IDEA SEED

Artist interviews and advice for new people trying to find their place in the art world. Artists giving different views on the same issues. Profile picture and baner - August- Denis Sarazhin

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IDEA SEED INTERVIEW Sean Mundy

Sean Mundy

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Instagram

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Sean is one to open for the photography media, and is also one of the most amazing artists in the field. The first image on the post is one that holds a special place in my heart and is probably in my top 10 favorite art pieces.

I did not ask for his music recommendation as he is a musician as well so it is up to you to listen to it here

Your photography has a beautiful poetic feel, almost like a dark fairy-tale. Is there a specific narrative you try to depict? Typically I prefer my images to not follow specific narratives but to instead probe at ideas through imagery, symbolism, and aesthetics. I am definitely inspired by images related to religion/superstitious beliefs, but ultimately I just pull aesthetic inspiration from them in order to probe at other concepts or ideas. Unusually graphic as your works are, makes me wonder if you have experience in graphic design? The only real experience I have with graphic design has been making cover art for songs I release, other than that my experience is very limited! But your point is well taken, I think my images are definitely composed in a certain graphic manner, and the way in which I make composite images out of photographs as raw materials feeds into this for sure.

What is your usual process? My usual process is to develop a simple visual idea, or an overarching concept to probe at in an image to the mold an image to conform to. Often my ideas for images are built up over time, starting with basic elements like a composition, color palette, or lighting, and then building up the image over time, filling in more and more details into the idea as the concept ruminates and I distance myself from it for some time to develop somewhat of a more objective perspective towards it. Occasionally fully formed ideas will come to me, but most of the time I slowly build up the images and all the components over periods of time, and then go about the planning/pre-production phase to figure out how to make the image a reality.  For all the upcoming artists, could you tell us about your evolution? How many photographs did it take till you had your ‘breakthrough’ piece that got more attention? I began taking photos more as documentation than as a creative or artistic practice; I would just bring my camera with me wherever I would go and casually take photos. Over time I developed an interest in creating more conceptual imagery and I began to work more and more seriously on these images as time pressed on, eventually beginning and finishing (albeit late) a 52 weeks project wherein I attempted to create an image every week for a year. I think the best method to develop skill or mastery of anything is to remain consistent and to focus on long term growth and developing habits to sustain your practice for the long run, as opposed to trying to find ways to reach success quickly. If you enjoy the process more than the results of your practice, you've already won, and everything else is just a bonus.

The limited palette of your images gives it such a strong solid appearance, was that something you evolved into or was it a decision from the beginning of your career? My earlier images were much more colored/saturated, but in the last 4 or 5 years I've been drawn more and more to the cold detached feel of concrete grayness in my images. With this desatured style I find it propels the images in a way to avoid as much distraction in the image as possible and to focus on the bare bones of the content of the image; ironically I've found that limiting my visual palette also serves to make the works stronger when it comes to probing at ideas/concepts and having consistency among different works/series. What would you say is in the core of your will to create? I think ultimately I create because I love art as a whole. When I see art I love, I immediately am inspired and want to produce works to share with the world so that others may feel the same way I feel when I see pieces of art that I truly connect with and that impact me greatly.

I would love to reflect on your music, how come you turned to that medium? I actually began working with music before photography. My parents are both musicians and as a result I've been surrounded by musicians for most of my childhood; both of my parents played in various groups together ranging different styles, so music was a very natural thing for me to take an interest in. I played guitar and drums at a young age but never really had the discipline to master the instruments and instead would just play what I wanted to play and what felt good, but lately I am focusing my efforts on building a name for myself and consistently releasing music content along with my visual work. Music took a lot longer for me to get serious about as photography became my focus for a long time and I always felt that music was something very personal that I was more apprehensive about sharing, whereas with photography it felt much easier to share works and not feel like I was being judged. Photography and music make the perfect space for music videos, have you tried yourself in that type of art? I would love to make videos! I'm experimenting with the medium now for my music projects and even in my limited experience I have nothing but respect for people who work in video, its such a difficult medium but seems very rewarding. I'd love to get a small team together and work on short visual ideas or to make video versions of concepts for photos and such in the future.

How do you go about models, do you have professionals, or use your own body or something else? I often will use myself and a remote to trigger my camera since I know exactly what I'm looking for out of the figure in the frame, and don't need to try and translate my idea to someone else. Also a lot of the times I need people to do somewhat dangerous things for images so I just so it myself so no one else gets harmed. Do you think it is manageable or good to have a day  job and do projects, or is it better to focus on personal projects only? I think you should do whatever you need to to make ends meet and to have a reasonable living, but also to ensure that what you do gives you the freedom to pursue what it is you really want to do with your life. If you want to be a full time artist but you work 40-50 hours doing labor intensive work or something that leaves you incredibly stressed and drained emotionally outside of work then if you have the privilege to work less or to find work more related to your interests, that would be better for your goals in the long run. If you have the determination to take the plunge and go all in on your goals though then by all means!

Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers? I'd just like to say thank you for the opportunity to answer these questions, and that I hope whoever reads or sees this finds inspiration in my work or any of my responses!

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IDEA SEED INTERVIEW Denis Sarazhin

Denis Sarazhin

Instagram

Facebook

Denis is an artist I found via Instagram and fell in love with his work at first glance. I love how unique and strong his work is. The virtuosity in his brush strokes and color palette. The mixture of cold and warm colors states that the executor is obviously highly skilled, while the gesture shows that there is no lack of emotion behind the movement.

Song of the artists choice

https://soundcloud.com/tamenpi/shlohmo-rained-the-whole-time

The way you paint hands gives me the feeling that there is more to the story than just the human figure? Could you say more about them?

Hands are a very important part of the human body. They are taking part in the expression of emotions and feelings. This is one of the ways of non-verbal communication. In addition, in the anatomical sense, it is one of the most plastically demanding, interesting and expressive elements. So when I'm depicting hands I set a task, not only to display correctly and truthfully, but also try to express by them a certain emotional and nonverbal value.

Your painting style is rather unique with the virtuosity of the brushwork, how did your style evolve into this?

The style and manner of performance for any artist depends on many factors. It's like - the environment in which he was born and lived, the people around him while studying at art school, what he sees in magazines and reproductions, or in museums and exhibition halls.

Because of this, it's difficult to identify anything specific, clear. In every artist you can find something that will inspire and influence you. In addition to this, over time tastes are changing, what I like today, tomorrow may already seem dull and unsightly.

It is difficult to single out a certain style and the era that influenced me. Something I like in the style of «Modern" but at the same time, there is a lot I do not understand in it.

Is there a source online that you found especially useful in your artistic evolution?

First of all this of course Facebook and instagram. These resources make it possible to see so many interesting artists and works of art, so it is difficult to imagine how much time it would take for that to explore with all this material, traveling around the world and looking at museums and galleries. In addition, it is even possible to have a virtual dialogue with artists whom I like, and which I would hardly have met without it. 

The variations of warm and cold colors are so great in your work, how do you manage them so amazingly?

