Festive Soul Food Freebie!!

Hello everyoneI'm so excited that Festive Soul Food officially starts tomorrow!! Whoop! Whoop! And I have a lovely freebie to share with you today. One of the Head Chefs at Soul Food- Mystele has filmed a free art class for everyone- regardless of if you're taking the class. Here's the link to all the information you need to watch the free class (trust me- it's a good one ;)).And here's the link to our lovely Soul Food class introduction video. Enjoy the free class & I hope to see you in the class room, it's going to be so much fun. Wish me luck!

I'm Teaching on Festive Soul Food 2015!

Hello all, I have an exciting announcement today! I am absolutely thrilled to say that I'm one of the Sous-Chefs teaching on Festive Soul Food 2015. Whoop! Whoop! Thank you so much to Mystele, Jeanette & Heather for having me.

Along with 9 other Sous-Chefs & the three Head Chefs above I will be teaching an art class online. It will be so exciting to learn from & watch a variety of artists at work- I always find it fascinating to see another artist's processes don't you? All the information you will need to sign up is here or paste this in your browser and head to the Festive Soul Food page:

http://communitythrive.com/festive-soul-food

Registration opens August 1st!

In celebration, I'm holding a giveaway here at my blog for one free spot on Festive Soul Food. To enter just share this post with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc & leave me a comment below to say where you shared it. Giveaway ends on Sunday 12th July at midnight but enter now just in case you forget : -)

To kick things off, here's a little interview I recorded about me & my journey as an artist. The three Head Chefs gave me these questions to answer:

What are some of the things that nourish your soul - where do your ideas come from?
What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with other artists?

What drives your sense of validation or legitimacy as an artist?
What are some elements that make your work “yours” - what are some recurring themes in your work?
Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet?

This is the first interview I've ever recorded of myself (eeeeeeeekkkk!), so if I seem a little nervous that's why!! Hope you like it & that you will join us on this festive art journey.

My interview with the Card & Gift Network

Hello there friends. Hope you are having a good week.

I'm delighted to say that the Card & Gift Network have interviewed me for their 'Behind The Design' feature today. Do take a peek if you're interested in my daily life as an artist & all the juggling that entails! Click here & head to their blog.

Artist Interview with Tiffany Calder Kingston

I am thrilled to be able to share my next artist interview with you all. I can't remember how I found this artists work but I find it mesmerising, beautiful & rich. The colours, textures, shapes, lines & patterns light me up inside, drawing me in & very importantly, each piece shows (to quote the artist) the '...beauty and energy found in nature.' Here's a little challenge for you (many of you will already be doing this) but next time you see a tree, try dropping its label of 'a tree' & try to view it as if you'd never seen one before, as if you were a child seeing a tree for the first time & you didn't know what it was called. Gaze at it's height, look at its array of colours, feel the texture of the bark & leaves, smell the leaves.....if you really go for it you'll have an interesting & wonderful experience & it may even open up a whole new world for you.
This artist's work really captures & celebrates the vibrancy & beauty of nature -a beauty that we get all get to share & enjoy for free! A beauty that we should all be doing our upmost to preserve & protect & I think this message comes across wonderfully through Tiffany's exquisite work.

So poor yourself a cup of hot tea, grab a biccie or two & enjoy my next artist interview with Tiffany Calder Kingston.

Hi Tiffany, can you tell us a bit about yourself/your background & how long you've been painting professionally for?

Hi Emma, thanks again for all your devotion to the arts and those who create as a full time occupation. 

I have two types of painting careers. For fifteen years I worked as mural artist and designer. Most of my work involved painting murals or paint effects which were used in commercial venues, TV stage backdrops, special event theming and private homes plus a visual retail merchandiser in between all of the above.  I accidentally found myself painting murals after completing a graphic design course. I always wanted to be an illustrator but instead I found myself painting and being part of large scale projects which involved following the requirements of what a client would like. This type of work took its toll physically on my body and I also found that I was not creating what was in my heart and soul as it was always what a client would require. I needed to make a clean break away so  I left Melbourne to pursue a small fashion retail business which I owned with two other friends in Byron Bay. After two years I sold out of the business as I felt my creative soul was calling again. Without even realising it the natural habitats of this area were starting to awaken my new journey as an artist.

