Today I am so excited to introduce you to Helene Ruiz, an acrylic painter based in the United States. At the age of 57, she is not certain the exact moment she began to use her medium of choice - acrylic paints. She does recall this story tracing back to her childhood:

"My father always taught me to think creatively and he himself was an artist. When I was a kid and wanted colors I extracted colors from comic strips, nature, coffee, teas, etc. My first painting kit was not actually purchased until I was about 11 years old when my father took me to Pearl Paint in Chinatown, Manhattan and bought me watercolors and brushes, of which I still have some of the brushes for memory's sake. I played with them until I discovered oil paint, which I found each time I used it - I would get sick.  Apparently I am allergic to them. So then, when I used acrylic for the first time, I fell in love with them. They were perfect for me! The fact that I paint a lot and live in a small space makes acrylic a perfect match for someone like myself, since they dry so fast." 

Send in the Clowns, © Helene Ruiz

Expired Fool, © Helene Ruiz

Helene is working on a collaborative project with artists all over the world, that I find so very fascinating. This interview will delve into that in detail since it is an event taking place Now.  If you are an artist who wants to participate, find out how by reading on. First, let's get to know Helene Ruiz, the artist, a little better - she assures me there is an entire book's worth of uncharted stories within her...

Would you tell us about your most memorable artworks? 

I have used so many materials... it is actually difficult to say which would be my most memorable pieces. I suppose those are the ones I do to try and show what is unseen. I try to express my take on life and how I perceive life's take on others as well. Anything can trigger me... environment, politics, love, pain, illness, etc

What has been the most unexpected thing that has happened in relation to your creating art? 

Funny, I find this question here, especially now at the end of April 2015. Because just about a month ago, on March 28th, I almost lost my life and was rushed into emergency surgery. I am still recovering and doctors say it could be six months before I actually do recover fully. I have another surgery to go through in June to put me back together again so I can feel human. So, this experience, right now, is the most challenging of all life's events thus far!  Only today have I attempted to begin to sketch out a painting... it will not be easy. I will be forced to do it in small steps, but it will be the first since March 28th. For me, I usually do at least two or more pieces per month, so this has been a long spell of not creating art for me. 

It has been over a year since our first interview, when Tanya Davis was first expanding her creative work from sculpting and painting figurines to applying the same skills onto vinyl platforms. After all this time and

Penguin Engineer by Tanya Davis

checking in regularly, there has truly been no pause in her actively making new art. In this interview I will attempt to bring our readers up to speed with her latest artistic endeavors.

How far has your experiment with vinyl platforms taken you?

It is still going and I am still trying different platforms. Most recently, I am tackling going larger. Outside of the initial MunnyWorld brand, my most successful work done on blank vinyls has been the Google Android mascot and Zukie bases. My most recent droid is a Penguin Engineer based on an illustration I created by the same name.

Penguin Engineer Droid by Tanya Davis

Illustration, that is something new.  How did you get into that type of art?

It was more about me practicing drawing and also giving my hands a break from sculpting. Aside from chiefly commission figurine work, illustrative drawing and painting is my main art form right now.

Since the beginning of 2014 which one of your illustrations is your personal favorite? 

My Penguin Engineer because it is the first original character I created that has a completely developed background. It was done free-hand from start to finish on the illustration board without any transferring. It was also the first one I did with the Derwent watercolor pencils. This illustration is currently available in limited edition signed watercolor prints done by local printer Mindzai Creative. Right now (mid-June 2014) there are 18 left. I have them on hand when I publicly show my work or you may obtain this print here.

Joshua Mason is a painter who studied Fine Arts at Gwen Frostic School of Art and currently lives and works on the coast of Southern Michigan with a summer studio in Northern Michigan. He teaches painting and likes to emphasize the field as an artifact of spontaneity in his lessons. This summer Joshua is teaching a workshop exploring found materials and land art. 

"I like to create my own interpretation of the projects or lessons alongside my students. What I enjoy most about teaching is the atmosphere of active creation as a group."

Materia Forma - Riverside I

Tell me about your first experience painting:

My mother used to paint crafts and nick-knacks and some of my earliest memories are sitting on her knee watching the brush go back and forth. Another early experience was a book by Werner Haftmann called Painting in the Twentieth Century. 

At what point in your life did you come to consider yourself an artist?

