How Spooky Is Your Artist?

Here is a Halloween story for all you art lovers out there:

A long time ago in China there was a great painter named Ku. He fell in love with a lovely young woman with dark hair as straight and fine as silk. Although Ku let her know the earnestness of his affection, the young woman would not listen.

As the months passed, the young woman began to fall ill and waste away. Many priests and physicians tried to cure the poor girl, but she continued to fade.

It was not until the girl began to put her affairs in order so that she could pass peacefully that she answered Ku's feelings. Thereafter Ku removed the thorn he had placed in a portrait he had made of the young beauty, and the girl made a miraculous recovery.

(The ink and color painting above is by Matsui Fuyuko.)

How to Fail as an Artist, Step Three

You'll never get anywhere as an artist unless you become a household name.

To put it simply, the key to success is finding yourself on a t.v. show like the Venture Brothers. It's a true sign of success when a cartoon character picks up a hotel telephon to order a 'Damien Hirst' cleanup job after killing a group of assasins.

Think of the exposure. Think of the merchandising.

The Spirits are always with you [bwahaha]

Stacy Smith is one of those rare artists on Etsy with a nice, understated flair for the spooky and Halloweenish. Stacy lives near Buffalo, NY where there are plenty of opportunities for spookiness in the fall, and I suspect she knows just where to look.

In this particular piece, Stacy has made a digital photo collage that highlights her strong connection to spirits. There are two ghostly figures at either end of the tunnel as well as an orb. The tunnel has gad strong symbolic overtones since ancient times, going right back to cave dwellings. Often tunnels such as this are symbolic of the journey of life or parts of it such as the beginning (birth) or end (death.)

Currently, Stacy is finding new focus in her work after the death of her father who suffered from Alzheimer's. I am looking forward to seeing how her work changes and grows, and I wish her the best of luck.

Be sure to check out more of her photography on Etsy : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5588418

One Last Breath of Summer

As summer winds down and fall colors begin to appear, we take this last chance to enjoy the lingering heat before winter sets in and there is a collective groan about the heating bill.

This mixed media collage by Jeannine Peregrine of jperegrine on Etsy captures the lassitude that comes with days spent out in the pervading warmth. The combination of warm blues and oranges couples with the scattered layout of elements to create a sense of floating. Just like on a very warm day when the heat seems to make us want to float, this compositions allows us to drift gently. The pastel textures prompt the memory of drawing with chalk on sun-baked sidewalks.

My only criticism for the piece is that the clipped paper word, 'secret,' is somewhat disruptive as placed. It would be better if it were not firmly centered in the sunflower which isolates it within and by contrast disrupts the overall tone of the piece.

Overall, this is a wonderful mixed media piece that gives us a warm remembrance of summer as we look forward to Fall.

Jeannine Peregrine is a Californian artist living near Suffolk, Virginia. Please visit her on Etsy to see more mixed-media magic: http://www.jperegrine.etsy.com

How to Fail as an Artist, Step Two

If you're going to be an artist, you must look and act the part. The first thing you need is a really wild hairdo.

It takes a lot to shock people nowadays, so you can't expect anyone to notice you if you don't have a really outstandingly wild do. It used to be that shaving your head or just failing to cut your hair would be enough to put you on the fringes of society right where an artist *should* be.



Here's a few classic examples:





As you can see from Warhol and Trump, wild hair is clearly a key to making it to the very top in any field.

So how can you find that magic formula that's just right for you? Well, you can't settle for a hairdo that some other famous person has already used. It has to be a true signature. These days, you'd better be prepared to go as far as having a metal spike installed on your scalp. You will need to either cut too much or not enough, so be sure to find out how you look with your scalp showing.

Make sure to aim for a look that says either barbarian/bum or post-apocalyptic cyberpunk. You just can't go wrong with one of those. Good luck with your new do and be sure to send me a picture once you've got it sussed!

Creative knitting makes a comeback

I normally keep this blog pretty focused on 2D visual art, but Nicolle Glover's creative stitches caught my eye in her Etsy venture, KiKiBowns. The name KiKiBowns itself shows her strong connection to the source of her imagination and creativity: KiKi Bowns was the name she made up for herself as a child. Browsing through her needle creations, you can truly sense that child-like curiosity that doesn't admit to anything being impossible or out of bounds.

This clutch, Monster, is one of Nicolle's most striking designs so far. Inspired by Poe's raven, the dark silhouette strikes a perfect balance. And of course, I think Nicolle should indulge her goth side more often ;)

How to Fail as an Artist, Step One

Welcome to a new series of articles that will be wedged in every now and then in between reviews and me tooting my own horn. This series details everything you need to know to fail as an artist.

First, as even the most gullible of babes knows, money makes the world go 'round. So only make art for money. Why waste you time beating your breast, scouring your soul, and plumbing the depths in search of greater truth? No one will pay to see something like that.

What you need is something that will bring in the dough. And you should never work on anything that won't bring it in.

One of the best ways to bring the money in is to create an uproar. Try going to your town or city's main square and painting the town's most beloved monument red. This always provokes a response. Not to long ago a pair of artists (wink, wink) put up some flashing signs with a cartoon character flashing the finger at passersby. They could not have had better luck when it was mistaken for a terrorist bomb. This is just the type of creative thinking you need to make your bank account full.

If you are of a more delicate disposition, might I suggest dogs. Puppies are even better, but dogs will do. Everyone has a soft spot for Fido. At the very least people love their own pets no matter how much they complain of the neighbors'. So start painting pet portraits. It's not nearly as likely to land you in jail and people just love them.

So remember, there are lots of ways you can put your art to work for you. Don't concern yourself with that new-age psychobabble about 'finding yourself.' Get out there and find some money!