CreativPaper Issue No. 11 by CreativPaper

CREATIVPAPER Magazine

Issue 011

CreativPaper is an environmentally aware platform and publication dedicated to supporting and promoting emerging creative talent alongside established professionals whilst being committed to bringing awareness to social and environmental issues. Whilst making this issue I contracted Dengue Fever whilst visiting Mumbai, India and became very sick very quickly this resulted in Issue 11 being slightly delayed but we hope you enjoy reading the issue and all the super talented artists that participated in the issue. Thank you, Jimmy Outhwaite and Jefferson Pires

Contents

04 CHO, HUI CHIN 08 JAMES PORSCHEN 14 KAYA CHEUNG 18 TIFFANY SCULL 24 AISLING DRENNAN 28 MICHAL ASHKENASI 32 AUNE AINSON 36 RICHARD SHIPLEY 40 AINO 44 TODD JONES 48 JAKE HOWE 54 NAN XU 58 PATRICK JOSSIER 62 CLAUDIA LIMACHER 70 DAVID HEATWOLE 82 SUSAN WILLEMSE 86 GEORGE EMIL ODTHERMAT 90 HELEN JAMES

Cover Artist

CHO, HUI CHIN chin.art

At CreativPaper we often work with artists who have been exposed to a multitude of cultures growing up. Often within the same home. These scenarios can have a lasting impact on any person, but as an artist it can culminate into new and exciting ideas drawing strengths from each culture. Artist Hui-Chin Cho grew up in a traditional Taiwanese family which also incorporated a culture of Japanese anime, manga and Chinese aesthetics. Sugar-courted intimacy, sweet nerves and unconscious desires are a prominent theme through her work. Of all the cultures you were exposed to as a child, is there one that resonates with you more than others? Raised in a multicultural environment, my Taiwanese ethnicity with diverse religions surrounding the Japanese anime/manga culture, and Chinese aesthetics have established the space which has been galvanising the inspiration to me.

incentives.

You are based in multiple cities around the globe, how do you find a balance between travel and productivity? Very often I don’t find living and working around different countries problematic. From my perspectives, working/living around various cities is an auspicious evocation to imaginations, and I am used to setting up my own studio around the cities - London, Tokyo, Taipei, which forms the developmental

Cultures in the east are traditionally conservative, what has the reaction to your themes of intimacy, unconscious desires and sexuality been? That is quite interesting saying that cultures are traditionally conservative; in a way, I am not very often find it conservative, I would say that culture in the east could tend to be ‘suppressed’ in my point of view whilst I have been trying to absolve such stereotypes from my own culture, and to build the fusion of my own cultures and the experience of being educated in west. Besides this, materiality with animal by-products such as leather forming parts of the composition is a pivotal aspect of my work, and I very often tend to use the materials which could be associated with ‘life once lived’ as the

responses to my idea of ‘the sugar-coated fact’ composing of the animal skin as the mask; with the sensitive curiosity, I have been researching and exploring the subject matter related to the existence between life and death. Consequently, the idea of ‘humanities’, ‘intimacies’ and ‘desires’ has happened, which is merged with my cultures and educational backgrounds. Could you tell us a bit about your childhood growing up in Taiwan? I was raised in a multicultural environment - Taiwan, which is the fusion surrounded by Japanese anime and manga culture and Chinese aesthetics, until I finished my high school; afterward I headed to the UK; I have always been grateful for being supported to be an artist by my parents even though they hoped I could be a doctor because reading medicine was like a tradition of my family.

relationship in object/collage artworks of Joseph Cornell could work as the reference to me; the wallpaper of my mobile phone is one of his paintings The Bad Doctors (1892) by James Ensor, although he finished it ages ago, you can’t say this painting is not contemporary either; it is chronological and narrative with grotesque human figures. Is travelling a source of inspiration for you? Travelling could be the nutrients to me. As I mentioned above: ‘working/living around various cities is an auspicious evocation of imaginations’ to me. For example, once I stayed in Italy for approximately 4 weeks while I was doing an artist-residency; after coming back from Rome, Venice and Florence, I have done a variety of putti (known as the little nude babies) as my subject matter. Could you tell us a bit more about your piece titled ‘The sugar-coated lust III’, how did that come about? I am pleased to mention this work because it was once awarded, shortlisted, and it has been collected in London! Somehow I had been enjoying using lots of pink since last year. This is because, in my paintings, I was seeking the sense of being loved, intimacy and romance which couldn’t be achieved in reality.

But I am not ‘always’ sticking on painting. I very often do 50% painting and 50% sculpture. In my first-year and second-year at Slade School of Fine Art, I was doing the reference related to media, such as video games, codings or videos; then I went back to do painting and sculpture in my third year while I do consider that the sense of achievement can be uncovered in my concrete artworks. I think it is quite crucial to have the liberal attitude toward experimenting ’The Sugar-coated lust III’ could be an with materials and references. expression to reveal the skin as a sugar-coated pill of certain violence Who do you admire? which was wrapped by the name of There are lots of great artists, and intimacy. You might think of the colours everyone would seek various artists which are so pinky or lovely in a way during the different periods of time in when the figures are twisted, and you their lives. To me at the moment, I would would feel a bit uncomfortable looking at say James Ensor and Joseph Cornell them while people cannot deny their exstand out. The arrangement of spatial istences with curiosity looking for them. 06

It is difficult to tell people a practical reason why I choose specific colours because the colour would be associated with unconscious choices. The first brush very often is done by instincts, but right now I am struggling not to fill all the blank area with colour in my most recent artworks as an approach to the idea of taking negative spaces as a concrete three-dimensional space.

What does the rest of the year have in store for you? I will be having my first solo show in Asia, my hometown Tainan City, Taiwan at Soka Art Centre. And I will be doing the artist residencies in Japan from March to July 2019 while I will be giving talks and holding a few exhibitions. The information about upcoming shows/talks in Japan will be announced very soon on my social medias @chohuichin and my website www.chin.art. END 07

Interview

JAMES PORSCHEN jamesporschen.com

Art can often be contextual, An everyday object, a structure or people are thrown in for scale, comparison and often, emotion. Los Angeles based photographer James Porschen eschews the above and lets the subjects of his photography dominate the frame. Landscapes are stripped of any references to time and space. Colours, always natural, take centre stage, working together like a painted abstract masterpiece drawing the viewer into submission. We had a conversation with James where he talked about the work that goes into his fantastic shots, living in Los Angeles and the importance of fitness, both physical and cognitive. We would love to know the process that goes into creating these fantastic shots? To fully understand how I create these shots I feel I must first explain the reason why. A photograph tends to be subject-oriented no matter how abstract it becomes. We look at photographs as a place rather than an idea. The neon tubes help further the work from its original geographic location. This enables the viewer a subjective interpretation rather than the dismantling of the image objectively. My images are not intended to reflect the location they were taken but rather the inner destination one creates while viewing them.

exploration into the phenomenology of abstraction. With these images, I decided to concentrate specifically on the colour field theory. I’m fascinated on how the interplay of lines and colours can create emotional responses. Most often my aerial work is shot with a digital medium format Hasselblad from a Cessna single-engine plane. Often I’m strapped in with the door removed for more flexibility. I tend to have a strong compositional idea of how I want the images to come out. When I’m photographing I clear my mind and just enjoy the process.