Louisiana native Morgan Allain, a.k.a. The Inkling Girl, is a self-proclaimed "nerd" and she reflects this in the geeky nature of her art. I had the opportunity of discovering her art at the 2013 Wizard World Comicon here in Austin. There were so many cool artists in the Artists' Alley at Comicon and Morgan's booth was an instant favorite. From the first look through her artist portfolio I could appreciate her unique artistic style. It is with this creative flair that she re-creates images from television and movies. She also makes wonderful original depictions of animals. Her preferred mediums are watercolor, ink and colored pencil. It's a family affair, being that her husband Danny is an artist as well and sometimes they get to work together. 

Where did your artistic journey begin?

Drawing is something I have enjoyed for as long as I can remember. My grade school teachers would comment on that, in fact. I started becoming really interested in it around 14 and just kept at it. Took lessons here and there, but I was really just self-taught until college.

I attended McNeese State University and I have a B.A. in Art; my concentration was printmaking. Mostly relief printing; linocuts were my favorite. Never took painting of any kind in college. Printmaking was too expensive for a recently graduated newlywed working at Starbucks. I bought a watercolor set after I graduated, just to tinker with.

How would you describe your style?

Ooh. I don’t even know if I have a style! I guess maybe it’s sort of pop art inspired. I feel like my style is always evolving and changing. I really enjoy finding people that appreciate art that showcases stuff I've loved since childhood. Artists who have influenced me are Audrey Kawasaki, Glenn Arthur, Olga Noes and Tony DiTerlizzi.

What things inspire you to create art?  

I find inspiration in many many things: Books, Movies, television, animals and other artists. I've been a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer since my teens, so I have a whole series of portraits of the characters. I love the movie Labyrinth and have created many pieces from it. I love painting birds! I don’t think I’ll ever tire of painting birds.

At what point did you begin to consider yourself an artist?

Gosh, even now I don’t always consider myself an artist. Most days I’m just me: a total geek, a wife and mom… just a girl who loves to create. I think the day I start putting “artist” in front of all my other roles is the day I need to chill.

What is your favorite project created in your current medium? 

Usually whatever the last thing I drew/painted is my favorite. I’m most fond of my peacock, “Blue Wild” and “Skull Candy Kitty” at the moment.

Would you like to share a little about collaborating with your husband on artwork?

Danny and I collaborate once in a while. We both always have some projects or commissions going on, so we can’t combine forces often. The last collaborative piece we did was called “Cherry Bomb.” Danny did the initial drawing, which I then transferred to watercolor paper and painted. We were both really pleased with the final piece; it was so much fun to see our distinct styles mesh that way.

Fun fact: when Danny and I were being interviewed by the priest that performed our wedding, he (the priest) asked each of us what we loved most about one another. I said something sweet about how Danny is so genuinely kind, blah blah blah. Danny said, and I quote, "she's good at drawing!" 

Yep. That's what he loves most about me. Haha!!

What is your creative process like from start to end?

It tends to change from project to project. Portraits always begin as sketches on scratch paper which I then transfer to watercolor paper with the help of a light box. I usually paint the background first, then start with the shadows on the face and slowly build up with many translucent layers. With the birds, I just wing it (ba-dum-tshh!). I grab a colored pencil and do a messy sketch on my watercolor paper and just go from there.  I rarely plan what I’m going to do, and I never know where it will end up. I just let it happen. I almost always listen to audiobooks while I work. Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Sabriel, Sarah Dessen books… I’m such a nerd!

What exposure have you had?

Ha! Um. I've only been in a few shows. I’m terrible at proactively promoting myself! 

Do you have any regrets in your life as an artist?

I wish I had made more time for it before my daughter was born. I really slacked off from college graduation until she was born. I still painted, but not nearly as much as I do now. I worked a lot and used that as an excuse. Since then I’ve realized that was a pathetic excuse, I can nurse an infant while painting!

What plans do you have for the future of your art?

My only plan is to continue creating, continue growing.

Do you have any advice for artists just starting out?

Draw as often as you can. Find other artists. Push yourself, branch out!

How do you promote your work both on and off the internet? 

On the internet I promote myself via social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, DeviantArt. Off the internet, well… Unless I’m at a con or festival, I don’t really promote myself.

