Fantasy Artists Emerging

1. First of all, I have to know….are you Wonder Woman in disguise?! Or do you have a clone? How do you manage to get so much accomplished?
1) No “Wonder Woman” here, ma dear!  Is that what they’re calling “insanity” these days? 
2) I would love to have a clone, starting at least 15 years retroactively….and she better hustle cuz the to-do list is GROWING! 
3)  And what makes you think I get so much accomplished?  Most days I am cursing how much I do NOT get done!!!  *wink*
 
I think it’s great for any of us to know that in a pinch, if there’s a family crisis, or we’ve inadvertently over-committed ourselves, that for a limited period of time you have the capability of pulling off management skills of ”Wonder Woman”.  But as a steady gig, UGH!  it’s “too much”, possibly indicates a psychological glutton for punishment, and can yield major stress-out and a generally over-cooked individual. I’ve pushed the edge on that and can testify, it’s not worth it to hear anyone praise you cuz, “You can do it ALL.”  I prefer to bask in my flaws and inadequacies!  LOL!  But reaching that edge, doing too much, confronting it, helped me to know when to pull-back in some areas of my work and life, know when to say “no” louder or re-prioritize…..a valuable lesson to not learn too late. 
 
To get-done the things that I do everyday, manage & support my family and businesses (which is what I think you’re asking me), I try really hard to economize my time, cut-out wasteful or mindless time-gobblers (or people), multi-task a lot, stay in-motion, stay up late, and start the day with a very large pot of high octane coffee. Sleep for me, is a near-death experience.  :)  But it is, quite simply, the busiest years of my life and sometimes there’s no getting around that to reach the next years.  I “used to think” that the baby and toddler years with kids were the craziest and most sleepless of my life.  Naw…the teenage years take the cake.  But soon my kids will be grown, my time-demands and costs less, and I’ll have the opportunity to sleep, paint, and THEN wonder how I got through it. ;)  About that time…the grandkids will start rolling around….
 
2. You have a thriving soap business-Simply Soap. Tell us how you’ve managed to grow that business into such a successful venture.
Thanks for the plug!  Success with the soap biz was largely a convergence of “good timing”…really!  Handmade soap was a newly revived craft-of-old 15 or so years ago when I started doing it, and becoming popular. I stumbled into making it over my own sensitive skin.  People owning their own PC’s, introduction of the internet, and online shopping was in it’s infancy but growing in popularity.  When there was only a handful of vendors like I was one of at the time, easily accessible online to get (what was) this unique product, you grow quick as a business!  Then once you’re around a while, it becomes more an issue of “Do I really want to grow large, or stay smaller and manageable, on my own?”)  Hopefully all the experimenting I did to create my soap recipes and designs help sell the product too…cuz I am so not a sales person! 
 
My only regret is that I didn’t start along my path into fantasy art THEN, offering it online THEN….as well!  No question it can be harder to break into a more saturated market “later”, rather than sooner.  But EVERYONE has a niche and audience; you just have to find it and then hone in on it like a pesky gnat!  :) 
 
3. In addition to your Wild Oaks Art website, you now have Enchantasies. Your new art there is very different than what you’ve been doing. What made you take your art in this direction?
Yes, Enchantasies…I couldn’t resist!  This is what happens when I get an idea, my juices flow, and I can’t stop myself!  It’s a sickness.  So I really ought not complain about “more work”!  But I can’t sleep until I DO a thing I’m imagining.  I, and now my daughter with me, have always been enchanted by the realm of the witch!  A special website to contain art of that realm seemed a natural direction for me, separate from my more fairy-like art. It is still new, but I hope to add much more soon!  I have many sketches for it stacked up on my art table …..not to forget those Post-Its stuck to the inside of my head!
 
4. Tell me what inspires you to create, as nothing else can.
“As nothing else can”….hmmm!  Psssst !  Hey Kell…..Is it OK to say “sex”?  :::chuckle::: (What’s more “like nothing else” inspiring than the love of good man? I mean, REALLY?)  But in case that’s not OK….  :::clears throat, straightens glasses, puts hair back in a bun:::
 
…..my other most potent inspiration is the outdoors, specifically my favorite place in the entire world–Lake Tahoe where we vacation each year and hope to live one day! The West Shore, also referred to as “The Magical West Shore” is truly nothing short of pure magic…..the forest, the lake, Emerald Bay, Vikings Holm Castle, the surrounding smaller lakes, trails, rivers, creeks.  When we hike amongst the magnificent trees, hear the wind, I get a spine-tingling feeling up and down my entire body.  I feel like my eyes see clearer, my ears hear everything, and all of my senses are incredibly fine-tuned like an animal.  I can palpably feel electricity in the environment and am compelled to reproduce that magic in some form on paper.  I live all year on the memories and photos of our vacations there. Inspiring to me also, is the purity of spirit in children and animals because I sense that the world of fantasy (at least “my” version of it) would not settle for anything less than that purity, honesty, and wonder.
 
5. Pretend you have an entire weekend to yourself…no husband or kids, no soap orders to fill…what would you do?
Well, after I got done bawling my eyes out cuz I’d miss them so much and can’t stand to be alone… :::peeks out window:::  Are they far enough away that I can stop bawling now??? 
 
:::rubs hands together in glee:::: I’d likely spring out of bed at the crack of dawn cuz times-a-wastin’ and I do so love morning, power down coffee till I’ve got a good set of “the shakes” goin’, exercise with the pups, shower, maybe even put my cuddly jammies back on or my lucky outfit, plug-in some Aerosmith or a good DVD in the workshop, dance a bit before a long day of sitting….. and work on ART!  Sketching, painting, and not stop till I completed a piece!  A WHOLE DAY finishing a piece!  Woot!  You have no idea what a thrill that is for me to do!  I feel like I’m getting away with something!  I’m getting-to-do, what I rarely get-to-DO! 
 
Later I’d shop at my favorite little market and get some of my favorite foods to eat like artichokes, mangoes, salad with feta cheese and pine nuts, a dessert that somehow honors the heavenly combination of chocolate and caramel…maybe have a glass of merlot as I prepare the food.  Make something special for the pups too, cuz they’re my buds and deserve a treat, too…and Lord knows they’ll stare me down till I flip them a treat anyway!!
 
I’d look with fresh eyes and decide if I really like what I painted or what needed touching up on it, fix it, dry it, scan it, post it on my site, make shopping cart buttons for it.  Leave it alone for awhile while I hike with & wrassle the pups again.  Come back, fix the painting AGAIN, re-scan it, re-post it.  LOL!  (typical)  Plan my next piece.  Start it. Start getting tired.  :::yawn!:::  Take a bath in candlelight–gotta use up all that soap in the house!  Get into bed with my pups, one on each side of me making a fur samwich–I’m the peanut butter!.  Talk on phone to hubby and kids who can’t stand to not call me while they’re away….say “I Love You’s” cuz you simply must never pass the chance to do so.  Plug in music.  Read till I fall asleep.  Dream of enchanted things…ahhh…good day!   Repeat the following day but also include a trip horseback riding.  I don’t get much more inventive than that if I’m alone.  Good times….for me by myself.
 
So…when do I get to HAVE that entire weekend??? You DID say that was part of the deal if I did the interview, Kelly.  …..Kelly?  ReMEMber? 
 
6. OK, “Soap Witch”, what is one of the magic ingredients in your soap that makes it so different from other soaps? Besides the eye of newt….I already know about that!
Well…sheesh…you just gave it away Kelly!!!  Remind me NOT to tell YOU where the keys to the kingdom are stowed! 
 
The “other” magic ingredient in my soaps could only be the chanting I do over them.  And this is foretold on my labels.  “Handmade Old World style with Earth’s best offerings and of course, the murmurings and chants of the soap maker.” 
 
There ya have it!  Now don’t tell anyone or they’ll steal the secret ingredient and I’ve got a copyright on that! 
 
7. One thing about you that few may know is that you are also a talented writer. What kinds of things do you enjoy writing about?
 That is kind of you to accuse me of!  If the length of this interview is any indication, I guess I must be at least a “writer”…..LOL!
 