This body of work continues my 08

Where in the world are you based right now and why? I’m currently based in Los Angeles. This city is a beautiful dystopia. It’s filled with adventure that sparks my creativity. I’m deeply connected to nature, and I also find as an artist that it’s important to feel the pulse of contemporary culture to better identify how my vision can harmonise with the trends. L.A. seems to be somewhat of a balance of who I am. One side of myself can enjoy easy access to surfing, skiing, climbing, etc. while the other part of me can enjoy wearing a suit and going to an art opening.

How important is staying physically and cognitively fit for you? Exceptionally so. I’m a firm believer in the balance of your soul, mind, and body. The soul keeps me open to new ideas. Meditation has been a doorway to creativity. The mind allows me to translate my ideas into reality. One must always be seeking knowledge to evolve and stay relevant to the times. The body gives me the ability to find the surreal of this remarkable planet; therefore, it is essential to treat it as a gift and temple through healthy eating and active living.

I also should note that my suppliers are all out here as well as many of the galleries that showcase my work. Is there a lot of research that goes into finding the locations? What takes the most time is the conceptual aspect of my art. Once I have the idea refined for a project the pieces tend to come together pretty quickly. I do whatever research is necessary to make it a reality. Is photography something you have always wanted to get into career-wise? While I was studying abroad in Germany, I would travel to wherever the cheapest flight would bring me. Travel has been my most significant education, and it was these experiences that brought me to photography. I started to photograph everywhere I went. The obsession was born. It was then that I knew this would be my occupation.

Your images rarely have any human-made influences in them. Is that deliberate? The work tends to have no one point perspective yet rather focuses, on the whole, making up the frame. This is a notion that speaks of the interconnectedness of life rather than solely of the self. When you start to incorporate known visual references such as specific human-made objects, it takes away from accomplishing this initial goal. With this intention, I can further abstract the work to allow the viewer their own subjective experience. Could you tell us a bit about your influences? Being an avid meditator, I came to the conclusion that my images should embody notions of Zen and Taoist philosophy. Recognizing that I always felt the most grounded in nature I decided to point my lens in that direction. Having a somewhat inward personality, I have always found great solace in art starting with comic books and then moving to painting and finally photography.

Some of the artists who have had an enormous impact on my images would be Mark Rothko, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Bosco Sodi, and Masao Yamamoto. Would you say it’s getting harder to find places that are untouched by human civilisation? My objective isn’t so much to discover the untouched but to seek refuge in the grandeur of nature. To be able to connect with my intuition I often need solitude. I try to represent the

archetypal symbols inherent in nature wherever I can find them. The beauty of photography is that I can frame the world in a manner that best represents what I wish to show. Where is James off to next? I will be furthering this body of work in Salt Lake, Utah and then I’ll be off to Mauritius for diving and conceiving new projects. END

Artist Feature

KAYA CHEUNG kayacheung.com

Artist Kaya Cheung graduated with a BA in design from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Since then he has worked with various organisations such as Alibaba, Bank of China and HKU Space. From 2010 - 2014 Kaya and a group of arts and education workers set up a non-profit organisation called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hong Kong Visual Arts Magazineâ&#x20AC;?, a free publication to distribute in secondary schools in Hong Kong and art institutions. His philosophy is that creativity is a never-ending cycle that converts, adapts and sublimates a concept. This creative process allows artists to express themselves. Kaya also explores the possibility of ink painting, through the material relations of mineral pigments, water, ink, and paper. And He tried to combine Suminagashi and marbling art into his Chinese new ink and collage painting.

Above: Life series 2 Assemble Gold Mineral Pigment/Chinese Ink on Rice Paper, 80cm x 89cm, 2018

Above: Nature Towards Freedom 2 Flying Spirit, Mineral Pigment,Silver Foil,Collage, Chinese Ink on Rice Paper, 50cm x 50cm

Above: Wave of mountain Style 1, Mineral Pigment, Chinese Ink on Rice Paper, 69cm x 88cm, 2018

Interview

TIFFANY SCULL tiffanyscullceramics.com

Combining her love for drawing and the beautiful technique of Sgraffito we have artist Tiffany Scull. Laborious as the process might be, Tiffany has invested time and skill into its perfection, developing her own unique style along the way. Drawn by the beauty in nature, her subject matter of fish, insects and flowers amongst others showcases her attention to detail, translating each scale, feather and fold into her pieces. We had a conversation with Tiffany recently where she talked about various topics such as the importance of sketching and pottery as a time capsule amongst others. What led you to pick your media of choice as an artist? Was it an experimental selection process? After finishing school, I went onto spending five years at Art College with my most productive being spent on an HND in Design at Worthing. Here I was able to explore and express myself artistically moving through the different projects set and finally onto a module about clay. I felt my search was over for a form of creativity which held my full attention on every level. After leaving college, I spent a few years working in a small pottery on the Isle of Wight learning to throw and how to run a working pottery. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until I moved to my current home in Portland in 2002 that I was able to set up my first studio and discovered

clay slips and sgraffito. It was from this point onwards that I decide to specialise in this decorative technique. In your opinion what is it about artists like Gustav Klimt and Charles Rennie Mackintosh that makes them stand out from other artists in the Vienna Secession movement? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a difficult one to answer, but I feel both these impressive artists were innovators and groundbreakers of their time. Both of these men created outstanding and unique works of art and chose to try to depict the world as they saw it in a new way. I think their work has stood the test of time and still looks as amazing today. Of the two Gustav Klimt is my favourite, and his paintings are just so magical. 18

are just so magical.

pieces, particular species interest me more than others. I’m looking for How vital is sketching with regards to creatures that have good movement, being a part of your artistic workflow? colour and exciting markings. I prefer to Sketching is a critical part of my creative use birds, fish, insects and flowers and I process. I’m always drawing quick ideas have created a few reptile pieces which I and suggested forms and its how I keep plan to develop in the future. All of these moving forward in my work. All of my species have either scales feathers or designs are first drawn on paper, and I line markings on the wings, and for the spend a lot of time finding images I want moment I have chosen to explore the to work from. I’m always looking for vast amount of varieties that exist under different views of the same bird, fish or these headings. insect but in different positions so I can capture how they move and interact with For those of us unaware, could you each other. I also make drawn studies of tell us a bit about the Sgraffito their habitat making sure this is correct technique that you use in your work? before I start on a piece. When I have Sgraffito translated from Italian means time, I also create watercolours and ink ‘to scratch away’ and has been used drawings, and these are often inspired by many cultures to decorate buildings, by drawings I have already created for paintings and pottery. It was first used in my ceramics pieces. China during the 11th and 12th century AD and in Europe during the 16th What are your thoughts on pottery as century as relief decoration on buildings. a time capsule? Especially with regards to ancient civilisations? First, detailed pencil drawings are made Pottery is such a fascinating material of the animals and their habitats that I and can tell us so much about how intend to decorate my next pieces with. I people have and do live. We can tell how throw my forms using a white stoneware advanced they were by the use of form clay which are turned and manipulated and decoration and often get a feeling of whilst leather hard. The smooth forms their views on faith or how their are then completely covered in slip civilisation was structured. Of all the colours I have developed allowing my ancient pottery that’s been found, I find decoration to evolve freely. Over many two the most intriguing. The ancient days the outlines of the designs are Greeks created the most beautiful drawn on to the form then using a pieces, and I’m still in wonder of their selection of tools and scalpel blades the refined shapes and decoration, also the slip between the drawings is removed ancient Chinese for their incised and and scraped away until smooth. This sgraffito work which I find just breathe process is slow and meticulous creating taking. a three-dimensional feel to the slip colours left behind much like cameo Nature is a prominent theme in your glass. At the final stages contrasting slip work, are there any particular species colour is added and all the details are that you are drawn to more than drawn on using a very thin pointed tool. others? When looking for inspiration for my 21

