M: You have a fantastic style; did it develop gradually or was there a “light bulb moment” where you tried something different and stumbled upon it?
C: I think style is unavoidable from person to person, it just comes out the way it comes out. But the way I'm working now probably did have a "light bulb moment" a
couple years ago while working on my MFA thesis at the University of Hartford. I discovered a love for decorative illustration, and after realizing that, it was much easier to paint; I wasn't fighting against what I thought I should be doing. It came more naturally after that.
M: Describe your style and the types of media you enjoy working with?
C: I work in watercolor, gouache, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. I think what carries over to all my work is the mark making - most of it is deliberate brush strokes with not a lot of blending, and a lot of line work. My style changes from media to media. That makes it hard to promote myself as an individual freelancer, but also makes me a better teacher. It also allows me to work on a lot of different types of assignments including patterns and logos.
M: What are some of your favourite artistic movements?
I love impressionism, art deco, medieval artwork, and the rise of illustration in the late 1800's.
M: If you could travel back in time and meet an artist, who would it be?
It would have to be a teacher. Robert Henri (1865-1929)
M: What is the best piece of advice you could give to someone that might help them improve their art or motivate them to create?
Work as much as you can, not just paying jobs, but creating art. Not constantly making art, as an artist, is a bad idea. I went through a period of time where my output was very low and sometimes I feel like I’m playing catch-up. I'm not saying to obsess over it, a person should have balance, but if a few days go by and you haven't done a piece of art, I’d say get in the studio. Work gets better with practice, and weakens without it. There is also better understanding of objectives when you’re constantly at it. It's hard to find what is desirable artistically until mistakes are made and passed through.
M: What is the best piece of advice someone has given you that has helped you evolve your art?
Look at what has been done before and allow yourself to be influenced by it, but don’t chase it. Don’t just copy, but interpret.
M: You are about to sit down and begin the development of a new piece. Sum up your artistic process in four words:
Idea, Reference, Sketch, Paint.
M: What do you feel your art offers to the viewer, and what are your goals as an artist when it comes to creating feelings in the viewer?
Well, you're exactly right about feelings; art should draw emotion from the viewer. I think about images that provide reflection, and describe social behaviors. People, and the way they act, are interesting and universal. I don’t think anyone comes away from my work with any revelation, but I hope they see it as community and maybe compassionate. I hope they see themselves in it.
M: Is there a particular piece or body of work that you consider your favourite? What was the inspiration behind it (include a link so that we can view if available).
One of my thesis children's books, Lost Familiar, is my favorite. The work represents a turning point in my digital approach and was one of the "light bulb moments" described earlier. I’ve changed since then, but the pieces led to methods in my current digital painting. They were much more decorative than my previous digital work, which was more realistic.
Click here for some of the images.
C: I think style is unavoidable from person to person, it just comes out the way it comes out. But the way I'm working now probably did have a "light bulb moment" a
couple years ago while working on my MFA thesis at the University of Hartford. I discovered a love for decorative illustration, and after realizing that, it was much easier to paint; I wasn't fighting against what I thought I should be doing. It came more naturally after that.M: Describe your style and the types of media you enjoy working with?
C: I work in watercolor, gouache, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. I think what carries over to all my work is the mark making - most of it is deliberate brush strokes with not a lot of blending, and a lot of line work. My style changes from media to media. That makes it hard to promote myself as an individual freelancer, but also makes me a better teacher. It also allows me to work on a lot of different types of assignments including patterns and logos.
M: What are some of your favourite artistic movements?
I love impressionism, art deco, medieval artwork, and the rise of illustration in the late 1800's.
M: If you could travel back in time and meet an artist, who would it be?
It would have to be a teacher. Robert Henri (1865-1929)
M: What is the best piece of advice you could give to someone that might help them improve their art or motivate them to create?
Work as much as you can, not just paying jobs, but creating art. Not constantly making art, as an artist, is a bad idea. I went through a period of time where my output was very low and sometimes I feel like I’m playing catch-up. I'm not saying to obsess over it, a person should have balance, but if a few days go by and you haven't done a piece of art, I’d say get in the studio. Work gets better with practice, and weakens without it. There is also better understanding of objectives when you’re constantly at it. It's hard to find what is desirable artistically until mistakes are made and passed through.
M: What is the best piece of advice someone has given you that has helped you evolve your art?
Look at what has been done before and allow yourself to be influenced by it, but don’t chase it. Don’t just copy, but interpret.
M: You are about to sit down and begin the development of a new piece. Sum up your artistic process in four words:
Idea, Reference, Sketch, Paint.
M: What do you feel your art offers to the viewer, and what are your goals as an artist when it comes to creating feelings in the viewer?
Well, you're exactly right about feelings; art should draw emotion from the viewer. I think about images that provide reflection, and describe social behaviors. People, and the way they act, are interesting and universal. I don’t think anyone comes away from my work with any revelation, but I hope they see it as community and maybe compassionate. I hope they see themselves in it.
M: Is there a particular piece or body of work that you consider your favourite? What was the inspiration behind it (include a link so that we can view if available).
One of my thesis children's books, Lost Familiar, is my favorite. The work represents a turning point in my digital approach and was one of the "light bulb moments" described earlier. I’ve changed since then, but the pieces led to methods in my current digital painting. They were much more decorative than my previous digital work, which was more realistic.
Click here for some of the images.