Personally I think it would have been unfair of me to put any other picture in place of this one to serve as the introduction of our latest feature D Lammie Hanson. It’s just that this one sums her up better than any other to me… She’s an artist. My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Telephone Factory Art Showcase in Atlanta, Ga where we were thrilled to hear her speak with so much passion about what she loves and who she is. So it was only right that we bring this feature to you. IVYBetty… D Lammie Hanson.

You spoke so passionately about texture and how you use it in your work. Tell me what appealed to you in the beginning of it all, color or texture; and describe your affinity for it.

When I first started painting, texture and color were not in the mix of any painting I did. I was not into color at all. I was very much into Black and White like B/W photography and film. And my work reflected it in the beginning. If I did put color in, it would be a vibrant red for the lips.

“Just groovin with the best of crew… Don’t you feel the music to their step. Celebrate that life you have.”

Not only have I read it, but when we spoke you expressed a deep sense of faith and spirituality. At times when I write music I am so in tune and at peace that my pen takes on a mind of it’s own. Tell me about how your spirituality coincides with your artwork both musically and when painting.

In the vein of visual art, my paintings were cathartic. It was a way to give the subject a voice to share their heart and soul in a time of yearning to be heard and seen. I don’t know if that taps into spirituality but I think it goes into faith of the voice and soul. It was where I was at the time.

Sometimes I look at a painting and feel it painted itself. Visual Art became my loud silent partner who spoke for my soul when I couldn’t. Creating beauty to make myself beautiful. I now know that I am beautiful on my worse days, as well on my best days.

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In the vein of my music, I’m more subtly spiritual. Music is a big part of my life and sanity. Music helps make the paintings happen 95% of the time for me. But as a singer/songwriter I write lyrics with divine optimism in mind. In 1997, I discovered the band, Jars of Clay’s song, “Flood”. I’m an Alternative Rock Baby. I didn’t know anything about Christian Rock at the time. Being raised Catholic, I was able to identify with the biblical references in the song and I loved it. It was quite uplifting.

At the time I was an agnostic Catholic and I hit a rough patch after a heart-wrenching breakup. I renewed my faith with a more intimate relationship with God. Jars of Clay had another song called “Love Song for a Savior” and I was hooked on writing lyrics on intimate inspiration and love. You can apply the lyrics to “man” or God.

Have you ever been criticized about your artwork from a spiritual standpoint? I mean, someone attempting to label you or your work as blasphemous/against your faith? How did/would you handle it?

I never got picked on for my faith or my work as blasphemous. I’m catholic. I have inspiration like the Sistene Chapel or images like David. The human body and face were the road maps to storytelling. You can’t knock that.

The only criticism that I had ever gotten that got my attention was that my work wasn’t “Black enough.” I don’t paint to be black or “black enough.” I paint because I can and I love it. Being Black is a given. I’m a black woman. You can’t measure a person’s “Blackness” because their eyes see something other than what you see. You have other artists that will carry that torch. Do you need another one? I’ve always saw the world with my own individual eyes, then as a woman, then as a black person. In that order. I don’t have a problem with it.

No matter how much we as artists do the work out of love, there is always the business side of things. How have you managed to be able to handle/balance the business of being an artist in a way that does not subtract from what you love?

I do it out of faith. I’m the only one that can make the art I make. I am still learning the balance of success vs failure and trail and errors. I’ve taken some risks that can be humiliating failures. I’ve learned that I could try to make something that I think people will buy and then those same people will prove me wrong by buying my personal original pieces.

Lesson here: whether it’s music or art, your audience knows what truly came from your heart. Your pure vision and talents shine brighter than a prefabricated whim. And then you find your reasonably pricing system to find your worth… and run with it.

Many of your works give insight into the emotion and character of human beings, most commonly women, but men as well. What is your favorite emotion to illustrate through your artwork? Is this the emotion that you yourself find inspiration and create from most often?

Warmth and sensuality, it always flows through me into the paintings. The world just seems so disconnected and through my work I want people to know each other again. See each other, hear each other, feel each other’s presence. It’s not sexual but sensual.

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In your eyes what are some of the biggest and most noteworthy differences between men and women?

In my observation, women are communicators above their necks while men were allowed to express themselves below the necks. I focus on the eyes, lips and the position of the head of women because that is their main focus of communicating. Men’s bodies are their voice. Their strength, weakness, tiredness and virility can all be communicated through their shoulders and chest area.

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Music is another passion of yours, more specifically songwriting and singing. Does music help you to articulate an area of yourself that painting does not?

Oh Lord, Yes!!!! In painting or sketching, it is a journey to complete the artwork. In writing songs and singing, it is a continuous joy ride per song and within the song I hit certain notes throughout and I get many moments of happy. I do it because I love it. My first love of creative appreciation was music then visual art.

Tell us about Perceptive Arts Magazine and what you aspire to do with it.

Artists always come up with concepts on series. Behind those concepts are stories that usually get interpreted by a viewer who doesn’t personally know the artist. This magazine will focus on a particular concept of a living artist who has created a particular series of artwork with the majority of the commentary, explanation, expose, analysis or whatever will be by the artists with support of their peers.

I know so many artists whose work I admire, who have stories that should be told and who I want to see shine brighter. That is what inspires me.

Would you say your mistakes or your successes have made you a better person/artist?

In the world of mistakes, I’ve become a better artist. Art is a relative thing and one persons imperfection is another’s perfection. I’ve made the best discoveries and the best art out of things that I initially thought was a mistake from my original plan.

Now my successes just made me grateful and humble

What is the legacy that you want to leave behind from your work?

Ahh that’s a good question. I hope that my work can still touch peoples humanity. I want my work to be in museums and have people from any country in the world identify with the warmth, vulnerability, sensuality even strength. I hope the viewer feels inspired to be alive or happy on some level. Just to be alive and human is enough for me.

Spend 5 minutes with Lammie and you will see that she is definitely a people person, and approaches life as if it’s all one big canvas. That being said, be sure to check out her fan page here to stay current on everything Lammie. Her portfolio can be found on her website here as well. Lammie and all of her work is represented by Richard Beavers, House of Art, in Brooklynn, NY. If you’d like to get in contact with her, feel free to email Richard at rbeavers@nychouseofart.com

252 is by far my favorite song from Gem Club. I’ve been consistently listening to their music lately and it’s served as the soundtrack to much soul-searching and problem solving for me. The band consists of Christopher Barnes on piano and vocals; Kristen Drymala on cello; and Ieva Berberian providing additional vocals. Together they have experienced much success recently, including a new deal with Seattle based Indie label, Hardly Art; an international tour; and now of course, an interview with yours truly. IVYBetty… Gem Club.

You’re no stranger to the misconception about your music being called “melancholy,” I disagree with that idea because for me your music is somewhat of a blank canvas that I can use as a springboard for wherever my mind and emotional state takes me. But tell me this, does the misconception bother you? Is that frustrating to have what really came from happiness be translated on face value as the opposite?

Christopher: No, I’m not bothered that people find it melancholic. Comparatively it probably is. I don’t think that people set out to create with other people’s intentions or understandings in mind. I’m grateful for the fact that people are able to relate to it.

Kristen: I think because the music is slow and minimal, people just assume that the music is melancholy. Some of the songs are brooding, for sure, but there is also a fair amount of lightness in what we create.

Ieva: Yeah, I think people can interpret music however they want, if they feel something that means they connect in some way. The way it is interpreted doesn’t bother me at all.