Each piece is then left to dry slowly before the two firings. After the first bisque, I brush a clear glaze onto the central themes leaving the rest of the piece matt creating a tension between the glazed and unglazed surface. The final glaze firing is 1180°c in an electric kiln.

three different flowers in the same design, and I’m very excited to see how the final result will look. This piece is part of a collection of works inspired by English wildlife I am making for a show in October with Cambridge Contemporary Art; cambridgegallery.co.uk.

What are you working on at the moment? I’m currently working on a large butterfly and flower piece which is around 40cm high. This is the first time I have chosen to combine two types of butterflies with

What is Tiffany’s idea of a perfect Sunday? I guess this would be meeting up with friends for lunch until late afternoon then having a quiet evening at home catching up on reading or watching a film. END 22

Artist Feature

AISLING DRENNAN

aislingdrennan.com / @aisling_drennan_art Not a lot of artists that we work with can say that they travelled the world with ‘Riverdance - The Show’ and performed on the Great Wall of China amongst other equally remarkable venues, but that’s precisely what Irish artist Aisling Drennan did in over 400 cities, covering 43 countries and six continents. Since completing her Fine Art education from Central Saint Martins, Aisling has been focussing on expressing her creativity through her work; Her pieces are often bathed layers of colour, each contrasting shade trying to grab your attention, lines slicing through forcing the viewer to investigate deeper. Aisling has also been shortlisted for the John Moores painting prize and the Visual Arts Open. She has also been awarded a residency at the Cill Rialaig Arts Centre in Co. Kerry, Ireland and won the Freyer Award for excellence in painting. Chaotic at first sight, her captivating pieces with their intertwining layers will get you hooked the moment you see them.

Above: Paint Knotting, 2017, Oil and Charcoal on Canvas, 60x50cm

Above: Useful Mistakes, 2017, Oil Paint and Charcoal on Canvas, 76x76cm

Above: Trading Time with Eternity, 2017, Oil Paint and Charcoal on Canvas, 100x70cm

Interview

MICHAL ASHKENASI michalsart.com

Born in the Netherlands and having moved to Israel after WW2 artist Michal Ashkenasi has lived near the edge of the magnificent Negev desert for seventeen years. Something that still influences her work till this day. Her abstract minimalistic pieces aim to capture the essence of her thoughts and dreams without any added frills that might detract from her message. Also an avid photographer, Michal tries to capture the drama in her frame, using her art as a joyous bridge between people, in a world increasingly torn by discrimination and violence. We had a conversation with Michal where she talked about her ongoing projects, the beauty of the Negev and her ever supportive family. Could you tell us a bit about the influence the abstract expressionist Mark Rothko has had on your creativity? The influence of Rothkoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s works on me was the blending of 2 colours one beside the other. Through my works, there was a sharp border, and from him, I learned to blend them, so there were almost no differences between them. They flowed over one into the other. It taught me how to make it one whole painting and not as before pieces beside pieces. What is it like living near the Negev desert as an artist? The Negev as all great expanses gives me the feeling of freedom and space. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost something physic, as I breath better and feel lighter on my feet! And this influences my works especially the colours; they are brighter. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the same

as the sea, but I love the Negev as there is this feeling of a new beginning. Not everywhere but there are parts where there are no people, houses and roads, just Nature! Is art something you have always wanted to pursue? I came to art late and by chance. I worked at an intern school and needed something in the evenings different from my work, I went to the regional municipality and was told that the only place free was a painting course. I did the course till the end of the semester, and then the teacher told me to go and study because, as he said, you have talent. After talking with my manager, I entered the University of Haifa and studied there for three years Art. It was not what I wanted as it was the theoretic side of art, not painting. I left the University. 28

Above: Green Fruit, 80 x 80 cm, 2002

Above: Seeds, 100 x 80cm, 1995, sold

With luck, I was admitted to master classes, and there I learned to paint! I stayed for 7 years and then left my work and opened a studio. Never looked back! How has the popularisation of mobile photography and social me dia changed the field of photography in your opinion? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think that there is so much change because of the mobile photography and the social media for the Art photographer. The mobile and social photography are the everyday photos of family or events and only very seldom is there an artistic photo in. The Art photography is still made by artists, with cameras. Two different categories.

Are your family supportive of your artistic endeavours? My family is and was always very supportive and proud. They all have my paintings in their homes, and whenever I need help ( seldom ) I only need to say something, and they come! What does an average day for Michal look like and what do you love about being an artist? Is there such a thing as average day?? Not by me. Sometimes I paint from early morning till evening, and sometimes there are days that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go down to the studio at all. Apart from painting, I learn Classical Music and Law. Further, I read a lot. 30

Above: Dreams, 100 x 80 cm, 2017

And I also paint digital art. So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not the artist who only paints but also does things just for fun! And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the part what I love about being an artist, it gives me the freedom to do what I like and when I like! Could you tell us about the paintings you are working on at the moment? I just finished a series about the Gates Of Jerusalem, of which I painted two pieces and then photographed those, and on the computer, I made the other 4. I made these for a special event which was called: the Legends of Jerusalem. My gates were not the real ones, but my imaginations Gates with a very critic look on the Government and the latest laws!!

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy to be an artist as this gives me also the opportunity to shout my critic on political and social situations that hinder me. My next work shall probably be something random as I want to try out another technique. I am endlessly curious and always try new ways. Maybe something good will come of it!!! END

Artist Feature

AUNE AINSON auneainson.com

Currently living in Santiago, Chile, artist Aune Ainson champions the excluded and expulsed elements in life. Finding beauty in subjects that defy conventionally accepted standards. She assembles and de-constructs the characters inside her paintings time and again with the help of multiple layers of oil paint and other materials such as varnish and spray paint. Generally, she only works with a palette knife as it is a tool that prevents precision but at the same time gives her a degree of control in creating the layers she desires. She also likes her work to have a sense of tactility, giving it an almost three dimensional, tangible existence.

