9 minute read
THE FINER THINGS - Multi-Talented MultiMedia Artist Sue Beatrice
Diving into the Drink
Mermaidy Libation purveyors
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Living in the liquid realm, mermaids have a penchant for 'the drink.' Today we feature a few of the intrepid souls who’ve left the sea to offer libations to landlubbers.
The Kilted Mermaid
Vero Beach, FL
Kilted Mermaid is a neighborhood craft beer and wine bar featuring more than 25 local and global wines by the glass, and 70 craft beers. Kilted Mermaid has challenged the stereotype wine bar through an unpretentious and playful approach to wine, food and everything in between. Each of our guests, wine enthusiasts and novices alike, are encouraged to drink outside the box through our focused yet unconventional offerings. Our ever changing menus include small production wines and craft beers paired with artisan cheeses, all available in cheese plates and our decadent cheese and chocolate fondues, sandwiches, salads and other small plates enjoyed in a warm, cozy, eclectic atmosphere. There is always something fun going on such as Open Mike night on Wednesdays with host Dylan Thiebeau, Trivia on Thursday with Jason, and On Fridays and Saturdays Kilted Mermaid is Vero’s home for original music. Sundays are always different, with Drum Circle the first Sunday of every month, DJ Elevate the third Sunday, and Poetry Open Mic on the fourth Sunday. See events page for more details. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 5 pm-1 am Happy Hour Tuesday-Saturday, 5 pm-7 pm Serving food until 10 pm Tuesday, 11 pm Wednesday & Thursday, Midnight Friday & Saturday
Dive Bar
Sacramento, CA
Step off the streets of Sacramento and into the tranquil ambiance of Dive Bar. In direct contrast to its name, Dive Bar is a haven of cool and class in the middle of one of the nation's most eclectic cities. Dive Bar's approachability and charm are dedicated to vintage good times. The huge aquarium above the bar has a beautiful live mermaid or merman making an occasional appearance.
The typical dive bar motif conjures certain images: it’s no frills, approachable, slightly dangerous, and a leftover relic from another era. Sacramento's version has refurbished brick walls, dark wood and upholstery, like a cool hangout joint from a different era but with new accoutrements.
Honorable mermentions: Mermaid Tavern - Tampa, FL Mermaid Bar at Neiman Marcus - Honolulu, HI And don’t miss our upcoming article about MeduSirena and her show at the Wreck Bar
The Deep Blue Sea Martini
submitted by Sanndi Thompson
• 2 oz. vodka • 3/4 oz. sour mix • 1/2 oz. blue curacao • 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
Pour all ingredients in a shaker and mix well. Strain into a chilled glass
For more mermaidy drink recipes, see our upcoming Magic Mer-tini Maker article about our Launch Party Bartender Bridget.
Photo by: david michael howarth photography
SUE BEATRICE,
ALL NATURAL ARTIST
Thankfully, when most of us are asked that question, some skill or activity springs to mind. Not just something that we love doing, but that we take pride in as well. Such is the case on the popular reality show, Hell's Kitchen, where cooks and chefs compete for the chance to be rewarded for their undying passion, cooking. Nearly every contestant has a moment or two on camera explaining how great their food is and that they have what it takes to win the competition and they know it! Much of the rest of the show is spent showing the grossly improperly cooked food they pass along to Chef Ramsay as being suitable for gourmand consumption... as he makes plain in no uncertain terms. It's enough to make one doubt the abilities of even the most competent, if not oneself.
On the other end of the spectrum are people like New Jersey artist Sue Beatrice of All Natural Arts. Looking more like a model than a painter, Sue is as genial as she is talented. Plus, she loves the sea, fantasy, Steampunk and most important, mermaids. Her work is full of humor, intense passion, creativity, and an unfair amount of talent.
Being that I know and adore her, I asked her some rather pointed questions, to which she candidly responded. What you will see below is a minute but representative sampling of the scope of her work. Each piece is a bit of brilliance in its own right.
Starting with the basics, how did you first get into art, on a professional level?
I'm not certain when I officially crossed the line into being a "professional" artist. I was always selling hand painted items and drawings or making items to give as gifts, even in elementary school. I recall having a table at a local park to sell my pastels and painted rocks to raise money for a local animal shelter at the age of 10. I didn't sell much but it was fun regardless.