Like art, writing is subjective…and rejection slips bountiful!  I don’t write as much now compared to what I used to do….except in e-mails and posts!  But writing, along with art is something I’ve done as long as I can remember; … poetry, stories, I used to be a staff writer for a local newspaper covering all the local school beats and neighborhood doin’s, wrote some articles for parenting type magazines.  I took all the courses for The Institute of Children’s Literature and wrote a lot of children’s stories there for awhile when my own kids were smaller…none were published, but are part of our family collection of storybooks. I’d like to do more of that again…but BE published!! ;)   A dream of mine is to collaborate with myself as a writer/illustrator on a children’s book!  I have some preliminary ideas & sketches roughed out…but like many of my dreams I currently work on them mostly in my head, while I’m doing my “paying work”–he he
 
8. The Faery Blessing Bottles on your Wild Oaks Art website are enchanting. Tell us about the legend behind these bottles….
Thank you very much!  They are fun to make and one of my best-sellers!  I love botanicals, grow many myself, and this was (pardon the pun) a ”natural” for me to make! I like to collect books on faerie lore etc., and came across the legend attached to these:
 
Herbal intention or “blessing” bottles have existed in European and early American history & folklore for centuries!  Legend has it that Celtic faeries in Arthurian times first bestowed them as gifts!  They were lovingly created from the bounty of castle or faery gardens and given to friends & loved ones for protection and good wishes. 
 
We’ve renewed this quaint, ancient tradition and offer them with the brightest of blessings and magic associated with each colorful and fragrant botanical layered in the bottle!  
 
9. You have recently put together a group called The Fantasy Art Gathering. Tell us more about that and what inspired you to create it.
Yes!  I’ve been deeply touched by how many wonderful artists I’ve met on the internet in MANY venues. Many kind souls who can be so helpful and supportive, regardless of level of skill, or at what point in your art career you are, or how sales-popular you are or aren’t; they are artistically inspiring, and just plain good folks who have been where you are, want to see other artists prosper!  I feel blessed by their friendship and association.  I decided to offer a website that honors artists who want to join, who share in that same spirit and mutual support of one another so that together we can share the availability of our talents and gain more exposure together!  I simply offer a free artist page listing to each artist along with listings in art-by-theme categories to invite site visitors to be introduced to and find the kind of fantasy art they are looking for, and hopefully boost exposure for us all through reciprocal linking.  There is also a sister My Space for The Fantasy Art Gathering!  The website is ranking fairly high on search engines, and I have personally gained several new customers and ties to the art industry from the exposure this group has created, as well as new friends I value, and artists I admire!  Anyone is welcome to check it out!  http://www.wildoaksart.com/TheFantasyArtGathering.htm
 

10. Which of your paintings is your favorite and why?
Hmm.  At the moment, I’d say “Swamp Sprite”, which my daughter Stephanie posed for.  And I’ve always had a soft spot for “Finwe”, which my son Nick, as a little boy, was the inspiration for.  Such an impy lil’ guy!  I love turning real kids into fantasy!  Plus, it immortalizes my kids in art!  They are quite proud of their respective pieces they inspired, and I do so love to hear my kids brag about their mom to their friends. Sure beats when they’re raggin’ on how strict they think I am!    *wink*
 
11. You’ve had the magical experience of chancing upon things (Fairy, when you were a child) others may never see in a lifetime. Tell us about this experience and how it molded you…
Yes…um, while you’re up getting the funny coat with the sleeves that tie at the back out of the closet….can you grab me something to drink, non-medicated?…*wink* 
 
OK…if you REALLY want to know…..
When I was a child and we lived in New York, we had the most beautiful pink ornamental cherry tree in our front yard.  In the spring and early summer when it bloomed it looked like a giant wad of cotton candy, the blossoms were so thick and fragrant.  It was my favorite dreaming spot.  I’d take a blanket there to lie and dream, draw, read or play.  You could pluck the blossoms and suck the sweet nectar off the stem–yum! 
 
One afternoon I lay there, looking up between the branches, and yes, I saw, an actual fairy.  Even *I* thought I was luzenit…more so than YOU probably think, in reading this! I blinked, trying to be sure I had not dozed and was actually seeing what I was actually seeing!  I felt paralyzed, trying not to move or even breathe for fear of scaring it away.  It was the tiniest of creatures no more than 3-4 inches tall, female I presumed, by her feminine little face, leaf-like dress, and wings that were flitting as fast as a hummingbird’s.  She seemed to be sniffing and sampling the blossom nectar, poking her finger in and out of blossoms, flitting from flower to flower…her wings softly buzzing.  She stopped, looked at me what felt like a good five seconds or more, I just kept staring…wondering “What next?”, then she zoomed out from under the canopy of blossoms. I hopped up to follow…..but could not catch sight of her. 
 
My heart pounded, I was breathless…..purely stunned!  It took me a bit to decide whether to even dare move, or stay still to see if she was yet around and would re-appear!  I felt dizzy!  THEY DO EXIST!!!!!!  I finally ran in to tell my mother who listened to my story and excitedly agreed with me that they do exist and encouraged me to keep looking for her!   
 
I grabbed a large empty pickle jar from the Tupperware cupboard and my Brownie camera and ran out to stake out my watch.  I stayed there all afternoon, all evening, well into the night, jar and lid in-hand, eyes peeled furtively.  I sat there so long I finally dragged over a reclining lawn chair to lean my head back on cuz I was frozen in an upward stare and my neck got stiff.  I was afraid to leave and miss anything, but had to pee desperately–thought I was going to explode!  My mom watched for me, while I ran to the bathroom and she later brought me my dinner, but she finally made me come in for bed.  But, I later snuck out and resumed my watch well into the wee hours of the morn when I fell asleep.  No fairy. 
 
I fruitlessly continued my watch several days and nights after that, growing more disappointed by the day, even altering my “methods” to perhaps improve my chances…..hiding the camera and pickle jar under a blanket, out of view……bringing an offering of juice and cookie bits on a tiny plate perched in the tree branches……plucking blossoms for her and squeezing out the nectar into a tea set cup so it would lure her back….all to no avail. 
 
I dared not share my story with my brothers or older sister who would ridicule me no end I was sure, but I confided to my beloved Grandfather.  Grandpa assured me that he believed me and that if a fairy appeared for me, I must be a very special and magical girl for the fairy to reveal to me that the secret is REAL!  I took great comfort in his assurances and he remained one of my closest allies in life and heart secrets until he died a couple of years later.  A loss I never quite got over….gone much too soon!
 
Although my fairy never reappeared to me, I learned over time, and by believing my Grandfather’s words, to be satisfied that I was gifted to see a fairy even once…to know that the fae realm is real.  I’ve carried that gift with me always and am thusly a hopeless romantic for all things enchanted and magical…they live for me, tied by a heart string to that memory. 
 
12. What drives you to create? What is the goal you are reaching for with your art?
Well, I do believe things happen because they start as germ seed ideas in your head, then you CHOOSE to take steps to follow-through and MAKE them happen.  You CHOOSE to create and not wait till the mood or inspiration moves you necessarily.  I love making art, always have, and will always do it in some form till I die, whether I become largely successful with it or not.   But that begs the question…what is “successful”?  I feel “successful” when I have an entire day to paint and capture an idea on paper exactly as I saw it in my head and it is now hanging on my own wall!  Thrills me!  But most thrilling is when another human being enjoys what I’ve created and wants it for themselves!  Do I dream of being wildly successful in the usual, commercial sense of the word?  Yes, who doesn’t play with that fantasy? And um, not sure…… for me, life is about more than money and the headaches associated with making it and managing it.
 
I love soap making, will always do that, but it IS labor-intense. I would enjoy a balanced schedule with equal time for art.  I want to DO art more frequently so I can more quickly improve, stay sharp, produce art often and have it become viable enough a venture that I might transition out of soap making full-time, into a half-and-half schedule, at least.  Yet I hope art as a business never becomes so busy that I don’t have time to paint because I’m so busy managing the business end. But I s’pose that would be a good problem to have to sweat over! 
 
