Remember our post about abstract art? Stacy Raine proves that abstract art can be fun and playful if you let it.

Stacy can find inspiration from a number of sources. A simple song as well as an intense emotion can drive her to paint. While she juggles working for The Nature Conservancy, she uses art at as means of creative expression. Below, she explains the joys of abstract art. 

What is your earliest art memory?

Well, I’m not sure I thought of it as art at the time, but when I was very small, three or four perhaps, I was put in my room for a time out. In retaliation, I took some crayons out of my box and proceeded to lavishly draw what I now refer to as a mural of a thousand-legged spider. Needless to say, my parents were not proud of my work.

I’d love to see The Mural of a Thosuand-legged Spider. Anger seemed to be the driving force behind that piece. What feelings are the easiest to express?

It’s more about feeling the need to express my emotions through art.  Sadness seems to be one emotion that really needs to be put somewhere. One of my favorite pieces came out of my husband’s last deployment.  Of course, I paint when I’m happy too. I don’t know that anyone but me could really tell the difference.  I just hope that each painting speaks to the viewer in a way that works for them.

If your paintings could speak, what one word would they use to describe themselves?

Unrestrained.

What is your favorite piece on your UGallery portfolio? Why?

They go in and out of my favor!  I still love Set the Fire (I named it after the song that helped bring it to mind. The lyrics are in there). But if I had to choose, probably one of my new ones  – Playing in the Stars or Dandelions at Dawn. I’m enjoying their playfulness.  

Any anecdotes you’d like to share? Anything I should have asked?

I think that creating art isn’t the hardest part. What’s tough is allowing yourself to put it out there for the world. However, doing just that is slowly making me a braver person. It’s a difficult thing to put your creativity out there, to give something and ask for others to judge your work, which is usually so personal. I always have to remind myself that I paint because it makes me happy.  Hopefully my art makes others happy too!

What advice would you give to emerging artists?

I am an emerging artist! But I think that perseverance and a support system are crucial. You need people to look at your art, to discuss your art, to remind you of why you are making art.

I see you like Lady Gaga. For fun, which Lady Gaga song has the most potential to spark a new piece of art within you?

Well, Untitled No. 5 was actually one that came to my mind in some similar form when I was (loudly) listening to music on a run and You and I came on my playlist. Her music is so fun and makes me euphoric, especially when I exercise to it!

Stacy, thanks so much for sharing a little bit about yourself and your art. You have a safe support system here! We can’t wait to see what you come up with next. 

Susan Boyle is a fluid figure painter and abstract artist. She creates energetic paintings from live models. Her marks are honest responses to the human figure and her technique is definitely distinct. In this Artist in Focus, Susan explains why she picked up a stick rather than a paintbrush and what inspires her portraits.

I understand you paint with an ordinary stick. Describe your process and how you discovered what works for you?

It’s true. I begin each painting by drawing with an ordinary stick. There are several things that make my process unique:

First, working from life brings an additional dynamic to my work. A model conveys emotions, feelings, and an attitude that I don’t get from a photograph or from memory.

Second, I started drawing with a stick and ink as an exercise in art school.  I really liked the marks that a stick makes, and took it up again a few years ago. The beauty of the process is that the images stay loose and spontaneous. Lately, all of my paintings begin with a “stick drawing” using fluid acrylics on paper.

Lastly, I finish the piece with more fluid acrylics. The colors are luminous to start with and when layered one over the other, the resulting painting absolutely glows!!

What inspires you, why figurative art?

I have always been curious about what motivates people and why they make the choices they do. Drawing and painting people seems particularly compelling to me. I have traveled worldwide and always wanted to paint the people I met along the way, but I could not devote the time. Now I focus almost entirely on creating images from life.

And you also create abstract paintings?

Yes, I found that some of the details in my figurative paintings were quite beautiful on their own.  Using those details as my starting point, I began working on gallery-wrap canvas. For example, “Aqueduct” was based on a detail from “Kiwi in Motion;” and “Mountain Rain” was based on “Giving Directions.”

What is one word to describe your art?

Unafraid.

That is my goal, anyway! For me, it takes courage to rely on an imprecise tool like a stick to describe something as complex and fascinating as a human being.

What is your favorite piece in your UGallery portfolio? Why?

I tend to like the last piece I did, that is ”Friends #1.” But then again, “Leap of Faith” is a wonderfully bold piece. I like them all, each for a different reason.

Where do you see your art going in the future?

I learn something from every piece. I want to keep expanding my color vocabulary and work more on canvas.

