Artist Feature :: Syrcaid

Real Name: Erika
Online Alias: Syrcaid (it used to be Starluck but then a casino stole my name)

Location: Illinois

Website: http://www.cosmicjive.org

Online Gallery: http://starluck.deviantart.com

To start off, please tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are from.

I'm 29 years old, female, and I'm from Illinois. I enjoy cartoons, good company, and a good sense of humor.

When did you first start drawing/painting? And what is your favorite medium/media to work in and why?

I used to draw entirely with pencils and ink, but since I got a good tablet PC I've been drawing almost entirely digitally.

Do you work professionally as an artist? If not, what is your actual day job?

Before the economy went bad, I was painting new and restoration glass for churches. I also did a lot of seasonal pieces, painting on glass using low temp enamels. I can't work hot glass or do lampwork, but I can build a stained glass window from scratch. I haven't done it in about a year and a half though, the arts seemed to be hit hardest by the economy where I live.

What does art and the creating of it mean to you? What sort of applications do you use your artistic talents for?

It's like breathing, no matter what anyone or anything does to me I can always draw. It's an outlet and an old friend. As for online, I'm all about creating new creatures to share with everyone else and that's typically in the form of cyberpets.

Are there any other artists/movements/styles you draw inspiration from? Where do you get the majority of your inspiration for your works from?

Oh, there's tons of places. Tim Burton, Don Bluth, Hayao Miyazaki, Dr. Osamu Tezuka, and Edward Gorey are some I can name off the top of my head right away. But I also draw inspiration in things like movies and music.

Can you remember the first image you displayed publicly online or in real life? What was the general reaction?

I can't recall my absolute very first, because I think even those things they have you make in grade school like cards with bits of glue and glitter count as art. But the first one everyone else probably remembers is "Starluck's Sweetwater Valley" where I made a bunch of animated GIF's and bitmap style images and Photoshopped backgrounds. As far as I know, people still show up and leave comments in my DeviantArt gallery telling me of having fond memories of the site. It's still up and a majority of it is free for public use now.

What is your main motive for creating art?

Because I can't help it. It just happens and sometimes it's fun to share it with others.

What are your goals as an artist, short term and long term? Where do you want to be with your art 5 or even 10 years from now?

My goals are just to create and to continue to create no matter what happens. There's been a lot of ups and downs and bouts of where I thought the world would come crashing down, but there's always a pen or a pencil or even a napkin at a restaurant. I used to know where I wanted to be but if I run out of time it's now my ultimate goal to be content with what I've been given and to improve at my own pace.

What is your favorite part of the process of creating?

Dreaming it up and waiting to see if anyone else enjoys it, too.If someone were to look through your online gallery, they would probably notice some repetitive faces.

Can you tell us about your light blue centaur and any other familiar faces from your art gallery of importance?

The light blue centaur is me in a manner of speaking. A lot of people have online personas, I'm neither "furry" nor human and it amuses me that I can't be labeled as "anthro" but I don't fit in anywhere else other than general Fantasy. The others you're likely to see are Evil the pink haired catboy, S-D with a really strange story, and Zizi the little mouseboy with a plant always growing on his head. The other characters I draw, if I didn't create them myself, are other people. They are of great importance to me, a majority of other people's characters are those of people who've never left their place in my heart. I think what most people want most is to be loved and remembered.

Do you have any advice for beginner artists who are interested in your area of expertise?

I don't think I have expertise, I feel often like a little decorator crab who picks up pieces of what they like best and sticks it on their back. I don't like being labeled and I recommend that people never settle on a certain style (unless they absolutely love it) because of pressure. No one has the right to tell you what your style is and what it isn't. You're not required to have a style and you're not required to please anyone but yourself.

Well, Hello There!

Hello to any readers I may still have after my long absence! Very sorry for my departure from this side of the internet over the last few months. However, I am back and have some artists lined up for February and on! So, please don't delete me from your bookmarks just yet :) :)

While we wait on our lovely, busy artists, I would like to bring to your attention "The Whimsy Art Workshop" that'll be happening in April and May. This is an online workshop, so, you can attend even if you live on the opposite side of the globe! Wewt! One of the artists featured in this workshop was actually featured here a few months ago! Fantastic!


For more info, please check out this link: http://www.arttradermag.com/workshops/index.html

Artist Feature :: Hillary Luetkemeyer

How long have you been working as an artist? Have you been schooled in art at all?

Little children are always making artwork, before they are taught to be ashamed of their creativity. I was fortunate in that my mother and a good adult friend of mine encouraged me, and so I just continued to make artwork where other people leave off. I took art classes in high school, and got my BFA in, of all things, metalsmithing.


I can see from your gallery that you work with a number of different media/mediums with your art, what is your favorite to work with and why?