That misconception can unfairly be applied to you personally just for the simple fact that you are the creators. What about you as people would completely contradict that stereotype and shock someone who got to know you both?

Christopher: I’m too depressed to answer this.

Chris both you and Kristen are classically trained musicians, this is no small accomplishment. How important is it to you both to not only create, but to be students and fans of music?

Christopher: I’m not classically trained. This is such a weird concept to me – - to be “classically trained”. I went to school for music. I know a few things and I can speak that language. I would say I’m familiar with the scholastic side of music and performance. But to answer your question, its necessary for me to be constantly learning. I need to keep that thread that travels through the center of my mind engaged. Of course practicing, studying, and listening makes you a better musician and keeps you from going stale, but I need activity in other areas as well.

Kristen: Being classically trained is something I never take for granted. I’m always learning on my instrument, and I listen to all kinds of music. Classical music, especially of the late romantic era, is really inspiring to me, as well as what is going on in music today.

Change is inevitable; Chris you’ve gone from a solo artist to a band, to Pitchfork, Hardly Art, a tour, and an album in what I’m sure at times seemed like forever, but really has been a very short amount of time. In all of the change I am sure there has been compromise. With the speed of life right now you both know that there is undoubtedly more change in the near future; what are some things about yourself, and your music that you are you not willing compromise in exchange for what’s to come?

Christopher: The relationships in my life. With a lot of what’s going on I sometimes feel quite manic. I mean, even with writing I get really excited about what I’m writing and an hour later I hate it. Its important to me that those relationships are there and that they are stable and healthy. It keeps me feeling balanced.

Every part of creating and performing any type of art is rewarding in it’s own way. For example, writing the perfect lyrics to a bridge so that it flows smoothly and adds to the song creates it’s own challenges and rewards than finding the right melody to fit under it. The same as tracking and recording a song that you can’t wait for everyone to hear when they get the album, can be completely different than the rush you get when you perform it for the first time. What about the entire process of creating and performing do you enjoy the most?

Ieva: I personally enjoy performing the most. When you are writing it can be satisfying for a moment, but then there is a lot of editing to be done and you constantly have to take a step back and look at the big picture. When you have an audience in front of you, you have no time to think or second guess yourself, you just put yourself out there.

Kristen: It’s all a rush, but lately the focus is on performing. Its always interesting to see who we get billed with and how the crowd reacts.

Christopher: Obviously they both have their rewards. For me it changes depending on where I am in the process. When you’ve got a bunch of new songs its fun to try them out and see the response, but after awhile I get anxious to start writing again.

After listening to both projects a few times, it seemed to me that you challenged yourself more in the vocal department on Breakers. Is this just my perception? What are some specifics that you tried to improve upon from Acid and Everything to Breakers? Do you think you succeeded?

Christopher: Hmm. That might be your perception. It certainly wasn’t anything intentional. The two projects are closely related. I feel like Breakers is the big sister to Acid and Everything. A lot of the sentiment is shared between the two records.

In the beginning, when the performances aren’t as frequent, artists are able to focus so much of their attention on the creating portion. Now that the performing side of things has gone to a new level do you find your creative process strained in any way?

Ieva: Playing shows really benefits me creatively. I think writer’s block can happen at any time so creating a balance between writing and performing is really important, because it is a part of one ongoing process.

Kristen: I come up with ideas here and there, but you are right. When its time to perform, most of my energy goes into that. When we recorded both Acid and Everything and Breakers, all of the energy was going into that process. Both albums were recorded in a relatively short amount of time, so the process was sometimes intense. During that time we weren’t playing many shows. After we finish a round of touring for this album we’ll likely get right back to it.

I am a firm believer that talent is merely a foundation, the starting blocks. It is work ethic, and the will to be the best that you can be that creates our best opportunity for success. That being said, how do you push yourselves to be better artists?

Ieva: I like having deadlines.  Whenever I push myself to do something better I am never satisfied, so I don’t like to think of it that way. It usually happens by accident, I write whatever I feel and then I pick out ideas that I like and eventually I think it is just being comfortable with yourself and your ideas that makes you a better artist.

Gem Club’s tour schedule as well as their latest release Breakers is available for download/purchase here I asked what was next for the group and they informed me that they have already begun working on a new project so be sure to support and follow these three.

Dope right? Wait until you see more of Shellton Tremble’s artwork which he calls “So True”. The work speaks volumes, but if you really read what he has to say behind all of what you see, then you’ll realize that Shellton has a true appreciation of his gift as well as how he plays into the world of art and all that it has to offer. Shellton Tremble, So True Art.

I touched on this briefly when I originally reached out to you; your use of space and dimension is so bold and highlighted to me when I look at your work, especially in your abstracts such as the Stars in Love piece. Every nuance of the piece has a purpose. Every detail is one that is necessary for the overall clear translation of the work. Was that execution of detail something that came natural in your work, or something that took much practice and development?

I try to convey an overall theme in my work. I purposely manipulate shape, form and space to keep the eye moving or create a living two dimensional work. Ironically, you mentioned ‘nuance’…that is precisely one of the principles I strive to implement. I think of artistry as science or chemistry, thus I have a strategy called ‘Formula 55’. The first 5 are the aspects of creating art and the second 5 are the driving psychology of the creative process…one being nuance.

The complexity of human beings seems to intrigue you very much. It is apparent in your works such as Interfaced. Can you put into words how the spiritual, emotional, physical, etc. entities of the human being create a work in your eyes, and how it influences your process?

I am very intrigued how you have captured a lot of the mystique of my creative processes. I am very much interested in the universality of man. Diversity in man is as thought provoking as diversity in nature. The beauty and intricacies of mankind with my love for people are a driving force in my work.

I believe people have an aura around them. I can almost feel the presence of their energy. I think that we are part of the universe and made of star dust…which may seem bizarre to some, but we are made of the elements. And like stars, we have different forms, colors, shapes, and radiant energy. My belief is that we all have our true selves within…a spirit being who we truly are. Therefore, I try to exhibit that in my paintings. Man is a living, breathing, and walking machine of ingenuity.

Even with emotions, there are connotations to color, such as, red for love, green for envy, blue for sorrow, yellow for joy, white for purity, black for the cosmos, etc. So, I love ‘eyes’. Eyes are the windows to the soul. Eyes are the most endearing aspect of humans in my opinion. Eyes look like stars…so I try to capture the essence and power of the eyes.

Define love

LOVE is the embodiment of all creation. It is the ‘force’ of attraction and purpose wrapped in the power of infinity! We all start off liking something, but when we love something, mere words can not convey. I think it maybe the only word for the universal flow.

Taking the two previous questions further, there is much artistic expression manifested by love. An emotion created by two individually unique works of art; two human beings. Tell us about your creative process and how it is affected by the roller-coaster of love.

A wise man once said, “Art is mere imitation of life”. I find it ironic that nature always takes two forces or entities for creation. For example, Hydrogen and Helium’s reaction of the sun; bits and bytes take zeros and ones; plants need carbon dioxide – humans need oxygen. So, paint needs a canvas (surface).

Love is the manifestation of passion… I have a passion for my work, people have a passion for art, art communicates passion! My process either starts with something I like or items I feel provoke people to think of what they love. Love is such a strong influence due to the ups and downs, smiles and frowns. When we ‘love’ something we do it just because it is what makes us have purpose. So, my purpose is to create (art)!

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I know you are a fan of sports as well, and I believe that there is an art often underestimated and overlooked by those who don’t understand the beauty of what sports have to offer visually, as well as to one’s character. It is true poetry in motion to see a triple play; a 40 yard fade route; a three-punch-combination; etc. if you ask me. Does the competitiveness that sports naturally instills affect you in any way when it comes to your creativity?

