Category: painting/drawing

An Interview with Laura George

Laura Berger (aka Laura George)

Are you professionally trained? If so, were did you study?
I’m self-taught, mostly, although I did do some painting in college for my theatre degree — I used to paint costume design renderings, giant backdrops & set pieces and that sort of thing.

I love the humorous quality in your illustrations. When/how did you develop your current style? Or did you always work in this way?
Thank you! :o) I guess my current style has been developing ever since I was a little kid and doodling all along… but I really started working more on my own work, experimenting with mediums, and finding my voice over the past four years or so, I’d say. It’s always going to be a work in progress. I think an artist’s style comes from all of the different influences that sort of seep into our subconscious minds from our environment, thoughts, and experiences, but also just from painting from a very honest place inside.

“Magic Flash” gouache on wood

Who are some artists that you admire?
So many. Here are a few off the top of my head– Shinzi Katoh, Marc Boutevant, Nathaniel Russell, Mark Whalen, Jeremiah Ketner, Mark Rothko, Naoshi, Jay Howell, Helena Garcia, Mel Kadel, Souther Salazar, Lisa Kowalski…. I also really love looking at the work of letterpress artists and street artists… oh, there are so many talented people to admire, it’s seriously overwhelming, eh?

“Totem #3” digital print

How do you come up with your incredible imagery? What inspires you?
You are nice. My images usually just pop into my head as whole pictures that I see. Then I quickly grab something and write them down so I don’t lose them. I get a lot of ideas when I’m traveling, particularly driving long distances by myself, which I do quite a bit of the past few years. I’m most inspired by traveling abroad or out in nature, as well as by Eastern philosophy. I love mountains and oceans and street art and Japanese pop art and animals and watching people.

Is exhibiting/selling your paintings and line of cards/prints your full time gig? Do you take on any freelance design/illustration work?
Yes, I’ve been fortunate enough to be doing this full time for the last 2 years now. I do commissioned design or illustration work when time allows, and I would love to do more projects like that in the future.

Happy Home Notecard

What is a typical day like for you? Do you keep a regular studio practice?
I don’t know if I have a typical day… I should probably work on that! I’m not super structured, and every day is marginally different, but I do work every single day, usually for many many hours…. most days include some combination of the following things:: coffee, computering, drawing or painting, typing invoices, packaging cards, visiting the Uptown post office, supply purchasing, hopefully having a little chat with someone out in the world, taking a walk or run, eating a nice dinner with my lovely fella, or seeing a friend, and maybe a glass of wine, trying to read a little.

“Lost A Slice” gouache on wood

What are you listening to / reading right now?
I like this album The Roots of Chicha that I just got, and the album Zammuto — they are in heavy play right now. I always listen to a lot of Juana Molina, Gillian Welch, Bonnie Prince Billy, Bill Callahan, Breathe Owl Breathe and The Books. I will stop there but there are so many…..

I am reading a book by Chogyam Trungpa called “Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior“.

Laura working on a mural

How long have you lived in Chicago? What are your favorite places to visit there?
I’ve lived here for ten years now — it feels like home. I spend as much time as possible at the lake, which I am lucky to have quite close to my apartment, so I can just trot over there. There are great vintage shops in my neighborhood that I like to poke around in. I also like visiting restaurants. Probably too many restaurants. And the Hopleaf, which is a Belgian pub a few blocks away from home.

“Mixed Tape” digital print

What is you favorite summer beverage?
Alcoholic:: a glass of rose or a good IPA
Non-alcoholic:: iced americano

Where else do you show your work? Any upcoming exhibitions or fun projects in the works?
I have shown my work in little independent shops and galleries in the US and abroad. Right now, I’m painting for a few exhibitions — first up is a two-person show with Sandra Fettingis at Groundswell Gallery in Denver that opens on August 12, The Enormous Tiny Art show at Nahcotta in New Hampshire opening Sept 7, then a charity group show benefiting children with cancer at Leanna Lin’s Wonderland in LA opening Sept 8. Then I need to get going on designing my new holiday cards and 2013 calendars.

View our entire collection of work by Laura George Here
Also Find her here: her Blog, Etsy & Flickr

July 28, 2012
ASCB Vendor Spotlight: Angie Mason

Hello Gorgeous! The lovely Angie Mason

Did you go to art school? If so, where did you study?
I went to Parsons New School for Design in NYC where I studied illustration and fine arts.