See more of Morgan's artwork at the following links:

The Inkling on Society6

Twitter: @theinklinggirl

Facebook page

Etsy

Instagram: @the_inkling_girl

All images © Morgan Allain

One of the great things about living in a city with a thriving art culture is being able to get out and meet great local talent. Today I have the pleasure to bring to you an interview with Phil Machi, an artist I met earlier this month at the Staple! exhibition in Austin, Texas. Phil has a unique talent of combining drawing with storytelling as he has done with his comics Retail Sunshine and Livestock. Phil received his degree in Digital Art from Bowling Green State University in December 2003. He lived the whole 32 years of his existence in Ohio until relocating to Austin, Texas in July 2013.

So, Phil what drew you to Austin, Texas?

I needed a life-reboot. Austin was the perfect combination of art, music, metropolis and better weather! 

I have seen some of your dinosaur drawings, what is your current project called?

"Not Quite Extinct" is the name of this book. If it continues as planned then it will gain an obligatory "Book 2" after the title, and so on...

Now is this a illustrations-only kind of book or will there also be accompanying text?

There's definitely text involved, but this first volume is going to feel a little mixed because there is a section with only pictures and it doesn't help that one of the main characters is mute.

You are not diverging too far from your usual creative work then.  Will "Not Quite Extinct" have a comic book feel to it? 

As far as my usual "all-audiences" style is concerned, it fits in line with that, to be sure. But it's more epic than my previous comics and certainly less cynical than "Retail Sunshine." I am formatting this book in the traditional vertical comic book format which is also new for me as my past comics had a horizontal arrangement.

All images © Phil Machi

And why dinosaurs?

Ahhh, why dinosaurs indeed. You want the long version or the version you would actually want to read... I'm only kidding. So, believe it or not, this project goes all the way back to when I was in 2nd grade! My teacher Mrs. Divis taught us a segment on dinosaurs and it was absolutely love at first sight for me! I knew instantly that I wanted to make dinosaurs my life; that or stand-up comedy. I kid you not, for years that's what I told people, "Paleontology or stand-up comedy!" I don't remember everything from that age but I do recall getting into drawing more and more. I was practically raised on animation and Sunday comic strips!

Dinosaurs give us a glance at what was - I can see the inspiration.

Oh, absolutely! I was enthralled with their shapes and sizes not to mention all the different varieties. One of the projects for Mrs. Divis involved making hand-made books.This was also a big deal for me and so I took it upon myself to write a story about 2 dinosaurs that become friends and go on an adventure. One of those characters was a Stegosaurus.

What does incorporating dinosaurs into your work mean to you personally; what sense of purpose is driving this project?

For years, I was obsessed. I remember running around in my back yard pretending that I had turned into a Stegosaurus! I used to go around saying things like,"If I can learn more about our past, I can maybe see where our future lays." I have also had a life-long fascination and love for animals. Combine my love for animals and understanding them with my dino-obsession and passion for drawing... you can see where this is going. The problem was I never felt I had the proper skill level to create or draw dinosaurs the way I wanted to so this idea has continually been shelved.

So how did you come up with the mute dinosaur and why include such a character?

I'm not sure what it is about me and mute characters. It's like a "thing" for me.  If I had to guess, I would say I grew up watching characters like The Pink Panther Tom & Jerry and Wile E. Coyote. They were typically mute and I think that resonated with me because when they would occasionally end up speaking I always felt the dialogue ruined the impact. I used to think "that's not what that character should sound like!" There is something inherently magical about pantomime... it beckons curiosity. I would say facial expressions have always meant more to me than words. I try to carry that into my own work.

I bet that can be a real challenge to your skills too.  Do you find that you often challenge yourself?

I have always felt that I've been striving for an idealized version of the characters I create. I continue trying to capture their essence and whenever I get it right, I just get so excited and at the same time I fear I won't be able to repeat it. It's difficult with this project because I don't want there to be an obvious growth spurt throughout the book. I am doing my best to make it feel like one continuous story. With my previous comics, it's clear that I was finding my way.

But at the same time, in doing so, I AM growing. I can see it happening from panel to panel.

Has anyone else's work influenced you in this endeavor?

As for other artists... John K. (creator of Ren & Stimpy) was a big influence for me. Also, all of the classic stuff. I grew up on Warner Bros. cartoons, Disney classics and that left a big impression on me. Not to mention countless illustrators and comic strip artists. Specifically, Berkeley Breathed, Gary Larson, Robin James, Jim Henson, Mike Peters and James Gurney.

How do you hope people will react to your "Not Quite Extinct" dinosaur comic?