Those few who don’t understand that sport is art are the same people who can’t see the ocean for all the water (lol)! Sports involve so many components of art, even down to the uniforms (color, design, and construction). We all get excited when we see something ‘spectacular’ and ‘astonishing’!

I believe sport is art in motion. It is a kinetic assembly of skill, technique, strategy, computation, and innovation. Sport much like a well done artistic motif provokes something within and we like amazement! I love competitiveness because it makes us reach for greatness and teaches us meekness. So, when I see striking artwork and the creative power it takes to achieve it, it just influences me to strive for the best! I want to be a champion, much like the greatest in any sport!

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It will be interesting to ask you this since you are a sports fan; superior talent or great work ethic, and why?

Whew…that’s a hard one!! I cannot contemplate which is better. It is best to have both! Michael Jordan didn’t just get to be the greatest basketball player because of just talent. Like any game, greatness comes with longevity! You have to have skills and not just dreams, which means you’ll need certain demographics.

Now, on the other hand a lot of sport is ‘mental’. You can’t let people take you out the game with mental distractions…a horse without a rider is just a horse. This is a loaded question…a catch22…no more, no more on this!! LOL

I often speak with artists about what role their creative expression plays in their development as a human being. Some view it as a proverbial growth chart, showing the many stages of their lives and perceptions. Yet others see it from the opposite angle as a key catalyst to their growth, rather than a reflection of it. What role does your work play in regards to your development as a human being?

I am the opposite. I see it as a catalyst to my growth! Why, you may ask…here is the mysterious secret! ART comes from within. Ingenuity and creativity cannot be taught. Much like ‘love’, art is so powerful it cannot be contained in a box or defined in mere words. So, my art flows from my heart, gathered by my brain, and executed with my hands – five fingers (Formula 55)!

The more I experience, observe, create, and convey makes me more of a well-rounded individual (that is why we need art is schools…lol). Creating art is a life long process…we artists always feel our best work is ahead of us, because of something within! Art develops my mind. It is very therapeutic!

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It’s always incredible to see different forms of expression come together. Film is a great example of this, but decor also takes one’s expression to another level by combining it with architecture, carpentry, design, etc. When you paint, are you guided by decor intentions/purposes, or do you paint free of any ulterior motives and allow the final result to be used wherever it applies?

I paint with the cosmos in mind, therefore I paint universally. I would say I am a freehand – free thought artist! I paint whatever inspires me. I know galleries and experts have what they think an artist should paint, because they have a client base and sales to think of, but to me an artist can always have a ‘signature’ brand, but still be broad in the creative process. Not all work an artist does is going to appeal to all people and we will be a very sad artist if we tried.

Most often than not, I have an idea in my head and I see it, but the finished products changes due to conditions, materials, revising, and ‘ah-ha’ moments. So, it depends on whether it is a commission piece, a signature brand piece or influences of the moment. Art can not be pigeon-holed in my opinion.

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You’ve been doing this for a long time, and it doesn’t seem like you’ll be slowing down any time soon as long as it makes you happy. Besides self-fulfillment, what is your goal for your artwork and for your personal self

Oh, I consider myself a ‘babe’ in this. To me a long time is 20 or more years, which I haven’t achieved as of yet. But, I can’t stop, because it is my passion and I feel as though I have to share with the world my energy. My art is probably in the top 3 items I love most in life (I won’t tell you the categories…ha!).

My goal with my art is to become of one the most prominent abstract and conceptual artisans in the world! I would desire to see top galleries showcase my work and travel to large expos for exposure. Of course I would like to sell my work…don’t want to be a self-collector! But, I plan on doing more shows, visiting and learning from other artists, and fulfilling my life’s purpose by producing inspiring work.

What can your fans and our readers expect next from you and your art?

My fans will see larger dimensional work in 2012 and beyond! I want to do some big pieces…maybe 48”, 60”, 72” or more. They can look for more signature items like the “Rhythm and Intrigue” Collection, some figurative abstracts with texture, and juxtaposed game and sport items. I have a book of ideas yet to be developed on canvas…so look for the vanguard effect!

Much thanks to Mr. Tremble for taking the time to chat it up with us. You can stay up to date on his exhibitions and latest works by checking in on his faebook page here. You can also find and purchase his work on his website at labronartistic.com. Thanks for reading.

That is a Tangle. It’s made by an extremely interesting artist by the name of Joshua Harker. In fact,”interesting” doesn’t do our latest feature’s artistry justice. Mr. Harker’s work pulls the edges of technology into it’s grasp in completely opposite ways. I really can’t explain, I can only invite you to see for yourself. IVYBetty, meet Joshua Harker.

Your tangles are pretty damn cool; they’re just like you said, a more artistic approach to the Rorschach inkblot in which the audience can interpret for themselves based on what they feel. Sublimation Erotique are my favorite; looking at those lead me to believe that your tangles are not strictly imaginative architecture, but emotional as well. What emotions do you pull from when “tangling”? 

It’s very much a channeling experience for me…like a Ouija Board. I definitely influence & enable the outcome but somehow feel that my hand is engaged rather than pushed.

My emotional state does play into it as well. Sublimation Erotique was a deviation from some of the more aggressive forms I’d done previous.  I had done a lot of figure sculpture particularly of nude females & wanted to bring some of that beauty & form into my tangles. So I plant a seed & help it grow.

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Technology plays a huge role in your artwork; I read where you spoke about having to wait for technology to develop to a certain point in order to be able to realize your visions, ideas, and drawings of your tangles.  In the period of waiting, what kept you motivated to create if you knew that your ideas could not be executed to your liking?

It was frustrating that I was unable for so long to make my tangles sculpturally, but the exploration & discovery process is very motivating for me.  I love adventure & I truly felt like I was pioneering something & that is powerful. So for a long while I was in that mode.  Now that the dots are connected I can get back to the more creative process of letting these things loose out of my imagination.

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What advice can you give for an artist in the same predicament where the possibilities of technology cannot fully accommodate their work yet?

That’s a tough one but if it’s technology that’s going to liberate your art you need to educate yourself & get as much experience as possible with the tools. You need to master them as much as a painter masters color & brush strokes.  Then you can ride the cutting edge & push the medium into new places…hopefully where you need it to go to express yourself.

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All the computer programs make me wonder, are you an analytical thinker; an everything-is-black-and-white kind of person?

I consider myself to be very able to switch back & forth between how I think & I believe my wife would tell you the same.  I do have a good head for techy, business kind of stuff, but am ultimately a creative being.  I think one of my strengths is in problem solving.  I can see what’s in the box, figure out how to free what’s inside, then disassemble & rebuild the box into a proper home.  There is a time & place for both thought processes & I believe they fully support each other, at least in my case.  I can appreciate the certainty of black & white analysis but it’s ridiculous to look at the world, & certainly inside yourself, without including as much color as you can muster.

I mentioned when I reached out to you that your forensic science is a kind of artwork that’s revolutionary in the sense that it’s outside the box of the orthodox “art-mind.” Creation and art are about constantly developing and evolving; and while many think art is a painting or an orchestral composition, digital facial reconstruction belongs in the conversation just as much. What do you say to those who may not understand or appreciate your artwork, or other works like it?

Well speaking of analytical thinking & black & white & all…The forensic reconstructions really appeal to my scientific brain & I do like the sense of discovery associated with the process.  They’re something I’m good at but there really isn’t much room for interpretation or creativity in them.  I don’t want to get into the “what is art” debate with this but I personally don’t consider them my “art”.  They’re very artistic and I think better when done by competent artist, but I don’t find room in the process for much expression of imagination.