Any anecdotes about your art you’d like to share?

Last year, Jim Dine selected one of my linocuts for the 2011 Boston Printmakers North American Print Biennial in Framingham, Massachusetts. It was quite an honor.

What should I have asked you, that I have not already?

I don’t always paint people. Sometimes I venture out of the studio to work in plein air. 

Our artist this week is Maria Dimanshtein. Timing couldn’t be more perfect. She is having a show next week. If you like what she has to say and what she has to paint, stop by! She will be wearing one of her pieces. What does that mean? She told me, but I can’t say. It’s a secret. I guess you’ll have to stop by if you’re in the area.

If you’re not in the area, there’s no need to fret. Check out the work she has displayed with us. It’s equally as awesome. Let’s get started.

What’s your earliest art memory?

I remember doing the drawings with color pencils where the grass was a green stripe at the bottom and the sky was a blue stripe at the top of the sheet. I was big on drawing Pinocchio, so there would usually be a Pinocchio in the middle. 

What inspires you?

I get my inspiration from paying close attention to what’s around me as well as my own feelings and emotions. I am inspired by my dreams: magical and mysterious places, environments and experiences. 

What is your favorite piece from your UGallery portfolio?

“Thinking About Space 1” is currently my favorite piece. I think it’s really neat with many subtle colors in the background and a variety of colorful dots sprinkled overall. It has a weird mood.

What’s one word to describe your art?

Mysterious

What advice would you offer for other emerging artists?

Live a full and interesting life - stay curious. You have to have something to share with the world, something to say. If your life is rich, you will find not only inspiration, but also content for your artwork. 

For fun, what’s your favorite city?

I am lucky. I happen to live in my favorite city – Chicago. My close seconds are San Francisco and New York. 

Here’s the invite to Maria’s show. She made her invites by hand and spent a couple hours dipping 100 cards into “silver” water. Perfect for the theme. You can see and read more on her blog. 

Anne Schwartz is one of the sweetest artists I’ve met on Ugallery so far. In just a series of phone calls, I was able to get to know her warm and kind soul. She has the perfect blend of patience and perfectionism. This same blend of sincerity is what, I believe, makes her an incredible artist.

Over our correspondence, Anne was juggling a host of activities: baking chocolate matzoh (YUM!) or attending a group artist class. She took the time to answer some questions and share her art with us.

Here is what she had to say about seeing, travelling, jewelry making, and above all things, painting.

What is your earliest art memory?

My parent’s took me to galleries and museums as a child so I had exposure to great art. I was about seven sitting in front of a Picasso and sketching it. Also, my dad was an advertising photographer. He taught me how to see. That is one of the most important things an artist can learn. Not just how to look at a tree, but how the light reflects off the tree. I watched him shoot for a perfume company and he would move the bottle just a few millimeters to make the light just right. Learning how to see is one of the most important things an artist can learn.

How has your background in jewelry design and gemology influenced your art?

My background in painting influenced my jewelry design. What I mean by that is I was always an art major in school and art was the subject I loved the most. In college I was a graphic design major. I went to the Gemological Institute of America after college. Actually, my father influenced me going to the Gemological Institute of America. He was taking photos of the Institute’s gems to make large prints for their lobby. I remember thinking the gems were beautiful. I then decided, since I always liked gems and jewelry, I would combine them and become a jewelry designer. I studied jewelry design at the Gemological Institute of America and designed jewelry for 25 years. I loved working with gemstones and creating new designs. The colors of the various gems have influenced my paintings. 

How do you start a painting?

That’s a good one. Sometimes I use many layers of very thick paint. Other times I use various texture mediums. I then let each medium dry. Sometimes it takes a few hours or a few days. When I’m done with the texture medium it almost looks like a finished painting in grays and whites. I use mica sometimes to make the painting sparkle. Then when the canvas is dry, I begin painting. Mostly it evolves and I paint numerous layers. I can paint up to 15 different layers of paint on a canvas before it is done. None of my paintings are flat. There are numerous layers of color. Each layer of paint adds a new dimension to the finished piece.

Do you have a preferred place to paint? What’s your studio like?

I have a large studio in my house with two walls of windows. I have the best lighting. I love to garden and we have a very nice garden that I get to look at while I paint. Right now as we speak I’m in an art workshop. For years, I would paint by myself and it was very solitary, but when you paint with other people it’s fun. You give feedback and receive it back.

Your Ricordi d’Italia series was inspired by your trip to the Amalfi Coast. Can you tell us more about the trip? When did you go? For how long?