  With regard to technical methods, I can say that everything comes with practice and experimentation. I am constantly looking for better ways and painting techniques that maximize and could express what I had in mind. I can say that the language of art that I use, appeared over time, such methods were not taught in the art academy. Especially in the Art Academy, I trained in a good traditional "Soviet" artistic school. Due to the emergence of new trends "contemporary art", this school will be forgotten. Which is really sad.

What are your main sources of inspiration beside your field of work?

Stories for my compositions are born from my observations of life. They can be seen by me anywhere, in unexpected situations and places. Some compositions are a reflection and understanding of what I saw or heard. I can say this is my experience of life.

Have you had a low point yet, when you wanted to give it all up?

As much as I do not want it, it sometimes comes to me. Especially when I see unfair assessment of something really talented and interesting. I am quite critical to my work, because the level of assessment is always high, being satisfied with good results is not a necessity to me. But I believe in the power of art, it gives me strength and faith that if you constantly study and work on yourself, you can achieve all you want.

Your Pantomime series show a figure in various poses on plain background that gives them a feeling of space without gravity yet there is some tension in them, was that your intent?

Pantomime - the kind of performing arts, in which the primary means of creating an artistic image is the human body and action without words as a means of expression.

This definition is my main idea in create a series of "pantomime". In the works is laid-shaped relationship between people and the search for themselves.

But at the same time because of the vagueness and abstractness of space, viewers are given the opportunity of free interpretation of what they saw in the image, it including from their own worldview and life experience.

While we are at it, what value do you give to naming artworks? Do you think it is an important part of the painting?

I think most artists would agree that it is not the easiest step in the work. But sometimes when I am creating titles for one work, I come to the idea to do a new work. Therefore it can be a very productive action

You have lovely open air landscapes, what is the difference in your opinion in painting in the studio or outside?

To work on the open air, I got accustomed to during my studies at the art academy. And since then, it has become my habit. Working with nature on the open air, is a very good way to «clean» the colors of the artists palette. For the artist it is very important to work with nature, whether it is a human figure or a still life or landscape. Nature teaches the artist to perceive the shape and color, perspective and rhythms.

When I work in the open air, anyway there is a dialogue with people. For me it is a lasting impression for my ideas in the future compositions. Traveling to different countries and localities I always find something new in people and their lifestyle, and in their stories. It gives me an impulse to the create new works in the workshop.

What can I say about the bad sides of work outdoors, this of course often struggle with the elements: wind, rain, cold, heat and sun, and of course, flies and mosquitoes. But this has its own charm and romance, besides you feel it and experience for yourself. And of course, people are very different. Sometimes I was meeting with such people of such character you couldn’t see in any movie. Well, about the funny things that have happened in the open air I could write a whole adventure book.

We are all human after all, so tell us something interesting about yourself that is not art related yet you find it important or interesting.  Is there a project you wanted to do but for some reason could not?

I really like the black and white photography. And this is my dream. Especially the photo with a long exposure. And it means frequent traveling along the shores of seas and islands. I had started doing it, and it carried me very much, but at the moment I do not have time for this.

Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers?

This is the most difficult - the final word, where I need to write something very clever and witty. But I would just like to wish to all the readers more strength and confidence in what they are doing or want to achieve.

In Art we trust!

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IDEA SEED INTERVIEW Piotr Jabłoński

Piotr Jabłoński

Art Station

Facebook

Deviantart

I am super excited for this interview. I have been following his work for a while now and loved every single pixel of it. Now with his new book and story illustrations in my opinion he deserves a place in the hall of the great artists who make the line between illustration and fine art ever so diffused.

It was an honor to get him on, his answers are on point, but his art is breathtaking. Do enjoy!

Let’s start off with the media again, what are the best suited virtual communities for an artist right now?

I don't know, really, I'm not an expert on social media. I like behance. On this site i can easily find inspiring stuff from digital painting, but also from fashion, photography, traditional painting, graffiti, design, architecture etc.   Its such a big 'mine of ideas' for me. I love it.   But i have also fanpage on facebook, some portfolio sites like Artstation, or Deviantart, and they work good too ;]

How do you feel about having a personal web page/domain? Is it important, and if it is when is the right time for it?

Its a good question. One day i heard an interesting answer from a graphic designer, but unfortunately I forgot his name. Anyway, he said, that when you achieve a certain level, you don't really need your own website. And I agree. If you are good, you probably have a client list, you have commissions, and maybe you are swamped with work...From time to time i get emails from new clients who want to work with me. They probably find me on my portfolio pages, maybe on facebook or somewhere in internet- i don't know. But they don't care if i have my own website. They saw my works somewhere, and they want to establish cooperation with me. An official page, for me is something like a substitution.

There is always that one thing they don’t teach you in art school, what was it in your life?

  I'mself-taught. Admittedly i graduated Architecture and Urban planning in Technical University of Bialystok, but its a bit different of what i do actually. But we are always are taught to be perfect. Even while kids, teachers or parents always tell us when we paint, not to move beyond the line. So we grew up trying 'not move beyond the line' and be perfect. We also kill our style, feelings, emotions. And this is one of a largest problems.   I am 28 years old, and it is still hard for me to make something totally crazy, free. My hand will immediately try to correct any faults. But this mistakes, can make something totally fresh and new. When i had graphic lessons on Architecture University, my teacher told me to use my left -hand ( I’m right -handed ) to draw some letters. When i started drawing my brain give me a signal to make everything perfect , but hand made more loose and messy forms. And these forms looks so awesome, more designed, relaxed. I create something fresh and new, something that i woild never be able to make using my right hand. And that's perfect, because sometimes inaccuracy can give you a  surprising effects.

Tell us more about your career, how long did it take for you to make a living out of it? What did you do, and for how long until you got here?

I started with art a long time ago, when i was a child. I always painted something- dinosaurs, vehicles etc. Next, when I was a fourteen I got interested in graffiti and drew many projects on paper, trying to imagine how it would look like on a wall. And from time to time, when i had cash, i painted on some walls with my friends. When I was seventeen years old, my high-school friend recommended the graphic tablet. So I started looking at other digital artist, and was just amazed how awesome stuff they can do is. It was just mindblowing! I wanted to be as good as they were. So whenever i had the time I tried to paint something and shared it on the Internet. And after a few years I got my first, paid job. And that's how it started.

What is you medium of choice and why? How do you feel about digital work? Is it or will it ever be considered a valid art form?

Yeah, not having an original as in traditional media is a bit of a problem, and that's why many people don't treat digital painting like real art. But we can print art like illustrators do, on special paper, add limited edition, signatures etc. And after that, that kind of illustration starts gaining value. The real problem is how people perceive computer graphics. Most people still think, that if something was done on computer, its easier than traditional media. Nope, that's not a true. Computer or graphic tablet are just tools. We can use them well, when we have skills, knowledge etc. In any other way, we can only make some digital sh*ts ;]

Is there something that makes your artwork linked to your personality and life experience? What was or is, the approach or idea that makes you stand out?

I always try to sell a mood of the illustration. And I don't really like to tell whole story. I prefer, when the spectator can answered by adding his/her own story. Its touching deeper in my opinion.  I also pay attention to colors, light, simple composition.