My tangles on the other hand are my definition of everything that is art but oddly there are some that think they are less artistic than the reconstructions.  I have come to the conclusion that it is an easy thing to determine if something is “good” or not if there is a canon to judge it by.  If a face looks like a real person than it must be good.  If someone sees something they’ve never even imagined before what kind of gauge are they going to use to tell themselves how to feel? It’s hard for many to have the courage to like something they’re uncomfortable with.  My work makes many people uncomfortable.  It’s the subject matter, the process & medium, & the unfamiliarity that scares them

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These two genres of art appear to be extremely different. One is complete freedom with no shapes, boundaries, or rules; the other is extremely calculated, mathematical, and restrictive in the sense that you must stay true to the original face you are reconstructing. The differences are obvious, but please explain how they can be similar as well.

I’d say the most similarity comes in the tools & the simple execution of 3 dimensional forms.  Really though, they are so different that it’s hard to draw many parallels between them.  I tend to like things that are completely polar opposite out of the simple joy of contrast & flavor. So maybe that’s why these wildly different disciplines appeal to me.

Each different type of art brings out it’s own set of unique characteristics in an artist. You practice many, and I’m sure have an appreciation for even more. How do you push yourself to become a better overall artist, and how would you advise others to do the same?

I like to incorporate aesthetics that please me.  So when I see another artist doing something that is exciting I may try to integrate it into my work in a way that I can make my own.  If it works I might continue to explore, develop & use it.  If it doesn’t, well I don’t.  I think becoming a better artist is very much the same as becoming a better person…do things that challenge you, help you grow, give you new experiences, make you & others think, etc.  Also, I can’t speak enough about reaching out to others & sharing.  Making a difference in someone else’s life or work profoundly impacts your own.

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Your Kickstarter has done extremely well, was the success of that magnitude expected? What’s next on your to-do list?

I honestly had high hopes but I never expected it to become the event it has. The project is the #1 most funded Sculpture project in their history & 3rd in Arts overall. It’s provided me exposure & opportunities that couldn’t have happened any other way. Not only have thousands upon thousands of people been exposed to my work, but I have nearly 1000 new collectors that didn’t exist for me previously.  That is huge. Kickstarter put me in front of everyone that matters to me right now within 45 days…it’s been a crazy ride to say the least.

I’m currently collaborating with artists Emek, Joe Fenton, & Robert Connett on an offering of fine art sculptures of their works & mine. That will likely be my focus for some time.  These guys are amazing & for me to be working on projects with them makes me do somersaults.  I have a personal short film project (Most Dangerous Game), a music project (Lonely Are The Brave), & some more sculpture projects that would lend themselves well to the Kickstarter platform.  I have a lot on my plate right now, so we’ll see, but I guarantee you’ll be hearing from me.

Much thanks to Joshua Harker for taking the time to chat with us, if you want to see/purchase more of Josh’s work you can do so from his personal site with his entire portfolio at joshharker.com. Also, click to check out Josh’s successful project on Kickstarter here. Thanks for reading.

Gotta thank the wife for this one. I don’t know how or where she found Ms. V. Kottavei Williams, but the the artwork, it’s quality, soul, and integrity all speak volumes for the woman that Kottavei is. EVERYTHING is a part of the process of creation in the eyes of Ms. Williams. No detail overlooked in her expression, down to the lowercase letters she prefers to use when she speaks through text. IVYBetty, meet Kottavei.

Ms. Kottavei you are an artist’s artist. Nothing is off limits, and no stone is unturned. I’ve read your words, seen the artwork, and I really want one of your quilts! But this is not why I say you’re and artist’s artist; those things are just reflections of my true reason for saying that. It’s your energy, you’re light. I purposely did not call you even though you sent me your number because I wanted you’re energy to come across strictly through text in order to act as an example to our readers of what the spirit of art feels like, and just how strong it can be. So, my first question to you is… Who are you?

my art comes not from me but through me. i am just the vessel. i am who i am in this moment and hope to  be someone different tomorrow due to growth and change. i could give you a biography of my life but i won’t. i will say i’ve always been a creative spirit. i cannot remember a moment of not having the desire to create. i was born in durham, nc, one of 4 children to parents who were scientists.  i liken myself to the poem the road less traveled by robert frost.

all my life i have come to various crossroads and dared to take the one most mysterious. i am free spirited, introspective, curious, quirky and open. i have wanderlust really badly and that makes me a prime candidate for global citizenry. in spite of what i see around me on a daily basis i still have hope for humanity. i’ve never met a stranger and  in meeting new people i hug them instead of shaking hands because if they didn’t need the hug i did! i tend to use both sides of my brain equally and can flip back and forth very quickly. i’m even ambidextrous! i’m really good at learning something new then turning right around and teaching it. i have always felt this kindred to women and girls and so we tend to be the subject matter of most of my work.  i’ve have been married for 13 years and have 5 sons (two sets of twins and a middleton).

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art is the end result of creating….in order to be a good artist, all i do is make art. everything is about the process. if no one ever saw my work i would still create it.  i lovingly refer to my creative self as my “inner child” and she wears me out most days. i want to do “normal’ things like eat or sleep and she wants me to create!

we come into this world with our natural gifts in tact and then many adults forget that they ever had a dream, a passion an appointment with their purpose. art, i think, must also ring true. i suffered from postpartum depression after my third son. the little art i made during that time was not pretty but it was honest.

“disconnect”
ancestors called me
my name. i didn’t anwser
now they deny me

i always say visual art is my air, baking is my therapy and writing poetry reveals my passions.

depending on how i feel, i could easily be doing one of a number of things or several at the same time. i’ve been known to knit, while sketching new ideas in my sketchbook with my computer open composing a new senryu poem.

when you talk about marriage it is just one example of a relationship that we encounter but there are so many that effect me….relationships with family, friends, spouse, children, other creatives, nature, and self. all forms of my creativity serve a higher purpose and it’s not uncovered until i am in that particular moment of creating.

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What’s your current favorite area of expression and why?

this is like asking which one of your children you love best! they are all my favorites but right now i’ve been writing senryu and haiku poems incessantly.  i just released my first book of poems mentalcourse: modern erotic senryu which is pre-selling on amazon right now; and am working on the next two books. one is poetry and the other is about my personal path to creativity.

passion! when i create i allow spirit to guide me. then i just begin….i do tend to work intuitively especially with the body casts. sometimes i’m seduced by colors or something random i saw or heard. music is a huge part of my process….amy winehouse yields a different  result than donny hathaway. there are pieces i started on years ago and are not finished due to the interruption of motherhood and loss of direction.