What types of items will you be selling at the bazaar?
I have a nice selection of treats! I will be bringing everything from “Wearable Art” such as jewelry, t-shirts and hand bags to my hand painted plates, art prints, original paintings, drawing and sculptures. A nice selection with a price point for everybody.

a sample of goodies that you will see at our upcoming ASCB!

What materials do you work with?
I like to mix things up and will use anything and everything. I do have a large focus on painting which tends to be acrylic or oil. I also like to create sculptures of my characters in sculpey clay & then paint those. I have dabbled in photography, video and silkscreening. I feel as a creative person it only helps having a wide scope of creative materials and methods to bring my ideas to fruition in which ever way best suits a particular idea.

"Some Magic Left In Me" & "The Sun" by Angie Mason

How are your items made? Describe your process.
Just about everything I do is D.I.Y. – from hand pulling shirts with silkscreening to hand painted plates and original paintings and drawings. To describe the process a bit, all my ideas start in my sketchbooks then grow into individual projects whether they are painting, a necklace or anything. They are all created in my in home art studio. I have no assistants so my hands and eyes touch and see everything going on… my cat likes to think he is an assistant in my studio but I haven’t quite found a purpose for all the toys he brings to me as gifts. Sometimes he gets carried away with them but I will not go into any more detail than that. 😉

hand painted plates by Angie Mason

Are you able to make your work full-time? If not, what do you do for your day job?
I have balanced my life so far creatively and financially by working both as an exhibiting artist (which is the part I love but does not really pay my mortgage) to a more grounded financially, yet still highly creative path, as a fulltime illustrator/designer during the day where I have worked at dot coms and publishing houses. Currently I have been freelancing for my own L.L.C. but I am always looking for new opportunities for both sides of my creative life. Also to note currently I am focusing on preparing for a solo exhibit this July 7th in New York City at Sacred Gallery.

the artist's studio

Who are some of your favorite artists?
I have always adored the surrealists such as Remedios Varos, Leonora Carrington, & Dorthea Tanning. I also have always been drawn to Botticelli’s works which I was able to see 2 of my favorites at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence Italy in 2009. That really was an amazing trip – getting to see so much history, it filled my mind with inspiration. Another I always loved is Hieronymus Bosch – I have a print on canvas of his Garden Of Earthly Delights hanging in my bedroom and to this day it’s one of my favorites. It’s always different when I look at so many lives and characters existing in those 3 worlds! I also enjoy a lot of works from the 1400 and 1500s. One last one to mention here, I just love Grant Wood. I find his works (not so much his portraits of people but the landscape works) to be so magical! Ever since I was a young child I always imagined climbing into and living in the painting ‘The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere‘ painted in 1931. Also, look up his drawings of haystacks and horses – they are wonderful.

the artist's studio (view 2)

What are you reading/listening to right now?
Now with having a smart phone I find I read a lot on there – mostly random life hacker type articles or NPR newsy articles on their which is probably killing my eyes. Musically I am enjoying the new Magnetic Fields as well as Grimes, We Are Augustines and Cold Cave are some bands in a recent mix I have created. I grew up loving music and still do. Recently while painting I was listening to Stars Of The Lid and Zoe Keating BOTH AMAZING to paint to.

T-Shirt by Angie Mason

Where would you like to see yourself and your art/craft business in the next 10 years?
I would like to see it continue to grow into a more lucrative venture that is able to sustain itself. I would like to continue to exhibit my art in various places hopefully allowing me the opportunity to travel to interesting places while doing so. I also would like to expand into licensing my artwork, it is untapped ground which I would like to get more involved in. I basically am looking to find balance in this modern world that revolves around money sadly but allow me the comfort and freedom to be able to produce and create my personal visions. I have been very fortunate thus far and just hope doors keep opening or at least appearing so then I can try to open those doors to see what new adventures lies behind them.

Visit Angie at the upcoming Art Star Craft Bazaar!
www.angiemason.com

April 9, 2012
An Interview with Ryan Myers

We asked Art Star artist, Ryan Myers, to create an exclusive piece for us & I love what he came up with: Naptime Was His Kryptonite, oil on canvas (below). The original can be purchased for $350 or you can pick up an archival pigment print for just $25!