Yin and Yang.  All things are about balance.  I have at times heard younger artists without the responsibilities of marriage, children, or other businesses speak of their freedom to paint all day professionally and I’ve wistfully envied them that glorious freedom. But my time for that will come again…in time.  In the meanwhile, I have other dreams I chose to pursue like marriage, children, other businesses, and I’m fulfilling my commitment to them and very much enjoying those gifts in my life!  You don’t get a second chance to make the most of your kids’ childhoods, time they are home.  Years are coming very soon when with my kids will be all off to college or on their own, I’ll have more art time and we’ll see where it goes from there…..stay tuned, I’m not dead yet!  Hehehe….  My mom began painting in her 70’s and is now blowing me away with her talent.  When I asked her why she didn’t start sooner, she said cuz she was so busy taking care of all of us, she just never thought she had time. I don’t want to wait till I’m 70 to paint….so I’m satisfied with what little time I make a point to use now!  
 
13. What is your most beloved holiday and why?
Halloween, of course!  Because it’s magical, a time closest to the veil between the spirit world…..and because I DO so love to fly!
 
Now ENOUGH  ::cough, choke, gag::: about me, thank you very much Kelly, but when do we get an interview with YOU?!?!?!  I’d be most happy to ask YOU the questions!  ::evil grin:: 
 
::: chants::: Kel-LY!  Kel-LY!  Kel-LY! 

http://www.wildoaksart.com     WildOaksArt@aol.com
http://www.enchantasies.com  info@enchantasies.com 
http://www.simplysoap.com     simplysoap@aol.com
 
 
 

1. Jessica, you have a real skill for painting realistic animals. Your fur looks like you could reach out and touch it. How do you achieve this level of realism?

    I am really picky and for me it is important that I take my time with every painting and pay attention to every detail in it. I think I am born that way. It´s kind of amusing because I am far from being picky when it comes to other things in my life. I am a rather easy going person except for when it comes to my own art. Like most artists I often use reference photos. It can be photos I have permission to use or it can be photos I have taken myself. Most of the time I use many different photos of many different cats (if a cat is what I am painting) to create one single cat in a realism-styled painting. I look at the pose in some photos, patterns, colors and light in other photos, and the direction of the fur in others. To paint every little hair in the right direction is really adding to the realistic look.

2. How does living in Sweden affect your art business? Would you say it hampers you in any way or not?

    Both yes and no, I suppose. The market here is very small obviously, making it difficult for many artists to make their living. On the other hand it is perhaps more easy to be seen. It has been a good place to start. I have learned a lot, and have been allowed to grow both as an artist and as an art business owner, on a smaller playground, which I think is helping me now as I am expanding to other both bigger and tougher markets in the world. And I must say that there can´t be many people that are more grateful for the internet than I am! It makes it so much easier running an art business from this rather remote place on Earth, and provides me with the fantastic opportunity to work all over the world from home.

3. You manage to get so much detail in your paintings, including your ACEOs. What is your secret for this?

    I am quite used to draw tiny, I always tend to sketch tiny so I think it comes naturally for me to also paint small. Helpful tools are of course tiny brushes. I use the very smallest, #0 and #1 a lot. I don´t know if that makes any sense, perhaps the brushes are numbered differently in the USA? Oh, and I don´t cut my ACEOs until I have finished them. At least I imagine that it would be more difficult to handle the card, and paint it when it is already cut to size.

4. Your art subjects are always enchanting. Where do you draw inspiration from for your art?

    From everywhere around me – nature and its four seasons, music, my children, books. Everything in the world around me inspires me to create. Life is a pretty enchanting thing! I also really enjoy the work of other artists. The way they create a mood or a certain light in a painting or illustration can be a fantastic inspiration!

5. Do you have any other hobbies besides art? If so, tell us about them.

    Oh, I have so many hobbies that it is really hard for me to find time for them all. But I think that is the case for most artists. The creativity colors our lives in all aspects. Besides my art - which includes painting, enjoying other artists work and reading books about anything that has to do with art - I love to garden, train my dog and read “regular” books aswell (not about art). I also like to play guitar and sing, but nowadays it is pretty much only children´s songs exclusively that sound from our house. To mention a few other interests I like to write, sew and cross stitch, and I also love crafting of all kinds. But besides my family and our pets, painting is my biggest interest of all.

6. You are a full time artist that makes your living entirely from your art. What tips do you have for others hoping to accomplish this goal one day?

    Decide what you want to do, what the ultimate goal is. There is a lot of different ways to earn a living as an artist, so I believe knowing exactly what you want to do is a must to pursue a career. Do you want to sell originals and/or prints, do you want to teach, illustrate books, or do you want to license? What is going to be your main source of income? For me, I always knew I wanted to do licensing. Everything else I do is just the icing on the cake for me.  When you have decided where you want to go, get to know your goal. Study everything about it. Internet is a fantastic resource and by studying and learning all you can about your goal you will know better how to get there. Divide it into smaller goals and keep working towards them, one at a time. And always believe in yourself, believe that you can reach what you are striving for if you are willing to work for it. You have to be critical of your own work and learn to see what is good and what is not so good about your paintings. Get to know your weak points and work on them. For most artists our creations are our babies, but if you want to work with corporate clients like I do you need to develop a thick skin. They will not care about your hurt feelings, they just need a piece of art and if it´s not living up to their expectations they will let you know. It is never personal, so learning to not take it personal is vital for any artist´s health. And don´t forget that anything is possible. Others have done it before you and do it every day, so you can too!

7. Since you have had no formal training in art, what do you feel has helped you to grow artistically the most?

    The expectations and needs from my clients, is what comes to mind first. I already had the basics in drawing and a trained eye when I started my business, having grown up as an only child drawing everyday, but what not many people know is that I had probably only done 2 or 3 watercolor paintings when I decided I wanted to do this fulltime. So I made 2 paintings which along with some sketches got me in contact with a large company that I am still working with today. Their and all my other clients´ expectations and needs have forced me to push myself beyond all limitations. My own competitive mind has also pushed me forward of course. I want to be better all the time. Not better than anyone else, but better than me. I am only satisfied with a new painting for a brief moment, then I look at the mistakes I´ve made and move on to produce something (hopefully) better.

8. How does it feel to be able to go into stores and see your own art on greeting cards and stickers?

    That is fun although a rather strange feeling, somewhat surreal. Many times it is a piece of art I have done maybe a year earlier or so and then I run into it in some store in the form of a napkin, card or sticker thinking “Oh, hey there is that piece! Wow, so this ended up in this store too, cool!” It’s also fun when I see my stuff in a new store that hasn´t carried it before.

9. In what ways do you market yourself and your art? Which are the most successful for you?

    I started out mailing samples to potential clients, like greeting card companies and magazines. Just simple collages of my art printed out on ordinary paper. That turned out to be a good thing which is now the reason why I am running an artist business fulltime. I am also trying to have a presence on the internet, having my own website and also exploring other venues on the World Wide Web, like online galleries and also Ebay which I see as great for marketing. There is quite a lot you can do that won´t cost you a fortune. I am also trying to network with other artists and have made some great friendships on the road.

10. The cottage where you live is utterly enchanting! Tell us about your home.   

    I live (and thrive) far away from everything – if you by everything mean shops, restaurants and neonlights - and that is how I need to live to feel alive. My red and white wooden cottage is situated outside a small country village about 50 miles from Sweden´s second largest city, Gothenburg, on the Swedish westcoast. Far out on the countryside with fields that goes down to a lake to the south and deep forests to the north, I live with my family which consists of Peter and our girls, 2 dogs, 4 cats, 2 gerbils, 2 bunnies and a bunch of chickens. Having a house means almost constant renovations because when it seems like you´re finally done you´ve got to start all over again, but it is a beauty to that too. Next big project is going to be a new studio, I hope!

11. You have lots of pets. Do your own pets ever wind up as models for your art?    

    Yes, they do! In my “Band of Brothers” painting with three cats, two of the cats are painted with my own cats as models. One of my bunnies ended up in a magazine illustration aswell, together with my youngest daughter. I constantly try to take reference pictures of my pets, but it´s a hard task to get good photographs of animals. They never do as they are told!