My favorite to work in? Currently it's watercolor. I'd like to tell you that I vibe with the medium and that it speaks to me and so on, but that would be a lie. The real reason I use it is because I'm cheap, and you can use every little speck of watercolor because when it dries, all you need to do is apply more water to it. Acrylic and oil, once it dries, that's it; it's useless. And good paint is really expensive!




Can you remember the first image you displayed publicly online or in real life? What was the general reaction?

I really don't recall. I believe it was a painting I did for a contest back in high school. We had to paint this bridge house. It was hosted by a local guy who owned the subdivision or something. I really don't recall what kind of attention it received. I was just thrilled to win the scholarship money.



Your piece titled "Corrosion" really drew me in to your gallery, can you give us a little insight into the reasons you created it and what it means to you?

Ah, that's one of my favorites as well. To start with, I ought to talk a little bit about the media I used. As a metalsmithing major, I was encouraged, in my drawing 400 class, to incorporate my chosen major in my drawings. I began to use the patinas and corrosion's produced by metal as a drawing tool. In the piece, Corrosion, I was drawing directly from that experience, and used real rust as a drawing tool.

Thematically, it's meant as a comment or discussion on our use of animals as tools. The horse, once no longer useful, has been left in the field to rot, like an old tractor. It's seen not as a feeling being, but as a piece of equipment.



What does art and the creating of it mean to you? Is it a hobby, a calling, a way to pay bills or something even deeper?

I'd call it all of those things. I have chosen it as my profession, yes. And so it is a way to pay bills. It's also a hobby. It's also my life. I rarely go a day without working, both because I need to work to eat, but also because I feel a compulsion to create.



How would you describe your art? How have you developed your style over time? What influences helped get you to this point?

At present, I'd define my artwork as animal illustration art. I've always liked children's books and illustration, and that seems to be the way I'm leaning right now. However, I have so many interests, I can't say that's my chosen theme, particularly. It just happens to be what I'm into now. I just continue to work, and see where it takes me.

My influences are far too numerous to list. I could say life, or nature, but those are obvious answers. Everyone is influenced by life and nature.



Do you have a website or etsy account where we can find you online? Are you open for commissions?

My main website is my DeviantArt page: http://hibbary.deviantart.com
My commissions lists are usually pretty full, but I circulate fast.



What are your goals as an artist, short term and long term? Where do you want to be with your art 5 or even 10 years from now?

I wish I could tell you. I'd be very interested in knowing, myself. I'd like to get back into metalsmithing, eventually, but this illustration thing seems to be working well for me right now.

The cheap answer is that I'd like to get better. I want to more accurately convey my ideas with more flawless images. Most importantly, I want to be able to say more with it, and be able to talk about something that I believe to be meaningful.

Christmas is on the Way

Thanks be to Etsy and other online markets! Never again will you have to buy a boring gift.



I have always been a firm believer that buying from self-representing artisans is best. Etsy has given us a great gift by providing an online market for all self-representing artists and artisans to sell their goods. It is a wonderful thing!! I like giving gifts that I bought from a self-representing artist or artisan.. it feels like I'm doing two good things instead of just one. My humble little bit of money is going straight to the person who I want it to, instead of getting lost in a huge corporate chain. I'm not just buying a gift for my friend/family, I'm supporting an artist / artisan.

I think that's just awesome!

Anyway, with Christmas not far off, you don't have too many more days to delay purchasing online. In only weeks, if not already, the post offices are going to be filling with packages of fruitcake and tins of lemon cookies - or whatever it is that people send in the mail. So, if you want to purchase your gifts online, now is the time.

Here are some things that I've seen on Etsy that I think are neat



Edith and Lulu
jewelery made from buttons!?
http://www.edithandlulu.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12775177

Original Art by Arlene Faye

Notecards, Originals, Prints, ACEOs....

http://www.arlenefaye.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12080855





Naiad Soap Arts
Gorgeous and Green Soaps!
http://naiad.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17626766




Morgan Nichole Gifts
Adorable Baby Accessories
http://www.morgannichole.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16515484

Fine Art Prints from
Amy Giacomelli and Natalia Skye
http://www.PaintingPrints.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16608253

Studio Melange

Art etc. by Victoria Rees
http://studiomelange.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14443019

Constant Dreamer
Whimsical Art by Shaylind Standing
http://constantdreamer.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14092747

Bombus
"saving the planet through decoupage"
http://bombus.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7477783



HomeStudio Pendants

Cool Affordable Gifts - Scrabble Pendants!?!

http://homestudio.etsy.com

(I bought a bunch of gifts on etsy all in the same sitting one day. These guys were the first to ship. I received my pendant today and it is faaaabulous.)

