So I’m kind of a space cadet, and between working on a commissioned piece, work, Dr. appointment, planning this weekends out of town trip, and grocery shopping, I forgot about the blog hop I’m participating in… sorry Katie!! Don’t worry, we’ll keep it going… :)
 |
| Some clay tiles for the commission I’m working on. |
1) How does my creative process work? Well, I work in various ways, but if I could describe it in one word, I would choose experimentation. I am a self taught artist, and everything I’ve learned about painting and how different mixed media elements work together has been through trial and error. When I experiment with a piece or technique, I have an idea in my head that I’m trying to achieve, but invariably I’ll get 5 more ideas just from the things I learn about the technique I’m using and the way the elements work together. So those ideas will lead to other pieces. It’s amazing to see how versatile my art supplies are… it makes me feel less guilty for buying so many.
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? I think being self taught and experimenting so much has lead to doing certain things in ways that others haven’t done before (at least, as far as I’ve seen. There are a lot of things I haven’t seen, though…). For example, my signature Elements series uses quilled paper pieces along with various other elements to create 3D artworks that are very different from typical quilling art.
3) What am I working on now? The project that is taking up a lot of my thoughts and time at the moment is a massive triptych I’m working on for my church’s 10th international art competition. It is full of symbolism and is going to require a massive amount of my rolled paper pieces, so I’m spending a lot of evenings in front of the TV rolling and shaping strips of paper. The deadline isn’t until the end of February, so hopefully I can get everything done in time.
4) Why do you do what you do? I believe that the act of creation is sacred and important, and whether you’re creating a piece of art, clothing, jewelry, book, meal, home, relationship, etc., there’s something divine in what you’re doing that lifts you and those around you. Creating art, and sharing it, has helped me overcome fears and reach past my comfort zone. It’s helped me organize my thoughts, connect to my community, and gives me opportunities to serve others. I know as I continue creating, I’ll notice even more wonderful changes and opportunities.
So that’s me! :)
Now, I’m going to introduce a couple more artists to you who have being inspiring me for the past couple years. They will be answering the same questions on their blog next Monday, Sep. 1.
Ardith Goodwin is an artist I’ve been inspired by for a long time. Working in color can be hard for me sometimes- Ardith’s artwork is bursting with bright colors and amazing illustrations. Here is a quick bio for her and some links where you can find her.
Ardith Goodwin is an enthusiastic artist, writer, and teacher! Her journey has been one filled with physical challenges, moments of self-discovery, and great passion to share her love of art, writing, and courage with people from around the world. Her signature trait in her artwork is color and no matter the medium be it watercolor, mixed media, or collage, that is the tie that binds her pieces together in beautiful harmony.
Ardith combines her love of writing and educating with a self-taught passion for art and has been a professional artist for the past 13 years. Despite facing life changing orthopedic challenges, Ardith holds true to her faith and the belief to no matter what challenge life throws her way, nothing will quench her spirit to continue creating, sharing, and inspiring. With joyful determination, she shares her love of art with children and adults through local and online classes and is a passionate advocate for artists with disabilities as well as supporting women who choose to express themselves through art for leisure or business.
Her blog- http://ardithsart.blogspot.com/
Her website- http://ardithgoodwin.com
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ardithgoodwin
Google mixed media community- https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/102675829960327649098
Dawn Diamantopoulos creates beautiful abstract landscapes, and recently I’ve been inspired by her every day series of 5*7 acrylic works based on the views she sees around her home. I love seeing every piece she posts. Here is her bio and links to her work.
Dawn was raised in rural northeastern Pennsylvania, which she happily left, to attend college at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. She received a BFA in Fine Arts in 1992, having majored in Fine Arts – Printmaking and minored in the History of Art. Feeling a bit jaded and world-weary with New York City, she relocated to Southern California. She continued drawing, painting, and photographing. Her “real job” eventually brought her to Chicago, where she stopped creating artwork and started creating a family. She has lived in Northwest Indiana for over a dozen years with her husband and two sons.
In 2009, she began creating artwork again, which she fully credits with keeping her almost sane. She started with drawings. Within a year, she realized she needed to be back in the art scene, and hasn’t looked back. She began painting, then mixed media work and, more recently, a return to her printmaking roots. She makes art every single day.
Her Blog- http://dawndiamantopoulos.blogspot.com/
Her website- http://dawndiamantopoulos.com/home.html
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Dawns.Artwork
Google+- https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DawnDiamantopoulos/posts
Dawn was raised in rural northeastern Pennsylvania, which she happily left, to attend college at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. She received a BFA in Fine Arts in 1992, having majored in Fine Arts – Printmaking and minored in the History of Art. Feeling a bit jaded and world-weary with New York City, she relocated to Southern California. She continued drawing, painting, and photographing. Her “real job” eventually brought her to Chicago, where she stopped creating artwork and started creating a family. She has lived in Northwest Indiana for over a dozen years with her husband and two sons.
In 2009, she began creating artwork again, which she fully credits with keeping her almost sane. She started with drawings. Within a year, she realized she needed to be back in the art scene, and hasn’t looked back. She began painting, then mixed media work and, more recently, a return to her printmaking roots. She makes art every single day.
Her Blog- http://dawndiamantopoulos.blogspot.com/
Her website- http://dawndiamantopoulos.com/home.html
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Dawns.Artwork
Google+- https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DawnDiamantopoulos/posts
I hope you will be as inspired by these wonderful women as I have been!!
Anjuli- such a wonderful post! I am sorry I hadn’t a chance to read it sooner- but I am sure glad that it was still in my mailbox! You are very creative and how interesting that you are self taught! Your art should be in galleries! I always look forward to what you create next! Thank you so much for sharing of yourself!
xo