"Naptime was his Kryptonite", oil on canvas

I thought this would be a great opportunity to highlight Ryan & his work! Check out my interview with him below.

What is your art background? Where did you study?
Art has always sort of been part of my life. I can’t think of a time growing up where I wasn’t at the very least drawing. I have a degree in illustration and art history from Hartford Art School in Ct..

How long have you been painting?
I started painting in college. I got serious about showing my work the way it looks now in about 2004.

Have you always painted children? How much of your own childhood inspires this imagery?
I definitely haven’t always painted children. I came out of art school content on being an editorial illustrator, so my work was focused on whatever the job required. There wasn’t a lot of personal work then. I am not sure there’s a lot of my childhood in the kids I paint now, but obviously all my experiences help inform the paintings.

"Adoration of the Snozzwanger", oil on wood

The way that you draw the children & the overall color palette is very cute & sweet, but I get a deep sense of sadness & loneliness when looking at your work. I am assuming that is intentional? Do you have back stories for these children? I am curious why they are so sad.
This is a tough question with a few parts, so I’ll do my best to tie this one up with a nice little bow. The cute and sweet colors matched against the feelings of sadness and loneliness are definitely intentional. To use a loaded art word it’s basically for the juxtaposition of the emotions. I don’t typically think of the kids as sad. There are some of the teary-eyed exceptions, more typically though I like to think they are just completely indifferent to everything going on around them. They may not be happy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are sad. I feel like much more emotion can be attached to a non-smiling face. Obviously I have some sense of a story when I begin work, but they don’t really have back stories. I like to include just enough in the paintings to hint at a back story, but leave the scene open to interpretation. The viewers are interrupting something that’s going on in the painting and it’s their job to figure out what.

How much of the work is autobiographical? I notice that your dog makes a bunch of appearances with a little boy, which makes me wonder if that little boy is supposed to be you.
I wouldn’t say that the little boys are me beyond the dark hair and eyes. I use some aspects of my daily life to inform some of the symbols and elements that reoccur in my paintings. It’s more like a familiarity that I am comfortable with, like keepsakes in a curio cabinet, than an autobiography.

"The House Call", oil on canvas

You are a father with two small children now, correct? How much is your imagery inspired by them?
Yes that’s right, I’m blessed with two beautiful children. I’m not sure that they themselves inspire my imagery, it’s more like their stuff does. The tiny clothes and toys usually give me a good jumping off point. Having two big eyed models at my disposal certainly helps though.

What is your artistic process like? Do you begin with an emotion / story & then go from there?
I’ve never been really good at explaining the process, but I can give it a go. I really always start off with an idea that makes me laugh – it’s sort of strange to say that though considering people so often speak of the sadness or haunting feelings of the paintings. For a long time I came up with the titles for paintings first and then worked out an image to suit. Occasionally I still do that, but more typically now I’ll get myself in the mood to work with music and depending what I am working on I’ll either start a drawing on paper or work things out right on the canvas.

Are there any particular artists that you are inspired by?
Inspiration is a funny thing… I feel like I am probably more inspired by Pee Wee Herman or something than another artist, but there are a few artists I really enjoy who have probably helped me towards my style. Artists like Giorgio de Chirico and Magritte really did a lot for the weird stillness I use in my paintings. I have got a few others, but I can’t give away all my secrets. Contemporarily though, I really like artists who work graphically, Toki Doki (Simone Legno) comes to mind first.

Do you paint full time? If not, what do you do for a day job?
I don’t actually paint full time. I work for the Post Office and am one of those rare people who really enjoys their job.

Any upcoming shows on the horizon?
I do have a few things lined up for the future – some I can’t talk about yet, but coming up soon I’m going to have a few pieces in a group show in Santa Fe.

What are you working on right now?
It always feels like I am juggling a few things. Right now I am working on some new types of images, but I’ve got a backlog of canvases that I’ve been working on in my studio for a while that I will try and wrap up soon. I also have some private commissions as well as some fun give away plans in the works.

Check out our collection of Ryan’s paintings & drawings
visit his website

August 20, 2011