12. Of all your paintings, which is your favorite and why?   

    Always the latest one. Honestly, I fall in love with almost every painting I finish. It lasts for about a day until I start to see the flaws and the love fades away. Then I move on to make myself another painting to fall in love with. However, I do have a couple of favorites. “Fairy Princess´ Kiss” has a special place in my heart, both because of the colors, light and composition but also for the subject ii depicts. I have always loved fairy tales and magic, and I love to paint children which I rarely have the opportunity to do, so in this painting I got to combine them all. Another favorite is the above mentioned “Band of Brothers”.

13. What is your favorite holiday and how do you prepare for it?   

    I really like Halloween! Unfortunately it is not such a big holiday here in Sweden, but we have pumpkin lights and my girls dress up as witches. It´s a smaller version of the American celebration but I hope it is a tradition we´ll keep. It´s a lovely holiday to have in the autumn darkness.     My absolute favorite holiday season is Christmas! I love to decorate my house, both indoors and outdoors and we do a lot of preparations. The actual celebration of Christmas in Sweden is on Christmas Eve. It´s that day when Santa arrives and we give and recieve presents.
   On the four Sundays before Christmas Eve it is Advent, one on each Sunday and we light a candle in an Advent candleholder every Sunday. When four candles are lit, Christmas is near! My girls and I bake gingerbread cookies and make gingerbread houses, I prepare their wall Advent Calendars with a gift for everyday and the whole family goes out in the woods to pick our christmas tree.     I always try to do some kind of crafting with the girls as well. Oh, you’ve got me in a Christmas mood now!     Artful Colors by Jessica

1. You both write about and draw your vampire characters. Which came first, the story or the drawings?
First off, thanks for turning the spotlight in my direction. I feel very honored, there have been some really great artists spotlighted here, and I look forward to more of your great questions. Now onto your question. The vampires. Well, I’ve always been fascinated by vampire tales so I supposed it had to happen sometime. My vampires actually came from a dream I had one night about two years ago. Which then turned into a challenge from a friend to put that dream down on paper. So the writing came first, and being the really selfish person I am, I wanted to be the one to give them all faces, so I started illustrating them. ^^ Since then I’ve learned to share, and there have been some really amazing renditions both in writing and painting done for me by artist/writer friends. Maggie Hawthorne, and Caron Vinson have both done beautiful paintings of Dorian, one of my main characters.
2. If you had to choose; which is your greatest love-writing or drawing?
Good question. Almost impossible to make a choice. Both writing and painting fill different creative needs. Painting is more intuitive for me; it makes anything bad in my day slip away as though it never happened. It’s a great equalizer for me and makes me very happy. If my body didn’t demand food and sleep, I could paint indefinitely, but every once in a while a person has to come up for air, darnit. I can always paint. Writing is not the same it is very personal. My head has to be in the right place to sit down and write, but once I find that place, it sucks me in. (get it ^^) Most of the time, it seems I come up with a much smarter story than I am capable of writing. So it takes me a while to figure out how to incorporate all the story details that I’ve decided are part of the tale into the tale. So in answer to your question, I can’t really say which one I love more, but painting is more second nature, but both make me feel like a richer person. Not really an answer, was it?
3. You participate in a lot of conventions. How did you first get your start with that and what tips do you have for others wanting to travel this path?
Conventions are great, and so much fun. Not only do you get your work out there, but also you get to be part of an artistic community. I have met some of my dearest friends at conventions that I’ve been a part of. I got started doing it with a friend I’d made on-line. We decided that it would be fun to share a table and see how we did. That was about 4 years ago, and I still share that table with her. As far as advice goes, the first order of business is to have fun. If you’re not enjoying the time you spend there, it will come across to everyone who visits your table. When you are just starting out, don’t pin every hope that this show is going to be the ‘be all end all’ for your artistic career. It could happen, but usually it takes time. But if you are genuine with people, and engage them with enthusiasm about your work, they will respond and you will start to see familiar faces when you return the following year. I have people who continually support my work year after year and that’s part of the real fun is seeing those people. From a set up standpoint, it is good to have little things that people can buy, mini prints, stickers, you know, little stuff that you don’t have to charge an arm and a leg for.
4. What one thing has helped you to grow artistically more than anything else?
Practice. I draw every day, without fail. When you do that, the only choice you give yourself is to get better. ^^ I also have friends and other artists who inspire me, and challenge me to keep stepping up my game. I know there are those artists that are really protective of their techniques and style, and are less than generous with information, but luckily, I do not know any of them. If you have a question about a particular technique you see, ask the artist. Almost all I’ve met have been more than willing to share any knowledge they have. It’s quite wonderful.

5. Tell us who one of your favorite artists is and why they are your favorite.
Though my style is nothing like his, I really love J.W. Waterhouse. Everything about his work disarms me when I see it. The thing I like the most is the emotion that he was able to put in his works. I am greatly moved by him. It makes me try that much harder to make all my work full of emotion and life.
6. What influences does your life have on your art and writing, if any?
My work is my life. Almost everything has some effect of what comes out of me creatively. My husband, my dogs, the sunflowers I have planted along the fence…everything. I can’t even count the times that my husband has said something to me that will trigger a thought that leads to a painting, or a line in my story. (whether he likes it or not, ^^) My dad was a pretty solitary person, and growing up, he taught me to take notice and be observant of my life. So I suppose that my habit of pulling my life into my work came from him.
7. If you could meet one famous person of your choice and spend the day picking their brain, who would it be and why?
Oh gosh. My first inclination is to say Johnny Depp, for obvious reasons. ^^ But I will resist that temptation. I’ve always been drawn to this fellow Terry Gilliam. He is a former member of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and has since gone on to make really extraordinary movies. (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King to name a few) He has such an interesting outlook on creativity and how he sees the world that I think it would be an amazing day if I were able to spend it with him. Or Johnny Depp.

8. What tips do you have to stay motivated to create?
I’m lucky in that I never really lose motivation, for long periods anyway. Usually if I don’t feel like working on art or writing, I just take a little break and the urge comes around to pick up a paintbrush or pencil. There are those days when I sit at my day job dwelling on the desire to go home and paint, and then when I get home I see the couch and think that plopping in front of the TV might be a better use of my time. At those times, if I can get past the couch and pick up a brush there is usually no problem. So I guess getting rid of comfy couches and good television programs would be my best motivator.
9. What medium do you find the most difficult to work with and why?
Markers. I’ve been doing a lot of small card work lately, and to achieve a colored piece on a thin 2.5×3.5 card you sometimes need to do marker work. I stink at it. ^^ I’m very used to the gradual building up of color, and with markers, there is really nothing gradual about it. I really enjoy the subtlety of watercolors, and have yet to get that effect from markers. So they are my new best friends, and I will play with them until I get the hang of them.
10. Are you drawn to creating a particular style of art or do you experiment with various styles?
I really try to test out new styles and techniques in my work. I enjoy the process of seeing if something is a good fit with your subject matter. Lately I’ve been trying out more cartoony styles, with bolder lines and very little shading. It’s been a lot of fun, but I still really enjoy the experience of doing a really polished sketch. There is nothing like starting with a blank sheet of paper and turning it into a vibrant, emotional piece. I concentrate mostly on people; I’ve just never really gotten the bug to draw landscapes and still-lives. But there are plenty of artists willing to pick up that baton. ^^