Everyone is so quick to label things these days, and I would really love to defy those labels and create something that children of ALL ages can appreciate. I would love it if my drawings could keep their attention as much as, if not more than, a paragraph of dialogue. I've often seen people leaf through comics and it just kills me inside because I know how much time goes into each and every panel, not to mention writing and re-writing dialogue.

Yes you are right, this is a fast-paced world with especially shorter attention spans.

I was talking about this very notion with a good friend of mine the other night. I grew up with programs like The Muppet Show and I Love Lucy. When you go back and watch those shows, it feels slow but at the same time, if you pay attention and give it a chance, there is a lot happening in subtle nuances that I feel like nowadays it wouldn't work. But there is so much value in a quality production, something that has real integrity.

Tell us some more about panel creation.  Describe your typical drawing session and environment.

My drawing session varies, honestly. Usually, it's a back-and-forth session of making a few marks here and there in between social networking and internet browsing all while playing tons of music. Eventually, I can get myself into a sort of zone where I am just drawing and everything else around me fades away which is when I really lose track of time. So my environment is my desk. I don't travel with my drawings too much. I like my flat surface with my computer and all my dinosaur figurines around me.

I like that you have the figurines around you. Are they like totems?

I would say the Stegosaurus is my totem animal.

What kinds of drawing tools do you like to use the most; what are the most important items on your creativity bench?

My tools of the trade are a non-photo blue pencil, Bristol smooth paper and an assortment of Micron pens. Of course, I use my computer a bit, but that is primarily for arranging panels, adding text and cleaning dust and debris from the drawings.

My most important items? I would say that my figurines are right up there, but I love to get into a zone with just the right music. Besides that, I need to be ready to "play" because I believe the energy I am feeling is transposed to the paper.

I try not to "work out my frustrations" too much when I'm drawing. When I'm inking it's OK because at that point I have the majority of the drawing planned.

Could you share a few of your top creative-process music selections?

Music... well, I listen to a lot of film scores, modern day classical, as I think of it. But I also try to keep things upbeat as well. Lots of Oingo Boingo, Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek, Rockapella and of course Weird Al.

So from the past into the future, what else would you like us to know about your upcoming comic “Not Quite Extinct"?

I did want to mention that "NQE" has been resurrected a few times. In high school I planned on making it into a comic strip, however, it never made it past conceptual designs. In 2004 I pitched it as a TV show and it didn't fit the goals of the networks. At that point I attempted the graphic novel and became frustrated with it after 13 pages.

Yes graphic novels go long.

Well it wasn't that. It just wasn't gelling. So this is a big project for me because it is this life-long unfinished saga. It has followed me for years.

Do you have any regrets in your creative life? 

My only regret is that I haven't created MORE! I have so many other projects in my head and unfortunately I am a slow and meticulous artist. So whenever I complete a book, it is special for me because I just proved to myself that I could focus my mind on a single task and see it through to completion.

Have you learned something of value from missteps that you think emerging artists can benefit knowing about?

Missteps... well, for a while I was having a real difficult time prioritizing my life. My art would take a back seat to video games or TV. This is no longer a problem. While I am a little sad I don't do those things as much, what keeps me going is the result. I can watch TV for hours and have nothing to show for it, which frustrates me.

Would you say it is important to highlight the achievements to keep future goals in focus?

With a project this big, it's all about the little victories! It is so easy to get overwhelmed by a massive goal but the trick is to just break it down and make each individual section into a goal. Celebrating those little achievements can help you feel that you're moving forward. Personally, I'm not good about highlighting my achievements for very long. It really is sad to me because no sooner have I celebrated then I am off to the next thing! I like keeping busy but it is sort of like never being satisfied. But yeah, creation for me has always been its own reward. I don't get as much of a high off of compliments because at some point I had the realization that they're all just opinions and if *I* wasn't happy then nothing would sway me from that.

Well it is not a bad thing to be self-motivated towards being happy with your work.

True, but there is part of me that wants to celebrate a bit more. I just know that I have a little fear around getting an inflated ego. I've been reassured from close friends this will never happen but I always keep myself in check. Ultimately, I try to bring a smile to my own face with my creations.  I make it a point to be true to myself and in the end I know I am putting work out there that I can believe in. The icing on the cake is when you meet someone else who believes in it too.

How do you promote your art locally?

Locally is limited to word of mouth when I meet people and find an appropriate time to bring it up; but also in conventions. Conventions are a great way for people to discover new art and I love being in that scene.

Where can readers see more of your work?