“vivid”
morning came early/
dreams still dance behind my eyes/
imagination movies!

art forces me to be vulnerable. to delve deep inside who i am, and when i’m being authentic and honest with myself reveal that truth visually. the other end of that is having the audacity to put it up where others can see, criticize, compliment and have their way with the artwork. it’s humbling. i am my own worst critic and dislike 95% of the work i do after it’s done. my art doesn’t force me to grow so much as revealing how much i’ve grown. as of late i’ve had quite a few creative people ask me how i dare to be fearless and create art with all of the obstacles that come with it. i honestly don’t know that there is an alternative that would serve me creatively. it is like breathing. is being alive “air optional”?

i believe i heal something within myself when i create paintings, art quilts, body casts or drawings but others are also healed by viewing it. it then becomes an interactive conversation between two people who may or may not have met. for my body/belly casting clients, my slogan/motto is “embrace the incomparable you!” the body/belly casts can never be replicated because no one has the same body.

i’m creating more casts for couples lately as they embrace each other’s oneness. i especially love capturing the temporary state of pregnancy…no belly is the same even with he same mom/client

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“courage”
trying to shake dew
off my water ladened wings
so i’ll fly again

 

Woman, mother, wife, artist, child of the Creator, etc… What is the common thread between all of your roles and pieces to your overall identity?

i am very much like a spider….there are many threads that create the life i call home.

motherhood is like holding a mirror up to one’s soul and taking a long look. our children both reveal and reflect us as parents whether good or bad. the most challenging part of being a mother and an artist is finding time for both. in my heart of hearts I gave birth to 5 but have 6 children…my art is the 6th. I spend time, nurture it and help it grow just like my birthed children. not surprisingly, all of my children have creative outlets!

i do not have a set process. i tell people often, “my art comes not from me but through me; I am just the vessel.” creating is such a sacred space to me and a bridge if you want to know who i am. daydreaming is a serious vice for me and i spend many hours in my imagination, an idea or a concept may come to me in the most inopportune time. to capture all of this, i keep sketch/notebooks to contain the ideas until the time is right to use them. i am NEVER short of ideas!

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What’s next for Kottavei?

i am a published poet and am in the process of writing a book about my personal path to creativity called “conversation with wildflowers” to be released in 2012.

otherwise i will continue just being….

 

Thanks so much to Kottavei for a great dialogue and insight into a true artistic spirit. If you would like to see more of/purchase Kottavei’s artwork you can do so at her website sagebelly.com

There is such a difference between live action and animated film that I don’t believe the average film watcher fully appreciates. l love animation because it allows one to stretch the boundaries of what can be done. The limits of possibility go out the window, and are replaced by the unlimited scope of the imagination. Is this what drew you to animation?

Animation allows you to show things differently, to play with metaphors and to bring to life ethereal things that are hard to symbolize when working with live action elements.

So yes, I believe that was the main reason. However, as a filmmaker I also wanted to broaden my artistic horizons and search and experiment new things. I came closer to animation on a purely experimental basis, and I guess that by the time I first started working on it, I didn’t think it would become my main activity.

Even the scripts that I have written for full-length movies are now being modified to add some touches of animation to them. By doing so, I can work on a much more metaphoric storytelling, and still make it as a live action film.

As a filmmaker as well as student of the art, tell us what elements intrigue you about live action film.

What intrigues me the most is probably the actors’ internal processes during their performances. I have worked with good actors, and I have also worked with not-so-good actors. Nevertheless, no matter the size of their talent, it has always amazed me how they make use of vastly different creative methods to bring life to their characters, to approach their characters’ personalities.

Each actor is a world and is always challenging and stimulating to guide them through the process, in search of the character the story demands. And once found, it is oh so rewarding.

As an artist myself I am in love with the process behind creation even more than the final product. I was impressed by the level of innovation and dexterity that comes with how you approach your work. The way you combine elements of real life to enhance the detail of animation; such as with a live actor’s silhouette for an animated character, was very interesting to me. It makes me wonder though, how much is too much? How do you monitor and limit yourself in order not to lose the essence of animation in your work?

Well, I think there is no “too much” until you reach what you’re looking for. The good thing about art is that there are no rules. Nobody can say if an artist’s work is too much, unless the artist himself sees it like that, which is still perfectly fine if that’s the message he wants to pass on.

I would be much more worried about losing the essence of the story, or the essence of the characters, rather than losing the “essence of animation.” I believe there is no such thing, and animation is only a tool we use to achieve the essence in whatever it is we’re intending to create.

With everything that you put into your work, do you find yourself mentally/emotionally/creatively drained after some of your projects?

Well, I’d like to play my almighty card here, but truth is yes, I do. Mentally, rather than emotionally or creatively. I’m the “If you’re gonna do it, do it right” kinda person, and I commit and devote to my projects in such extent that by the time they’re finished, there’s not much left of me. However, I’m passionate about what I do, and I find each experience so greatly fulfilling that I would not want it any other way.

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I recently watched a television documentary on Walt Disney and how he was a forward thinker in not only film as far as story lines and animation; but also business. You personally have a company, DreamLife Studio, that allows you the ownership and creative freedom necessary to achieve your standards in film. What do you say to the aspiring artists who only work in their craft, without ever working on their business?

I think both things are important. First, you have to work on your craft until you feel confident about it. Once you have achieved that, you might start thinking about business. As with any other “job,” art doesn’t come out well unless you believe in yourself and in what you do.

Some artists work on a freelance basis, others work for somebody else’s company, and others create their own. Every option has pros and cons -as everything does- and what works for somebody doesn’t necessarily work for somebody else. I went through all of them and I ended up realizing that having my own company would allow me to face the projects the way I wanted to. It allows me to arrange the schedule in the way that suits me the most, to organize the budget in order to spend in what I think it is better to spend and, most important, to pick my own team members. That may not work for somebody else but it definitely works for me.

I believe every experience is part of the tapestry that creates who we are and helps us along our path to reach the best version of ourselves that we can be. That being said, how did completing Law School, something seemingly completely unrelated to your line of work, help you along your path?

Haha, I get this question a lot! Beyond the concept that most people (including me) have of most lawyers, the career is incredibly interesting. It deepens a lot in the human being, in its mind, in its history, its social behavior… that definitely helped me develop the characters in my stories.

Going to college also provided me with a more objective mind. The more books you read, the more knowledge you acquire, it all helps to build a complex structure in your mind that allows you to explore things on a different level.

People always ask me why I chose a career that seems to drift me away from the typical “bohemian artist” concept. But I don’t think that in order to become an artist, you have to be necessarily bohemian. I think being bohemian comes from the way you breathe in what surrounds you, the way you interpret the universe in which you are in and the way you relate to it, and not by going to college or not. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with it.

What responsibility, if any, to do you feel obligated to as an artist?

Mmm, not sure. I could say none, or I could name a hundred.

It gives me a huge satisfaction when people like my work, when they’re touched by my stories. It feels great to influence their feelings at least on that level, and I guess all artists feel a sense of responsibility in making an impression in people, in bringing them out of the mundane world at least for a moment.

But art is not altruistic, and nobody would do it just to fulfill that ‘need’ in people’s lives.

I do art because it is what I like to do, and I get satisfaction from it if it succeeds, but if I would stop enjoying it, I would stop doing it, no matter if people want more or not. So if seen like that, I guess you can say art is always tinged with a bit of egoism.

The Legend of the Scarecrow, Amnesty International, and the scene on your site from Dreamlife are three of my favorites. They each capture an essence of human nature and struggle that everyone can relate to in some form or fashion. Adversity is a great teacher and catalyst for growth as humans and as artists. How has adversity played a role in your career and how important is it for you to create those story-lines for your characters and audience?

Adversity helps you rummage through your inner self, in search of tools to pull out that will help you move on. You explore into areas of your personality that you would not normally go to, and it is amazing what can come out of that.

I have had adverse moments that have influenced my projects of those times or, as I like to call it, ‘enriched’ them. Never underestimate the creative force of a bad patch.

If you did not have a camera, computer, or any writing materials how and what would you create/express?

Well, you only need a voice to tell a story. It may be ethereal and get blown by the wind, but if it caused an impression in whoever listened to it, then it will remain forever.

Art doesn’t necessarily have to be tangible.