Above: Nobleza Negra, Oil, Spray Paint, Pigment Liner and Varnish on Paper, 45 x 35cm. 2018

Above: William Durks, Oil on Canvas, 80 x 60cm. 2016

Above: Escort bride, Oil, Spray Paint, Color Pencil on Paper, 65 x 50cm. 2018

Artist Feature

RICHARD SHIPLEY richardshipley.art

With each passing day, we seem to live in spaces that are surrounded by noise, both digital and environmental. The recent insurgence of digital detox centres is proof of that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s getting harder than ever to find solace and silence, to truly disconnect almost feels like a luxury. Artist Richard Shipley, originally from York, England started his career off as a graffiti artist in his teenage years. Now living in the South-West of England his work has organically evolved into a purely abstract aesthetic which features in popular culture, private collections and Art exhibitions across the globe. By using a wide variety of materials ranging from aerosols to charcoal on wooden panels, canvas or paper, Richard looks at silence and the vast array of emotions that it can induce. This also manifests itself in his work in the form of minimalist forms too bold angular shapes with often aggressive undertones. A reflection of the darker side of silence.

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Above: Red No1, Charcoal, Oil & Spray Paint on Paper, 35cm x 35cm, 2018

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Above: Red No3, Charcoal, Oil & Spray Paint on Paper, 35cm x 35cm, 2018

Above: Red No11, Charcoal, Oil & Aerosol on Paper, 35cm x 35cm, 2018

Interview

AINO

ainoart.com Born in Russia in 1985, Artist Aino lives and works in Heidelberg, Germany. Her artistic practice can be best described as cognitive architecture. A complex labyrinth of levels and structures that make up the human mind. Influenced by architectural education, she translates her thoughts into a specific material form. Almost all of her works are three-dimensional, turning into sculptural objects. Her work is more about asking questions than offering solutions, giving an impulse to reconsider the preconceived notions, working out the right questions, a way of reaching a balance within the system. You recently exhibited with Japanese artist Hirofumi Fujiwara, could you tell us about how that collaboration came about? It was exactly like a “make a wish” scenario. Some time ago I came across Hirofumi’s works in the media and was fascinated by their aesthetics. Images he creates affected me deeply. I felt the need for more information, a wish to see them live. And then one day an invitation comes - from the Art Association “Kunstverein Ladenburg” for a duo-exhibition in the Lobdengau Museum with Hirofumi Fujiwara. It is amazing.

separate and mutual spaces as well, it was possible to give our works enough room to unfold themselves - interacting without interfering with each other. It was a beautiful working experience. What is it about sculptural art that keeps you coming back for more? It is a great variety of possibilities the medium gives you, but also a challenge coming with it. The same questions are reconsidered all over again: concept, material, construction, working process, technical aspects. Each new work requires a return to a tabula rasa state a mental serenity.

Were you pleased with the result? Absolutely. Though our means of artistic expression differ a lot, the final impression of the exhibition came to be surprisingly homogeneous. For the venue was conceived as a sequence of 40

Above: The Old Man, Fragment Wax, Cord on Wood, 66 x 96 cm, 2015

Above: Memento, Fragment Wax, Needles, 70 x 100 cm, 2015

Could you tell us a bit about your piece titled ‘Girls’? “Girls” is the first smaller-format piece of the planned same-title series. It is a work on the theme “fragility” - a little girl taken for its metaphor, a white dress standing for innocence - all melted in wax - a symbol for time and timelessness in my works. The used formal language is almost archaic. But so is the theme itself to me - the weak, the unprotected being vulnerable to any kind of force, changing in form but constant in its nature. Where would you say you get the vast array of your inspiration from? The source of inspiration is always inside. The critical element is not what you see, but how you look at things. The moment I manage to calm down my mind, everything is inspiring.

strategic geographical spot. A small historical city, a tiny holy world perfectly suited for a retreat, and at the same time being positioned in a convenient distance to many crucial European art venues. It is an “octopus living concept”. How did you come up with your name ‘AINO’? There is a Soviet Avant-Garde artist Nadezhda Kashina. Thus a pseudonym was a necessity. There I was looking for something abstract, referring neither to gender nor nationality, more an abbreviation rather than a name of a person. As I came across Aino, a Finnish feminine name, it felt just perfect. When is Nadezhda the happiest? When there’s no border between Nadezhda and AINO.. END

You are currently based in Heidelberg, Germany. Could you tell us a bit about the art scene there? Heidelberg is more about being a 42

Above: Silence, Wax, Paper on Wood, 70 x 100 cm, 2015

Artist Feature

TODD JONES taahd.com

Todd Jones is an interdisciplinary artist working mainly in painting, drawing, and sculpture. He is currently living and working in Columbus, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and double majored in studio art and psychology at Florida State University. His work adds a visual dimension to psychology through his artistic process. Graphic design served as his introduction to the art, and since then, he has acquired skills in a variety of genres. Jones takes an experimental approach to new materials, manipulating them in unique ways to gain a better understanding of their limitations. Using a combination of traditional and modern techniques he explores the application of paint on translucent and opaque surfaces, allowing the infrastructure to integrate within the image. A process driven artist, Todd views his technique as a scientific experiment, pushing the limits of the mediums he incorporates in his pieces.

Artist Feature

JAKE HOWE jakeaaronhowe.com

Heck!’ , shortened from Hekla, Iceland’s most active stratovolcano and also known as the ‘Gateway to Hell’, takes place in the space at the beginning or the end of a moment of time, It follows the footsteps of the last to live on the island or through the eyes of the first, it’s intimate and personal becoming. It’s a passage of labour, of life of the living of the dead and lunacy. It’s difficult not to apply symbolism; it’s hard not to have noticed that the island spoke to its residents. In this instant, an innocent response to believing I was creating something that could talk, that took on Iceland’s belief and memory of its land and subsequently mythologizing this symbolism, turning the wax of a candle at a cemetery into the volcano itself, the rabbit into the seasons, the puddle a birds eye view, the first house built, the first drawings made, the first meal eaten.

“I’ve always used film, always have I given photography my consent, to take whatever it may need from me to make these pictures. It’s less a journey into fact, I’m terrible at approaching reality, so there is a reason fiction exists. I believe these photos can be taken in reverse, the first meal becomes the last and so on. Reykjavik, mid-March 2018, me and my partner had travelled over with the intention of making work. For four nights we wandered through suburbs, forests, we faced glaciers, rain, sun, seas and black beaches. The pages to follow are a number of the images made.” 50

Interview

NAN XU nanxuart.com

Developing a strong passion for art and science from a young age, artist Nan Xu decided to start a career as a professional artist after graduating from NYU with a masters degree in Science. While studying at the New York Academy of art she started painting imaginary landscapes that incorporate nature and cities, a prominent theme through her work. Influenced by the old masters of the Hudson River School art movement we love the use of light in her pieces which elevates its romanticism. Her recent project talks about the communication of the unknown energy between nature and human thought. Could you tell us a bit about your time growing up in China, was art always a part of your life? I was born in Inner Mongolia which in the north part of China, where the landscape is different from the south part of China. In my memory, I always went to the mountains and fields when I was little. The land is usually brown and dry; it barely has trees. The mountains are purple and grand. I think the memory of my hometown influences a lot of how I depict the raw landscape. After I turned eight, I moved to the south part of China and lived in the city. The fast growth of the city always impressed me, and I was fascinated by the changing of the urban scene. Because of the rich visual resource of my childhood, moving gave me many

inspirations. Art is always my way to record life and express feelings. I would draw an imaginary landscape with colour pencils about my dream place and use watercolour to make posters for school events. Art was a constant source of joy during my time in school. When did you decide that you wanted to be a professional artist? Although I got art training from an early age, art had always just been my hobby. Whenever I painted, I felt happy and relaxed. After my first graduate school, I started to think about my life plan. I realised how much I love art and I want to take art as a career. So I decided to take on more professional training and go to an art school.