We went to Italy two years in a row. We were in Florence, Rome, and Venice. The second year we were on the Almafi Coast. Sorrento. Capri. Pompeii. And all up and down the coastal towns! One of the things I was so intrigued by were the ruins in Pompeii and the textures and variations of light and color. I liked the contrast of the beautiful colors of the Amalfi Coast with the roughness of the ruins of Pompeii. The vibrancy is picked up by the reflection of the water along the coast. I then decided to do a series of paintings from my memories. When I start painting I usually look at a photograph I have taken from my trip and I start painting realistically. Then, I totally abstract it. When I look at the photograph it brings me back to where I was. If I look at a picture, I have that memory. I remember what it looked and felt like.

What is your favorite piece from your portfolio? Why? 

Oh, I have no idea. There are a couple paintings in my Crystal Aura series that I really like. Usually my most recent paintings are my favorite. My style is always in flux; I like to keep up the newest paintings and use as a reference. 

What advice would you offer for other emerging artists?

First, try to get your art anywhere. Get it out there. You can’t sell art if you have it piled up in your art studio. Look at art as much as you can. Go to galleries. Go to museums. Learn some business so you become more professional in your trade. Do things like I’m doing right now, talking with you. It’s very important to learn how to be rejected because it’s inevitable. Don’t let it crush your world.

For fun, what’s your favorite gemstone? 

My favorite color gemstone is Tanzanite. I love that bright, bluish purple. I don’t like to use it to design jewelry because it is very difficult to clean and the color can fade. I love diamonds because they are so brilliant. 

I post my art on Facebook all the time. All my Facebook friends are artists. I got a comment the other day that the colors and shapes of my art made the person happy. That was such a nice thing to say. When I paint, I’m not trying to make a political statement, but rather share what is inside me and inspire a viewer.

Well, your art inspires me. Your friend on Facebook isn’t the only one to receive enjoyment from it.

Aw well thank you! 

Thank you Anne!

Jessica Webster has been on our site for a smidge over a week now. She has been a pleasure. I can already count on her to give me quick and thorough responses to a barrage of questions and emails. She is more than an awesome person. Jessica Webster is an awesome artist. Her work is both organic and chaotic. I was so fascinated by her background in science, but I am starting to realize that her knowledge of DNA and forensics has less to do with her art than her keen eye for color and her unrelenting drive to create.

I find letting an artist speak about their work is the best way to convey their artistic vision. Read on to understand more about her views on art and science!  

What is your earliest art memory?

My earliest memories of art come from when I was three.  My dad was always creating portraits with pastels or chalk, and I’d either sit for him or sit nearby watching.  He also gave me lessons on illustrating—one afternoon of learning how to draw trees stands out in my mind.  

How does your background in science influence your art?

My science background probably has less to do with my art, but at the same time is part of the framework that brought me back to it.  The focus in a lab is geared toward efficiency, proficiency, and quality control. Through working in that rigor, I’ve come to understand that my natural inclinations are more appropriate for expressive media instead of analytical.  Maybe it’s also provided me with a basis for fully letting go when I create.  Working exclusively in the realm of science demonstrated that the limits I placed on myself with one objective left a void in other areas where my passions excel. I ultimately found that the best experimentation for me is working with color.   

What inspires you?

I’m inspired simply by the act of creating.  Realizing that inspiration is ubiquitous, and that each individual can be a vessel or conduit for this creative flow never ceases to amaze me.  All forms and attempts encourage me, but my true inspiration comes from the ultimate satisfaction I get from using my mind to make art.

Composition or texture?

Both composition and texture!  You have to let a mood dictate what will predominate in the piece. I probably prefer to work with composition because I really love to get lost in creating a scene, but alternate to the richness that textural components provide.  

What is your favorite piece from your portfolio? Why?

The work entitled “Square Bosque” would have to be my favorite piece in the gallery.  Because of the nature of the fluid acrylics, I prefer to complete the abstract within one sitting, and as a larger piece this required a lot of time.  I gravitate toward using colors of my predilection and depending on mood, but also use the painting as an escape, allowing tonal potency to take over and dictate form. The vivid oranges and contrasting interference aspects were a joy to work with for several hours at a time, and take on new life now that the paint is dry.  Since I’m in a different mindset while I compose, I find myself coming back to this piece often to see what new details are revealed in changing light and in different perspectives.      

Albert Einstein or Isaac Newton?