What can everyone expect from you in the near future?

I have just finished “A Shadow of Blue”, my last animation short film. It is not officially released yet, though it already had its avant premiere in LA. The short film is heading to its festival run and once we get it in a few of the major festivals, we’ll release it online for the world to see it.

After that? Well, I think it is time for a feature film. I’d like to go back to live action direction for a while, and I have a story that I wrote ten years ago that is still waiting for me to bring it to life. I guess it is time for me to finally listen to it. After all, it is a project I am so fond of, I even named my company after it.

An artist who makes his living and creates his happiness from the often quoted, but seldom understood philosophy that less, is more.  Ladies and gentlemen, Lou Ros

I find myself obsessed with perfection. I am fascinated by it and how perfection, just like beauty, comes in so many forms, and from so many different approaches. That brings me to you; your “less is more” approach to artwork is extremely refreshing in the sense that you don’t define the perfection for us. It’s as if you set the outline and allow the audience to fill it in with their own sense or perception of perfection. Has this always been your approach, and what brought you to this style of creation?

It is true that everyone has their own definition of perfection. I think I can find many different styles “perfect” in painting and anything else in life. Basically, I started to paint in order to do a “good” painting. I tried hard to finish these paintings, but never managed to. I always thought there was something wrong and often were sorry I had gone so far. I would think to myself, “It was better at that stage of the painting.”

That’s when you wonder if it’s more interesting to do nothing than to do just average stuff. But then I was concerned about people’s opinion; they would think I didn’t care about them by just drafting a painting. Now I have decided not to be influenced by the gaze of others. But then imagine an architect who decides to stop at the foundation of a large house … It doesn’t seem right, at first, but still is interesting to see. Especially if it is a classic house. It would interest me more.

For some people no doubt, my paintings are easy or even weak, because I give up when things get complicated. I see it more as a search. As I often say, “I let the viewer imagine their own end.”

And then there’s the lassitude of finishing things. I like this quote from John Baldessari,

“It is only when you have been painting for quite some time that you will realize that to begin your compositions seem to lack impact – That they are too ordinary. That is when you will start to break all the rules of so-called composition and to think in terms of design. Then you can distort shapes, forms invent, and be on your way towards being a creative artist.”

So basically, I’m more interested in a search of freedom and strength in an unfinished painting than the perfection of a well-finished canvas, which only shows technical prowess.

I am interested to know how you define the word create?  Is there a such thing as being finished, and do you believe that mistakes and creation can coexist?

I am not sure about about the word “create.” We can agree on a lot of different things; I don’t want to dwell on that particular word. All I can say is that to start with, I created because I was bored. To me it is boredom that makes you creative. I think If my life was too full I wouldn’t create anything.

In terms of finishing, it is over when I feel it is. Sometimes it’s very early in the creative process, sometimes I want to show more things. Each work has its limits that I often exceed and destroy when there is too much for my taste. I don’t like to finish my sandwich or my plate. It’s a bad habit that I’ve had since I was little.

I think errors and creation are inextricably linked, perhaps some artists have already worked on the error. I think I am more attracted to a failed or shaky line rather than a straight one which bores me.

True artists find the smallest nuances or corners of human nature that are often overlooked and expand upon them in a way that highlights and exposes them to the naked eye of the average person.  I notice this in your work quite often, especially in the Adopte Un Mec series.  Tell our readers a little about what inspired those particular paintings.

I tend to criticize all too well my own work, I’m not really a good salesman. I would tend to talk about all that’s wrong in my paintings rather than the good parts

For the series Adopte Un Mec, I first thought about Facebook profile pictures, where we often don’t look like what we really are. Again this is a random selection of photos. I just asked myself in which environment would this be even more pronounced than on a social network profile.

Where do you have to be attractive? Where the image we send out is the first criteria ? On a dating site. In addition to finding interesting photos at the beginning, I realized that these people would show the photos they think they look the best in, at all costs. Ending up having a picturesque photo. It attracted me. It is a kind of criticism that amuses me and allows me to make painted images that aren’t ordinary.

What is your favorite element of human character?  For example, I currently examine pride/ego and how it affects people’s decisions and actions.  I find it very interesting to study this not only in myself, but those very close to me as well.  So again I ask is there an element of character/human nature that really intrigues you personally/artistically?

I like people who are able to play with their intelligence and can make fun of it. Being able to not care about a lot but also being able to do things thoroughly. Artistically, I agree slightly to that too.  I also admire people who do very audacious things I wouldn’t have dared to do.

Much of your work involves faces. When you are creating these works are you conscious of trying to capture an emotion or expression? Or are your efforts more focused on creating an abstract visual effect around the face?

At the beginning, because my work is mainly based from photos, it is a selection similar to that of a photographer, capturing a moment, an emotion, something… The transition to painting, transforms this thing again as I see it or how I feel it. I build each painting slowly in my head, quickly on the canvas, but with many short breaks to think about the result… is this enough? I de-structure faces, because in my eyes, reproducing a photograph with no particular change isn’t interesting. But I repeat, that is just my own opinion,

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The Corps&Graphiquement is my favorite of all your work because of its origin in the blending of two different expressions of art. Is there another form of art that inspires you as much as choreography does?

There are several. I would like to paint movie scenes. It’s something that I think I’ll do later, for example with Elem Klimov’s “Come and see.” Installations also attract me, as long as a construction is well done, I am interested in this form of expression. My interest in other forms of art is quite broad.

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Obviously your artwork is a form of expression for yourself, but how have you seen your work affect others around you?  Does the effect it has on other people influence your creative process in any way?

I’m pretty ill at ease with compliments, and criticisms annoy me pretty quickly. In any case feedback affects me a lot, that’s why I do not like openings, which I avoid as much as possible … When I listen to my relatives, I don’t often change, but I consider their criticism much more than that of a blog, or anywhere else.

To follow up on the previous question, what would you like your audience to take away from your work?

Maybe just a feeling. Everyone has their own vision of what’s right and wrong, so I’m quite satisfied when people understand that I take my research very seriously.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

I have several series in mind, at least a few years of production work ahead. I work too slowly. I would like to work more and be less lazy. I’ll have a proper studio soon, maybe this will change. I’m working on a medium other than canvas and paint. I will publish it soon.

Thanks so much to Lou, and to Rachel for translating.  It was an absolute pleasure.  Make sure you go take a look at all of Lou’s amazing work at his website here. Thanks for reading.

It’s funny how art hits us in different ways. I think this is because the art is a representation of its creator; their personalities, insecurites, ideas etc. and how it all come across through the artwork. That has never been more the case than here with Iris Bonner who cleverly named her Fan Page, IB_Art. Throughout this interview I want you to really feel the charismatic nature of this woman not only through her words, but especially in her artwork. Check it out…

What I love about your artwork is that it’s your lifestyle. It’s not something you do, but something you live and it’s so obvious in your creations. That makes for my personal favorite level of creation because when that’s the case, the artwork is so eclectic; it speaks more than one language and connects with more than one type of audience. To me, your artwork is social commentary; what topics do you find yourself dealing with the most?

Most of my work is personal… I feel that as a woman I’m constantly dealing with women’s issues… I’m known for the women I paint. Some people look at my work and just see a naked woman, but to me it’s so much more than that. Whether it be sexuality, strength, empowerment… I always see the woman in a positive light.

And then there is love… NEXT! Lol but yeah because my work is personal, a lot is about my love-life… I don’t really like to talk about things so I draw it out. Makes me feel better.