Above: The Day After Tomorrow, Oil on Canvas, 30in x 30in, 2018

Could you tell us a bit about your time at the New York Academy of Art? I felt so lucky to be admitted by the New York Academy of Art. I found it was a perfect school for me who wanted to get training in traditional art technique and also an improvement of sensitivity to contemporary art. During the first year of the school, I tried different media and different topics which enriched my art skills and vision of finding beauty in daily life. I had fun drawing and painting all kinds of things like still life, animals, figures, landscape, abstract shapes. During the second year of school, I found my art direction which is critical for me.

environmental change due to human activity. Also, most of my work is from imagination also the environment I live shaped my understanding of the landscape, so the natural landscape in my painting is no longer what I called raw landscape. It is a combination of civilisation and nature.

How did that shape you as an artist? The school brought me a new vision of being an artist. Before, art for me was a self-entertainment activity. I would put fewer thoughts and focus on visual beauty. After, art for me was a way to communicate, to express, and to send messages. I will spend more time put my ideas together and design the visual language such as colour, shape, composition, space and use it to send a message. The school taught me to give critic to my art, to push my art into a better stage under my standard. It helps me a lot because, after graduation, it will be hard to get critics which is crucial for oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development. Your work often combines both urban and natural landscapes, do you prefer one more than the other? I prefer natural landscapes. Although urban life unavoidable influences my art, because I live in the city most of my life, I still have a deep love for natural landscapes. I sometimes combine urban and natural scenes; it is a way to express my concern about

What is it like being an artist in New York City in 2018? Being an artist is always challenging and exciting at the same time especially in New York. It gathers the most talented artists and newest art scenes. New York inspired me to be an artist, and in 2018 it is still inspiring to me. I feel lucky that I can go to galleries and museums whenever I want to explore. Also, there are always opportunities for artists to show and develop whenever you are ready. What is it about the Hudson River School Art Movement in your opinion that makes its impact relevant to this day? The paintings of Hudson River School usually present the scene of the harmony between nature and human. The warm light setting in the paintings are nearly holy, and the view is grand and complete. The artists were depicting wild landscapes with untouched sublime and spiritual beauty. Although it could contain a pastoral setting, the painting still reminds people of giving gratitude to the beauty of nature in a more general sense until today. END

Above: Grand Sonata, Oil on Canvas, 36in x 48in, 2017

Artist Feature

PATRICK JOSSIER patrickjossier.com

Ever since he turned fifteen, artist Patrick Jossier has yearned for a career in the fine arts. Beginning with paper, he quickly imprinted his inspirations. This later progressed in the 70’s to oil painting after he realised that it suited the need for his artistic expression perfectly. After working with regional artists such as Émile Mangiapan and Grangereau, he incorporated their teachings into the refinement of his work. The 00’s led to an introduction of pastels. Over the coming years, Jossier undertook additional artistic formations like traditional stain-glass crafting, dalle de verre, glass painting and a course in decors painting. This was when he started to paint large-scale canvases. Movement, colour and mixed mediums became a recurring theme in his work. The introduction of charcoal further added to the dynamism in his pieces. These days he chooses to work with cardboard, wooden panels and sometimes canvases.

Artist Feature

CLAUDIA LIMACHER claudialimacher.com

Inspired by nature and its countless forms, artist Claudia Limacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is a symphony of colours. Using a plethora of mediums such as acrylics, oils, spray paints, pigments and pastels she uses the canvas as a reflection of her inner world. The use of multiple mediums also lends her work a tactility that runs parallel with her organic themes. Born in Germany, she spent 20 years of her adult life in California, where she earned her MBA and built her own consulting company together with her Swiss husband. Painting has become her meditation and passion, having moved back to Switzerland, where she currently resides, she is in the studio as often as possible. Her work can be found in many private collections in Europe and the United States. For Claudia, painting is a process of experimental discovery. Material and colours are the leading force with an inner communication starting intuitively. A stroke of the brush becomes an inspiration. By using mixed media, she is free and uninhibited to turn the incomprehensible into colours, shapes and form that may inspire. In the studio she is breaking the boundaries of reality, the freedom to be and to discover.

Above: Enchanted, Mixed Media on Canvas, 120 x 180cm

Above: Dancing on The Aegean, Mixed Media, 160 x 200cm

Above: Cosmic Transcendence, Mixed Media 160 x 120cm

Previous Page: Magnificent Reflection Mixed Media 200 x 135cm, Above: Wintery Wisp 91 x 75cm

Above: Perfect Transcendence, Mixed Media 120 x 120cm

Interview

DAVID HEATWOLE thisartistsdream.com

Being an 11th generation artisan is no easy task, a title that artist David F Heatwole does not take lightly. When he is not travelling around the country inspiring the future generation of artists, David spends his time in the studio. In our conversation with him, David talks about his ongoing project “Handmade in America”, what inspires him and the importance of art at a community level amongst other topics. Is it true that your ancestors arrived from Germany 238 years ago? Could you tell us a bit about them and how their legacy influenced your art? My story is truly one of those that is stranger than fiction. It bewilders me so much that at times I wonder if I should give up everything and become a monk because there is obviously a divine creative hand behind it. I am the only child of an artist, author, historian John L. Heatwole III aka. The Wizard of Wood. It was my Dad that opened my mind to the arts and to learn about the long line of artisans in my family. According to him, I am an 11th generation artisan. There was a silversmith, furniture maker, potter, show maker, weavers, blacksmiths and more. Even though I was well aware of my heritage, my interest in this aspect of my life wasn’t

sparked to its fullest until after my Dad’s death on the 22nd day in November of 2006. As a child, I thought quite a bit about the fact that my dad was the third John L. Heatwole in a row. I only had the pleasure of meeting my grandfather a couple of times for a few minutes each time and just recall meeting my great grandfather once. It makes me sad to think of all the great talks I could have had with my Dad about family stories and history if I had only been interested in the family history when he was alive. When I was about 11 years old, I was in a graveyard with my father where many Heatwole relatives are buried. I had been there many times before with him, but there was this one particular visit when I was walking by myself. 70

