interview with an artist #2

Just look at those beautiful flowers! Just my kind of bouquet because they are a mix of texture and color and shape.Look at the colors in this one sunflower! If I painted that and quilted it, someone would say, that's not the way they look.

And what in the world is that apple looking thing? There are four red ones and a green one on the stalk.
And the next picture is the other oddity in the bunch. This thing has white balloon looking things, two on a stalk.

 Nature is grand isn't it?

 The flowers came from the 'First Sunday'  festival in Annapolis. We three had a great time looking at art.

  Cole has a few words:  (from the poodle's mouth)
"I wanted to go because I knew there would be people to pet, other dogs to see, to get out of the house, and hey! I like art more than most poodles.
 I have joint issues now that I'm mature, so I was content to lay in this little doll house on the porch while my people and I had a slice of pizza and listened to this band. I was plenty tired by the time I got home, and had to walk all the way through the house to get to my water bowl. I need servants"

Me again... this band called Bumper Jacksons was rollicking! They played clarinet, bass, slide guitar and some odd percussion instruments as well as a washboard. Just about quirky enough for me.

Reminded me of my 20's when I followed a band much like them all around Tampa. Drew and I even got in some swing dance moves while listening.

As to the artists... I interviewed three this time. The first one was a man who makes sailboats out of driftwood and canvass as well as tiny glass ones.

Bayshore Art & Design in Cambridge MD. He couldn't take but a moment to talk but said his studio for driftwood sculptures is usually messy, but his jewelry studio is very tidy.
He got the idea for the driftwood boats from the wood itself one day.

The next artist was fascinating.... we talked for at least 15 minutes, long enough for Cole to pet him and his friend and recline in the booth to cool down. I was so engaged in our conversation I forgot to get a card! Or a picture! The thing is, he was so  interesting I must include him in this post.
He paints in a whimsical and humorous way. I told him there are some people who dismiss my art because it's humorous and whimsical, does he run into that? He considered and said, people who tell him they enjoy a different style are fine, but the naysayers should be blown off, and he waved his hand. I asked how he got the ideas to paint his figures. He said he loves painting figures, but paints the crabs and sea scenes for customers who love them.
I noted that his style was the same for the human figures or the boats. He centers one item, uses bright colors with wonderful shading, and the segments are all slightly separated on whatever he paints. Like the hands are slightly apart from arms, slightly apart from shoulder, etc. Same with components of boats, or crabs.
He looked around the booth, and said he had never thought about it, but it was true. He just paints.

The next artist also segmented her work...

Sara Knox (http://www.saraknoxart.com/) who works with clay, accidentally broke an edge one day, then proceeded to break the entire piece. She then thought what if... and look what she makes now! You can't tell in the photo but the shards are varying sizes, then painted. So cool. But the coolest part was the connection we forged while talking about art. I told her a bit about my art, and that one of her pieces reminded me of quilting...

See the intense line work on that vase? Very quilt like. When you touch it, and I just couldn't resist, I reached out and ran my finger over it not even asking first as I lost my mind for a minute, it feels textured like quilting lines.

Anyway, she was gracious about my touching it, and didn't even say anything like back away from the art.
She said she loved to sew earlier in her life so that led to this piece. Visit her website for better pics.
To summarize,
1.we are more alike than we are different.
2. every artform you explore informs your current work
3. when you make a mistake (something breaks) it can lead to great things
4. do what you love, some people will love it, some will not
5. talk to an artist, they are fascinating