I am interested on your thoughts on the female/ male artist ratio in the field? Why is the proportion the way it is?

Its really tricky question ( ;] ), and there is no one good answer. To be correct I prefer to say - I was never thinking about that - and that's my answer ;]

What is kitsch in your opinion? If you think there are motives that have been misused so many times, do you think there is a way to un-kitsch them?

Like everything , kitsch can be good and bad, and it depends how we look at it. Sometimes artist consciously use kitsch to make something new, fresh, break some rules etc.(for example Tarantino) Sometimes, arts which we are used to be called kitsch, become valuable art. Its depends how we use it, and what we want to achieve. But of course, mostly kitschy works are just kitschy, so they looks like crap. If you ask me if it is better for a novice to avoid kitschy motives or use them freely, i will answer- do what you want- seriously.   Very often i see kitschy works gaining such big popularity. And it concerns/applies to all and any kind of art. Most  people just like kitsch ;]

How do you feel about the idealization of the female form/ portrait in art? Is there a need for it? Do you respect it or think is the easy way out?

Female form is just a theme- everything depends how we use it.

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IDEA SEED INTERVIEW TOMAS WATSON

THOMAS WATSON

Instagram

Facebook

Pintrest

Thanks to the magic of Instagram I started talking to this amazing artist and person! His work is a mix of Renaissancesque precision and contemporary experimentation. Working across several media, mixing polarities. Highly skilled chiaroscuro combined with graphic shapes with an obvious love for the human figure.

Looking through your work, I see so much experimentation in technique and visual approach. Can you tell us more about its importance to your work?

Experimentation is of the utmost importance and has always been, simply because by experimenting you discover things and that to me is the essence of why I paint. Too many people restrict themselves unnecessarily with the  ideas of others. If you don’t experiment, you don’t develop. Experimentation is not just limited to material, but also to the way the image comes out. I like to have areas of contrast between very finished looking parts and sections which retain the rawness of initial gesture, or parts of high realism against gestural brushstrokes, or loose drawing contrasted with finished painting etc. Experimenting with opposites and coupled with experimentation with material can lead to some exciting discoveries…..among the awful disasters!!

I have noticed also that many young figurative painters are working like this too which for me is a sign that painting and especially drawing is alive and well…

You said that you have an agent in London, could you tell us more about that experience? Why did you make that choice and how is it different in comparison to gallery representation?

Jill George is my London Dealer / Agent / Gallerist .  I refer  to her now as my agent simply because at present she doesn’t have a gallery space. I have been represented by The Jill George Gallery since 1997. The last 5 or 6 years ( without the gallery space )have been difficult in terms of sales and promotion and in fact that is partly why I have moved with more commitment into the world of the internet. For too many years I relied solely on sales and promotion generated by her and she served me well, I have no complaints but I now feel the need to take more control . I think it is important to find representation and to have shows and to be part of group shows but it seems to be increasingly important and easy to take over a lot of the control yourself via the internet… but it takes time, commitment and energy.

 We talked a bit about the artist collaborations that keep popping up these days. What do you think of them, should there be more, or is it a way of separation?

I joined instagram in March and seeing these collaborations moved me very deeply. I realized that it was possible to be a part of a community of your choice and to interact physically as well as just sharing images digitally. I think there will be more of them and there should be. I contacted a few of the artists involved in these projects ( death of a coworker, a moving occurrence, the Lo. Collective)and have started exchanging and buying work from them . The whole process has breathed new life into the way I see things in terms of painting.  

What you say about separation confuses me a little because I think for any sort of exchange program to work there have to be certain standards or shared qualities and so automatically that separates those whose sensibilities are equal from those who haven’t put the work in but want to be part of it anyway.  What I like very much is the idea that two artists can exchange a similar sized drawing. It has no bearing on value or monetary worth but simply on it’s own terms, a mutual respect….but those terms have to be equal.

Thanks to the internet networking and everything got way easier. Do you think that this opens the doors to everyone and gives them an equal opportunity? 

I think that as I said above the possibilities now with the internet are astounding. Certain things got easier such as contacting artists and seeing what they are doing. Seeing daily what efforts they are going to in their new pictures, the failures as well as the successes, the tools they are using etc. All of this makes one aspect much easier than it was but to be an artist is still no easy thing to manage. You still have to sell your work to live and no matter how many hundreds of people may say they like it, how many would actually buy it??

This is something I am actively working with because there is a misunderstanding that has to be overturned. Many artists think that there are people who buy pictures and ordinary people who don’t. In my experience anybody can potentially buy a picture and so I made a commitment to myself that for every picture I sold, I would buy a drawing or something small with some of the earnings. I was astonished  at how reasonable the prices were from artists who are really quite famous and also happy because several preferred to trade with me rather than sell to me! I would like everyone to be a bit more forthcoming about buying art. Basically for $200 or less you can get a great drawing by a rising art star . It is not a ridiculous amount of money and helps keep the art world moving. Sermon over!!

Apparently you have some interesting plans and ideas for your upcoming work. What is the thing the currently sparks your interest?

For a long time I have wanted to paint Artists in their studios but was always procrastinating about how I was going to go about it and the effort involved to contact them and set it up etc. Then after seeing these exchanges on instagram I realized I could do it by asking the artists to send me photos which they take. So I will end up with a bunch of photos from each artist which I will then try to turn into a composition. I have no idea how this will develop ..and that is part of the point… my means are limited and therefore I have to be creative and make each one unique and about them somehow.

The artist and the studio is a theme I have been returning to a lot but it is always me and my studio!!

I see the space where the work is created as a sort of potent place filled with potential but it’s physical actuality is one of chaos and mess (at least that is true of my studio). I find the way we choose to spend a large part of our lives creating things to be as important as the works created. Things develop in a certain way, the area we choose to work in has a meaning, the size of the painting changes the dynamic of the room, whether we sit or stand ,are chaotic or neat all have bearings not only on the work but on our characters. By asking for these photos I am hoping to get some sort of an insight into the process and ultimately into the energy of the artist. Now how that will come out in my paintings …I don’t know but it interests me enough that I thought it would be a great theme for my show next year in London. And the response so far has been amazing….

What are the best suited virtual communities for an artist right now?

I don’t really know about these things. I met Phil Hale for coffee in London in November and it was he who told me I had to get on instagram. I didn’t really believe at the time that  it could be as interesting as it has proved to be. More than that, I find it a vital source…because look at my situation as an example: I live in a Greek island and have lived thus for 25 years. I need to be remote, I need the silence and lack of interference in order to focus fully on what I am doing. The bad side is that you end up away from where things are “happening” and sometimes that can feel really isolating. With instagram I am connecting daily with artists whose work I love and respect from all over the world…and although it is basically a virtual situation, I think there will come moments of crossover…for example by being part of  a group online, maybe that group will hold a show somewhere and you could then be part of it by exhibiting works together. Facebook is basically a good tool for generating followers and to get your work seen but the downside is that there are too many opinions floating around and it seems a lot of angry people out there!!