Another topic I’m known for with my work is sex! Everyone likes sex. It’s just how I express myself. I paint a lot of things where I know most won’t put it in their house, but I don’t care… I don’t know why I guess I’m just a perv who likes sex.

Some artists create strictly from their imagination. As I spoke about in the previous question, I can tell that you create from your soul; so this should be very interesting… Define the words art, color, woman, and sex.

I’m going to steal an Andy Warhol quote and say, “Art is what you can get away with”.

Color- hmmm Life! Lol

Woman- beautiful

Sex- Bliss! Lol

Sometimes an artist’s best work is made when they have been placed outside of their comfort zone with something in their life. For example, Kanye West’s 808′s & Heartbreak came after the passing of his mother etc. This is just one of many examples, but I’d like to ask you what is your mentality/approach to being uncomfortable with certain areas of your life, and how does it help/hurt your creative process?

Whenever I’m going through something I either sketch or paint it out. Like I mentioned previously, I’m not the kind of person who likes to talk much so it’s easy for me to get my frustrations or however I’m feeling out if I draw or paint it. Some of my best work was created during difficult times of my life…

Tell me about your term “Goal Digger,” what it means to you, and your idea of success?

Goal digger is anyone working doing or striving to do what they love.
My idea of success is not really making it big where everyone knows your name. To me pure happiness is being happy with one’s self and doing everything you wanted to do with no regrets! I’m not trying to sound all corny but it’s true. You can fail, but it’s all about what you learned. Everyone will struggle, but it’s all about the end result. Does that make sense? Lol

What is the next step for the evolution of your work? I mean is there a new way you want to begin expressing yourself, or something becoming increasingly important to you that you want to relay to others through your work?

I don’t know, but I never really know what I’m going to do next… don’t know if that’s bad or good.

Fashion or music

Music

Sex or money?

Hmmmmm this is a hard one lol… money

Which of those two, why?

Oh, lol now why.

I choose music over fashion because music is like art to me. The right song will turn my sad face into a happy one. I can listen to music all day. It makes me happy and a pair of shoes can’t do that for me… What’s a new pair of shoes or dress if I have no place to go? But I can sit home and listen to music all day! It just makes me feel good!

Now I love sex and I love money, but I have to pick money! I can do so much with money. I mean sex… I’m going to run out of things to do and become oversexed after a while. Give me my money lol..

I love asking this question, what is the legacy you want to leave behind?

10.. 20 years down the line after I die, I want people to be able to know who I was just by looking at my art…

It was an absolute pleasure to interview this woman; make sure you check out all of her latest works at thesepinklips.com and see all of her artwork when you Like her fan page here.

We have been gone for a minute folks, please forgive us.  But I can assure you, things are slowly getting back on track, and to prove it I’ve got a really dope interview for you.  I recently came across some artwork that completely threw me off mentally.  I had no clue what to think of this except that I had to get in touch with the mind behind what I was seeing.  Origami, fashion, spirituality, imagination… Amrei Hofstätter.

In many of your images, there is a being or many beings. From my perception they are often female.  I see them as the creator of the universe you put in front of us;  It seems that everything that the image is, illuminates from them.  For example, Nneha from your latest works is at the center of the entire universe of the image, just as a queen sits at her throne. What is your intended representation of women within your artwork, and what do women represent to you as an artist in life?

I am happy that you mention this particular image, as it was done as a present for a person who made a really deep impact on my life, and it is one of my works that I hold closest to my heart. But, and this actually counts for the majority of my work, I usually start off with a really vague idea of what the piece is going to be about, until suddenly, during the middle of the process, the meaning reveals itself to me. Regarding the representation of women in my work, my purpose is never to talk about “women” or “womanhood”. The characters in my pieces are dolls, and they are completely asexual beings, or at least not “sexual” as we define that usually. I can’t tell you what they are, what they were meant to be, if they are eternal, if they have any will at all, if they a creation of the world around them or the other way round. Many people who view my work have really different reactions to and different interpretations of those beings and I am very happy about that. It is the way it should be.

To take the previous question further, your artwork carries a tone of spirituality in it that to me is undeniable. The figures are often in spiritually authoritative positions or postures such as DNAngel from The Transmutation of Carbon. This also came across to me very strongly in The Invocation of A Spirit. Is your creative process more imaginative or spiritual, and what are you trying to convey to your audience?

I have recently been asked in another interview if I consider myself a spiritual person. And I responded that I think everyone is, to a greater or lesser extent. But to me it depends on how you define spirituality. I would say that to me being spiritual means to maintain sensitivity, curiosity and innocence towards oneself, the world and the people around us. I don’t like the abuse that sorrounds “spirituality”, mostly the abuse of insecure, vulnerable people and of one’s own ego.
DNAngel is about our conflict between what we are born of and what we strive to be. I am not sure I could even make a difference between imaginative and spiritual, because, what else could spirituality be besides letting your mind explore your imagination of what and who we are? Regarding what I want to convey to my audience, what I am interested in is the contrast between visual patterns that might be considered religious and spiritual and to put that into a rather crude, uncanny context. I think this can create a really interesting atmosphere. Everyone has these spiritual images in their collective memory, and I try to reach them and take them into a new territory, maybe unexplored, untouched by themselves, to confront them and hopefully to revive their imagination.

What do the words failure and perfection mean to you, and is there any relation between the two in your opinion?

I think “perfection” is a very peculiar concept within humanity, the expression of “perfectionism” even more. “Perfectionism” is, in fact, a paradox, because obviously there is no such thing as perfection. Everything will reveal an imperfection under close observation, or just simply by the fact of having looked at it too long and too often. I am interested in how a system reacts to the invasion of a misplaced element, especially within the human mind. Irritating thoughts, a trauma, a recurring memory, how something you lived in your childhood can influence our whole adult life. It goes hand in hand with the question of how much in control we are of our own thoughts and of our evolution.
I am mostly interested and fascinated by imperfect things, damaged things, “damaged” people. They reveal and carry within an incredible beauty that perfection could never convey.

I asked the previous question partly because I read of your fascination with Origami which is an art-form that carries a symmetry and air of perfection unlike any other.  In a sense, we as people are each searching for this balance, divinity, symmetry, and/or perfection in our own lives. Yet as your art shows, even with such symmetry there can be pain, imperfection, weakness, and/or failure hidden beneath. What else has Origami and art in general revealed to you about life?

I think origami is a wonderful symbol for the boundaries of our own perception. A limited being would only perceive a flat piece of paper, but a creative being is able to see beyond that and create a three dimensional, tangible shape. Origami unifies mathematics, the human mind and art in absolute harmony. It requires time and concentration and an immense capacity of abstract thinking. I really admire the people who master it. I am a very impatient person and I often critizise myself for maybe not taking sufficient time to observe things the way they are meant to, to truly understand their essence. But then, on the other hand, I appear to be a very mental person. I would like to find a balance somehow, to think things through thoroughly from the very beginning to the very end with absolute patience and consideration.

What above all other things gives you confirmation that by doing this artwork, you are on your path to your own personal perfection?

I would never consider myself on the path to perfection. Because if I could ever reach it, what would become of me then? I will never stop creating. I do it because i have to. The only confirmation that i need comes from the people who appreciate what i do. I will always feel thankful for that.

In your description of the Gold Is Made In Supernovae series, you made a comparison about the creation of something as precious and valuable as Gold being created from chaos and destruction.  You said that this pattern is “recreated by the human race in it’s ongoing, violent pursuit of fortune and power.” At first sight of your artwork it seems to be something of another world. But thinking in terms of your words, one cannot help but to begin to draw his/her own similarities between the images you create, and the concepts and behaviors of our society.  Is this what you intended to do in your work?