11. In your writing, do the characters represent real life people or are they purely figments of your imagination?
There are aspects of real people in the characters I write. None of them are straight forward a real person I know. My main characters especially, are made up of qualities that I find appealing or confusing or just sexy in real people that are in my life. I think it makes them more believable, richer, characters. The story itself has many details that are pulled from my life. Sometimes unintentionally. None are exactly taken from real life, but there are little things here and there throughout that are inspired by actual events. ^^ I sometimes read over things I’ve written and get a flash of déjà vu. It’s a little scary, but I haven’t really found a way to prevent my real life from seeping into my work. Actually, there is one character that I wrote specifically, for a friend, who is based on an actual person.
12. Tell us about your other interests outside of art and writing….
There’s life outside of art and writing? ^^ I have long been a fan of motorcycles, and quite recently become a fan of motorcycle racing. MotoGP to be exact, for anyone familiar. On any summer Sunday, my sweetheart and I can be found watching really fast motorcycle scream around a track in some exotic location around the world. I am also very fond of playing with my two great danes, they amuse me to no end, and many an afternoon has been spent lying in the yard with them. I am a certified diver, though I’ve only done lake dives in Minnesota and North Dakota. (don’t laugh) Someday I would love to dive in the big blue ocean. I like to ride motorcycle with my husband Craig. Sewing is good. I really enjoy singing, in and out of the shower. I am very good at planting gardens, and lousy at tending them once they are planted. I like to cook, though I am not all the fond of cleaning up the mess afterward. All in all, I am blessed with an interesting, adventurous life, thank you for letting me talk your ear off Kelly. xox

website: http://www.outofthemyst.com

Lj: http://mugmoni.livejournal.com/

DA: http://mugmoni.deviantart.com/

Vox: http://mugmoni.vox.com/

1. Your art features a lot of dark gothic themes. Do you enjoy this type of art more than lighter styles? If so, why?

I don’t know if I would say that I enjoy painting darker themes more than lighter ones. It just seems that the ideas that come to me are more often dark. I love to paint in black and grays or in a monochromatic color scheme. I know some artists say that they get bored if there aren’t a lot of colors or they don’t get to change colors often, but this has never seemed to be the case with me. Also I have always had a love for horror books and movies and am greatly inspired by them…Vampires in particular. So I will often take those influences and combine them with my love for Faeries/fantasy and then I have my gothy fantasy art.

2. Your bio at Deviant art states that you are inspired by heavy metal music. Who are your favorites?

Yes! I can’t create without music. I have to have it on; it helps with my artistic flow. I would say that Opeth is my absolute favorite. It seems like no matter what mood I am in, they have something that will suit it. My other favorites are In Flames, Children of Bodom and Pantera.

3. You write as well as create art. What do you write about and does it tie in with your art in any way?

My writing is about a fantasy world that I created a few years ago. Its main inhabitants are Elves, Faeries and Demons. The Demons are the enemies of the other races and have a dream of taking over the world. The Faeries kind of live separate from the rest but the threat still concerns them. The Faery world is the one that fascinates me most and was, ironically, the last part that I created. That is basically just a hobby of mine. I’m not quite as confident in my writing as I am in my art, but maybe someday that will change. It still needs a lot of organization and development. Some of my art is indeed based on my writing. I love to draw my characters. The fact that I end up drawing more from my stories than actually writing them has tipped me off that art is my greatest love. I’ll get an idea for a new character, and his/her story and then I’ll be thinking, “You know what? I have to draw them!!” lol

4. Do you use reference photos when creating your art? What is your take on this?

Yes, I use reference photos. I find them very helpful for getting anatomy right and realistic. I am trying to be slightly less dependant on them so that if I am unable to find a reference that fits my idea, I can still pull off the pose that I imagined and have it look natural. In the past I have had to slightly change things because I didn’t feel comfortable trying to manipulate the pose without a reference. So I’ve been trying to take more risks and just try it when I don’t have the greatest references. I have improved, but not as much as I’d like quite yet. That is one goal of mine.

5. What is your favorite medium to use and why is it your favorite?

Definitely watercolors! I just fell in love with them when I first tried them. There is so much that can be done with them. I love to mix other media with them too (such as gouache, colored pencil, acrylic, ink, watercolor pencils). This started off with my laziness and an attempt to speed the process up, but then I just liked the effects that I got from mixed media and began to almost always incorporate it into my art. I think this has sort of helped to define my style.

6. What is your biggest challenge artistically?

My biggest challenge would probably be backgrounds. That seems to be the focus of my frustration at the moment. I find myself being unsatisfied lately with my more simple backgrounds. I want to do something “bigger.” I want to create a whole scene, where the background is just as much of a focus or maybe more so than the main figure(s). So far, I haven’t quite achieved this to my liking. But it is definitely something that I plan to work harder on in the future. Not that I’m going to stop doing my portraits or anything. There are times when I’m not in the mood for something more complicated. I just want to work on becoming better at creating more extensive, realistic backgrounds. My painting “Demon’s Fire” is a good example of one of my attempts of this.

7. Do you participate in art shows or conventions or do you show your art in any other venue?

So far, no, I haven’t shown my art at any conventions or shows. This is something that I would definitely like to do eventually. The internet has really been my only exposure up to this point. Hopefully that will change.
8. I’m sure you have a busy life. How do ensure that you have time to work on art?

It can be hard to make time for it especially when I have classes and studying to do. Sometimes, I’m bad and choose to do art when I should be studying. Lol! When I’m busy, I tend to do a lot of my painting or drawing at night. I’m always up late anyway, so it is really the perfect time for me. For some reason, I just can’t make myself go to sleep early, even if I have to get up early in the morning. I just don’t get much sleep those days. I’ve always been like that.

9. The characters you paint are very realistic and life-like. How do you achieve that? Any tips you can give?
To achieve the amount of realism that I can do now, took a lot of practice. I few years ago, during what I call my obsessive year, I was working on art almost constantly, during every free moment I had. I would put out 2-3 paintings every week. I wish I could be so productive now, but I think that all that practice really paid off now. Not everything that I did turned out really great (most of it I can’t even look at now) but I learned a little something with every drawing/painting and improved vastly in that year. I’m not necessarily telling people to be all obsessive like I was, but to draw often. I don’t think that there are really any short cuts to improving. Practice, from my experience, is the best way to go. Also for realism, I would suggest using references, or if you’re lucky enough to get one, a model. This helps so much in getting proportions right and to have natural looking poses. Also keeping lighting and shadows consistent is important. And to bring more of the features and muscles out with shading as opposed to using lines. If that makes sense.

10. Out of all of your art, do you have a favorite piece? If so, why is it your favorite?

That’s a hard choice… “Enchanted Melodies: Violin” is one of my absolute favorites. It is one of those painting that I look at now, even though I did it a couple of years ago, and I am still am amazed that it turned out so well. The details, the colors, the pose, that darn violin (hours of frustration!), it was all just how I wanted it. It is a rare thing for me to be satisfied with almost everything in a piece. That was intended to be a series, and I have yet to get around to doing the other two gypsies. I still want to, but I wonder if I can get them to compare to that one in my mind. It will be a challenge. A close second is “Dark Angel 2.” Aside from the technical side of it, I can relate to certain aspects of the painting. I didn’t paint it thinking of myself in particular. I just have felt like that angel at times before, as I’m sure everyone has. Where you feel very much isolated. But for me there is also always a brighter side that is never too far out of sight.

11. Do you accept commission work or do you create art solely on what you want to do?

I accept commissions if I find the idea presented to me particularly inspiring or if I think that I can do it justice. But if I just can’t see it or I don’t think that I’m the right artist for it then I’ll have to turn it down. So far my art has been mostly been my own ideas except for a few I’ve done for family or friends.

12. It is said that there is a little of the artist in all of their creations. What part of you is reflected in your art?

Probably a little bit of mystery. I am a pretty private person, and have a tendency to keep a lot of things to myself especially if I don’t really know a person well. Besides that, maybe a bit of mischief.

13. Where do you want to be artistically five years from now?

I would really like to learn more about the business side of things. So far, I’ve really just been focused on growing as an artist that I still have much to learn about the other side making a living off of art, which, of course, is my ultimate goal/dream. First of all I would like to have my own website. Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of years. I would also like to explore some other media such as digital. I have tried it before but I would really like to experiment in it some more. And improving on backgrounds as mentioned earlier. I have so many things that I still want to learn and grow in.

email: Elvenstar83@hotmail.com
DeviantArt:
http://elvenstar83.deviantart.com/
Elfwood:
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/b/e/beckysinz/beckysinz.html
ArtWanted:
http://www.artwanted.com/artist.cfm?ArtID=13063&SetBG=Yes
Epilogue:
http://www.epilogue.net/cgi/database/art/list.pl?gallery=8707

1. Who or what inspires you to create?
  Mostly I am inspired by other artists to create art. Some of those artists are family members such as my great-grandfather and his daughter my grandmother who both created many beautiful paintings in their lifetime most in watercolor. It is their soft style of watercolor painting I lean towards as to the modern vibrant style that today’s watercolor painters tend to favor.