How do you feel about having a personal web page/domain? Is it important, and if it is when is the right time for it?

I have just published my webpage www.tomaswatson.com   I have wanted to do it for several years but again procrastinated until I realized that you need to have a place to send people who want to look at your work. It was surprisingly easy to set up (I haven’t finished it yet , not by a long way but there is enough to see what I’m about and works for sale etc) and I will try over time to get all my work up there.  I think it definitely helps to have a site of your own  ….just how important it will be remains to be seen.

What is you medium of choice and why? How do you feel about digital work? Is it or will it ever be considered a valid art form?

This is a big question. I suppose oil paint would be my medium of choice but I have been developing systems that mean I can use anything I want. I tend to find that any one medium is limiting by the same factors that make it unique.  When I start a work I start it with dry materials, charcoal ,pastels, sanguine etc. then I move on or at the same time combine it with inks , goache and then acrylics. During this stage it is possible to glue stuff on, rip it off…basically do anything using acrylic based glues and mediums, fabrics, paper and plastic. Once the picture has reached a point where to continue in this manner is pointless, it has stopped developing …then it is time to move on to Oils. In order to do that the entire surface has to be sized with a thick translucent acrylic size. This protects everything from the oil. Then you can start splattering the oil about. But from this point on there is no more gluing or mixing of media, it is only oil paint.  

I was very interested in digital media and bought an ipad for the drawing apps. But it is no satisfying drawing on glass with a thick rubber thing and then the printed product , whilst amazing in itself never looks more than a reproduction of something and I got very disheartened by it. I do believe there are possibilities with it however and one of the ways is to use digital media in combination with other techniques. With these photos from the artists for example I intend to work on them all digitally, combining and changing…whatever…and then print the result (which may be the starting point for the paintings) onto a sheet of polyester plate which I will then ink up and print through the etching press. Each of the artists involved will get one of these as a thank you.

So in this way digital technology will directly help me and is entirely valid. On it’s own however it lacks that original aspect. Etching also lacks that original aspect except that they are pulled through the press by hand and each one has been inked differently and there is the plate mark etc….so there is an intimacy with an etching which is not there in an inkjet print.

What is kitsch in your opinion? If you think there are motives that have been misused so many times, do you think there is a way to un-kitsch them?

Kitsch is a very interesting thing and deeply misunderstood. In a way kitsch is similar to nostalgia, a longing for something gone, when everything was perfect and beautiful. The symbols associated with Kitsch imagery are in fact triggers to a deeper psychological meaning. Because of this they are always overused and usually overused by amateurs as it is the first sort of thing that makes them  feel inspired. As a result there are endless crap pictures of cheesy sunsets. If a sunset is painted with passion however and with an observed intensity nothing can speak more directly to your soul…think about Turner , Lorraine , Monet or Friedrich. I would advise novices to avoid anything sentimental however, to wait until enough life  has

passed through them  and enough skill has been developed  that a painted sunset can deeply equate with a real emotion.  

Things can be un –Kitsched because nothing in reality is kitsch. Things just are…. and so if they can be observed honestly for what they are they can transcend any preconceived notions and exist as depictions of something real and meaningful.

Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers? A question you would have wanted me to ask you?

I am very interested in the use of photography in figurative painting. For many years I had a guilty relationship with the camera , feeling that I was somehow cheating, even though I knew that was not the case or even the point.

As most decent  figurative painters will know, the painting happens on the canvas. Whatever you use to start off your painting, it is the painting itself that ends it. There are all sorts of decisions that have to be made during the process of a painting and the starting point (the photograph or drawing or model) is only a very small part of the outcome of the piece. The good thing about using photography is that you can return to it again and again , the bad part is that it is fixed, that it’s 2 dimensional quality has already been decided.  

There was a point a few years ago when I thought that hyper realism had gone bananas and taken over. There seemed to be an endless supply of hyper realistic drawings and paintings which are astonishing to look at. I was very disheartened because it seemed to me that the notions of constitutes and what has always constituted good drawing was being overtaken by overwhelming detail. How could you begin to explain to someone who doesn’t know, that the hyper realistic piece is not necessarily well drawn??

I was despairing for a few years because whilst I am happy to see these achievements I was feeling that truth was being lost somewhere down the line.  

Then I started to see what the figurative painters are coming up with now and I found new hope. They are using photography not as an end, as something to copy, but as a means . Check out Daniel Segrove, Felipe Alonso, Justin Hopkins, Blake Neubert, Johan Barrios, Sid Watters, Jose Luis Puche, Emilio Villalba, Gabriella Maldonado, Aleksandra Devic, Pamela Wilson etc.

They are generally young enough to have been brought up in a world where digital imagery was a given thing, that working from photographs was normal. Therefore they are seeing what they can do with it, how it can help them and I can see now that there is a really bright future for figurative drawing and painting emerging, which is not stuck in the past but is embracing modern technological advances and moving forward.

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IDEA SEED INTERVIEW DAVID PALUMBO

DAVID PALUMBO

Instagram

Facebook

Everydayoriginals

David Palumbo is a massively talented and skilled artist, specializing in comic book cover and book illustration as well ad MTG cards and has had many ground breaking personal projects. He must be the perfect combination of the sensibility behind the fine art, with his gorgeous female nudes in particularly, and illustration and narration in any of his applied work.

All of that experience and skill made it possible for him to jury he Spectrum Fantastic Art Awards, about which experience he will tell us a but about.

He was kind enough to reply and do the interview.

You are an established well respected artist, can you tell us what your breakthrough piece was, in your opinion? In what way was that one different than the previous ones? I feel like this actually happens every few years, where a new piece or series really pushes everything forward or brings in a client I had been really wanting to work with.  The most important breakthrough for me was the beginning of 2012 though.  I had been experimenting for some time before this with being more painterly in my technique and having fun with that in personal studies, but not sure how to introduce it into my commercial work (which at that time was tighter and more meticulously rendered).  It was right around New Years, following a few frustrating jobs that had left me feeling pretty down on the work I was doing, that I had a sudden impulse to just start creating a new portfolio and see if it clicked. The first piece that I did was Ten Rods from the Tarot series I was working on for Heavy Metal, followed by The Old Ones Return and Terrible Weakness shortly after. It was during this transitional time that I also painted Fed, which ended up winning a gold medal in Spectrum.  By the end of that year, the response was so positive that I was exclusively working with the new technique and I feel it was a big step forward in finding my artistic voice. In every time period there is some kind of trend, but do you see something missing in artworks/ portfolios that beginners could pay attention to?

It's hard to say what is missing other than perhaps an impulse to do one's own thing.  The one thing that bums me out most in the industry is that there is a lot of sameness, and that can be numbing.  I want to see more personalities in the work, rather than just repeating well worn tropes.  I understand when I'm looking at portfolios that new artists are trying to find work and that often means creating samples that match big industry brands, but the stand-outs are those artists who add their own twist.  I love to be surprised by ideas or approaches I would not have thought of.  Of course, we learn by imitating, but at some point it needs to go beyond that. As far as simplicity in palette and shape, I tend to find that appealing.  That isn't to say my personal taste is right, but I'm attracted to work with a graphic punch and my philosophy in painting is to limit things to only what is necessary.