When & how in that journey did you discover Mixed Media and how did your style develop into what it is today?

Once I sold my business I had a massive empty void so I began painting just for myself as a hobby and I had no clue of what type of artist or subject matter was my interest. I took some life drawing classes and dabbled in creating a painting style which broke away from my old habits of painting a mural. I needed to go back to my raw style of drawing and art that I had way before I embarked on formal training. In other words I needed to get messy, not follow rules and just loosen up again. I had no interest in being judged or doing what was in or out of art fashion. I just did what ever came naturally. Then one day I painted a piece titled 'Cranefly' (see below). I painted something which spoke about the environment and yet what came out was a painting of wetlands but on a deeper level I felt like I had found a voice to express my personal beliefs about how humans relate to nature. Next door to my home were wetlands and I had no idea that the environment was speaking to me and seeping into my subconscious ( if that makes sense).  This painting cracked open my style of cutting in shapes and scraping lines into the paint work.

What are your favourite techniques & art supplies currently?

I use acrylic paint as this dries fast and I can move on into the next layer quickly. I am an impatient person so the style I use is one I have also created to suit my energy. I have always used paints like interior house paints in my old profession and now I use something similar which contain no toxic chemicals as I also get sick from some products. Some times I use a faux gold or silver leaf on my work and eventually I hope to explore mixing in pastels and ink.

When starting a new piece of work, staring at a blank canvas can be daunting. What is your go to/favourite method you use to create the backgrounds for your paintings?
You will laugh but I put any excess paint left over on my brush onto a blank canvas. I keep a new canvas sitting next to me whilst painting another. I just start by using random colours which I layer on top of each other. I never know what it is going to look like.

For anyone trying to turn their creative passion into their career it can be very daunting & intimidating. Can you tell us how you overcame any negative thinking (if you had any!) about your career as an artist?
I had a part time job while I started painting and I began slowly to show my work in public. I used small art shows, cafe's etc to trial my arts reaction. I also listened to other artists out there who gave me great advice. Some people work well being self employed because they are self motivating and realistic with what to expect. I knew I was not going to show my art or put it on any gallery walls unless I had resolved a style that was truly me. An art career takes a thick skin and I think it is important to always have a financial safety net such as a part time job as a support otherwise you will freak yourself out about the pressure of making money. The focus will only be about ' the art has to make money'. If you feel this way the art suffers and the flow goes. Give your art time to shine and ripple effects will happen to support your transition from being a part time painter to a full time profession.

For anyone just starting out in their career what do you think is the best way to get your work out there & seen? For example, an Art Agent? Approaching possible clients or galleries with your portfolio? A website, Facebook? Blog? A combination of all?

Depending where you live can make or break how much you are seen. In my situation being a beach side tourist town I felt I needed to connect with galleries Australia wide by showing them my work in person so I decided to invest in my art by booking a stand at an art fair in Melbourne. 'The Affordable Art fair' gave me the platform to introduce myself to many galleries who approached me at my display stand.

Also having a great website that is modern and clearly shows your work is important but the confidence comes from finding ways for galleries to meet you and identify with your style. I am an artist which suits the affordable art market and I don't pretend to try and be in the upper end of the art world. Too many people think success as an artist is at this higher end. It is important to be realistic with your style and capabilities. There are galleries which compliment different art styles and once you know who they are and there client base then approach them or submit work. If you get turned down by a gallery it may be because your art is not suiting their gallery. 

I also only choose to be with galleries who are nice people to work with and have integrity for the artist. I am not interested in galleries which take a long time to pay you or do not put effort in to promoting you. I wont put up with arrogance and if a gallery says you need them more then they need you then I am usually not interested. I dislike how some galleries play with an artists financial vulnerability. Many artists do not have a business head but it is still important not let galleries take advantage of you. It is a 50/50 business relationship.