Above: Inner Light

I stopped at this small gravestone lying flat on its face on the ground. It didn’t have any markings on the side facing up, and for some reason, I was inclined to flip it over. When I did, I got a little bit of a shock that I really didn’t take too seriously, but it’s a memory that has stuck with me. On the gravestone was the name David Heatwole. I could swear that there was a middle initial of “F” like mine, but don’t quote me on that. There was no date that I recall seeing. I called my Dad over, and he joked about it with me on the way home and years later. He says my skin went deathly white, but my Dad was also a story-teller and liked to embellish a story on occasion. As I said before, after my Dads death, I finally decided to do the research on my family history; I discovered that the male names in this line back to the first Heatwole is quite interesting. It means something to me because I have always felt that I would be the last of my blood-line and short of a miracle from God this is most likely going to be the case. I am pretty sure I am the only one with this unusual lineage even though there are so many Heatwole’s in the Valley. So here it is: I am David Frederick Heatwole son of John Lawrence, his father’s name was John Lawrence, and his father’s father was John Lawrence, as well. Then there was my 3rd Great-Grandfather John T. Heatwole and his father John D. Heatwole, known as Potter John. He was the most famous of my line before my Dad’s artistic success. He fought in the American Civil War and was a pottery maker following the war. There are so many great stories surrounding his life, and his artistic pieces of pottery are highly sought after all these years later, some fetching prices up in the tens

of thousands. He was one of 13 children of David Heatwole. This David Heatwole was the fifth child of 11 children, and the namesake of the first Heatwole who moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia from Pennsylvania. I remember as a child going with my Dad and other family members to an old log cabin that looked somewhat decrepit to me. This was the original homestead and workshop for the first David Heatwole who was a shoe-maker, or “Cobbler.” I have a photo of myself at David Heatwole’s workshop. Here it is laid out easier to see from me to the first Heatwole to come to America: David-John-John-John-JohnJohn-David-David-to the very first Heatwole to set foot on the soil of North America. His name was Johann Mathias Hutwohl sailed from Holland on a ship called Two Brothers. He first stepped onto American soil in a shipping port in Philadelphia, Could you tell us a bit about your father who was a sculptor, did his art influence you in any way growing up? I grew up at his elbow watching him carve these fantastic works of art. When I wasn’t with him at his studio watching him create fantastic figures such as wizards, dwarves, dragons, gypsies, ghosts, witches and all kinds of other magical pieces I would be a few blocks away upstairs of our house in my room curled up in my reclining chair reading books when I was supposed to be doing homework or studying for an upcoming test. I was more interested in reading fantasy and science fiction books than living in the past or learning about math or science. School didn’t capture my imagination too much, plus I had something of a learning disability because I saw in pictures, not words. 72

Above: Flowers

I would pick books to read simply based on the awesome art on them. In my early teens, my Dad became associated with an amazing art gallery called Pendragon Gallery. It was the only art gallery in the United States solely dedicated to fantasy and science fiction art at that time. It was here that I ended up seeing the original works of art on the very books I had on my bookshelves back home. Then, at art openings, I ended up meeting some of these painters/illustrators who after my Dad, were my heroes, my greatest inspiration to pursue the arts. They were creating entire worlds on canvas. Not only did art interest me greatly, it was this phenomenon of coming into direct contact with the original art and their creators that I was so fascinated by. I was not raised in a religious family. In fact, their lack of interest in organised religion and faith pondered me. Especially, as I was seeing things, I was interested in manifest before me. I felt the family struggle when my Dad couldn’t sell art for long periods of time as he would need to hold the pieces back for a collection for an upcoming show. I also watched as his hands started to give him pain from all the repetitive hand motion of carving away the hardwood. I so wanted as a child to see him succeed, and he did, but I wanted more for him, maybe more than he wanted for himself. I knew he had to somehow do some mass producing of his one-of-a-kind-works of art. To this end, he ended up finding business partners that wanted to cast his work in bronze but they didn’t come through on their promises and ended up only producing one or two artist proofs before going out of business. I saw the

disappointment on his face, and it killed me. I would pray for him to a higher power that I felt was out there somewhere beyond out site of vision. In my teens, I gobbled up art history books, and illustration annuals, I studied books about the making of science fiction and fantasy movies. I started looking at all of this great fantasy work by my Dad and these illustrators as just blueprints for something better. I started to believe that the arts could have another purpose in society, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I was in my 20s. I knew I wanted to be an artist but didn’t want to just create beautiful things for people to possess and consume. I just felt that art should be more than just decorations for book covers, walls in our homes, offices and public spaces. It was watching my Dad and being hauled around with him looking at tons of art that really made me want to be an art promoter, but one that would do something more with, and for the arts, than what society is used to. One of my most treasured carvings from my Dad is a small carving that fits in the palm of your hand. It’s a carving of a seed with a jolly bearded man’s face on one side, that makes me think of my Dad’s face, and these words carved into the other side “Magic speaks to those with open hearts.” I live by these words and prayer - a lot of prayer.

What inspired you to start your project “Handmade in America Collaborative Arts in Motion” project, could you tell us a bit about it? There was a period between 1994 and 2004 where I was actively pursuing this idea of making Art-WORK for communities. I founded an organisation of loosely banded artists with great imaginations, and I called this association the Transcendental Arts Council our mission was “To change the way…Art WORKS!”. We worked together using our talents to engage the community with various fundraising projects. It was fun, and great to work with other artists but we weren’t quite reaching the potential of what I saw us doing. When one has an idea for a new gadget, or when an idea for something that needs to be manufactured and first communicated with others, most of the time the visionary starts with a drawing or blueprint – it begins with art and creativity. I wanted to use art that was already created as a blueprint for a community collaborative project; one designed to unite people. As the idea catches on it creates ripples in the targeted community. The artist, me in this case, becomes a catalyst. I started the ripple effect by casting the symbolic stone, the artistic idea, into the “pool”, or community by first communicating the idea with a high school art department.

idea to the students in assemblies, and the idea would be to make something so substantial that it would need to be captured on film from a helicopter or aeroplane. It would be a significant work of art that would be made of a lot of smaller pieces created by the students. What adults don’t want to help youth, students to accomplish their goals and projects, so then the project reaches out from the school to the community. The basis for these ideas come from my love for the amazing artwork of probably the most successful artists in the world so far in art history, Christo and his wife, Jean Claude. I loved their work so much but heard the negative comments from people that just didn’t get what they were doing. I believed that if people had an active, creative role in the creation of their monumental works of art they would get it and own it.