How do you feel about the female form in Art, mainly painting?

 It's probably pretty clear from my work that I've very pro-nudity in art and find bodies beautiful, either in a sexual context or simply as an appreciation of the complexity of a living organic form.  That said, I realize this topic can be a tricky one and where the boundaries are is probably very personal.  The context I enjoy most for nude figures is a celebration of the body, and doing that successfully means, for me, capturing a sense of life and naturalism.  And hopefully intimacy and passion. It would be nice to see more male nudes in the mix as well.  I know I'm not exactly leading by example there, but I have a personal series underway (still very hush hush) which is touching on that at least a bit.  It's definitely imbalanced out there as far as who we sexualize in art, and yet I just enjoy painting women so much that I'm in no place to call anyone out on that.  I'm all in support of more nude dudes.

I remember following your book cover painting project, and loving it! How important are personal projects to you, also what advice would you give to novices on that topic?

 Every breakthrough I've had was in some way connected with a personal project.  That is the laboratory where you get to experiment and discover new things.  It is also where you can really discover who you are as an artist.  I always make time for personal work.  It might have to wait sometimes for deadlines, but it is one of my top priorities.

Beside you being an established artist, your word has quite an impact, we saw that in the latest Spectrum Fantastic Art where you were one of the judges. I would love to hear more about that experience.

Being asked in as a judge was one of the highest honors I've received. It's hard for me to even articulate. Spectrum was what I looked at for guidance and inspiration when I was just learning how to paint, so helping to shape this year's volume is beyond words to me. The whole thing is done in one day, which means that we were looking at an incredible volume of images.  What got my attention the most was the work with either impeccable execution, and/or work which had some unexpected quality to it.  The unexpected choices really stand out when you're flipping past hundreds of images which are narrower in their concepts or subjects.  Of course, there has to be a majority vote from the pool of judges so controversial work isn't always a sure thing, but I think being bold or different usually was in an artist's favor.  Safe work can sometimes be bland work, and that tends to get lost in the crowd. All of that aside though, there were a ton of great pieces that didn't make it in.  That's the unfortunate nature of the book, but that is also what makes it special and what makes inclusion meaningful.  The level of competition is really tough.  I can only advise people to enter their most interesting work. What would be the one thing that if your present self would have told your past self, you would not have believed it that you could achieve?

It's funny little things.  To be honest, something I maybe had too much of starting out was confidence in my work.  By the time I started realizing how far I still had to go, I at least had a toe hold and was able to keep fighting through.  So my past self was maybe a bit cocky about these things.  But I've recently been working on Aliens covers for Dark Horse and that has been super cool (the movies were hugely influential to me) and last year they used one of those paintings as the cover of Previews Magazine. Like, the cover of the industry wide comic book distribution catalog had my painting on it.  I don't think 16 year old me working at the local comic store saw that one coming. 

What are the best suited virtual communities for an artist right now? 

Mostly what I'm using lately is Facebook. I miss the pre-social media days where there were relevant message board communities, but I don't really use any of those anymore.  I like Facebook mostly for social outlet.  Instagram is where I post more of my gallery type work and Behance seems decent for bringing in jobs. It all feels a bit fractured at the moment though, and I always feel like I don't post nearly as often as I should. As far as promoting, I think it's also still really valuable to just have a personal website or online portfolio that everything can link back to.   How do you feel about having a personal web page/domain? Is it important, and if it is when is the right time for it?

What is useful in a personal page is how you can control the viewer's experience.  The best pages are simple and direct, with nice sized image and easy to locate contact info.  Art directors often need to get approval on artists from a creative director or marketing team, so there needs to be a fast easy place to grab images from.  The experience of looking at a personal site should reflect the experience of working with you: Is it difficult?  Is the work cohesive so that I will get what I expect?  Is there a clear identity in the work that is memorable? I recommend discreet watermarks of your name or URL so that anyone who saved it to an inspiration or mood folder can always remember where it came from.  I highly discourage anti-theft watermarks (anything that disrupts the image).  I get the concerns people have, but I feel they do more harm than good.

 What is you medium of choice and why? How do you feel about digital work? Is it or will it ever be considered a valid art form?

I work in oils because that was what I learned on and where I feel most comfortable.  I also like having a physical object in the end (to keep or sell).  I don't actually believe that there is a prejudice against digital work anymore, especially because most clients just assume all work is digital now.  If someone is buying reproduction rights, they could usually care less how you made the picture.  The only time that matters is if you're looking to get into a collector market. In the end, digital prints just aren't the same to most buyers.  For some people that doesn't matter, for some it's a big deal.  I think the ultimate deciding factor is just which tool lets you create your best work.

I am interested on your thoughts on the female/ male artist ratio represents? Why is the proportion the way it is?

 I personally see this rapidly turning around.  Just 10 years ago, it was pretty stark how few women were well established on the creative side of the industry.  In the past five years, that seems to me to have shifted dramatically.  Still not an even balance, but far better than it was.  Look at who's winning awards and you'll see a lot of women very early in their careers popping up. Role models are tremendously important for anyone entering a highly competitive field.  My theory is that the internet allowed for more women interested in genre art to communicate with eachother, support eachother, and inspire eachother. Also, access to information is so much more available now that you can get known without personally knowing anybody, which was a more daunting hurdle in pre-socialmedia days for any industry seen as a boys club.   Of course, there were already so many men to begin with who are still working, so the ratio has to take that into account. But I'm seeing it shift for sure and once it started, it has been moving fast.  The majority of really exciting portfolios I've seen from students seem to be coming from women (I have no explanation for that one).  It won't be too long before the whole thing is balanced out in my opinion.  Skill is cumulative and there are already a lot of young women in fantasy art with really strong voices, just imagine how incredible they'll be in another decade or two. And the generation that they'll inspire.

 What is kitsch in your opinion? If you think there are motives that have been misused so many times, do you think there is a way to un-kitsch them?

I think if people are mindful about their imagery that can avoid kitch and cliches.  It's not like common symbols and tropes can't be put to good use, they just need to be done purposefully and consciously.  I think it's ok to embrace some of that stuff so long as you don't just do it reflexively.

[idea-seed]

IDEA SEED INTERVIEW

SCOTT M FISCHER

Scott M Fischer

Tumblr

Facebook

Instagram

For those who do not know Scott's work, he is an amazing artist with strong graphic shapes, great design,mixed with skills in realism. I have been following his work in the past years, but he recently blew me away with his experiments in drawing and painting material and surfaces. Also an  avid supporter of Bernie Sanders, there is another part of him I admire.

He was kind enough to spend some time to answer these questions for us all!

Everybody has a social media account these days, how do you feel it affects your art?

Social media has been amazing. Especially Instagram. Beyond the exposure it gives, it also gives me an outlet to show process, and I am a process addict. I don’t feel it shapes what I choose to draw and paint any more than publishing. In fact I am less concerned with trends then ever when posting personal work on SM. And it gives me an outlet to share and post that personal work, that otherwise you would have had to cross you fingers that someone walked into a gallery to see it.  