Yes absolutely. Sometimes when you put the facts of our reality in front of someone, they might recognize it with their intellect but not feel it, not understand it. But if you awaken their imagination, you can touch them at a very different, more vulnerable place and give them a rather amplified, maybe more painful but also more revealing vision of things, they might internalize it in a more sentimental way.

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Manish Arora was able to use your artwork in a way that expanded your efforts and vision by exposing your work to the world of fashion. This must have been a huge honor for you. Are you inspired by other forms of expression, such as music for example, the same way as Manish was by yours?

There are so many things that I love and that I feel drawn towards, may it be music or cinema or literature. I am an absolutely unpretentious person when it comes to culture. The key is to see and enjoy a work for what it is, not for what you yourself would like it to be.
I can say that the Manish Arora Project was one of the most wonderful things that happened to me so far in my entire life. Having someone I admired myself telling me they loved my work was absolutely incredible. It was the first time I really felt a step closer to my dreams.

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Is there a part of you that you intentionally hold back from expressing through your artwork? If so, why?

One will never know oneself entirely, so I can’t tell you the answer to that question… but hopefully I will find out in the future. If I do, I do it unintentionally; because as soon as you are holding back, your work is not as good as it could be.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind through your artwork?

I am just at the very start… I will pretend it will never end and just focus on each piece in the present moment. I think this is the only way to create a true legacy.

We truly appreciate Amrei spending the time with us.  You can check out all of her work on her website here

Winter Reel 2010 from Jordan Riggs on Vimeo.

Movies and film are by far my favorite media and form of art because they combine the visual, the audible, and even the writing elements into one.  No other form of art can accomplish all that.  To be a ”Director” in the true sense of the word over all these things is no small task. What does it mean to you to be a Director?

To be honest I don’t know what that means. Theoretically it means you have a vision that you execute with the help of a group of crew members and actors and yada yada, but I don’t know. Maybe I just don’t know what it means to be a good director, or a successful director, those are two different things but yeah.

As the head of it all, you may not make every decision but still it’s important to be in tune with every element or nuance of the project to a certain extent.  For example, your relationship and communication with the actors to bring out the correct emotion. Or even choosing the music for scenes etc. What would you say is your area of expertise so far in your young career and why?

I’m a very visual director. Its a curse I think. I spend much more time thinking about how the look will effect people as opposed to how the actors will. That’s not to say I’m bad with actors, but I’m always learning better ways to communicate the emotion. I see certain things in certain people and thats why I choose them; I think they will bring a different side of life to a character that I hadn’t even thought about previously. From the beginning I have thought that my job is to create a visual world for the actor to thrive and grow in, so I’m very visually motivated. Sometimes it means that a movie turns out bad because I let the actor take the role in a different direction. Other times I realize that the actor has discovered layers to a character I hadn’t ever thought of.

I’ve watched a lot of your work and I’ve noticed many times that there’s an abstract element to many of your films. For example in your project Blessed there’s opera music paired with a drunken vomiting stupor. When making those type of decisions in your art, is it more important to you that the audience make their own conclusions; or is there something you’re aiming to relay to us?

First off, Blessed was for a certain hip-hop artist who had asked me to do a promo for his mixtape. The dude had asked me to do some stuff for him in the past and was flakey so instead of going through the runaround, I just shot the thing. It was based off of a photo shot by Tracey Emin called I’ve Got It All. It’s of a woman with money coming out of her vagina.

I’m always looking for ways to blur lines in genre and Blessed seemed like the perfect opportunity for a mixtape that was supposed to be entitled Money Walks, Bullshit Talks. Regardless, he didn’t like the film so I just used it on my own as a short. Normally yes, I do make films abstract in an attempt to make audiences think, because I believe they are smarter than Hollywood gives them credit for; and also I don’t want close-minded people watching the stuff I put effort into anyway.

I can tell you’re a music fan, what’s on your ipod?

By answering this question I’m asking to be judged BUT it’s okay because I don’t have an iPod, but everyone should listen to Butler and the Gentlemen, Cherub, Mike Goode (album coming soon,) and OFWGKTA. There’s also this one chick Sophia Cunningham out of Omaha, NE: best voice I’ve heard in a LONG time. She’s the next Lauryn Hill/Erykah Badu and someone needs to recognize.

I’m sure you could name quite a few, but what are some of your favorite movies, actors/actresses, and directors?

Meryl Streep, Tom Hardy, P.T. Anderson/Spike Jonze, no favorite movies at the moment.

As a director, I’m sure you can envision exactly how you want something to come off or to be personified. Any aspirations to get in front of the camera rather than behind?

I suck at acting. No way.

I saw that you write, produce, and direct; what’s the best part of creating a project from scratch for you?

It’s me. There’s a quote in a film The Philosopher Kings along the lines of, “When you create something you become more that human.” I feel that way about art.

Brilliant Derrick is hilarious to me. His character and personality had me laughing out loud. As I was watching, it crossed my mind that there’s so many different personalities and egos that are potentially in one film at a time. As director, not only are you responsible for making sure the vision comes to life, but for managing and delegating.  As you’ve developed your craft have you had any trouble managing all of the personalities?

YES! That’s all I’m going to say about that. Derrick Sloan’s a funny dude though.

How do you feel about the current state of the major film industry.  What do you want to change or bring to the game with your artwork?

I don’t know how I feel about the film world really. Its weird to me, I think that overall I just want people to understand that there’s a difference between “good” movies and “fun” movies. I recently got into an argument with a friend about the Oscars, so I’ve been asking the question, “If Inception and There Will Be Blood were released the same year who would you want to win the Oscar?”

The majority of people stood behind Inception and it pissed me off to no end. Inception is a fun movie and is high concept. It was a great film to watch, I enjoyed it and got lost in it; but There Will Be Blood combines deep characters, with arresting visuals. A true story of the human condition with roots that grab hold of religion, relationship, and power; and it does it with little dialogue and even less exposition.

That is my kind of movie and the fact that people would rather watch Inception win over There Will Be Blood makes me sad about my standing in this industry. I just want people to understand the difference between “good” and “fun.” There’s nothing wrong with fun, I’m just saying.

Atropos was excellent, I need to watch it another time or two to put together my personal meaning of it. After creating it and seeing the final version for yourself, what do you take from it?

I’m a genius! Seriously, let me Kanye for a second and just say; that film may not seem like much to the general population, but I feel like if you see it the way I see it, it is so much deeper, well thought out, and well executed than I had ever imagined it could be. We spent $200 dollars on that film. I attribute the final product to God’s blessing on me and my crew.

Taking the last question a step further, what do you want people to take from your work in general?

I don’t think I make my movies for other people yet. I think Brilliant Derrick might be the first film I REALLY released to the public for everyone to see and that experience was just fun. In the future though I think I want to be in a place where an audience can leave feeling like they were apart of whatever world I put on screen.

What do you have lined up for the future?

I’ve got tons lined up for the future. (Rachel Dahlin look out for her, she’s gonna be famous!)

Thank you for taking the time to give us an interview; is there anything else you’d like to add or say to the readers?

To the readers: If any of you know Nicki Minaj personally tell her I want to put her in a film because I believe that she is one of the smartest most talented people in pop culture, entertainment overall, and probably business today. ALSO, I want people to know that I don’t know what I’m doing, no one does, so don’t act like you do.

This is a small just a small sample of the versatility of Jordan’s works. To see more you can check him out on vimeo