Lastly because of social media and websites etc artists can now promote themselves more and sell direct if they choose. For many artists this is all we need to do to set up an income stream which suits a lifestyle. In the end the choices we make have to ensure our art flow is not compromised.

What other artists are inspiring you at the moment?

I love lots of art- illustrative styles. I really love Olaf Hajek, Jennifer Davis, Del Kathryn Barton. Also I love indigenous art and enjoy finding images of primitive paintings.

Thanks so, so much for taking part Tiffany. Please tell us where we can connect with you.

website: Tiffany Calder Kingston
facebook: Art By Tiffany Calder Kingston
Instagram: ARTBYTIFFANY.C.K

The new Print & Pattern Geometric Book!

Happy New Year to you all! I do hope you had a lovely holiday & that so far 2015 has brought you joy :)

It was looking ropey for me personally but I'm pleased to say things have turned out as best as they could have & 2015 has actually started off amazingly well. I have some very exciting news to share. I'm thrilled to say that my work was chosen to be part of the new Print & Pattern book. It's titled Print & Pattern Geometric & I'm honoured to be able to show my work alongside extremely talented designers that I have admired for many years. Yay! I get to tick something off my bucket list!

This is part of mine directly above!

Peace Comes From Within...

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without"

Buddha

This is my mantra for the week.

I'm somewhat relieved to say that I'm slowly getting into a new routine which is working better with my daughter's new school hours. Still revising it, but getting there & today I've been able to get creative which has definitely nourished my soul- I needed it! Here are some sneak peeks.

I've also finished this painting. If you would like to see more of it click here 

I have prints available too

Love & light Em xo

Artist Interview with Linden Eller

Happy Friday everyone!

I'm super excited today to share my next artist interview with you all. I find this lady's work mesmerising, intriguing, subtle & beautiful. Each collage seems to tell it's own story & never fails to get my imagination whirling. Please enjoy & share to inspire others too : -)

Hi Linden, can you tell us a bit about yourself/your background & how long you've been painting & illustrating for?

I spent my childhood in Arizona, studied in California, and have been moving around ever since - spending small seasons in Rhode Island and Maine in the States, rural England, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and currently, Australia. I really enjoy and support things from the old world - analog photography, writing letters, homemade anything. I also like picnics a lot.

I began drawing when I was a kid and picked it up again in my teenage years, mainly using charcoal. I began painting and illustrating a little over ten years ago, when I was 19.

When & how in that journey did you discover Mixed Media?

I started playing around with mixed media in my first art class at university, 2-D design. Someone introduced me to matte medium and I sort of never looked back. I don't ever remember "choosing" mixed media, though. I guess I just stayed curious about it, and it always seemed infinite in terms of growth.

I started out using the process of collage purely as an emotional exercise, and would build up layers indifferently beneath a more polished painted illustration on top. But in the last few years I've slowly tried to give collage a more dominant role, allowing me to focus on things like abstraction, subtlety, and composition.

What are your favourite techniques & art supplies currently?

Tracing paper is magic to me right now. But I think that's because I'm temporarily only working with paper. It's what I use instead of paint to make things faint and distant. Copic markers are lovely, and I've always been particularly fond of the white china marker, as well as the plain old fashioned pencil.

When starting a new piece of work, staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper can be daunting. What is your go to/favourite method you use to create the backgrounds for your work?

Well, instead of using canvas or blank paper, I often use recycled materials like old paintings from thrift stores or book pages as bases (a whole different set of challenges). So I've never really had traditional backgrounds in my work. But to be honest, the beginning is always the easiest and most exhilarating for me. I tend to begin with a trigger, a scrap that I'm really drawn to. I can get excited by just one little corner of a photograph and that's really all it takes to start the process. The funny part is sometimes that initial trigger scrap ends up being covered up by another layer.

For anyone trying to turn their creative passion into their career it can be very daunting & intimidating. Can you tell us how you overcome any negative thinking (if you have any!) about putting yourself out there as an artist?

It's difficult for sure, but I always try and remember that as long as I'm being authentic, there's really nothing to worry about or hide behind. Passion is contagious, and people will naturally be excited about your work if you are.