At 14 I had a show at a large local bank and that exposure led to an opportunity to put my works on display in the Congressional Offices in DC. The show was all 2D stuff, paintings, scratchboard, pen and ink, and it was up for a year.
My first real job was with an advertising firm at age 16. I learned a lot there but most of the tools were outdated even for the time ('78) The owner preferred old school methods such as mounting images using a hot wax roller, ruling pens dipped in ink and rapidographs for precise line art. All type was set by hand.
At 18 I went to work as a sculptor for The Franklin Mint in their metals division. My print instructor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts was married to the head of the sculpture department there and showed him some of my work. I was given a few test pieces and hired full time shortly thereafter. I left the Academy at that point figuring that onthe-job training was preferable to paying for classes.
Getting to know you on Facebook I've found you to be incredibly modest about your achievements. But I'm calling you on the carpet today and asking you to divulge a bit about some of the highprofile projects and companies you've worked for.
Thank you. I guess the first big project I worked on was shortly after leaving the Franklin Mint to start my own company. My
first client was a company called Butterfly Originals (it later became Panosh Place). Cabbage Patch Kids had just hit the market and I was asked to create small figurines of them. It turned into over three hundred and they were very popular. More recently I enjoyed working on a series of Harry Potter characters.
I've had the opportunity to work on some fun projects with Disney over the years. My favorites were the Disneyanna Convention Villains pieces and some large mantle clocks. I've worked on hundreds, maybe even thousands of Disney characters for all types of products. Over the years my clients have included Warner Bros., Waterford Crystal, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon, Danbury Mint, Crayola, and many other well known companies.
Unfortunately, some of my most high profile creations have non-disclosure contracts that don't allow me to comment on them. These days I gain the most pleasure from my own creations that are not commissioned by corporations. Items such as my pocket watch sculptures and digital paintings allow me far more freedom to express myself than working on commercial licensed characters.
You are versed in so many media. Do you have favorites?
I really enjoy using a variety of materials from sand and pumpkins to carving wax and plaster. I also like working both directly on paper or canvas and creating art in Photoshop. Every form of art has it own set of advantages and disadvantages, yet the same rules of composition and form apply. It's hard for me to pick a favorite since whatever I happen to be using at the time might be my favorite at that moment.
What is the most difficult piece you ever worked on and how long did it take?
Sue’s first attempt at sand sculpting
Looks like she got the hang of it.
Pan, Wendy & the boys soaring over London, painted on an ostrich egg!
I recall working for several weeks on a centerpiece for the tables for Disney Cruise lines. It was an electrified Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. I found it challenging due to the thin arms that had to support large "hands" at the ends and keeping everything hollow for the wiring. I was new to moldmaking at that point and there was only the one good copy that I had dremeled out to make hollow. It was crushed on the conveyor belt by the delivery service unfortunately. Since then I have made an effort to mold everything and take LOTS of photos before packing things up.
Do you see any trends or changes in the business of art?
Sadly, I see commercial sculpture as a dying art. Architectural sculpture is also nearly extinct. Fine art will always have a place but the mass production of art items has skewed the public's sense of value. Some of the most talented artists I know are struggling to make a living. There doesn't seem to be an appreciation of what goes into a finished piece of original art and many people can't differentiate what constitutes a high quality painting or sculpture. Of course, with the economy still sluggish, even those who do often can't afford to make purchases.
How has the computer era affected you and your art?
Programs that allow a user to create a virtual 3D model which is then printed out have certainly reduced the need for sculptors but the process is often costly and the finished product often does not have the same spark of life that a hand sculpted model has. Of course
the advantages are that the printout can be made any size and emailed to any location with 3D printing capabilites so it doesn't require shipping. I have lost more work to factories in China than to computers. I've yet to jump on the bandwagon with that though. I still prefer the tactile feel of materials in my hands. I use photoshop to paint at times and I do enjoy the fact that the paint doesn't get all over my clothes that way!
The advent of video games reduced the number of toy companies requiring models. So, in reality, the computer age diminished the number of sculptors in the field long before CAD programs were a factor.
Are there any sorts of projects you've been dying to do but haven't yet been able?
Mostly I just want to find the time to complete all of the half-finished projects and ideas buzzing around in my head. There are a million things I want to do in so many media and scales. I just hope I live long enough to do them all! Scratch that... there will always be more than one lifetime could hold. That's the beauty of art. You never run out of it.
