lines of my own thinking.

What about the subjects? How do you select your artworks subjects? Where they come from?

I choose my own way of communicating on the topic - for that, I spend time thinking about which elements do I want to include in each piece. I do want it to all come together in one piece or each time.

Tanya, is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

As of right now, I do not have a singular piece that I would choose myself. I am already working on several pieces at once throughout the year, and just as long as I am constantly working, I feel fine.

Our readers want to know what new works of art you have for them in the future. Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

I am currently working on a digital painting titled, "Judicious Passage.” The colors are really intertwined together, and it’s a little bit romantic. It has a feminine flair which I truly appreciate. It is more of a landscape, and it has arches that look like one is just entering a building or monument.

You are interested in art history and study about it a lot. What are your art influences? Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists and why?

I do love art from the post-impressionist movement, works by Van Gogh, and Matisse. I also love Schiele, Modigliani, and Tarkay who are all figurative painters.

Now, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past who will it be and what will you ask about?

I think I would like to meet Picasso and ask him about his approach to figure drawing. He was the most modern in his use of shapes and structure that was applied to his cubist paintings.

Nicole Rubio: Emotional Honesty

Nicole, many thanks for taking your time to answer our questions to let our readers get more familiar with your works and art career. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

I started drawing at age 5 and loved it. I grew up in a creative household except for my father, who was a businessman. My father belittled artists. I tried to be what he wanted me to be, practical sensible secretary type. I had to swallow much emotional and physical frustration. Finally, by the fall of my senior year at a big university, the frustration grew so strong it pushed me to stand up for myself. I had to make that phone call to him. I braced myself by talking to a supportive friend, a wise old soul. Then, shaking, I dialed home and stretched the cord from the kitchen into my room (phones had cords then). My father was disappointed, but not demeaning. To his credit, he agreed to pay for art school.

Art, learning, creating, and creativity was your dream. And nothing else could make you satisfied. You came out of your skin and finally returned to what your thoughts and souls demanded. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

Yes, I just went through this. I always secretly believed I was going to be a great artist. But after ten or so years of putting myself out and getting rejections from so many shows and worse, just being ignored by the world except for a small circle of artist friends who puffed me back up, the reality set in that I may die in obscurity. This led me to read meditation and metaphysics books for healing. I recognized I’ve been operating out of my ego and desire for recognition. I love to draw and love art and was given that, but recognition was never part of the deal. It was a major blow to admit to myself, it was an ego dream, and I have no control over the world’s reaction to my work. My eyesight was failing anyway. I stopped drawing for a couple of weeks, but it felt worse not to draw than to feel bad about rejection. So I started drawing again.

Oh, what a story! Many of us may face these obstacles and frustrations, but when we ask for something from the bottom of our hearts, we turn to it again. It shows that you were deeply interested in art. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

My studio is my living room floor. Luckily it has a lot of natural light. I work between 10-3 p.m. I roll out my canvas drop cloth and bring my pastels out of their cloth bag in the closet. I prop my drawing up against the wall on a 30x40 inch piece of foam core. I sit across from it on the couch to get some distance. I’m legally blind, so every few minutes, I have to step back to the couch to see what I’ve done. I take pictures with my phone every day of the latest stage. Because of the glare, sometimes I really can’t see what I’ve done until that night when I look on my phone in a dark room. I turn the foam core to the wall to protect my drawing from my husband’s obsessively sweeping of dust from the rug.

Now we are eager to know the steps of your work. So, take us through your process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork? Where does an artwork begin for you?

I’m very aware of creating a body of work with a theme. I buy BFK Rives paper, 30x40 inches, ten sheets at a time. I try to do 8-10 pieces in the theme and make them all relate.
I can’t draw from my head, I need a source photo. Either first I get a feeling I want to express and find an image to suit it or come across an image I love and play with that. I keep repeating the image in thumbnails as it gets bigger and more detailed. It’s like trying to focus a camera on a hidden internal memory, and gradually, after many successive shots (repetitive sketches), getting it into focus. Maybe it’s pulling from the subconscious and I’m grappling to give definition to something I can’t see but that has a definite right and wrong.
To continue the photographic metaphor, it’s like watching a print develop in a dark room. I find the earlier stages fascinating and worthy of attention as much as finished pieces. Maybe because they come from a primal language, like writing, before it’s polished for the audience.