It won't happen quickly, turning it all into a career - and in the meantime, just make what you need to make, and don't apologize for it. The rest of all that icky negativity like constantly comparing yourself to other (more successful) artists or doubting your ability is just something you eventually get tired of feeling and fades over time. I think confidence is probably the most necessary and challenging attribute to obtain as a working artist in society.

For anyone just starting out in their creative endeavours what do you think is the best way to get your work out there & seen? For example, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, an Illustration or Art Agent? Approaching possible clients with your portfolio? A website? Or a combination of all?

Honestly, I think a combination is important. An official website is good for a professionally presented archive, where as Instagram provides a good window into an artist's world and daily life. Each platform has its own audience and even though it can be tiring to keep up with them all, I think it's worth it. Etsy is overwhelming and at times discouraging to me, so I use it more just as an online store than a social media site.

I think residencies can also be a great way for your work to get out there - resartis.org keeps a pretty comprehensive list.

What other artists are inspiring you at the moment?

Old favourites are Millet, Rauschenberg, Andrew Wyeth, and contemporary Joe Sorren. Lately it's Sharon Etgar and Fred Free.

I'm also constantly inspired and encouraged by three friends I studied with who are all working artists: Keiko Brodeur, Malachi Ward, and Tom Monson.

Thanks so much for taking part Linden, please tell us where can we connect with you?

WEBSITE: lindeneller.com

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/lindeneller 

TUMBLR: lindeneller.tumblr.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/lindowly

ETSY: etsy.com/shop/lindeneller

Working away....

Scribbly doggies!

Close up of an abstract painting

Why hello there! So I will be posting my next artist interview on Friday all being well. My daughter & I caught some sort of bug which lost me 4 days last week of work/creative time :(
But here are some snippets of latest projects, the top one was a little card I made for my daughters 4th Birthday :)

It's been very sunny & warm the last few weeks here in the UK, so I'm trying to soak up as much sunshine as I can before the colder weather sets in. Hope it's sunny where you are too!

Love & light
Emma

Project snippets.....

Here's a few photos of what I've been working on recently. It's time for me to start thinking about Christmas. I know! I know! It feels too soon. But as I've learned from the last few Christmases, one can never be too organised ; - )

I've been painting again also & will be back to show you what I've been up to, plus I will be putting up August's artist interview very soon. Watch this space!

Have a great weekend everyone.
Love & light
Emma

Interview with Gustavo Aimar

OK so I still can't believe that I've been lucky enough to interview this next artist! I first discovered his work in 2012 whilst taking a course with Danita Art called Mixed Media from The Heart. Danita also interviewed him for the course & since then I have followed his work & I am hooked. His name is Gustavo Aimar & his work is simply brilliant. I am in awe of his imagination, amazing colour choices & the way he constructs his art. This man clearly pours his heart & soul into his work & he was born to do it. I could go on & on but perhaps I should stop there & let you see for yourselves! 

So without further ado please enjoy my next interview with Gustavo Aimar.

Hi Gustavo, can you tell us a bit about yourself & how long you've been painting & illustrating professionally?

Yo creo que antes de aprender a hablar, de niño mis planes apuntaban a poder dibujar. Soy artista plástico. Estudié diseño gráfico como una posibilidad de incorporar conocimientos, ya que también siempre me interesó el mundo de la gráfica. Con el tiempo, mi tarea ha ido mutando y sentí la inquietud de publicar en libros o revistas el fruto de mi trabajo, no sabía muy bien de qué manera. De a poco y tímidamente, a través de internet, me fui acercando al mundo de la ilustración infantil. En aquel entonces sentí que era un campo en el que podía explotar mejor mi lenguaje gráfico, mi estilo y las cosas que tenía ganas de hacer en el campo del dibujo y la expresión artística. Las cosas de a poco se fueron concretando y en 2005 ilustré mi primer libro de manera profesional.

