Posts Tagged ‘Art’

Art Questions

I recently received an email from an art student who wanted to ask some questions about myself and my art, so I thought I’d share the answers here!

Why did you decide to become an artist?

I’ve always loved art, and it always came naturally to me.  I also have a lot of other interests as well, such as writing and questioning the nature of the universe and the meaning of life!   When I was a student in college, I took classes in all the subjects that interested me, such as Art, Writing, Philosophy and Religion.  As much as I loved studying all of these things, I came to the realization that I could only focus on one of them as a career!  I sort of “fell” into art after realizing that being an artist would allow me the freedom to pursue all the other subjects that interest me, by allowing me to pursue and express those interests and ideas in my art.  All in all, becoming a professional artist just felt natural. 

Why do you use the materials that you do?

I work in a variety of media, but the ones I use most are probably acrylics, ink and colored pencil.  I love acrylics because they are non-toxic and non-smelly, and I feel that they are a good medium for expressing the ideas that I want to express.  I like the bright, boldness of the colors.  I also like that acrylics are very forgiving, in the sense that if I make a mistake, I can easily paint over it.  I like ink and colored pencil because they are both very portable, so I can use them anywhere.  I like being able to do artwork outdoors, so it’s really easy to take some paper and pens or colored pencils and find a nice spot to sit down and make some art! 

Would you also help me understand why art is for me? And what art means to you on the whole?

I think people who gravitate towards art are generally people with big imaginations and sensitive souls.  We are all unique individuals with our own viewpoints, our own storylines, our own dreams, memories and aspirations.  All of these things are part of us, and artists are the people who try to bring these things out – giving voice to our inner visions.  Art is about sharing our unique perspectives on the things around us and inside us.  It’s a way of communicating.  The creative process is also very therapeutic and uplifting, and people can be subconsciously drawn to art for that reason.  Art allows a safe environment for searching inside oneself, spending time with oneself, and then sharing one’s findings with the world. 
 
I’ve also written a small section on What is art here on my new website: http://www.art-is-fun.com/about-the-site-art-is-fun.html.  It’s about halfway down the page.

Cheers!

Possibly Related Posts:


  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Art is fun!

Hi there!  I hope 2009 is treating everyone well so far.  I’m thrilled to announce that my new art website is now officially live, on the air, on the interspace and zooming from my fingertips to your noggin!  Yeah!

Art is fun - Thaneeya's new art educational website

Please do check it out: www.art-is-fun.com !

This site is a true labor of love, a never-ending work-in-progress.  Why is that?  Because there is so much to share, show and tell about art, that I will probably never be truly “finished” with the site.  Writing the site is an organic process, as the topics unravel and unfold in different directions.  There is only so much time in a day, only so fast that my fingers can type, only so long I can spend at the computer before my brain starts blipping in funny ways… so the site is growing piece by piece, step by step.  I ultimately envision hundreds and hundreds of pages on this site, and I can’t wait to write them all!  I love writing about art as much as I love making art.  And I love being able to share all my art knowledge with everyone around the world.  I’ve spent the past several years creating art i n t e n s i v e l y, and I’ve picked up so many tips and techniques that they are spilling out of my brain left and right.  Thank goodness I’ve got a new website to scoop it all up!

If you have any comments on the site, I’d love to hear from you.  I’m especially interested in hearing about topics people would like to see covered or explained on the site.  I’m open to all art-related suggestions! Just leave a message here or contact me via Art is fun.

Right now I’m working on a 15-page article about How to Paint Photorealism: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Paint Your Own Photorealistic Paintings.  This article is for the more advanced artists, but contains loads of helpful tips that will be useful for beginners as well. 

Anyway, climb aboard, check out the site, and let me know what you think!

Possibly Related Posts:


  • Share/Save/Bookmark

ACEO prints now available

ACEO art cards for sale in my Etsy shop

I am now selling ACEOS in my Etsy shop!

What are ACEOs?

ACEO stands for “Art Cards, Editions and Originals”, and refer to artwork that is 2.5″ x 3.5″ – the size of playing cards or baseball cards. They are fun, tiny, collectible works of art! My detailed artwork looks amazing reproduced on this small scale. I’ve included a photo of my hand holding the print, so you can get an idea of the size of the print (cute!) and the wonderful color saturation.

They are on sale for only $9 + shipping.  This is a wonderfully affordable way to own an archival print of my art!  I can make ACEOs from almost any of my paintings and drawings, so if there is a specific piece you would like to purchase in ACEO size, just let me know. 

Here is another of my ACEO prints!  They are available for purchase here.

Two Pink Cupcakes ACEO

 

 

Possibly Related Posts:


  • Share/Save/Bookmark

New Art Project

It’s starting to getting really cold here, which means I’m moving my art activities indoors. Throughout the spring and summer I had a nice spot in the workshop, which is sort of a cross between being indoors and outdoors. It’s a fully finished, spacious building, but without heating or running water. With these dropping temperatures, it’s now best to seek shelter in the house, next to a radiator (or preferably near the fireplace).

In an effort to warm things up (at least in spirit), I’ll share a nice garden picture that I took in mid-September at Aberglasney.

Aberglasney flowers

Since I no longer have the abundant space that I used to have, I’ll probably be doing less acrylics for a little while. Instead I’ll be focusing my attention on other art mediums and projects: colored pencils, pen and ink, and fabric art are suddenly calling to me…

Art is fun!

But even art-making is momentarily placed on the back burner while I pour my energy into a new art project (that’s part of the logo above). I’m very excited to tell you about it! Basically I’m creating a new art website for the creative spirit, fusing practical hands-on tutorials and how-to knowledge that covers a wide range of subjects within the world of art-making – such as painting, drawing, and other applications. The website will also include inspiring and encouraging articles that explain the main facets of art, such as subject matter and style – all aimed to ignite and rejuvenate everyone’s passion for self-expression through art.

It’s an amazing process to be writing down everything I know about art and art-making. Normally when I make art, I just do it without consciously thinking too much about what I am doing or why. Now I have the opportunity to reflect upon my art knowledge. The thought of sharing that knowledge with the world fills me with immense pleasure! I get emails all the time from aspiring artists of every age who find inspiration in my work. I also hear from art instructors who would like to use my work as examples for their students. Once the website is up and running, I will be able to point to it as a resource for those seeking to learn or teach about art.

I’m currently working “undercover” on this new art project. I’ve finalized the outline for the site, and I’m currently working on perfecting the first 20-30 content-rich pages before I go live with the website. I aim to get it online sometime this month, so I’ll let you know the URL once it’s up and running!

Possibly Related Posts:


  • Share/Save/Bookmark

hello, suffolk!

Gala, by Thaneeya McArdle

I am pleased to announce that 5 of my abstract paintings are now available for purchase at Serena Hall Gallery in Suffolk!

http://www.serenahallgallery.co.uk

Serena Hall Gallery
16 Queen Street
Southwold
Suffolk
IP18 6EQ

telephone: 01502 723887

See you there!

Possibly Related Posts:


  • Share/Save/Bookmark