Nicole, is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

Loneliness and social anxiety are covered by a veneer of beautiful fabric, richness of surface. I’m trying to express my dark painful emotions, but in a beautiful way so people won’t run away. I grew up as an introvert in a dysfunctional but well-off family. We had decorator beauty and all the clothes we wanted, but my feelings of pain about all the anger in the house were not listened to. They denied it was going on. I needed a way to let my truth out. My grandmother, who lived with us, had a wedding gown businesse and I was surrounded by gorgeous confections of satin, silk, drapery. So that’s why my creativity took the channel it took, covering my pain with silk drapery Drapery is a common thread linking all the series.

An art concept is sometimes defined by the lists of titles or descriptions an artwork possesses, and sometimes the features hidden in the artwork. Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

I’m embarrassed to admit I have an interpretation I want the audience to get. After all, it’s coming from deep feelings of needing to be heard and accepted for what I see and feel. If someone gets it, the discomfort beneath the surface, I have the satisfaction of knowing I reached them, and it connects me to them. I’ve discovered writing small essays to go with my pieces and putting them all together in books gives me a better chance of communicating what I’m trying to say.

You said, your drawings are your fantasy world that is able to communicate with all sentient beings. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

I seek and find inspiration in beauty. Indoor and feminine beauty, not nature. Colors and fabrics and costumes and fairy tales and stage sets and dance and anything that is elevated from ordinary drab mundane reality. The world of visual art is my refuge. Happy fairy tales don’t move me though, so I use their surface beauty and inject my own emotional pain to give it a twist. You can’t force something to grab you, so it’s a gift when I see something that moves me so much it sparks my creativity and imagination. I’ve been moved by bustles, Venetian Carnival, or certain color combinations. When something grabs my fancy, it gives me energy to pursue it and delve into it.

So, for example, seeing a carnival, colors, fabrics, clothes, scenes, dances and even sounds and voices will excite you in a different way. You portray them in such a way that they distance themselves from the world they are in and appear beyond the worldly realities, and that is great. How do you select your artworks subjects? Where they come from?

When I get an idea for a new series, for example, the hardship of isolation like we just experienced through COVID, I think of a metaphor for that feeling. For isolation and tough days, I thought of the nomad. The nomad faces emptiness and isolation day after day and has no credit card to soften his life. Once I decided on nomads, I googled a tribe of blue draped nomads I knew about in the Moroccan desert, the Tuareg, for source photos.
There may be an artwork that an artist may think will drive the viewers to the destination he or she wants. Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?
I would like to be remembered for my willingness, to be honest, and find beauty in imperfection. This runs all through my work. I would like to make it socially acceptable for people to admit they are in pain or fearful.

Wabi-sabi. Simply an intuitive way of living that emphasizes accepting the natural cycle of growth in imperfection. Our readers, as fans of your work, are waiting for your future artwork. Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

I’ll probably keep self-publishing Blurb art books. I already have about forty, and no one knows they are there. One goal I have for the future work is to show reverence for animals and to wake people to their intelligence and sensitivity so they aren’t mistreated anymore. I have strong feelings for animal rights, but aside from art, am not sure how to contribute.

There were many characters who have been influential in our thoughts, views, and works for years. What are your art influences? Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists and why?

I guess the first influence was my artistic older sister, who was also left-handed and loved to draw. In the 1950’s, the Sunday New York Times illustrations of fashion – I loved the calligraphic lines and wanted to be able to draw like that. I love the French Impressionists, especially Degas pastels of ballerinas. My flamenco teacher was a huge influence, opening the beauty of Spanish culture and replacing my minimalist Bauhaus aesthetic with pink, polka dots, layers of ruffles, and roundness.
Contemporary artists – the London street photographer Alan Schaller for his black and white small silhouetted figures in big, impersonal geometric environments; the Southern classical artist James Langley for his nude torso drawings with obscure handmade papers and pigments; the Ukrainian sculptor Natasha Dikareva for her mythological creatures with their luscious white porcelain textures.

And, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

I’d like to meet the Italian designer Roberto Capucci and ask him how he made the leap into sculptural fashion, imagination light years ahead of anything my mind could create. How did he have permission to invent such impractical, fantastical, unlikely forms in fantasy colors that were done with such professional and impeccable craftsmanship?