2. What creative activities do you enjoy?
 I love to do arts and crafts from find a fun and unique way to frame a print I have bought to decoupaging a box with cards I have cut up. I also like to paint and sculpt of course.

3. Your art has grown in leaps and bounds over the past year. What do you do to improve and grow artistically?
I read other artists suggestions and hints and tutorials and I just experiment experiment experiment. I have learning difficulties that make it hard for me to sit and read a book to learn how to do something I am very much a hands on learner. So I will read tutorials with pictures and then just try to do something using the same techniques but never the same images.

4. You do a lot in support of fellow artists.
 Tell us about FaerieDust Galleries and how it got its start. FaerieDust Gallery is a gallery that showcases over 150 artists from around the world. The artists being shown change from time to time when I find new artist actively creating art that catches my attention. Sadly I have also removed artists from the sight when they no longer have a website of their own or their own website has not changed in YEARS. I must do this because the cost of running the website in paying for my host server and buying my programs to create the websets is completely non-profit in fact it brings in NO income even to fund itself. It is a labor of love. How it started is because of my love and respect for the hard work artist put into their art. I would find a beautiful piece of art on websites like webshots.com with no credit being given to the original artist and the names of the paintings even being changed. I would then have to search who was the wonderful talent that created that piece of art. It was after months of seeing this and many other sites theft of art that I finally said enough and create Faeriedust fantasy art gallery as a place to give credit to the real artists and links to their own websites. Over time Faeriedust has evolved into a gallery that not only shows the established well-known artists like Amy Brown but also the up and coming new artists such as Dawn Obrecht and Kelly Smith. It’s goal being to introduce visitors to artists and guide them to the real Artist’s websites.

5. How much work goes into maintaining such a large site?
Good question and one I have never measured in hours spent. I do all the html coding myself. I create individual backgrounds for each artist’s page which can take 15minutes to an hour. I use the images themselves to help determine the colors and pattern that I use for the background so they will nicely frame the Set of art. I periodically search the internet for new fantasy artists often using larger galleries or art forums. Unlike many websites I take the time to email every artist I show regardless if they have a faq page that so I can use them in a non-profit way.  I also try every couple of months to visit each and every one of my artists own sites to see what new art they are showing. Recently I also added a new page to show any Ebay Auctions the artists are having. I now have all the artists from my sites Ebay accounts added to my favorites so I can easily find new auctions and update that page and I try to update this page almost weekly.

6.   How do you choose which artists to feature in your galleries?
You know that is actually the HARDEST question to answer!! Sometimes it’s one piece of art that crabs my attention enough to make me search thru and artists’ gallery looking for more. Sometimes it’s getting to know and artist and taking the time to watch their art grow as well as their websites. Sometimes it’s just finding a well known artist whose work I like that will say YES. But always there is at least one piece on each page that I truly love.

7.   According to your bio at Elfwood, you claim some interesting ancestors in your family tree. Tell us about them. 

I am related to Lady Godiva an English lady that protested her husband’s taxation policy by riding unclothed thru the streets of town to gain his attention. My 10th great-grandmother was Suzanna Martin a resident of Massachusetts during the witch trials whom was outspoken enough to gain unwanted attention. She was hung and was one of the Last witches to be declared Innocent of all charges post humously in the last 1990’s several 100years after her death. My grandmother was also a strong woman whom during the 1950’s did the unheard of and divorced her husband and raised her three daughters on her own working as a national representative for an international dye company based in the US.

8.   Are there other members of your family that are creative?
 As mentioned above my maternal grandmother and her father painted watercolor landscapes. My maternal grandfather was also an oil painter as well as my mother. My grandmother, mother and aunt are all experienced and professional photographers. My sisters both have far more talent with a pencil and pen then they use as did my little brother before his death.

9.   Do you hope to pass on your love of art to your daughters? If so, how will you do this?
 I certainly hope to instill in them a love for art. In fact Hobbit my elder daughter is already amassing her own collection of art owning a few original paintings and several prints, postcards, cards and ACEO’s from various artist from around the US. I also intend to encourage them to create their own art in whatever medium they choose giving them the supplies and chance to discover that which they love.

10.  What artists have you met in real life? What was your impression of them?
 I have only met two artists in person at a very busy book signing. I had some time before the Amy Brown arrived to talk with Rob Carlos who is a part time employee at the shop as well as a wonderful fantasy artist in his own right. He was very friendly and showed interest in seeing another newer artist’s work as well being very informative and willing to share some of his knowledge. Sadly it was too busy to really talk with Amy Brown but she gladly signed not only books we purchased but a print and even a card for my older daughter.

11.  If you could pick one thing (artistic or non artistic) to excel in, what would it be? Why?
 I think for everyone that should be a unique choice for them. For me I would like to go back to college and get a degree that will better allow me to produce a professional website and open a physical store in which to show and sell art. But mostly I want to raise my daughters to be healthy happy young independent women!

12.  If you were to offer advice to emerging artists, what would it be?
 Don’t be shy! Ask questions, Take advice, offer your art to others artists to critique and keep creating. Share your art with the world by placing it in a gallery or on its own website and listen to what fans and critics have to say when it is useable advice.

13.  Who is/are your favorite singer(s) and why?
 Oh my now you have opened a can of worms. At the moment the Dixie Chicks rank foremost in mind because they got mistreated by the country music industry, radio stations and supposed fans for voicing their opinion. They took a step back collected themselves and decided too bad for the rest of you we are NOT going to let you knock us down and keep us down we are going to keep on making music because that is what we want to do and do best. They have come back with their best most heartfelt album yet and I plan on supporting them for years to come because they are like the women in my own family that have stood up to that which they felt was wrong and been proven right!

Sophia-Christina
FaerieDust Gallery
http://faeriedustgallery.org/ 

Come one! Come all! We’ve put on a show for you!

Fantasy Self Portraits

1. Did your childhood play a part in your decision to be an artist?

Oh yes! My father painted and made furniture and other woodworking projects. My mother quilted and did lots of crafts. They are both so creative and encouraged that in my brothers and me. I read a lot as a child, and I loved the worlds that books and their illustrations would create.

2. After reading your Bio, I see that you are a member of your local Artist Guild. Has this been beneficial to you as an artist? If so, how?

My guild organizes shows, workshops, demonstrations and children’s programs. It’s really nice to get to know other artists and work together to promote the arts in our community.

3. What factors helped direct you towards the style your art has taken; how did you find your own personal style of art?

When my daughter and son were little, my favorite books to read to them were by Beatrix Potter. Her stories and illustrations are simply wonderful! I also volunteered for a year at a public library as a children’s storyteller. While choosing books each week, I discovered illustrators like Kate Greenaway, Cicely Mary Barker and Arthur Rackham. I think my style has a very storybook feel.

4. What is the single most helpful thing you’ve discovered to promote yourself and your art?

Every year, I paint and print my own Christmas cards and Halloween party invitations. I love to share my paintings and these are a personal way to show people what I do and even promote my work. I’ve gotten several commissions from and through friends.

No doubt, the internet is an amazing way to share art. At any time, I can see work from the most talented professionals to the most charming amateurs. It’s exciting to know that people all over the world can see my work, too!

5.You incorporate nature into your art often. Do you enjoy any outdoor activities that inspire your artistically? What else inspires you?

I love camping and hiking and just being outdoors. There is a 35-acre forest right behind our house. It’s like a fairytale woods- twisted, old Ponderosa pines with owls, mule deer and a coyote den. There are wild roses, a honeybee hive in a hollow pine tree, and even an enormous fallen petrified log. I imagine many of my paintings happening in those woods.