NQE has its own page here: facebook.com/NotQuiteExtinct

Phil Machi (philmachi) on Twitter  twitter.com/philmachi

I am pleased to be presenting Digital Artist and Illustrator Marcylittleninja, also known as Ma-chan. She created her artist name over the years, originally known as Littleninja, later attaching her name 'Marcy'.  Ma-chan, her second name was given to her through Japanese pen pals.  So, as she explains "both names are a part of me."  If you look to her Artist Watermark/Logo both names are there.

Although her style of drawing has changed at various times in her life, the unique visual quality of Manga or anime-styled drawings became her focus during her high school years and has continued. Marcylittleninja adapted certain styles from different artists who were in the 'Shoujo' genre of Manga comics (Shoujo: Aimed towards female audiences and the style has the males drawn very attractively while the females are drawn cute and delicate looking).  Despite her deep interest in manga, her favorite artist, Yone Kazuki, is not in the Manga Industry but in the Visual Novel 'Otome' / 'Maiden' game industry and does the character designs and artwork for visual novel games. Kazuki has the biggest influence on Marcylittleninja's artwork because she credits her as the inspiration to keep improving and to move forward in her artistic career. 

Marcylittleninja has been drawing for more than 13 years and has studied around 4-5 years of Visual Art. She started out with modest means and so was self-taught at first. Regarding her formal artistic training she tells me,

"I didn't enjoy using charcoal or painting [these caused headaches]. Every time I went to classes I was always going just for the digital class... and for the life drawing classes which helped me a lot with my anatomy drawing. It wasn't until 2012 that I started creating Digitally after I received a grant through a local youth centre for funding help towards getting a graphic tablet. I'm still sitting here crying tears of happiness for that help.  After a week of using it I improved 10 xxx as much as I was originally drawing."

Artist Self-portrait  © Marcylittleninja

When did you first come to think of yourself as an artist?

This is a hard one to answer because being an artist is the one thing that’s always existed for me. I never once thought otherwise. I grew up with the artist lifestyle which I didn't choose, or have it chosen for me since it was just the way things were for me to begin with. I actually never even said "I'm going to grow up and be an artist for my career of choice," I personally felt that I've always been an artist. I look at the word artist as just a word that describes what I am, what I do, how I live and Drawing has always came naturally for me. I always have these moments or urges to draw something. When those urges happen, the entire world gets put on hold, sleep can wait, food and water can wait, even friends and family can wait because when I start drawing, it must be complete before I continue with other things. I cannot remember if there was even a time before this lifestyle for me so to put it bluntly, I never thought of myself as an artist, I knew from the beginning of this life that I am an artist. When it comes to actually speaking about careers, I did waver at the age of 13-14 because I was made to believe that being who I was, wasn't a career and that I should be working at places like supermarkets and whatever. Even now, if I hear people speaking to me like that I become protective of my art and you might even call it being selfish because I personally won't work anywhere that isn't relating to art or where I cannot draw, create or design something. "If it's not art, it has no interest to me, nor does it hold any meaning to my life." I've always been stuck on art with determination to keep on improving.

Why Anime/Manga Styled Illustrations?

I don't really look at it as 'anime/manga styled' but that’s how others view them seeing it's influenced by Japanese Artists.  I think this is also going to be hard to explain because this has always been something for me, I can't remember what I was like before I started.  I've always been interested in Japan and its culture since I was very young so you could say that I've always been immersed in that culture. I wanted to read manga in its original language so I took up learning Japanese from a young age.  I watched a lot of Anime, and read a lot of Manga, too many to count or name. I'm a very visual learner so I can pick up on differences in styles from reading or watching in very little time at all.  I felt drawn to the styles of drawing in Japanese Manga. When it comes to art, I like to draw things that I can emotionally become attached to in some kind of way, or express anything. You can do that with any art but for me, this was my thing that I was drawn to and felt natural with.