Domenico Belli: Organic Connections

Domenico, thank you very much for giving us this time to let us learn more about your artistic personality and artwork through this interview. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

I was born in Italy, in a small town in the hill countryin, named Patrica, approximately forty miles southeast of Rome. I started to work as a metalworker when I was sixteen and I showed an early interest and talent for my job. During my free time, I created works of art using discarded scraps of metal. At the age of eighteen, my parents decided to emigrate to the United State. I found employment as a metal fabricator and welder, and also developed my skills as an artist and designer. For several years, I created primitive sculptures from reclaimed steel, and I had a successful experience at art shows.

Great! So, in adolescence, you showed interest in creating sculptures from scrap metal, and your talent in this field made you an artist. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

After suffering the loss of loved one even I was full of ideas and passions my artworks reflected my feelings at that moment and my creations were dark and it was visible the pain and sadness that I was experiencing. I decided to take a break and I stopped to create. After a while, I realized the need to create new artwork and drive them and myself out of the darkness. I started to put together objects I found as I was trying to put together the pieces of my life. The result was incredible. I created flowers, big and tall, dragonflies, butterflies, birds, and all Nature creatures. I was inspired to watch how Nature works. No matter what happens, after a storm, there is always a sunny day. That was what happened in my life. I started to attend arts shows again and people who stopped at my booth observed my artworks and smiled. My art was my cure.

For an artist, art is the therapy used in the worst and best conditions. Sorrow, joy, excitement, and anger can be expressed by art and calmed down. What is your daily routine when working in your studio?

I am very lucky because my studio is on my property behind my house so I don't have to drive to go to my studio. My routine is very simple. Every day, if I am not traveling, no matter if is a holiday or a weekday, at 7:30 AM I am in my studio, put my music on, and my day start.

Starting a day with the creation of an artwork immersed in music. Fantastic! Now, take us through your process of making your artworks.

The idea could come at any moment. I use three different types of metal for my sculptures. Cor-Ten steel, stainless steel, and bronze. It is difficult to put the process in words, but when I have an idea, I visualize the sculpture I'd like to make, not only the shape, but I know for sure what kind of material I'd like to use. I don't do any drawing or measurement, the sculpture I am going to make it in my mind. I know what it will look like at the end, the number of pieces I need, and the material. I put one metal sheet on my table and I start drawing the piece I need. I cut them with a plasma cutter and start to weld each one. I use the grinder to clean the edge and put it on the side. At this point, I build the base and I start to assemble and weld piece by piece. It is a natural process for me. Sometimes I am working on more than one sculpture at the same time and it is why in a few days I could finish two of them.

Your aspiration is to create abstract metal sculptures with a modern but simplistic style that is completely unique. Is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

I think my artworks are always evolving and that is visible when we look at the old sculptures but for sure they are recognizable. The central concept that connects all my works is LOVE - NATURE - MOVEMENT - FREEDOM but I think each sculpture is unique and that is why my artworks are one of a kind and I do not make any reproductions. This is really appreciated by my clients.

Do you prefer viewers to understand the concepts and messages you want to convey via your artwork without any explanation? In fact, would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

My sculptures are abstract and only when people ask me questions I explain the material and the process I do, but I always let the people use their imagination. I have to name them to identify on my website, but the names are very generic and when they find a forever home people love to name their artwork accordingly to their emotions.

We know that you discover a deep sense of emotion toward the material you work with. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

I live in a wonderful place where the nature plays a predominant role.
People, inspired me.
Love, inspired me.
But I am in love with forms, shapes, textures, patterns, balance, harmony and grace.

Nice sense! And during fabrication, new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of work. How do you select your artworks subjects?

I think I have answered in my previous answer.

Domenico, is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

My art is constantly evolving, and each sculpture is as if it was one of my children, and for me, all of them are beautiful. Obviously, the last one is always the most beautiful. The best is the one I haven't created yet.

What are your art influences? Were there any artists or artworks which significantly influenced your art career along your artistic path?

My favorite contemporary artist is David Smith, and my art reflects some of his artworks. I love the geometrical shapes he used especially cubes and boxes. The simplicity of the shapes and the complexity of his sculptures intrigue me.

And, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

I'd love to meet David Smith, it could be an honor for me, and I will ask so many questions about his works and the inspirations that drove him to build 27 sculptures in 30 days when in 1962 he was invited to participate in the " Festival of the two worlds " in Spoleto, Italy.