So, my mission started with a giant fish made out of umbrellas strategically placed on a field, I am not going to give you the back story on why the fish and how we decided on that due to the length of this interview, but let’s just say it started out with being postponed for three days of rain and wind. To make the project, the students had to donate or raise money for a large golf umbrella, which they could decorate to make each one a symbolic self-portrait, a 12-foot electrical conduit that the umbrella’s pole would slide down into once the handle was cut off, and they had to raise funds for the photographer and airplane or find someone to donate Bringing the idea to art teachers is a good way to get the ball rolling because their services – this is how it becomes a community collaboration. They were to first of all, they have the ability to see the idea and how it can work. Secondly, help market the idea, create the they see how it can work to educate and promotional literature. motivate their students and maybe even their school. I would then present the 75

If they can figure out how to get other classes involved that is even better because essentially the projects can be treated like a small business venture. They can incorporate business and finance classes, Math, Science, Writing, History, etc. etc. The students that volunteered for the first project knew that they were starting something that I would continue with for the rest of my life, for as long as I am able. I have helped create huge mazes that were made of huge pieces of art worked on by elementary students partnered up with high school students. These projects have been created in various communities in two states, Virginia and Maryland. I live in West Virginia, and this is a little bit of a different type of community to consider how the projects can work. Art is not a huge part of the community yet. Although I am working on that. I took a break from these massive projects from 2004 until last year to raise a family made up of 5 adopted children with my wife of 18 years. There really hasn’t been much time for these complicated community efforts. One of my sons had a liver transplant at a very early age and then a small bowel operation a month after my wife recovered from breast cancer. Being a parent has been the hardest job I have ever had, but so worth it. Now that they are older I am ready to really start back up again with the projects and to take my mission to the next level. It’s time to “take the show on the road.”

unite my community of Martinsburg, West Virginia. It is a 53-foot tractor trailer that will have two very special murals on its sides. These murals are being designed in partnership with the local high school art students who submitted designs for the project. We received about 40 mural designs that had to have a message to America. The designs are then turned into age-old art pastime known as paint-by-number. These are works of art that have been reduced to only lines surrounding areas where shapes of colour are to be added and numbers inside these fields. People add colour based on a numbered key that corresponds to a colour palette. In this case, instead of the works of art being on small pieces of paper, these paint-by-number paintings will be huge murals that will be filled in not by brush and paint but rather with painted handprints of individuals from around the United States. Inside the trailer, will be an art gallery. This is where the huge framed aerial photographs of past projects will be hung an on display as well as some of my art and work by my father.

As you can imagine this isn’t going to be a cheap project, so it is up to my community to come together to make it happen. It is meant to be a project that my community sends to the rest of the country. By doing this, my community can get a lot of positive press coverage. And we need it because this community has been in the press for a lot of negative things. It is time to change that This project, the “Handmade in America” energy, and the only way to do that is to project for short, is meant to be a capture the imaginations of the people participatory project that will travel here, and it’s through the arts that this across the country bringing people kind of thing can happen. together. The project is first meant to 76

Above: Chameleon Zebra Swallow

You were recently accepted for the annual exhibition at the Washington County Museum of Fine Art in Maryland, what was that experience like? To me, having my art on permanent public display in a museum would be a dream come true. I grew up going to galleries and museums. I loved, and hated, some of the works in museums, but even the work that really did nothing for me, works of art that would fit into an “Emperor’s New Clothes Art” category, a term I borrow from my Dad, still looks awesome in a museum. So, this particular annual exhibit is a call for entries for artists all around the quad-state area of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. For years I thought about entering and finally decided to enter this last call for artists. I had one of three entries accepted, a small painting, which was an honour to me as I was showing with great artists. Honestly though when I came to the winning work of art for the show, it was like a slap in the face, because it was nothing new or original. It was another abstract contemporary work of art that I have seen a million versions of. One must ask why this “Emperors New Clothes art” is still getting awards and picked as best of the show? There were so many amazing works of art, really innovative original works of art in the show that should have been recognised and they weren’t, so once again I refuse to waste my money on shows where one person who has bad taste, or an agenda, is paid to jury a show. Let me jury a show, and I will give you the best of the best! The funny thing about showing in this museum is that it was one where my Dad had a

retrospect when I was in my early twenties. It was so amazing that I hoped to one day show in the museum myself. This one-piece helped me get closer to that dream. Maybe one day I will. I had a small exhibit a few years ago, my first solo show at a museum, called “The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.” That was a great experience because I was able to show a wide range of my artistic talent. My work has a theme woven through it all, and it has to do with – Energy and Synergy. As visitors proceeded from the entry to the end and the work kept getting stronger and stronger and finally ended with these aerial photos of art where energy and synergy manifested and was captured on film. A little interesting fact. This museum has a collection of my Dad’s art in their permanent collection. A couple of years after my show they purchased a couple of sketchbooks of my Dad’s at auction. In one of these were drawings of me as a young man. So, in a sense, I have made it into the permanent collection of a museum. I have a feeling I am the only living person with a portrait in their permanent collection. Where do you usually get your inspiration from? Let me first state that I am not bragging or anything with this statement: I am never at a loss for inspiration. I am too bombarded by ideas for what to do next. Since I have been a working artist I have never had a dry spell or a lack of inspiration, in fact, I have never understood this in artists. Most of the ideas I pursue come to me uniquely and memorably, maybe after a prayer, or a thought, something is given to me, or I 78

stumble onto something that shows me something new. This is how I know I should proceed with it - with an open heart. Could you tell us a bit about the artistic mission you have ongoing at the moment? Part of my mission is to create a new foundation, a new way to support artists. It is my passion to discover the “undiscovered” artists. I love looking at their sketchbooks for the ideas that they just jot down and put away because the idea is just too big or too futuristic. I like the idea of finding the Leonardo’s of today. But discovering them is not enough. I want to create an organisation that will find these artists and provide support for them in a way that will also serve communities. We would look at their work as blueprints for special projects that will bring together a community as we make the work of art 25 – 500 times bigger than ever imagined and in a way that supports communities and their not-for-profit humanitarian organisations or great causes in general. Not-for-profits, especially smaller ones that are doing work to help tackle essential causes, don’t usually have marketing departments or have people that can generate unique projects to get their mission out to more people. So they are doing the same marathon year after year. I believe that artists could fill this role.

culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” (after reading that I hope your readers will go back to the date my Dad died, and also look up Jan Gail Rudnicki on Google. He is my step-father who is married to my birth-mother in California.) info about my two fathers and really consider my request.) I am not the best artist in the world, and I certainly don’t claim to be such. However, I do claim to have a passion for the arts and a mission to do something different that could change the way the arts are celebrated, used and appreciated. It is my dream to see the arts elevated to an unprecedented level never before seen. It is my dream to build a network of Arts Ambassadors that will work on behalf of the arts Internationally. This would be the organisation that would be built to discover, support and build artists’ greatest ideas and in most cases teach artists how to think bigger about their paintings or creations. To think as catalysts with their work instead of just artists.