I THINK THAT BEFORE I LEARNED TO SPEAK, FROM BEING A SMALL CHILD, I WAS DESTINED TO DRAW. I STUDIED GRAPHIC DESIGN TO INCORPORATE ALL MY KNOWLEDGE AS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE WORLD OF GRAPHIC ART. OVER TIME MY AIM HAS BEEN TO PUBLISH THE RESULTS OF MY WORK IN BOOKS AND MAGAZINES BUT I DID NOT KNOW HOW. GRADUALLY, THROUGH THE INTERNET, I FOUND THE WORLD OF ILLUSTRATION FOR CHILDREN. THIS IS WHERE I COULD MAKE BEST USE OF MY GRAPHIC TALENTS, MY STYLE AND THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY AREA OF DRAWING AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. GRADUALLY THINGS HAPPENED AND IN 2005 I ILLUSTRATED MY FIRST BOOK PROFESSIONALLY.

When & how in that journey did you discover Mixed Media?

No hay mucho secreto en esto: simplemente la curiosidad de incorporar a mi trabajo nuevos materiales, nuevas técnicas. Experimentación, diversión y la necesidad de probar cosas todo el tiempo, sin tener miedo a mezclar diferentes estilos o técnicas.

THERE IS NO SECRET.  IT WAS SIMPLY THE CURIOSITY OF INCORPORATING NEW MATERIALS INTO MY WORK - AND NEW TECHNIQUES.  TO EXPERIMENT, TO DIVERSIFY AND THE DESIRE TO TRY NEW THINGS ALL THE TIME WITHOUT BEING AFRAID OF MIXING DIFFERENT STYLES AND TECHNIQUES.

When starting a new piece of work, staring at a blank canvas or piece of paper can be daunting. What is your favourite method you use to create your backgrounds for your paintings?

Eso depende mucho de cada proyecto, o si se trata de un trabajo por encargo o una obra personal. Una ilustración no es la misma cosa que un cuadro, pero puedo tener un pequeño método. Antes de trabajar, me gusta cubrir el fondo de la manera que sea posible de a cuerdo a lo que tengo pensado hacer. Casi siempre trabajo sobre fondos de color, ya sea lisos o con diferentes manchas o texturas. Este simple paso puede ya generar situaciones. Puedo también pegar diferentes papeles, toda clase de papeles ya impresos, escritos, antiguos y generar así una textura interesante para trabajar. Esos planos de papeles pegados, pueden sugerir espacios y figuras dentro de la composición, y se generan juegos que tal vez no tenía planificados desde el principio. Dejo que los materiales me indiquen qué hacer, me divierto trabajando de esa forma.

THIS VERY MUCH DEPENDS ON EACH PROJECT, IF IT IS WORK FOR PAYMENT OR A PERSONAL PROJECT.  AN ILLUSTRATION IS NOT THE SAME AS A PAINTING, BUT I DO HAVE A SMALL METHOD.  BEFORE STARTING WORK I NEED TO MAKE SURE IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT I HAVE IN MIND IN THE WAY THAT I AM THINKING.  I NEARLY ALWAYS WORK ON BACKGROUND COLOURS, WHETHER THEY WILL BE PLAIN OR WITH DIFFERENT MARKS OR TEXTURES.  THIS SIMPLE PROCESS CAN THEN GENERATE IDEAS - TO STICK DIFFERENT PAPERS, ALL SORTS OF PAPERS AND PRINTED MATTER, DIFFERENT STYLES AND FONTS, OLD ONES, NEW ONES - ALL TO GENERATE AN INTERESTING TEXTURE WITH WHICH TO WORK.  THESE PAPER PLANS CAN REVEAL SPACES WITHIN THE COMPOSITION AND INSPIRE IDEAS THAT PERHAPS I DIDN´T HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.  I LET THE MATERIALS INDICATE THE WAY I SHOULD WORK.

What are your favourite techniques & art supplies currently?

En la actualidad estoy trabajando mucho con acrílicos con terminación y acabados opacos, mucho collage con papeles pegados, grafismos con lápices de colores. Todas estas técnicas pueden mostrarse separadas o todas juntas en trabajos más expresivos y personales. Cuando ilustro un libro, la selección de una técnica es importante y no me gusta mezclar demasiado para ese tipo de proyectos.