For a young artist, do you think there is a good and a bad time to start sharing their work online? After all you can not erase anything from the internet.

This is a great point and in many ways I am glad I got established before social media. Beyond that I am glad that when I started talking to say, novel cover art directors, for instance, there was no record of my painful beginnings. They saw me for the first time when I was pretty much ready to go, having worked out many of the kinks in the roll playing game industry, which had a lower entree point back then, and allowed you to grow and get paid enough for Ramen while doing it.

That said, I do believe the cream rises to the top. And though I don’t envy someone starting out in the sea that is the internet of competition, it has also never been easier to be seen. I’ve talked to Art Directors who say they like to watch a person’s growth, and pluck them when ready.  

Personally I am glad most of my crap early art isn’t a google search away. But still, I hope I keep getting better so that the work I am doing now will be an embarrassment to me in 10 years.

In your art education, do you think you were well prepared for working in the art world?

No. Nothing about art-school prepared me for actually making a living as an artist. That is changing with things I am involved in like The Illustration Master Class and online, SmArt School.

In those environments you are learning from pros, who beyond instructing you how to make a better painting, are dropping pearls of wisdom about navigating the art-life.

Do you have any advice to novices about looking for a gallery, or how to find and get through to an art director trying to get work?

I am new to the gallery world myself, having come from illustration. But all gallery contacts I’ve made thus far have either been from galleries seeing my work in social media, and artists who likes my work , are already in a gallery and can introduce me- or walking in the door and starting a conversation. But I can tell you in the gallery world or in the illustration world, (in any world) if you can find a back door, through a peer for instance, it is always better than standing in line at the front door with everyone else.  

My wife is also a successful gallery painter Teresa n Fischer, and she got all of her galleries simply by posting her work in social media. Stuff gets enough likes, it rises, and if someone established comments or likes something you’ve done, people start paying attention.

What is you medium of choice and why? Do you think it has an advantage or disadvantage in the market, and do you think it is right to be so?

As I mentioned I am a process addict. I use many media including oil painting on copper and then engraving that copper in areas. Yes there seems to be a stigma that oil is worth more than graphite or watercolor, no matter what the time invested is. But I can tell you right now, watercolor scares me way more than oil does and I have mad respect for that media.  

The questions of pricing the work is always difficult. How do you get around that? What are your advice's for beginners?

This is one of the TOUGHEST questions, and there is no correct answer. Starting out, it should hurt both the seller and the buyer I think. A little less than you want but a little more than they want to spend, lol. Why is it that I can spend 3 weeks on a 5X7 inch painting, but would have to charge substantially less than and 18X24 painting I spent 3 days on? I mean I get it, size matters, but it is still odd. I struggle with this issue for every painting I do.

I feel though, that in the beginning sales are more important than how much they sold for. It gets attention. It looks good to collectors to look back and see things sold. It looks good to galleries. I literally had a gallery owner tell me out of the blue, that they love my stuff, have noticed that it all sells instantly (A sign that I am not charging enough) and that “You are selling way to cheap.” only to follow up with, “But it is my job to get the prices up.” Point is, you can build on red dots. So long as you don’t starve in the process.  

How long do you consider yourself to be an artist, and how long did it take for you to get where you felt you were in the right place? Or if you are still aiming for something more, what is it?

I am never satisfied where I am at as an artist. Both in recognition and skill. And I hope I never am. No matter where you are at there is always someone ahead of you. I have 28,000 followers on IG as of this interview. Feels pretty great actually. I am sure there are many who would love 28,000 followers. But it is all perspective, because I have friends who have 300,000 followers, who are younger than me.

In the end we compete with ourselves. And I can tell you this, the moment I started caring less what my friends and idols were doing, how many followers they had, was the moment people started paying attention to what I was doing.

What do you consider art? Is there a visual only aspect to it, conceptual, or both?

Who can answer this. No one has been able to answer this in the history of art, they can just guess. Right now we are seeing a resurgence of figurative art. Hell they even have a word for it ‘Figuration’. But in the 90’s when I was starting out, there were very few figurative works in galleries or magazines. Juxtapoz was about it. I was a fine art major in college. Not illustration. But if you wanted to make a living as a figurative artist you taught or went into illustration. I chose the latter because that path trained me to become a better artist, so that when I return to my personal work, which I am doing now after 2 decades of illustration, I had the skills to back up my ideas.

Trends are always there. If I see another big eyed little girl or a painting on exposed wood grain, I may scream. Despite the fact that I think it would be pretty fun to paint on exposed wood grain myself, and there are some EXCELLENT artists doing both of those things. Hell, folks will be saying the same about me painting on exposed copper in due time. And the reality is, artists were painting on copper 200 years ago, it is nothing new. In the end it is the IDEAS that matter. The brain behind what you are painting. And if you have the skills to back it up, bonus.

We all have problems with motivation from time to time. How do you cope with those days?

Fear of starvation is a great motivator. I actually have no problem with motivation. Even starting out if I got a ‘No’ from someone it only drove me harder to prove them wrong. Cause “I’ll fuck’n show them. I may not be good enough today, but it will come.”  

There is no assurance it will be worth it. There isn’t in ANYTHING. Job security? Hell the years of having a safe career and riding it out till retirement are much more rare than they were 20 years ago. So at least you are in the driver seat in an art career. Here is the thing I tell myself and other artists, “Someone gets to do it, why not fucking you? ‘’

Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers?

Grit is more important that skill or connections. You can get the latter two with grit. There were artist who were way more skilled than me in college. Folks that would be surprised that I’ve ‘made it’ (whatever that means), based on the level of my work in school. But the bottom line is, I never gave up. There was no plan B.

And in the beginning, keep your overhead freaking LOW!

[idea-seed]

IDEA SEED INTERVIEW

BUDDY NESTOR

Instagram

Facebook

I found Buddy on Instagram, and his art fascinates me because he is the one in a few, if not the only who makes me so uncomfortable yet amazed by his paintings. To me personally, this is how my nightmares would look like. His skill is in perfect balance with his creativity and virtuosity. It was great from him to answer to the questions.

Everybody has a social media account these days, how do you feel it affects your art?

Social media has been intensely important for me. I started an art page on MySpace right before it died and moved over to Facebook.  I guess that was around 2008.  I got my first solo show in Philadelphia which was amazing exposure but almost everything after that happened through the art community on social media and in real life.  I still suck at Instagram but that seemed to become more important than Facebook until they changed the data flow lately.   Now it might be less effective.

It’s nice to get lots of likes on a piece of work but that doesn’t mean that that piece will sell faster than one with less attention.  It’s all just ego food.

For a young artist, do you think there is a good and a bad time to start sharing their work online? After all you can not erase anything from the internet.

Every painter has a dumpster full of failures before they start to make successful work, so I don’t think sharing work early can hurt.  You can always delete images.  Yeah some will get stuck in image searches but I wouldn’t really worry about it too much.  

In your art education, do you think you were well prepared for working in the art world?