Rich Sheaffer: Abstract Messages

Rich, thanks for taking your time to answer our questions to let our readers get more familiar with your works and art career. Tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

People notice that I had not started my artwork until after my engineering career in the electric power industry, asking whether I had really always wanted to be an artist. Surprisingly, no, I had never thought of pursuing art earlier in life, and never thought I had any talent for doing so. After my retirement from engineering, I took up the task of writing a novel to capture my angst of the 2016 U.S. national election campaign, by creating fictional setting decades into the future. After many months, I realized that I would not be achieving my goal in a year or two, but more like ten. So how could I express my feelings more quickly? Ah, yes, abstract art! After my first work, “The Story of My Life: An Experiment of Love, Faith and Chaos”, I decided that I could capture my angst by “abstractionizing” hot-button social issues through art. Thus was created my genre of Socio-Political Abstractionism.

As you said, you had never thought of pursuing art earlier in life and never thought you would be talented in this field. Was there ever a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely?

Although I never use the name “Trump” in my artwork descriptions, I found much fodder for the creation of my art during the Trump Administration. But since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and the subsequent inauguration of a new administration on January 20, my inspiration dried up. We no longer had the angry, daily rhetoric from the White House. The attacks against democracy were not completely gone, but seemed to be fading away. I no longer had the angst, the nightmares, and the fears that I had for nearly five years. Was I done with art? But then we had Afghanistan, and of course, the finger of blame will point back and forth, but once again, we had chaos. Using a variant spelling, my latest work has been “Khaos in Kabul”. Now the question remains, how much inspiration will I have over the next few years? We wait to find out.

It’s very exciting for the readers to have some clear ideas about the artists’ daily artistic life. So, what is your daily routine when working in your studio?

Although I have many activities in my daily life, the inspiration for my genre of art is sporadic. When society and politics are full of tumult and turmoil, I may have a vision or a nightmare, and that’s when I bolt up any time of the day or night and try to capture what I see by painting or sketching to capture the image before it fades from my memory. For the artwork that I create, working sporadically on issues as they arise, and not having a routine, is what helps differentiate me from other artists.

Rich, take us through your process of making your artworks. How do you move from an idea to an artwork?

Visions by day and dreams by night are the sources of the images for my artwork. I practice dream work, which is to say that if an issue is on my mind, I think of that as I fall asleep at night. Often, I may have a dream that captures a vague, primitive image relating to that issue. When I awaken, which hopefully is immediately after the dream, I jump out of bed and try to capture the image by starting to paint or at least making a rough sketch of that image. Then the ensuing artwork, which usually involves many steps of a process, usually takes weeks. For a work that involves only painting, I generally use acrylic paints on a stretched linen canvas. For a work that requires a firm structure, such as one involving wooden forms or moving parts, I start with a Baltic Birch or other hardwood painting panel. The only time I would use oil paint is when I intend to actually set it on fire with a blowtorch, as in “If I Can’t Have it, Nobody Can”, referring to the rioting and violence following the 2020 U.S. election.

Good job. You’ve been developing a new genre of art that you call Socio-Political Abstractionism. So, is there a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

The central concept connecting all of my works for public exhibition is what I call Socio-Political Abstractionism. That is where I “abstractionize” hot-button social issues that are being heatedly debated. Rarely have I digressed from that genre: examples would be a couple of abstract landscapes inspired by Yosemite National Park, or works intended as gifts to friends, but those are held privately and not for public exhibition.

Some artists prefer to provide detailed artwork descriptions to elaborate and guide the audience in receiving their message via art. What’s your idea? Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

For many of my works, since they represent real issues in abstract form, the audience might not have a single clue as to what inspired the work or what it meant if I didn’t get them started. So, I offer a brief description for each work, to set the stage for what had inspired the work. However, the real value of my work is to encourage people to think and talk about an issue, and to assign their own interpretation and opinion to my work. Once that happens, and my work has been a catalyst for thought and discussion, then my own interpretation fades in importance, as it should.

Rich, you create art by inspiration and imagination. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

My inspiration comes from current events and concerns. I rely on many news sources to attempt to present multi-faceted, complex issues as simplistically as I can, in as unbiased a fashion as I am capable. Although I try to not take a side politically in my artwork, it is political in nature, as all of society’s significant issues are. I strive to take something said, an event that occurred, or the fear of an event that could occur in the future, and abstractionize it through art. Hopefully, the topic is presented as an issue in as unbiased a manner as I am capable, and people are free to interpret and discuss the work, and debate the issues. That is my goal, to encourage people to think, to discuss, and to share opinions on a topic, without my artwork taking an obvious side in the debate.