There are many genres and sub genres for Manga (Japanese Comics) that means depending on the genre and targeted audience would also determine what kind of art style it would have. Personally I've always been attracted to Shoujo Manga. Shoujo manga is targeted at young female audiences and contain mostly romance. There are two main genres 'Shounen for young males: usually has fighting/Action as a base genre, and Shoujo for young females: usually has romance as a base genre. The style of art in shoujo was intriguing to me. Both shounen and shoujo (which is Seinen and Josei when targeting older audiences) have different art styles. Shounen is more roughly drawn while shoujo is soft in appearance. Romance Scenes in Shoujo manga literally grab onto you and you feel yourself overwhelmed with the emotion from what you can see on the page. That’s what I fell in love with and I wanted to be able to draw romance scenes that would grab onto you with emotion. The Mangaka (what Manga Artists are called in Japan) tend to draw the male characters very ikemen in shoujo. Japanese ikemen:  good-looking man/Attractive Man, they usually are taller than the female characters and are masculine but not over the top with body mass, its more the looks that are an important thing for shoujo- Males are slim and handsome, while the females are petite and have large eyes because large eyes are 'cute' for shoujo. I love to draw anything and everything handsome or pretty.

An interpretation of the buddhist 'Asura'
Random Drawing  © Marcylittleninja

Today I am pleased to introduce to you artist Hemu Aggarwal, Currently at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with mailing address in San Francisco, California, USA. She creates paintings in acrylic on wood that are in the styles of Abstract or Subjective Expressionism. Hemu began creating art at the age of 15 when she met an art teacher in a new school. Here is how she summarizes her artistic journey:

What do you do once you make a painful decision to end your successful career in a busy place like New York and move away to a quiet island in the Caribbean? You paint.

By education, training, and profession I am a graphic designer Having a Master's degree from New York University and working as creative designer on Madison Avenue for 7 years and then running my own creative design firm for over 25 years, now, retired and live in the Dominican Republic and has started to paint after a time gap of 35 years. Yes, I did designing and illustrative work during my business, but that was totally different in nature. Working under pressure of tight deadlines, the focus was to please clients and to keep commercial appeal in mind. Now it is different. To get a glimpse of my work visit my website.

After running a successful creative design firm in New York, USA, I am now retired and spend as much time possible doing Acrylic paintings, traveling and capturing images around this world. I wish I could lock-up every image I see through my eyes because I feel my glance is not fully capturing what I see. There is so much beauty in this world. 

What things inspire you to create art?

THE DANCING PAIR,
 Copyright Hemu Aggarwal, 2014

It’s hard to explain why I paint or what inspires me. I have a thousand ideas in my head and I am constantly experimenting with different subjects, styles and techniques. I do not know how these ideas come from or from where, they just do. There is so much more out there in the world that I long to explore. Actually, anything and everything around me inspire me and sometimes things that are not around but only appear in my dreams. Sometimes I surprise myself when I am able to transfer these imaginations two-dimensionally.

What are you trying to convey through your art? 

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.   I seek to evoke a positive response in the viewer. The painting should be pleasant to see and should leave a mark in the viewer’s mind. It should be uplifting. It helps me to reduce stress.

Are there other artists who influence you?

I admire many artists but no particular artist or work influences me, at least not consciously.

Tell me about your creative process, from the beginning of a work to its completion:

An answer to this question is a difficult one. Each of my works have gone through different processes. In general, however, a concept comes to my mind and I try to apply this image straight to a prepared wood panel (I have rarely used canvas) where I create various textures using all kinds of tools and instruments. I rarely draw a full image, but prefer to work with colors directly. Many times more than one image overlaps and the final result is very different than the initial idea in my mind-this surprises me and if I like it I am happy with it, otherwise I apply gesso all over and start afresh. Some of my paintings have one or more different paintings underneath. Aesthetics are a major consideration in designing each piece. The focus is to create paintings, which have visual beauty, harmony in colors and interesting composition.

What exposure have you had? 

My work has been displayed at: Worldorf Astoria in New York, N.Y.; The Exposure Award at The Louvre Museum in Paris France; The People’s Choice Vox Populi Award in Paris, France; and Costambar, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. In process of granting an international license to print one of my photographs on their products to a company in Belgium.

SIXTY SHADES OF RED,  Copyright Hemu Aggarwal, 2015

What is the most unexpected thing that has happened to you because of your art?

By sheer luck, in 1969 I got a job in New York City with a design firm specializing in record album
designs where I reached the level of senior designer and got the opportunity to design many albums of well known artists like: Tom Jones, Montovani, Englebert Humpernickel, Brotherhood of Man, Frijid Pink, one of the last albums of the Beatles, and a single by John Lennon and Yoko Ono titled ‘Radha Krishna Temple.’ This experience enabled me to start my own company, AQ Graphics Inc. in New York, and I continued in this line of work. I designed many Hip-Hop albums including Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five’s “Message” album, The Sugar Hill Gang, Positive Force, Treacherous Three, Quincy Jones and many others. I also designed a series of Collector’s records of the 50s and 60s in which a few famous artists such as Dionne Warwick, Ritchie Valance, Dion, Del Shannon, and the Everly Brothers were included. I also worked extensively on re-make of the entire Chess Records Catalog which included artists such as:  James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Benny Goodman, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, The O’Jays, Etta James, Charlie Parker, Flamingos, Bobby Womack,  etc.