To do try to raise the seed money needed to pay marketing people, event organisers and people who get the idea of making art – WORK, I have set up an online crowdsourcing campaign on https://www.gofundme.com/Handmadeinamerica. I am asking people to buy what I call a reality check for $50 and/or buy a piece of my work, and I have no shame when I say think of it as I have the idea on how to make this a good investment. Yes, I want people to happen, but I am asking for fellow artists buy my work because it makes them feel and art lovers to invest in me one time. good, but I am ok with people investing I am asking them to do what President in me like investing in the stock market. John F. Kennedy said needs to happen “If art is to nourish the roots of our 79

I have done pretty well selling my art, but haven’t had the time to market my art. I can only imagine if I had other people that I could pay to market my art. I have been the best investor in my dream of assisting artists, buying their art and pushing this dream forward. But now is the time to take a much bigger step forward. With the “One Million Dollar Reality Check” I will write each person a bank check for One Million Dollars and No Sense. Of course, they aren’t cashable, but each one is also a work of art so as my popularity increases in theory so should the value of these small works of art. Each one comes with a certificate of authenticity. Now what can make this valuable to one customer, hopefully, an artist who invests in me is that one of them is worth a prize of $2500. Each check will work as a raffle or lottery ticket. I have xeroxed one of the checks and sealed it in an envelope. After the last check is sold, I will open the envelope and let all my customers know the routing number, account number and check number. Whoever has that check will win $2500. This should give me the seed money needed to push this vision forward. We are absolutely fascinated by the imagery in your acrylic paintings, could you tell us a bit more about them? Well, thank you. In response to your question of where my inspiration comes from, in this case, it came from a prayer for a way to paint faster works of art based on a painting I did in oils of water lilies that took forever to paint. It was a 3-D painting that used polarising lenses to make it have another dimension to it. As I was working on it,

I had three offers to buy it. I sold it and then had to finish it. I lost money because the process took so long. Afterwards, I said a prayer for a new way to paint what I had just completed in oils. Literally a day later someone told me about energy art of native Australians. I did my research and found the work of this woman and other family members named Gloria Petyarre and her nieces that were using the technique she developed. They were using the same forms I had used in Water-lilies, but her technique was using a simple brush stroke to make her entire painting. I own a pretty big art collection of art by artists from all over the world artists that explored the same themes of energy and synergy. I had to start collecting their works so as to study up close to what they were doing. I own all but one of the seven Petyarre sisters. I studied and learned how to make these paintings. I spent a year practising this technique and then started to take it into my own art style and subject matter. I had never studied an art form so intently. During the next few years, I started collecting old Japanese block prints and studying Chinese paintings as well. My family took an epic trip to the mid-west where I saw work by Native Americans, and that too influenced this new style that I developed. Interestingly these acrylic paintings really are inspired by native peoples from all over the world, whose lives incorporated the arts into their everyday existence. END

Above: Perception of a Landscape

Artist Feature

SUSAN WILLEMSE

susanwillemse.wixsite.com/artaustralianbirds Having visited Australia earlier this year, we can first hand acknowledge its beauty, not only in the landscape and the attitude of its people but in flora and fauna. This uniquely evolved ecosystem has manifested itself in an array of animals found nowhere else in the world. Australian artist Susan Willemse paints birds from her native area of Canberra using acrylics and airbrushes. From Kookaburras grooming themselves on a branch to Rainbow Lorikeets in a fig tree, her paintings also play a vital part in raising awareness about the fragility of the environment they inhabit and the importance of conservation. The abstraction of the backgrounds in her work also highlights the sheer beauty of the subject matter. Born in Rhodesia, educated in South Africa and now living in Australia, Susan has a deep understanding of texture, colour and light from the 31 years of work she did as a cytologist trained to detect cancerous cells, pathogens and other entities under the microscope. She also believes in mindfulness and positive psychology that she likes to share along with her art in the hope that it creates happiness.

Above: Rainbow Lorikeets in Fig Tree, Acrylic, 46cm x 46cm x 3.5cm, 2017

Above: Witoogies, Acrylic, 46cm x 92cm x 3.5cm, 2018

Above: Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, 61cm x 60cm x 3.5cm, 2017

Interview

GEORGE EMIL ODTHERMAT fotofine.de

Life can seem like an endless array of routines. You wake up, shower, make your way to work for a large chunk of the day, get back and repeat it all. No matter where we go in the world, the cycle is the same. Just different scenery. But somewhere in those moments, those tightly packed pockets of monotony is a glimpse of an alternate universe. A quiet moment to yourself. Reflection, insight and a rush of memories before we get back into the swing of things. Its these rare moments that art photographer George Emil Odthermat wants to capture and re-create in his work. In the words of the famous French moralist and essayist Joseph Joubert “Close your eyes and you will see”. How much of an impact do you think external factors and beliefs have on our perception and in turn our personal beliefs? We’re all shaped, and we shape. In social and cultural terms, we are moulded by our context, which provides us with belief systems, which may have worked for the past but less for the unknown future. The question is, would I like to conserve known beliefs, which have made up my mind and I haven’t maybe experienced truly, or would I want to detect the unthinkable within my heritage. At the same time, we’re creators on a bio-psychological basis, because our perception is constructive. This is our natural born freedom. Out of numerous sensory information, we individually interpret and define our point

of view, even if it seems, that we repeat parts of history. With every breath, we create. Do you think this could be attributed to our perception of art too? Could be a way of questioning specific patterns of the definition of how and what art should express. At least there is more of the unknown, unexpressed about art than we will ever accomplish in this field. This is what quantum physics says, as far as I have understood: The possibilities are more significant than the actual manifestation. In this perspective, you cannot tell what should art perceive or not. To me, it’s more like a fractal of a bigger, undefined structure. 86

As Rumi once said: “Somewhere beyond What was the best advice you were right and wrong, there is a garden.“ given? It is more of a riddle. Why worry? Do you think multi-dimensional art has an untapped potential that artists You talk about travelling and finding need to explore? sites with magical fragrance, could I’m a blunt fan of perceiving life out of you tell us a bit more about that? the defined box. At the very moment you Whenever I have some spare time, I like start to leave your traces, you will begin to discover new locations. On these to learn how it feels to have courage, journeys, I like to wander between self-confidence and patience in your realities and perceptions. My recent artistic self-expression. It is undoubtedly projects involve travelling and finding not a walkover, but it may uplift in the sites of a magical presence. end your consciousness of who you are. Such it is with multi-dimensional art. It It is less the place; it is more the has different layers of inquiring the everyday magic outdoor in nature or in observer. In my photographs, maybe everyday life. I would like to underline, you cannot make a clear distinction of that I am pleased to support natural what the object is, it is withdrawn from preservation with my contribution. its actual meaning. The question is what really fascinates me. What does art mean to George? Unique self-expression of being now a whiff in space and time. END 88

Artist Feature

HELEN JAMES helenjames.weebly.com

Stepping into a new endeavour can be a nerve-wracking process, self-doubt, experimentation, fear of failure and going against the grain of culture can make anyone question themselves. But, it is this desire to create something different, to be someone new that can bring out the best in us. After the blood, sweat and tears have passed the rewards are often priceless. Artist Helen James was born and raised in Preston, England and emigrated to Canada in 1983, settling in Cornwall, Ontario. As a child, she found immense pleasure in painting and drawing. This passion has been revived during recent years as she has had more time to devote to studying and pursuing visual arts. Representational in nature, Helen works chiefly with oils and watercolours. Self-taught, she learnt a lot by studying the painters of the past. Her work has been exhibited in TAG Cornwall and won first place in the oil category at the Cornwall Focus Art Juried Show in May earlier this year.

Above: Falls Mill, Tennessee, 16 x 20 in, Oil on Canvas

Above: Percherons, 20 x 20 in, Oil on Canvas

Above: Seine Boat, Paris, 30 x 24 in, Oil on Canvas

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