So the daily news, politics, and social events are the most things that catch your attention, and you portray them without prejudice, judgment, and bias. How do you select your artworks subjects? Where they come from?

My favorite subjects are the very significant issues that affect all of us as a society. There are so many people who are fixated with “I’m right and you’re wrong”, “my opinion is the only correct opinion” and “my belief is the only true belief”, that we must question, after thousands of years of that kind of thinking and the conflicts that arise as a result, can we ever change? Can an artist make an impact? It is my job to do my best to choose artwork subjects that challenge that type of thinking, and it will be long after I am gone before it is seen whether I have had any impact at all. If I have caused anyone to think and contemplate, considering alternatives rather than keeping their thought process on auto-pilot, then I will have succeeded.

Some artists may look at some of their artworks or a collection of their works specifically and value them more than their other works. Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for? And if yes, what is it?

I would like to be remembered for creating the genre called Socio-Political Abstractionism, the process of “abstractionizing” significant, complex issues of our society into the simplistic, primitive expressions of a common man. My favorite works are those that were not only inspired by past events or fears, but then came to predict the future as well. As an example, “The End of Democracy In the National Interest?” was not only inspired by things stated on behalf of the President during impeachment proceedings in early 2020, but also was predictive of our democracy being attacked following the 2020 U.S. national election.

Our readers are waiting for your near future endeavors and projects. Any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with our readers?

Future projects will be inspired by future events and future concerns. We all await to see what those will be.

What are your art influences? Maybe some artists or artworks which were important influences in your art career in different eras?

Jackson Pollock was my original art influencer, and by his work, I was inspired to create my first work of abstract expressionism, “The Story of My Life: An Experiment of Love, Faith, and Chaos” on a 4x6-foot canvas. After capturing my entire life, as I saw it, I found that I very much enjoyed that creation. Then, as I ventured into my new genre of Socio-Political Abstractionism, I consciously decided to avoid (or at least minimize) art training, so as to avoid being influenced by others. I did not want to compete with well-trained, highly-talented artists as a “little fish in a big pond”, because I would surely not succeed with that approach. So, I decided to be “the only fish in my own pond” by creating my own genre of art. I have been ever-so-happy that I chose that approach. Although I associate with other artists and appreciate their work, I continue to avoid being influenced by other artists as much as possible to maintain my unique style. Although I share my work with other artists, I deliberately do not seek their critiques or suggestions for improvement, since my goal is to maintain my own style and uniqueness.

And, if you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

I would have loved to have met Vincent Van Gogh. I consider him to be brilliant, and he lives on through his wonderous work, although in his time his work was generally considered ugly and distorted. He did not follow the art conventions of his time, but painted as he alone saw things, not as a camera or as his fellow artists saw things. One of my favorite memories is having visited Auvers-Sur-Oise in the countryside outside Paris, where Vincent spent his last days and where he and his brother Theo are now buried. As the song goes, “… this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.” If I could ask him one question, it would be “How do you find the inner strength to carry on with your artwork in spite of all the scorn and taunting?” Vincent would have never been considered as a founder of Modern Art if he had merely been like any other artist and not maintained his own style through all of his sufferings.

Natalie Demina: Love, Joy and Admiration

Natalie, we are so happy that you share your artistic background and lifestyle with us. So, tell us about your artistic background story and if there was a pivotal moment when you decided to follow your path as a visual artist?

I was born in a creative family, where my mother, having an architect's education, realized her talents through various activities. It was painting, drawing, writing poetry, and interior decoration. Our family even went out into nature with an easel. I was lucky enough to be born in Dresden and was happy to visit the Dresden Art Gallery in my early childhood. It was an unforgettable experience. Having a musical piano education, I wasn’t interested in the artistic direction at all. But the tragic death of my mother changed my whole life. By that time, I had already had a higher engineering education, a prestigious job as a commercial director in a private company, and also my own family. After my mother's death, I took all the oil paints home with me, and it was as if her inspiration and passion for the art of painting descended on me. I had been painting all night long. Knowing the basics of drawing, my hands just intuitively deduced the pictorial forms, and by the end of the work I had already known exactly what was reflected on the canvas. But the most mysterious thing in this story was the call of my own sister, who, after the first night of my immersion in painting, asked me about what I had been doing that night. I was surprised by her question and she explained to me that she had dreamed of our mother that night, who said that she was next to me… Then I realized that my development in this art is my path. Since then, I have been independently studying the basics of painting and drawing in online schools, studying in master classes with artists from St. Petersburg and Moscow, and now I can no longer imagine my life without creativity.