SIXTY SHADES OF GREY,  Copyright Hemu Aggarwal, 2015

Do you have any regrets in your life as an artist? 

None what-so-ever.

What plans do you have for the future of your art? 

None really, I just want to continue creating new work.

Do you have any advice for artists who are just getting started? 

Do what your heart desires. Be patient. Create fearlessly because fear is one’s worst enemy.

THE GIRL,
 Copyright Hemu Aggarwal, 1975

Share a story from your life that relates to your art.

I was born and grew up in India. Back in the days, higher education in India was looked upon as a ticket to a financially successful future that was important for sons but not for daughters. So boys were expected to go to a school of medicine, engineering, or law. If by any chance my brother had decided to graduate in art, I am sure my parents would have been very upset but were happy with my choice. My interest in the arts was fully supported, encouraged and appreciated by my family. But art was not considered to be a career path and my obsession with art was seen as a hobby – a situation that happily gave me a free hand to do whatever I pleased without interference from the elders.
           
Luckily, I got an admission into one of the finest art schools of the region, Faculty of Fine Arts at M.S. University of Baroda. But my being female, I had an up-hill battle to sign up for commercial (applied) arts department as girls were not expected to go in commercial line.

Along with applied arts I developed liking for photography and early on I started experimenting with many different aspects of it. I shot wide variety of subjects, experimenting with different lenses, with lights and exposures. I spent hours in darkroom perfecting making prints and creating photograms. My work was included in the national exhibition in India and received honorable mention (no prize!).

BIRD OF PARADISE IN PARADISE,  Copyright Hemu Aggarwal, 2015

Is there anything else you would like to share with us? 

Recently I have started to study my new passion which is to create art aligned with Vastu Shastra/Feng Shui: an ancient science with tradition dating back 5000 years (India) and Feng Shui 3000 years (China), Feng means wind and Shui means water. The ancient philosophers knew a lot about the five elements that made the universe. These five elements are: Earth, Water, Fire, Air (wind), and Space. There is an invisible relation between these five elements.

Understanding these five natural sources and coordinating with them in harmony can certainly attract positive energy and assure better health. I am convinced that anything we see around us affects our thinking and how we feel.

How should people find you online….

Websites:

• http://hemu-aggarwal.artistwebsites.com  
•  https://hemuaggarwal.wordpress.com 

Twitter: @hemuaggarwal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hemu.aggarwal

Google+: Hemu Ghia-Aggarwal

Email: hyaggarwal@gmail.com

Lauren Moss is an Austin-area Mixed Media Artist. I have had the privilege to meet her and experience her art live.  She is in the beginning years of her career as an artist.  Lauren is strongly predisposed to drawing and she creates first and foremost in graphite. Colored pencils, paint and printmaking inks are also mainstays in her art.  She bases her artworks on stories from her own life and these are easy to relate to.  I am pleased to be able to publish this interview to share Lauren's perspective with more people who may find that they also resonate with her art on some level(s).

Artist, Lauren Moss at Art Show in Austin, TX

When did you first come to think of yourself as an artist?

I have always thought of myself as an artist but truly fought against myself in the full embodiment of the concept.  It wasn't until after having my daughter and some much needed soul searching that I finally accepted the terminology as being the title that I should hold and use.  It was after the move down to Central Texas that I seriously started pursuing my career as an Artist.

Tell me about your first experience creating art:

The first time I began to create art was monumental.  I literally lost all sense of time and space and became one with the inspirational muse that flowed through me.  It was incredible and awe inspiring and in that particular moment I fell hard, head over heels in love with the experience.  

Why mixed media? 

I love the fact that mixed media marries all of my favorite mediums into a flexible fun way to create.  I do not have to stick to one area of expertise to create art, I can combine three or more areas into a piece to have a coherent and flowing space.

Pelvic Thrust  © Lauren Moss

How do you define your style of art, and how does it stand apart from other established styles?  