I find endless inspiration in my children, in being a mother, and even in everyday domestic things like housework. I think music is the perfect partner for visual art, and I am very much inspired by my guitarist husband.

6.What mediums do you use and which is your medium of choice? Why?

I paint with acrylics and am very happy using the little craft-grade bottles. They’re so inexpensive and I love all the wonderful colors. I paint on illustration board for smaller pieces and plywood for larger ones and commissions. A pencil and eraser are still my most important tools.

7.Your Home Portraits are wonderful! Do you have any tips on using perspective that you can share with us?

I think they’re a sweet idea. I meet with the homeowner, photograph the house, and then draw it by grid. I’m really trying to improve my technical drawing skills!

8. Do you do anything in particular to prepare to paint? Is there a special way you get into the mood to paint?

I’m almost always in the mood to paint, but with a job (I work part-time in a flower shop) and kids and their activities, I have to set aside the time. Paintings always take a few (or several) sessions for me to complete, so I like to sit down first with a cup of tea and critically study the piece, planning what to do next. I also like to get inspired by other artists- by looking at books and on-line galleries and forums.

9. What is your favorite subject to paint? Why?

Elves! I love the thought of tiny people living perfectly with nature.

10. Is there any art reference book or website that has helped you a great deal? What was it and in what ways has it helped?

Field guides like those by the Audubon Society are great sources of reference and inspiration. The illustrations in old field guides are so beautiful. Rien Poortvliet’s Gnomes and The Living Forest and Froud and Lee’s Faeries are wonderful for the imagination.

www.artpassions.net and www.surlalunefairytales.com are fascinating sites about illustration. Elfwood, Epilogue and FAE have encouraged me to show my work and to constantly challenge myself. It’s great fun to get to know other artists whose work you admire.

11. Do you believe great artists are born or taught?

If someone is born with a love to create, I believe they can learn the needed skills. Except for a few classes in school, I taught myself to paint. I think good artists are continuously learning and trying new things.

12.Do you think artists are different from other people? If so, in what ways?

There are so many different kinds of artists- musicians, writers, designers, craftspeople, cooks, gardeners… anyone’s passion can be their art. I think visual artists might see things differently, though. I’m constantly looking at the colors of things and light and making up pictures in my head. I imagine that musicians would do the same with rhythms and melodies.

13. If you woke up one morning in a horrible mood, what would you do to change your mood?

Every morning, I watch the sun rise on the mountains. I just drink coffee and stare out the window for an hour and try to start my day slowly and pleasantly. If I were still in a bad mood, I would take my dog for a walk in the woods.

Name: Kristina Layton

Website: http://www.kristinalayton.com/
email: thelayton4 at comcast dot net
Epilogue: http://www.epilogue.net/cgi/database/art/list.pl?gallery=14736
Elfwood: http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/k/l/klayton/klayton.html

1. Do you have any projects going on that you’d like to tell us about?

I love starting new projects. I might be taking too many at the same time though! *laughs*

Right now, I’ve been working part time on short animated movie called “La Ballade des Enfarinés”. It’s not my personal creation though. I’ve worked as background colorist and clean-up artist in the project. So far, it’s been quite an experience! I can’t wait to see it finished! I wish I could say more about it, but I’m not sure I am allowed.

As for personal endeavours: I have a few ongoing projects that I hope I can finish in 2006. One of them is an illustrated fairytale called “Princesse Lune” (Princess Moon). It’s a very sweet story about a moon princess wishing to meet with the sun prince. I’m not telling more though! Hopefully, I will find some time to work on the illustrations soon and I will have a sneak peek on my website.

I’m also hoping to do an illustrated calendar this year. I’ll probably do a little survey to see if my idea is good. If family and friends approve of it, this project will offer a little bit more than your usual 12 months / 12 illustrations calendar!

2. When quoting a commission price for a customer, what factors do you take into consideration to come up with the total?

Most of the time, I evaluate how many hours the commission will take me and base my price on an hourly rate. Simple as that. I make sure that my client is clear about what he / she wants and also warn that I will charge for any extra work or modifications in the commission. Right now, I charge $15-25 / hour depending on the nature of the commission. I will charge more for an animation than for an illustration.

3. How did you begin to develop your own unique style? Was it a conscious process or did it gradually evolve?

People tell me I have a very unique style of my own, but when I look at my own work, I always feel that they are all of different styles! I always felt like there was no need to focus or stress on something like that. I’ve learned that if you put your whole self into your paintings and drawings, people will recognise your work.

Styles can be easily faked too. We were taught in my animation classes that we needed to adapt to any styles we were introduced and we had to try new styles with every new exercises we did. So I guess I was introduced to so many styles in such a short period of time that now, I am still trying to figure out what works best one for me.

4. You write a monthly column for EMG…what’s that like? How do you choose which subjects you write about?

I’m so happy to be part of Ellen’s e-zine! I’ve always had fun doing tutorials like the ones I’m offering on EMG-Zine. I like to help other artists and aspiring artists in any way I can. I’ve found that the best way I could do that was with tutorials and critiques. I noticed that most of the tutorials we can find on the web and in books are steps by steps images of paintings. While this can be helpful to a certain extent, they have their limits: you have to follow the author’s methods, and not your own, to get to the showed effect. So basically there are as many techniques as there are books. This can be confusing and overwhelming to anyone who’s trying to develop their own painting habits and techniques . Instead, I try to focus on creating tutorials that have general information that anyone can integrate in their own paintings without having to change the way they lay down the paint on the paper.

As for coming up with subjects: I first started my columns with the first steps I take when I start an illustration.(my first column was about brainstorming and thumbnailing) Readers made suggestions along the way and I’ve integrated these suggestions in my new columns. I’m always opened to new suggestions! I’m doing these columns for the readers after all!

5. What is your paper and medium of choice and why?

That’s a tough question. I like to work with so many mediums! I think it really depends on what I want to do.

If it’s for a storybook style illustrations, I will prefer to work with watercolor on hot pressed arches watercolor paper. I use the hot pressed paper because I find it easier to do very detailed inking on this paper.

I also love working with photoshop for other types of general illustrations. Working on a computer is ideal when you are confronting tight deadlines: you can easily correct your work and I also love the very clean style it can give you.

6. Is there a particular theme or subject that you constantly revisit in your art?

Currently? Yes. Fairytales. Especially ones with fairies, spirits, animals, princesses or princes. Anything that could be related for a fairy or folk tale will strike my muse.

I don’t know if this could be considered a subject but I always try to put some interaction or action in my own personal work . I will be especially inspired if I feel that the illustration I am working on seems like it’s telling a tale of it’s own or that we feel we need to learn more about what’s going on in the picture.

7. If you had to name one source of your greatest inspiration, what would it be?

Nature. Life. It’s possible to tell a tale with anything!

8. You have another fulltime job along with your art career. Any advice for those of us juggling another job along
with art?

I think I’m the absolute worst example of how one should struggle with both art and work. *laughs* But I do have some advice:

1. Make sure that’s really what you want! Unless you are very passionate about your art and you really want to put all the extra hours into it, take the time to consider if art is really just a hobby for you. I’m not saying this to discourage people one bit. But having two jobs at the same time never is easy. You have to skip on things you enjoy like going out with friends, spending some time playing games or going shopping. Most of the time, even though we put countless hours into our work, it doesn’t pay much. So even with the lower pay, we have to find it fulfilling or else we live a miserable life.

2. Make sure you are able to follow your schedules. And I don’t only mean your work schedule. We have to plan some free time to relax, eat, sleep, take a shower, exercise our body, clean up the mess. Write these essential things down in your agenda. If you don’t, you might forget about some of them or even skip them on purpose because you feel you don’t have enough time to finish your work.

3. Learn to say no! (I still have HUGE issues with that one) People know when you aren’t able to refuse work and they will take advantage of that. They will also be the first to whine because you’re not quick enough or because you’re late. Unless you want a miserable life overtaken by endless hours of work, learn to say NO!