No I wasn’t really prepared. They do teach you how to make art but not really about how the business works.  All of that comes through trial and error and talking to others in your community if you are a part of one.. Maria Teicher, from Arts Not Dead, is presently putting together presentations in Philadelphia to discuss the real questions about your art career that get overlooked in school like social media, getting into galleries, pricing, etc.

Do you have any advice to novices about looking for a gallery, or how to find and get through to an art director trying to get work?

Do your research and find galleries that you think your work might fit into.  Go to all of their shows and meet the artists and see if you want to part of their group.  Don’t be pushy just be social.  Don’t hand out cards or tell everyone that you are a painter. Just get to know the work and the people. Most shows that you get will happen organically through friendships. If you are not getting shows, you can always find a place to do pop up shows with friends and others who aren’t getting shows that do great work. 

What is you medium of choice and why? Do you think it has an advantage or disadvantage in the market, and do you think it is right to be so?

I use Acrylic paint and acrylic spray paint and charcoal.  Experimenting with tons of mediums led me to this combination that is very comfortable for me now and I rarely stray from it. I think there will always be a place for paintings that can fit on the wall of a house.

The questions of pricing the work is always difficult. How do you get around that? What are your advice's for beginners?

Pricing is really hard until you start selling. Then you can gauge each piece by size and quality to determine a price.  Once you get your prices set they should go up about ten percent per year if you are selling consistently.  Demand will also drive the prices up. Then if you get gallery representation, they will price your work.

How long do you consider yourself to be an artist, and how long did it take for you to get where you felt you were in the right place? Or if you are still aiming for something more, what is it?

I started selling with artists that I truly admired in 2009.  I don’t think any artist ever feels total comfortable with their work or career. Maybe there are a few but I don’t know any. Presently I am starting a project focused on much larger pieces geared toward bigger galleries. Pieces that will be no smaller than about eight feet tall. I have no idea if galleries or collectors will be interested but I am more excited about the new project than I have been about my work in a while.

What do you consider art? Is there a visual only aspect to it, conceptual, or both?

Everything is art.

We all have problems with motivation from time to time. How do you cope with those days?

If you plan to be an artist you are creating a business and the product is your art.  If you put very little work into your business it will fail, but if you work harder than everyone else it will thrive.

If my head gets in the way I force myself to go into the studio and just sit for an hour a day.  When that happens I wind up cleaning up a bit and start getting ideas and the pressure to work goes away and you just start working freely. I also work on multiple pieces so I can move onto another piece is one of them is being difficult.

Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers?

Most of these questions seemed to be geared toward how to get into galleries and the business of art.  I believe that if you are an artist you love to make art.  If you work hard every day you will find a clear voice. However, the most important part is the community. Go to tons of art shows, go to the drink and draws, meet up with other like-minded people in your area and the rest will all fall into place. To be a good artist means spending lots of time alone to make work, so going out and getting a few beers with a bunch of people with the same drive and goals will do wonders for your work.

[idea-seed]

IDEA SEED INTERVIEW

Nathaniel Evans

Saatchi art

Facebook

Instagram

Artist Decoded podcast

I have seen Nathaniel’s work in Instagram for the first time. Fell in love with the freedom and limited color palette what is rather unusual in its color choice. The time I got blown away by it was when I listened to the ARTIST DECODED podcast, and when I learned about the idea behind it. I absolutely advice you to listen at it, there us a link up there.

He was kind enough to take some time and answer the questions, so lets hope they help you along the way.

Everybody has a social media account these days, how do you feel it affects your art?

Social media is a great tool for artists these days, especially Instagram. It's perfect for creating a presence for yourself that you might not have otherwise had a chance to do. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't pay attention to "likes", but I definitely don't cater to them. In the end, "likes" are not much different than a sell. It's just as easy to try and predict what kind of work will sell and to produce that over and over again. That's not why I do this, so I'm not really tempted by the "likes".

For a young artist, do you think there is a good and a bad time to start sharing their work online? After all you can not erase anything from the internet.

I don't think sharing artwork would ever harm your career unless your artwork represents harmful ideas. There are many artists who reached a level of recognition through portraiture and then switched to a different style once money no longer became an issue. The one advice about posting work online is this: use it to create a persona of what kind of artist you want to be. If you like to sketch in a moleskin everyday, then these are the posts that you want to put up. If you want to be an abstract minimalist, then your art school figure drawing isn't very relevant. If you are stuck doing some work that you know in your heart isn't your end vision, then wait until you are doing the work that represents you best before getting on social media. In your art education, do you think you were well prepared for working in the art world?

My school was very business oriented and I learned a great deal about technique and simple marketing. Everyone's artwork is different and they have to find their own niche and this can be difficult to teach, so it basically came down to how to print business cards, how to write a basically press release, etc... If you missed it in school, then there are many seminars available at local galleries where artists of all levels of success talk about their experience. There are also tons of books and websites to check out. Do you have any advice to novices about looking for a gallery, or how to find and get through to an art director trying to get work?

It comes to down to your work. Is it great? Does it match the vision of the gallery? Networking is the next important thing. You need to meet artists who also share your vision or who share a common work ethic. If those two are in place then opportunities will present themselves. What is you medium of choice and why? Do you think it has an advantage or disadvantage in the market, and do you think it is right to be so? 

I'm an oil painter in my bones. I do it because I love it and I don't question whether it's advantageous in any "market". If your work is professional and resonates with others then there will be a market. This elusive "market" is a manufactured perspective on art and it's worth. Oil painting has been around for hundreds of years and is still being reinvented and reexamined and there are still hundreds or maybe millions of people buying paintings all over the world. Maybe I won't have a documentary about me on Netflix, but if that's what I really wanted in the end, then maybe I should do something else.

The questions of pricing the work is always difficult. How do you get around that? What are your advice's for beginners?

Pricing changes throughout your career. I would just say start small and work your way up as the demand for your work goes up. How long do you consider yourself to be an artist, and how long did it take for you to get where you felt you were in the right place? Or if you are still aiming for something more, what is it?

I've been drawing since I was old enough to hold a pencil, but I just recently finished art school. Overnight success is another mythical work of fiction that young artists have somehow started believing. Just focus on your work and make real connections in the art world and things will work out OK. What do you consider art? Is there a visual only aspect to it, conceptual, or both? 

Ah. Now the fun question! Art is a creation that stares into the face of the most terrible and frightening parts of existence and makes them seem worth it. Pretty images do that by distracting us from our problems and reminding us that there are beautiful things to experience. Biographical works or social commentary works do this by examining real experiences and presenting them in a universal way. We all have problems with motivation from time to time. How do you cope with those days? (For someone who starts out, how can they see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to say? How to stay motivated to spend years working every day without the assurance that it will be worth it?) You have to be making something that you believe in. If motivation to make work that you believe in is a problem, then you're going to have an incredibly difficult time in this career. There are so many artists who have made amazing work and are never remembered. They didn't work to be remembered  they worked because they believed in it. If you are having trouble with believing in your work, then you should be very critical and examine what you are doing and how to make it better. Maybe it's technique, maybe it's your concept, or maybe it's that the two aren't working together. Do whatever it takes to get it there. Do you have any final words, or something you would like to share with the readers?