I would have to relent to both of their observations and give them each credit where due.  Newton and Einstein have made significant contributions, but their theories are tested by exceptions. I have a solid appreciation for physics, but I leave that to the pros.  Let’s say Watson/Crick instead…     

What advice would you offer for other emerging artists?

For any emerging artist I would say to stay firm in expressing you, don’t relent to creating only what you believe is marketable. The beauty that individuals can lend with their art is too valuable to be reduced to a formula.  A piece may resonate in an unintended way or move someone particularly when it means less to you.  This was my direct experience with the fluid abstracts and why I engaged in developing my style more within that arena 

For fun, who is your favorite scientist?

My favorite scientist would have to be a good friend of mine, Chirajyoti Deb, Ph.D.  Because of his incalculable time and dedication spent in the lab, his graciousness with mentoring me (as well as sharing his passion for art!), I feel that he is the first on my list.  There are a few others I have in mind, but because of his support and encouragement I feel that he deserves the recognition.   

It’s Friday. That means indulging in sugar, spice, and everything nice. Ugallery artist Rachael Neterer is the right amount of all three. There’s no better way to start the weekend than with art for dessert.

Rachael Neterer draws her inspiration from the Art Nouveau period, American comic books, and Japanese animation. Here’s what she had to say. 

1. What is your earliest art memory?

I vaguely remember my mother giving me crayons to color a coloring book. She returned to find I had drawn my own pages instead. I believe I was about 4 or 5 and I remember telling her that I didn’t like any of the pages, so I just drew my own!

2. What is your favorite medium and why?

My favorite medium would be pen and marker. There’s something I love about having a traditional, physical piece of paper with a fully completed drawing on it. Photoshop and Illustrator are amazing tools, but I will ALWAYS begin drawing with sketches on paper. If given the choice, I will ink and color my work with markers instead of digitally.

3. I read you visited Japan. How have your trips influenced your work? Do you plan on going back soon?

My first trip to Japan was in 1998, and it was the discovery of anime and manga that made me realize I wanted to draw cartoons. I always knew I wanted to do some type of art, but until that first trip overseas I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go with it. When I realized that Japanese animation (or anime) could be for any audience, not just children, I was hooked. I’ve since visited Japan in 2008 and will be returning in the summer of 2013.

4. What inspired the name of your blog, RainyIsle?

RainyIsle comes from a very specific place: my hometown. I was born and raised in a small fishing town on an island in southeast Alaska where the average rainfall is around 170 inches per year. I believe the record stands at 202.55 inches in 1949!

Cupcake One

5. Which of your pieces on Ugallery is your favorite?

I have a hard time choosing between “428 Fathoms,” and “Cupcake one.” “428 Fathoms” is composed of all the shades of green that I absolutely love - it makes me imagine sinking deeper and deeper into the ocean. “Cupcake One” because who doesn’t love cupcakes!? The combination of blue and pink immediately brings candy to my mind, and cupcakes can be the best treat. You don’t feel too guilty eating one since they’re bite-sized. (Okay, maybe 2 or 3 bites…)

6. Where did you find the Japanese magazine used in your piece Japan Fashion Pop? Did you have a favorite article from it?

The magazine was one I bought and saved from my trip to Japan in 2008. It’s a fashion magazine called “Pinky.” I’m in the process of learning Japanese but currently unable to read full articles. My favorite was a photo spread about kimono prints and how they vary with the seasons.

7. You say friends online socially motivate you. Can you give an example of this type of motivation?

Tumblr and Blogspot are great sources of inspiration for me. There are artists I follow located all over the world from Japan to Norway to England to Seattle. It’s like a constant and varied stream of inspiration.

8. What should I ask about your work that I haven’t already? Any interesting anecdotes?

Food is (obviously) a big inspiration for my work. I’m very attracted to the idea of food as art. I also love haute couture fashion. The color palettes in my pieces were inspired by lines of clothing from my favorite designers such as Chanel, Prada, and Vivienne Westwood.

9. What advice would you offer for other emerging artists?

Draw what you like! It is, of course, beneficial practice the fundamentals such as anatomy, lighting, weight, composition, etc; but I’ve found if you’re drawing what you like, it will turn out much better than drawing something you dislike. It makes sense, if you’re passionate about your subject, you’ll take more care in the process of creation.

10. For fun, what’s your favorite cupcake flavor?

Chocolate! Really, any baked good with chocolate in it is by default my favorite.

Art Beat Oregon recently interviewed Ugallery’s charming Brit Sidonie Caron. She’s a stunning painter, and you can’t help but fall in love with her personality. Enjoy!