Coquelicot Salon
crocheted fashion
http://coquelicotsalon.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17120487

Artist Feature :: fIDOArt

Real Name: Danny
Online Alias: fIDOArt
Location: Georgia, USA
Website(s): http://3fido.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fidoart/
Email: thebates03@comcast.net



Where are you from? How does that influence who you are and what kind of art you create, or do you think it does?

I was born and raised in a small town just south of Atlanta, Georgia and am glad that I grew up when and where I did. And I'm still here. It's all I know. I don't know if it really influences my art or not. My first response would be that I don't think it does. I've never really thought about that much before.


When did you first start drawing/painting?

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. I can remember drawing lots and lots of aliens and spaceships and things like that when I was in the primary grades and then lots of Batman, Superman, and other comic book heroes as I got older. I remember taking some private art lessons when I was about 13 or so and I really enjoyed that as well. It's just something I've always done and enjoyed.


How would you describe your current style?

Good question. I wish I knew. It seems to be all over the place. I always look at the style and work of other artists and think to myself, "Why can't I be like that?" I hope to one day be able to answer this question. So...can I get back to you on this one? LOL



Where do you get the majority of your inspiration for your pieces?

I really enjoy creating things that deal with a thought or an emotion of some kind. I am constantly looking and listening for a word or a phrase that makes an impact on me. Even though I consider myself very poor at expressing myself through words, I enjoy playing around with words and ideas connected to them.




Many of your pieces of art have text and phrases incorporated into them, can you give us some insight into where these thoughts come from and why you decide to include text in your work?

I think the answer above kind of answers this question as well. I just really like the look of text incorporated into art. There's just something "magical" about it to me, especially when it connects to an image. For me, it seems to put the finishing touch on a work of art and brings it all together.



What is your favorite medium/media to work in and why?

I guess the media I'm most comfortable with would be colored pencil. For some reason I just feel more "in control" when I'm working with them. While I own a very nice set of Prismacolor pencils, I really use my trusty 'ol Crayolas most of the time. I use watercolors a lot as well, but they seem to have a mind of their own and control me more than I'm able to control them. LOL Lately I've been experimenting with putting several mediums together like watercolors, colored pencils, and water soluble crayons.


I discovered your art through IllustratedATCs and was an instant fan. But because of only seeing your art on an Art Card forum, I am wondering if you do larger scale art or just work in miniature?

Basically, all of my creations are never bigger than the standard 4" x 6" postcard size. I began majoring in art in college and did create quite a few larger works back then which I have since given all away. I ended up getting my degree in elementary education instead of art because I was concerned about making a living from my art. During all my years of teaching, my art was used mainly for things that I needed in my classroom...posters, bulletin boards, etc. I never really took it very seriously until I discovered the world of atc's about 4 years ago and I've been hooked ever since.


When I found out that I could create these tiny little works of art and trade them with people all over the world I knew that I had finally found my creative outlet. The small size is a big plus for me because it doesn't take days or weeks to complete a piece. It's been the longest that I've ever stuck with anything creative. Over the last 30 years or so I've dabbled in lots of things...drawing, painting, woodcarving, photography...and never really stayed with any of them very long. Since I've been creating and trading art on the internet I've met a whole lot of talented and wonderful artists and have developed friendships with many of them. They have been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration to me and I feel that I have truly grown as an artist myself because of them.



Aside from trading ATCs, painting and creating, what do you do?

I am a teacher of gifted children in grades K-5. This is my 32nd year of teaching and no matter how much I promise myself that I won't allow it to overtake my life each year, it always does. Although it can be very difficult at times and very demanding, I really love what I do. My wife is also a teacher. We have one son, Adam, who is almost 17. We enjoy spending time together and all of us are very active in our church. In my spare time I enjoy reading, getting together with friends and eating, and as much as I hate to admit it, watching TV. LOL



What does art and the creating of it mean to you? Is it a hobby or pastime, or is it something bigger and more meaningful?

Mainly, it is a hobby but it is also a way for me to express myself. People are constantly telling me that I should sell it and make money from it but I've found that when I HAVE to create art I lose all the joy in creating it. Maybe when I retire from teaching I might pursue some ways to make a little extra income from it but for now, I'm content with the way it is.



What is one of the pieces that you've created that you especially love and why?

This is another question that I find difficult to answer. When I trade them away I more or less forget about them. What matters to me is that someone else was able to find something to like about a particular piece of mine enough to want to trade for it. I really like one of my most recent postcards entitled "Un Coeur Simple" (A Simple Heart) because it was one of those rare times when it all just seemed to come together from somewhere deep within without much effort. It has been traded to a very good friend of mine whose artwork I really treasure and get great pleasure from. I'm glad it is now hers.



What are your goals as an artist, short term and long term?

To just keep on creating and enjoying it like I do at this moment