Don't be so anxious about social media or marketing or "the business side". Focus on your work, it's the most important thing. Without it, nothing will fall into pace. Once you have great work then connections will be easier to make and opportunities will arise.    

[idea-seed]

IDEA SEED ART BLOG

Hello and welcome to IDEA SEED

Where we are promoting the best established artists with a goal to seed great ideas into young minds.

The choice to make it a Tumblr blog is based on the public I wish to reach, that being young artists who are trying to find their voice and place in the world.

Over the course of the month there will be four same interviews with different artists in order to show that there is no one good approach to it. Wishing to show all the different views they can have on the same issue.

So if you are an emerging artist who is having trouble getting by in the art world, or you are simply interested in what your favorite artist thinks about art related matter, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!

If you have any suggestion about what question you want me to ask, or which artist to interview, go on and write me a message, and I will do my best

Love,

IDEA SEED

[idea-seed]

IDEA SEED INTERVIEW

Benjamin Björklund

Facebook

Instagram

Saatchi art

Artist Decoded podcast

I am absolutely delighted to start out with one of my favorite artists, as well as a great guy I always enjoy to talk. It is an honor to know him.

His art has fascinated me since the beginning, and I even printed out some of his work as inspiration, some years ago. It is apparent that his oils are highly influenced by his aquarelle experience, which is one of the reasons he is practically impossible to copy.

His color palette is well thought trough and his atmosphere and use of light is really pleasant and mysterious.

We talked about social media, the art world and market, and some of his views on art. Enjoy

                                        ****************************************** Everybody has a social media account these days, how do you feel it affects your art?

For me social media has been a huge help in getting my art noticed. I am very bad at networking and reaching out, but I have been posting my artwork online since I started painting, and it helped me  get in contact with collectors and galleries. There are some concerns that I have with Social medias as a platform for art. One important thing is that they censor the artwork, simply remove the uncomfortable work, nudes, which might make painters follow someone else's rules. You also quickly realize what kind of work seems to go well with followers. I have noticed for example on Instagram that portraits/heads seem to be popular, which might have to do with how small the photos posted are, a big painting with a lot going on in the composition might be hard to read on such a small screen.

There is also numbers telling us how popular someone is, and it might be interpreted as a kind of rating, judging someone by those numbers.

For a young artist, do you think there is a good and a bad time to start sharing their work online? After all you can not erase anything from the internet.

Oh, I don't think that painters will be held back by having older work floating around, I would say it is interesting to be able to follow someones progress. I think sharing your work should be considered a way of documenting your work, I feel worried that taking it into consideration when painting might affect the work in a negative way.

In your art education, do you think you were well prepared for working in the art world?

No, but i did not attend art school very much, I’m sure they talked about it. But working in the art world seems to be a lot like having your own company, and it takes a lot to be prepared for that I noticed. I don't have much knowledge about it, and have never been able to write texts about my own work. So I am probably not the right person to ask, haha.

Do you have any advice to novices about looking for a gallery, or how to find and get through to an art director trying to get work?

I am not sure, but putting together a portfolio and sending it around to galleries seems to be a good idea. Maybe try to get a piece into a group show to begin with. I think going to a gallery and talking to the people working there is a good idea, let them hear your thoughts and show them some of your work.

What is you medium of choice and why? Do you think it has an advantage or disadvantage in the market, and do you think it is right to be so?

I cant choose between watercolor and oil, they each have qualities I really like. I noticed that switching between them helps me a lot, and keeps me from getting to comfortable with either of them. Oil paint is so versatile, I can scrape, sand, work thick and thing, glaze and so on. with all those possibilities I sometimes get to cautious and wary, and end up removing more paint than I add. Watercolors force me to be more direct and bold, there are ways of manipulating the paint when it is applied too, but not to the extent of oil paint. I also notice that different subjects I work with seem to suit one or the other more too. When talking to galleries I get the impression that they are more interested in oil paintings, the market is so much larger, but I think watercolor still has a good reputation and considered a great medium. I don't think the difference in price is justified, but maybe people are worried about how a watercolor will last? Oil paintings on canvas don't have a good record for lasting either tho.

The questions of pricing the work is always difficult. How do you get around that? What are your advice's for beginners?

Oh, yes, I consider this is by far the most unpleasant part of being an artist. I find it really hard to put a price on something so personal. Now that painting is my only income, and I have to have money for rent, dog food and art supplies it is something I have thought about.

One thing I started to do is putting together some sort of formal price list. State the size, medium and price (remember to add shipping). That way you don't have to make up a price as you talk to someone, you can just refer to the list, almost pretend someone else wrote it, haha. Selling studies and sketches is a good way to have some income in between exhibitions and working on larger pieces.

How long do you consider yourself to be an artist, and how long did it take for you to get where you felt you were in the right place? Or if you are still aiming for something more, what is it?

I have been studying  or working until last year, when I took a break from school and started painting full time. Maybe that is when I became an artist, or maybe i am a painter more than an artist. I feel my work has started to come together a bit more in the last years, I have an easier time calling something finished and moving on. It is not necessarily a good thing, I believe something good comes with the struggle a painting can give you. But for many years i could not complete a single painting, it was terrible. I would like to think my work is heading somewhere, I keep looking for ideas and trying things, but the aim is uncertain. I’m happy to be able to paint as much as I do, and I have been thinking of trying out different things such as sculpture and video art, slowly gaining the confidence to do it.

As for the internet, I understand what you mean. I don't know what makes someone get noticed and others don't. There are many great artists who don't seem to get noticed enough at all. Some artists seem to appeal to other artists in the same field, while others manage to reach out to different crowds. My take on it has been to keep painting and hoping that it will be enough. I think altering your work to appeal to a  certain crowd can do harm. I do notice that some paintings are more successful than others on for example Instagram. Faces seem to go well, and I think it might be the small images on the small screens, multiple figures or busy compositions might not read well on a small screen.

I understand if people feel discouraged by not getting noticed, painting is already lonely as it is.

What do you consider art? Is there a visual only aspect to it, conceptual, or both?

I try my best to keep an open mind and absorb different ideas and approaches. If someone calls their creations art, I consider it art, good or bad. I am very visual in my approach, I like to be at home with my dog and paint things. I’m sure a lot of people would not consider that art, but I am not too concerned with that. Well, sometimes I am, questioning what i am doing and why, which I think most artists do from time to time. I think we choose to express ourselves in the way that comes most natural. Some sing, paint, write, put sharks in formaldehyde.

I think its a shame the art world seems divided between traditional artists and conceptual artists.

We all have problems with motivation from time to time. How do you cope with those days?

Oh, yes. I have tried forcing myself to paint, but it usually does not work. For me painting is still heavily relying on emotion and inspiration, and instead of sitting of forcing it I try other things. Maybe go to an exhibition, search for some good music, leave the house for a few days, things like that. I notice when I get back from traveling the images seem to almost pour out of me. This is hard when you have a deadline, I understand that.