9. Have you always wanted to be an artist? How long have you been creating art?

To tell you the truth, I think being an artist isn’t something we choose to be, it’s something we need to be. I’m a very shy person and art is there for me to express myself. I know for a fact that if I do not draw anything for a week or two (or more!) I will become sick, literally. So I guess art for me is both a job and a way to get all the bad vibes out of my system.

As far as I can tell, I’ve always been drawing, but I’ve considered art as a career 3 years ago when I graduated from college.

10. Do you have any art shows or conventions under your belt? If so, do you
have any tips for those who plan on doing this in the future?

Yes, I do. 3 times an Otakon attendee (in Baltimore, MD) at the Artist Alley and this year I plan on being at Anime North (in Toronto, Ontario) in May. Some of you might be surprised that I attend anime conventions. The first time I went to Otakon, it was with the wonderful group from Artcorner.org (the site is still there, but it now closed). Most of them were big anime fans. I graduated in classical animation, so japanese animation did interest me in some way. Even though I have been attending for 3 years, I never really thought of it as a business, except for last year (august 2005). Being in the Artist Alley mostly helped me meet friends and paid for the trip.

If I have a few tips to give to people starting in conventions, they would be these:

1. Try to bring as little as you can with you. Of course, you’ll need to bring all your material and prints, but stick to that. It will already be heavy enough, you do not need to bring extra books or unnecessary personal items.

2. Bring food with you at the table if you are allowed. I usually stay all day at my table to meet customers and I rarely have someone who can take care of my table while I’m gone. I bring something to eat, so I can have extra time for sales.
3. Always be curtious with your customer, young or old. People will come back to you if you take the time to answer their questions. Make sure you greet every customer when they look at your material. Sometimes saying: “ Good day! Thank you for looking at my portfolio!” will make them feel welcome. People are often shy to start a conversation so if you greet them first, they might even start asking questions.
4. It’s a good idea to bring an unfinished painting to work on at the convention. Not only will it keep you occupied when no one’s at the table, but people always love to see artists at work! Be ready to explain how you work and what tools you use. Customers can be very curious.
5. Try talking to other artists around you . Conventions are the best place for networking! I personally love to see other artists work too, so I love to have a look around and buy prints too. Bring business cards with you so you exchange them too!

11. Pretend you were commissioned to do a fantasy portrait of a celebrity.
Who would be your first choice to portray and why? How would you
portray them?

Enya. And I would absolutely see her as an Elven songstress. She’s got such an amazing and calming voice, plus I find that her face and features also emphasise that.

12. Are you a planner and goal setter or do you just take things as they come? Explain.

A little bit of both. I like to plan my own personal projects a long time before I start them so I can brainstorm my ideas for a while. I also know for a fact that if I plan my schedule ahead, I won’t have to push my own personal projects aside because of a last minutes deadline from a freelance job.

Most of the other freelance jobs I get are as I go. I cannot plan them ahead and since I have a hard time saying no to fun and interesting project, unscheduled projects take a big part of my time!

13. You just found out that some of your most-used art supplies are being
discontinued. Which one item do you rush out and stock up on because
you can’t do without it?

My 2H leads of my Mars Luminograph lead holder. I cannot do without this particular pencil holder and lead. I use it to sketch, to clean-up the line art of my paintings and my animations. It’s my lucky pencil and I take it almost everywhere I go.

Name: Annie Rodrigue
Website: http://www.moonlight-whispers.com/
email: mail [at] moonlight-whispers.com

DeviantArt: http://maina.deviantart.com/
Livejournal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/eaglemaina
Elfwood: http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/m/a/maina/

1. What is your favorite medium to work with and why?

Ink, ink and ink. This is probably due to my earliest illustration dreams and influences. I adored the color fairy tale books edited by Andrew Lang, which were illustrated in a wonderful, classical Victorian style.

I also loved to publish at an early age - and ‘publishing’ when you’re that young and poor generally meant xeroxing at the school library. Color printing and copying at that time was prohibitively expensive, and grayscale didn’t reproduce worth snot, so pen and ink was the way to go.

Within the realm of inking, stippling is my all-time favorite. This is a method of creating shadow and depth using dots… lots and lots and lots of little dots. My preferred tool is a Pigma Micron, size 005.

2. How do you manage to organize and optimize your time to do all that you do?

Lists! And more lists! Nearly every day, I make a list for the day, a list for the remainder of the week, and a list for the remainder of the month. Most of these lists live in my livejournal, but I have a longer-term set of lists on a large whiteboard in my office. This whiteboard has a calendar with several months in advance, and every few months I make sure all the very important deadlines and dates and shows are on it. Having everything laid out like that really highlights what has to be done when - and then you just go do it.

It’s important to have attainable goals, so I break down what I have to get done into fairly short time intervals - what can I finish today? What can I finish tomorrow? Sometimes I put vague things on my lists like ‘work on commission’ - no matter how much work I put into it, every little bit goes to the final product, so even if I just erase a line and redraw a little tiny piece, it’s some work, and something I can feel good about crossing off.

I’ve been using lists for a long time, and have discovered that, most importantly, they don’t work well on pieces of paper that can get lost. Because they will. Somewhere in the ether is a whole slug of lost notes - probably with goals I never accomplished because I have a brain like swiss cheese unless I have it written down and can look at it.

3. Can you give us some tips on how to promote oneself as an artist? What has worked the best for you?

I wish I could point to a magical ‘promote oneself there!’ site, because that would make my life a lot easier and I could do it, too.

Most of my best clients come from word of mouth. The best way to get clients, is to have clients, which is one of those disgustingly true cliches that make you want to kick something.

More seriously, I’d say that being active in good communities is a really good way to get exposure. A tasteful signature in your forum ID and a friendly, helpful attitude will get you further than any paid advertisement. Writing articles and tutorials and getting them published is also a great way to get exposure. (I’m not just saying that because I’m trying to get more people to write for EMG-Zine, really!)

4. How did EMG begin?

Ah! The million dollar question. Har har.

I had a lot of penpals - the snail mail variety - while I was in High School. I was way too cheap to buy store-bought stationery, and I did a lot of art, so I started doing my own fantasy-themed stationery. One of my penpals mentioned casually that they loved it and that I should sell it. So I did!

I’ve always loved both art and making things, and have been of the business-minded kind since I was about 6. So this idea of selling stationery for money was really intriguing, especially when people started buying. It was one of those projects that was always growing, little bits at a time. An idea here. A possibility there. An opportunity over there. And suddenly I blinked, and it had turned one of those hobbies that could afford to buy me a laptop and ate up so much time I felt compelled to quit my day job to stay sane.

5. What helped you to decide to quit your day job to run your own art business?

The staying sane bit mentioned above, honestly. I was trying to do way too much - my husband and I were building a house, and the business had grown to an unwieldy size. I didn’t get any downtime, my husband never saw me, and I was going to go crazy! So I sat down, figured out what things were taking time - and it was the day job that sat there at the top of my list. It wasn’t taking me in the direction that I wanted to go, and EMG could. Jake and I did bills, and realized we could get by on just his paycheck if necessary, and we took the plunge. It was worth taking a chance.

6. What are some of the things in which you find inspiration for your art?

My beautiful land (I live in a birch forest in the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska), my wildly entertaining pets, my wonderful husband and all of my fabulously talented friends. Also, I am stubborn and proud and if someone says off-handedly that I can’t draw/write something, I will usually have to try to prove that I can, too.

7. In your opinion, how can an artist better their technical skills?

There are two ways, in my opinion, and you have to do both.

One is to practice. It seems simple, but seriously - if you don’t use it, you lose it, and your art ‘progress’ will slide back instead of moving forward because you have to re-learn what you figured out last time if it was too long ago. Draw constantly. Doodle. Sketch from life. Whatever you have to do to constantly be doing art, that’s what you have to do.

Secondly, you have got to develop thick skin. You will not always be able to see what you are doing wrong, and you will have to go to someone else who can look at the work with unprejudiced eyes. They will tell you what’s wrong with your work - maybe not nicely, maybe not as enamored with the subject as you are, and you have to be able to take it and learn from it. Once you can do this, you have cut your learning time