AT THE MOMENT I AM WORKING A LOT WITH ACRYLICS BECAUSE OF THEIR OPACITY, A LOT OF COLLAGE WORK WITH STICKY PAPER, GRAPHICS WITH COLOURED PENCILS.  ALL THESE TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED SEPARATELY OR TOGETHER FOR MORE PERSONAL AND EXPRESSIVE WORK.  WHEN I ILLUSTRATE A BOOK, THE CHOICE OF TECHNIQUE IS IMPORTANT AND I DO NOT LIKE TO MIX MY TECHNIQUES TOO MUCH FOR THIS SORT OF WORK.

For anyone trying to turn their creative passion into their career it can be very daunting. Can you tell us how you overcame any negative thinking (if you had any!) about your career as an artist?

Son casi inevitables los pensamientos negativos o desalentadores, pero el mejor antídoto para esto es el trabajo. No perseguir metas demasiado grandes. Simplemente concentrarnos en trabajar y conectarse con las necesidades más próximas. Y si las ganas de trabajar no llegan, es bueno tomar buenos descansos para despejar la mente. 

IT IS INEVITABLE THAT WE HAVE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS BUT THE BEST ANTIDOTE IS WORK.  DON´T SET YOURSELF GOALS THAT ARE TOO HIGH.  CONCENTRATE ON WORKING WITHIN YOUR BOUNDARIES AND IF THE IDEAS DON´T HAPPEN, IT IS BETTER TO TAKE A BREAK TO CLEAR THE HEAD.

For anyone just starting out in their career what do you think is the best way to get your work out there & seen? For example, an Illustration Agent? Approaching possible clients with your portfolio? Facebook? Blog? Website? Or a combination of all?

Sin dudas es una combinación de muchas cosas. Admitiendo que vivo en una ciudad muy alejada de los centros culturales de importancia y de los polos de actividades relacionadas con mi actividad, la mejor herramienta para mostrar mi trabajo "al mundo" es sin dudas internet. No trabajo con agentes. Sólo muestro mis trabajos en un blog, o en redes sociales como Facebook. Han surgido así interesantes propuestas de trabajo, contactos y he logrado vender algunas de mis obras a lugares en el mundo que jamás hubiese imaginado.

WITHOUT DOUBT A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF THINGS.  I LIVE IN A CITY FAR REMOVED FROM CULTURAL CENTRES OF IMPORTANCE, SO THE BEST TOOL TO SHOW MY WORK TO THE WORLD IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE INTERNET.  I DO NOT WORK WITH AGENTS.  I ONLY SHOW MY WORK IN A BLOG OR ON A SOCIAL SITE LIKE FACEBOOK.  FROM THESE I HAVE OBTAINED PROPOSITIONS OF WORK AND CONTACTS. I HAVE SOLD VARIOUS WORKS IN PLACES AROUND THE WORLD THAT I WOULDN´T HAVE THOUGHT POSSIBLE.

What other artists are inspiring you at the moment?

Ilustradores... muchos! Como dibujantes me gustan Isabelle Arsenault, Beatrice Alemagna, Pablo Auladell. Otros más gráficos y experimentales como Kveta Pacovská, Blexbolex o Morteza Zahedi. Todos ellos, con estilos y recursos tan diferentes me contagian muchas ganas de ponerme a dibujar.

ILLUSTRATORS...MANY!  I LIKE ISABELLE ARSENAULT, BEATRICE ALEMAGNA, PABLO AULADELL.  OTHER MORE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND EXPERIMENTALISTS LIKE KVETA PACOVSKA, BLEXBOLEX O MOREZA ZAHEDI.  ALL THESE CREATIVES, WITH THEIR STYLES AND RESOURCES SO DIFFERENT, HAVE ENCOURAGED ME TO DRAW.

Thanks so, so much for taking part, please tell us where can we connect with you?

My Blog

My Facebook Page

My Flickr Page