What first drew you to art?

When I was younger, I just knew I wanted to create something meaningful. I had an idea to develop a website to connect people through their special events (life changing and significant moments) and I created cartoon characters to help promote the site. I think that was when I seriously got into art. To my surprise, I was offered money for my works. It wasn’t much, just $10-20 dollars for a piece, but I felt really uplifted.

The Intellect

I know you’re working in Vietnam now - what are you doing there? What’s the art scene like where you live?

I was born in Vietnam and I moved to the U.S. when I was 17. I lived there for 8 years before moving back to Vietnam. I’m currently working as an editor for a local company while trying to pursue my CFA charter (Chartered Financial Analyst). I love taking risks and exploring new opportunities as Vietnam’s economy improves. I think an artist is an entrepreneur at heart - pursuing art requires hard work, persistence, creativity and courage.

I now live and work in HCMC, which is also known as Saigon (Paris of the Orient). My first impression was its noise pollution and crazy traffic. However, after getting to know the city, I soon discovered its rebellious and artistic personality. The city loves coffee and its coffee shops are intriguing. Some are artistically and authentically designed, hidden in unknown streets or tucked away buildings.

Has Vietnamese culture influenced your work?

My Vietnamese identity definitely influences my art. However, my works doesn’t look like typical art they have here. That said, I do have some nice works portraying Vietnamese people and our traditional dress, which I really like.

People People People No. 2

You certainly do have a very unique style. How do you describe it? Where do you come up with your imagery?

I guess maybe I have my own way of looking at things. I relate what I see on the computer screen and what I see everyday to my experience, I connect different people, animals, objects at different times and places together to create works.  I think my motivation is to transfer my inner world to my artworks. I seldom think of what to paint, I just take the brush and do it. I’m under no pressure when I work and I enjoy the freedom to express myself with colors without the fear of being judged.

Untitled No. 3

Being one of our most prolific artists, how do you make time to create? 

As a person who often sinks into my own thoughts, I’ve found painting is a way to recharge myself. I paint almost everyday. I have thousands of works and that fact gives an impression that I spend my time painting and doing nothing else [laughs]. That’s not true.

I’ve discovered that this my ability to create is my strength. I’m certainly not the best artist in Vietnam or in America but I think I can reach 50,000 works for the next ten years.

Finally, what’s on the horizon for you in 2011?

I plan to do two exhibitions in HCMC and Hanoi (Vietnam). One is on August and the other is a month before Christmas. If you are in Vietnam around that time, you are invited!

What’s your earliest art memory?

My earliest art memory is a lesson in fourth grade I had on the French Impressionists. We were assigned to create tiles mimicking their works of art. The tiles were used to decorate pillars at Wood School in Tempe, AZ and they are still there today, though I have to laugh because I have no idea which one is mine.

Geoffrey Gersten Full Speed Ahead

You’re a self-taught artist. Have you always loved painting?

I started painting when I was 21 years old, three years ago. The potential that was locked inside of me was only released through trauma, trial, and forceful displacement. I wandered through life until “there came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anais Nin

Did you pursue any other careers before you committed to art?

As a young student, I studied Static Component Tool Design. I got an internship at Honeywell Aerospace and thought I would be a draftsman. I was soon disillusioned, thankfully, by the bland state of life that everyone around me was living. I ran away as fast as I could and never think of going back.

The one very fortunate asset from that experience is the knowledge of layout and design, which I apply heavily to composition and perspective in my work.

How did you develop your current style? Where did your focus on certain symbols - spoons, cows, forks - come from?

The bizarre animal symphony of life only lures attention from the deepest part of man when rendered in a work of art just as bizarre. It becomes a resident of the mind and kindly never departs.

Can you describe your creative process? How do you come up with your subject matter?

Images scroll through my mind in an endless stream night and day. I am accompanied by them like a quiet family. Some dreams of mine are realized on canvas as I awake and immediately attempt to render what I can remember. Many of my paintings come this way. Literature and music play a huge role, particularly the heavy metaphysical writings of Herman Melville and Fyodor Dostoevsky.

The Mourners

What are you working on now?

I am currently working on a series of “Oracles.” These oracles are eggs whose life form is gifted with an eye to peer out into the world. They ponder the environment which they will soon be a part of and delicately attempt to preserve the integrity of their shell, therefore prolonging their detachment from the moral and emotional responsibilities that await them.

What advice would you offer to other emerging artists?

Render into a physical state those things which lay in the soul. Give no care to reactions from outside, only the gentle internal response.