Steve Morris is from a small farm town in Southern Iowa.  He has always had a passion to draw and has been doing so since the age of about 8-years-old. Over the decades, his passion for drawing and art in general has grown and expanded to the point where he is always trying new mediums and surfaces.  Morris draws, paints and even etches to create interesting original pieces. He likes to work with an assortment of different kinds of ink pens and will use color pencils blended in among the ink in some pieces. Many different types of mediums and surfaces are utilized in his artworks. Most notable is his unique style which so many people inquire about and comment on how unusual it is.  As there is not an exact proper name, Morris says that he has always referred to it as a diversionary style. 

"It is a style, I've been told since I've been drawing, that is original and not often seen."  

New Castle © Stephen Morris

When did you start to think of yourself as an artist?

I have been drawing for the better part of 50 years and although I have been told for many years that I am an artist, I have also been accused of being entirely too humble and my own worst critic. So, for the majority of my creative years I never thought of myself as an artist until probably around 5 years ago when people started accepting and letting me know the appreciation they had for my diversionary, no-boundaries style and crediting it as a true art style.  To be honest, I am still somewhat learning to accept the title artist!

What makes ink your preferred medium?

Ink has become my preferred medium, in part because even as a child I was always drawing something on anything I could, so I always had a pen in my pocket. Since that is what I always have at my ready, I have learned to work the different inks and master using them in so many different ways, from blending bold lines to the finest details and shadowing.

Tell me about other mediums you most enjoy creating with:

I don't always use just inks; some of my pieces include inks, colored pencils spray paint even some acrylic paints that I blend all together in different layers with different brushes and manners. I like to experiment using different mediums together that as a rule they say can't or shouldn't be used together. I also do a lot work on glass. I etch the same finely-detailed kind of pictures and pieces I do on paper on to glass bottles, flat glass, mirrors and even old vinyl record albums with a Dremel and wide assortment of different bits. I often after etching a picture will go back and blend light shades of color into it with various types of mediums from inks to different kinds of paints. Creating etchings and art with a Dremel is something I started about 10 years ago, and I have been working at and experimenting with since.

Green Tree and Bridge © Stephen Morris

How do you define your style of diversionary art, and how does it stand apart from other established styles?

I would define my diversionary art style as art without boundaries. Art has always been said to be in the eye of the person admiring it, so my style is a style without boundaries - meaning the person who is admiring or just even looking at it, is allowed to and can see what they want to see, and not necessarily the same thing that someone else sees. They are free to make of it what they want unlike some of the other established styles where, say, a tree is a tree to everyone who looks at it. The story I intend for my art to tell is whatever story the person looking into reads. My art means a lot to me, it represents my feelings, thoughts and places in my life, both physically, mentally and emotionally. I guess that would lead into the answer to the next question,

What inspires you to create art?

Nigel Goodwin in West Midlands, England is an artist, poet and songwriter who specializes in oil and watercolor painting and has recently started using acrylic as well. His watercolor paintings are usually of birds and flowers; whilst in oil he tends to paint landscapes, seascapes, abstracts and portraits.  

I first came into contact with Nigel on A Singular Creation (ASC) where he has been a moderator since the end of January 2013.  He has said, "To be honest I actually enjoy moderating for ASC more now than actual painting! I really enjoy admiring and critiquing the fabulous artworks of others.  There are a lot of great artists on ASC." Nigel has been painting for over ten years and has chosen to share some of his artistic story with us here.

Tell me about your first experience painting:

My first painting was a watercolour for my brother David.  It is of a par three golf hole in Algarve, Portugal.  I painted it in February 2003 and he still has it framed on his bedroom wall!  It was a daunting experience and it is probably one of my most detailed artworks.

What initially sparked your interest in creating art?

About ten years ago me and some church friends were sitting around chatting at the Church Open Door coffee morning when the subject came up about art.  I became really interested in the subject and decided to buy myself some basic watercolours and paper from a budget art shop.  I only spent a little because I did not know whether I would like it or even be very good at it.  Lo' and behold, my watercolour painting, the golf par three for my brother, was my first artwork creation!  After that I was hooked so to speak and began sketching and painting more watercolours.  So, basically, it was a church conversation that started off my creativity!  Thanks be to God!

What makes oil painting your preferred medium?

I especially love painting in oil. Oil is a very forgiving medium.  I can make a mistake and quickly rectify it by moving the wet paint about or painting on top of existing colour. Also, I would call myself a traditionalist as I really enjoy the 'feeling' of using oil... it makes me feel special! 

What things inspire you to create art?