Very impressive. It is admirable that the loss of your mother, despite the grief left in your heart, makes you strive to create valuable artworks, both to calm yourself down and to make her happy and satisfied. So, you have never had a moment of doubt to question your art career entirely, have you?

My career in art began at a conscious age, when I was 30 years old. Wherever I studied in my life, I was always the first and received diplomas with honors. It was easy to study and the spirit of perfectionism has always been my companion. Therefore, when I started drawing, I had very strong doubts about my professionalism due to the lack of academic art education. "Impostor syndrome" accompanied me for several years. And only successful participation in International Art Competitions helped me completely overcome this.

What is your daily routine when working in your studio? This question is frequently asked by our readers because they are curious about whether The artist's every day job is just painting or or doing other things besides.

My career in art began at a conscious age, when I was 30 years old. Wherever I studied in my life, I was always the first and received diplomas with honors. It was easy to study and the spirit of perfectionism has always been my companion. Therefore, when I started drawing, I had very strong doubts about my professionalism due to the lack of academic art education. "Impostor syndrome" accompanied me for several years. And only successful participation in International Art Competitions helped me completely overcome this.

What is your daily routine when working in your studio? This question is frequently asked by our readers because they are curious about whether The artist's every day job is just painting or or doing other things besides.

All my life I have been learning, getting new knowledge, and learning different techniques. My creative process is divided into three parts: the first is learning. This is the study of theory and working out new skills on the canvas. The second part is thinking about new projects, paintings, thinking through concepts. This is an intellectual work that fills my work with new meanings and gives it development. Well, the third part: it is the most significant in terms of time – the process of painting itself. Here I just fall through time and space. Everything just freezes up… My whole being is captured by the idea of implementing what I have planned on the canvas, and until the result is achieved, the work will continue.

Our readers will greatly appreciate the natural beauty of your artworks. So, take us through your process of making your artworks. Actually, how do you move from an idea to an artwork? And where does an artwork begin for you?

I'm a visual artist. And it is very important to me that the work that I create is aesthetic for human perception. It must carry a certain energy of beauty into this world. As for me, the work begins with inspiration of the nature I have seen, which I want to capture on canvas then. And the goal will be achieved if I manage to stop the moment with the help of colors and, without making an exact copy, grab the main meaning, even if I have to exaggerate a little in color and form. This will help to enhance the effect of the work and give it depth.

In your artworks, you have depicted scenic landscape and nature. Even images and any other concept are somehow mixed with nature or landscape. So, can we say there is a central concept connecting all your works together or each series or artwork is unique?

All my works are united only by the delight of the beauty of nature! These are beautiful women's images, flowers, and magnificent landscapes!

Would you like to give a particular interpretation of your work to your viewers or you prefer to leave the whole interpretation to your audience?

I would like every viewer to enjoy the contemplation of my paintings. They should not "break" their brain. Everyone will receive a certain message that my works contain, and it will be quite personal.

Definitely. It seems that showing off natural beauties requires a lot of inspiration and motivation that can guide the artist's soul to see, feel and display. How do you seek and use inspiration for your works?

Every moment, the surrounding space, people can create inspiration for their works – all this I carefully examine, I try to see the beauty and uniqueness. Mindfulness and a broad view make it possible to fill my soul with life-giving energy. And this source is inexhaustible, and my soul demands a new delight in beauty. The birth of the idea of a new picture is always unexpected and completely absorbs my consciousness. From this moment to the last stroke, I am completely at the mercy of the painting process.

You said you want to show this beauty to the viewers and transfer the energy to them. To fulfill this purpose, how do you select your artworks subjects? Where they come from?

My work is divided into three areas: flowers, landscapes and women's images.

I know it's kind of hard for you to decide which artwork or series you like the most but it is the most of our curious readers’ question that “Is there an artwork or series that you would like to be remembered for?” And if yes, what is it?

Sure, I have an extraordinary mystical painting called "Towards Yourself". This is a fantastic landscape about a girl floating in a boat on a water surface with reflecting clouds. The painting is uses unrealistic colors and seems to be divided into two symmetrical parts horizontally. The idea of the picture is to realize the meaning of life, which boils down to the fact that this is the way to yourself. The world that surrounds us is much more voluminous, wider, brighter, deeper, wiser and there is an immeasurable amount of Love in it! And we are an inseparable part of it. And the mystique of this picture is that by drawing it horizontally, I unconsciously drew the image of the Higher Self. This can be seen by turning the picture vertically. Moreover, I even didn’t notice it by myself, those were my friends who paid attention to it! By the way, this picture has immediately found its owner and moved to Canada.

Our readers can’t wait to know about any upcoming works or future projects that you would like to share with them.

I have already had several projects in my head, but first of all I would like to create an art project "Pearl Sequence", where women's images will live in eloquent poses. And all the images will be connected by one pearl thread. I don't want to give out all the details, but it should be an original series.

Our readers are willing to know your key art influences during your artistic path. Who are your favorite contemporary or historical artists, and why?

I am fascinated by the paintings of the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. His style is characterized by sensual symbolism. A special role in the work is played by women's images, which are made in an original monumental and decorative manner. Also, I would mention the Russian artist Ivan Slavinsky, who is the one of the contemporary artists in the world of art. I am so close to his style of painting. This is a synergy of realism, postmodernism and surrealism.

Have you ever thought about having a chance to meet artists from ancient times? If you could meet one of your ideal artists from the past, who would it be and what will you ask about?

If I really had the opportunity, I would be immensely happy to meet Leonardo da Vinci. The genius of this great man is undeniable. And my question would concern the painting "The Last Supper". The most discussed secret of the fresco is the figure of the disciple, located on the right hand of Christ. It is believed that this is none other than Mary Magdalene and her location indicates the fact that she was not the mistress of Jesus, as is commonly believed, but his legitimate wife. This fact is confirmed by the letter "M", which is formed by the contours of the bodies of the pair. Allegedly, it means the word "Matrimonio", which means"marriage". What would Leonardo have said to me???

Let’s talk a little bit more about creating a spiritual and inspiring artwork that comes from the nature. Our readers have been curious if in your experience, it is like a spark growing into a flame, or it just happens one day at once?

My research on the level of human spirituality shows that our fast-paced time, with its insane saturation of information and material overconsumption, has changed nothing in the category of true beauty. Man is still inspired and spiritually cleansed by contemplation of natural nature.
The idea of a new painting is born unconsciously and suddenly, at the moment when the perfection of nature completely captures my being and turns off my mind. From that moment until the last stroke, I am completely in the power of the painting process. It is as if everything around me is in the background and the search for color and form on canvas becomes the main focus.
My mission in painting is to return people to the origins of natural beauty, in which they will draw energy and their own inspiration for further development.

In some of your artworks, if someone is going to accompany the scenery and nature, like “Fermata” or “To Meet Myself”, it is a woman. Our readers are would like to know whether there is an essential philosophy behind this expression.

Yes, of course, this female image is in a sense a metaphorical manifestation of me. It illustrates the current moment in my life and tells about my inner state.

“Fermata” is kind of interesting concept from some of our readers’ viewpoint. For those who do not know, please elaborate what is “Fermata”? Also, why do you think you are so attracted to this subject?

A fermata is a sign of musical notation, prescribing the performer to extend the duration of a note at his discretion. In the interpretation of the image in the painting, it is a time filled with the sound of music, which is left within the space, but without the participation of the instrument. For me it is a kind of pause in life, filled with your inner melody.

Some of our readers are emerging artists trying various careers and mediums. If you mentored younger artists who are beginning their art careers in Realism or Naturalism, what single most important piece of advice would you offer?

If you feel that without creativity your life has no meaning and it becomes gray and insignificant, find the strength and tenacity not to turn away from this path! Draw inspiration from nature, from amazing people - mentors, and surround yourself with those who support you and don't doubt your success. And then, when you get up to the canvas, you will always only be filled!

And a frequent question from our readers: As you picture Autumn more than other seasons and in “Autumn Rhapsody” you mentioned “such mature beauty is possible only in autumn”, what does Fall exactly mean to you?

Thank you for your question. In my worldview, autumn metaphorically represents a time of awareness. A time when a person, by going through a certain cycle of development, comes to very important life discoveries.