[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"app-navigation":3,"blog-category-arties-eight":138,"posts-1-10-arties-eight":142},{"tree":4,"leafs":137},[5,30,47,64,77,133],{"uid":6,"label":7,"to":8,"children":9},"MTM0","Custom Frames","/ctg/custom-frames",[10,14,18,22,26],{"uid":11,"label":12,"to":13},"MjI3","Custom Wood Frames","/ctg/custom-frames/wood",{"uid":15,"label":16,"to":17},"MjI2","Custom Metal Frames","/ctg/custom-frames/metal",{"uid":19,"label":20,"to":21},"MjI4","Custom Floater Frames","/ctg/custom-frames/canvas-floater-frames",{"uid":23,"label":24,"to":25},"MjI5","Stretcher Bars","/ctg/custom-frames/stretcher-bar-frames",{"uid":27,"label":28,"to":29},"MjMw","Frame Samples","/ctg/custom-frames/frame-moulding-samples",{"uid":31,"label":32,"to":33,"children":34},"MjMz","Glass & Acrylic","/ctg/framing-supplies/glass-and-acrylic",[35,39,43],{"uid":36,"label":37,"to":38},"Mjk0","Non-Glare Glass & Acrylic","/ctg/framing-supplies/glass-and-acrylic/non-glare",{"uid":40,"label":41,"to":42},"Mjky","Standard Glass & Acrylic","/ctg/framing-supplies/glass-and-acrylic/standard-glass-acrylic",{"uid":44,"label":45,"to":46},"Mjkz","UV Filter Glass & Acrylic","/ctg/framing-supplies/glass-and-acrylic/uv-filter",{"uid":48,"label":49,"to":50,"children":51},"MjMx","Matboards","/ctg/framing-supplies/mat-board",[52,56,60],{"uid":53,"label":54,"to":55},"MjY0","Custom-Cut Matboards","/ctg/framing-supplies/mat-board/pre-cut-mats",{"uid":57,"label":58,"to":59},"MjM2","Full Sheet Matboards","/ctg/framing-supplies/mat-board/full-sheet-mat-boards",{"uid":61,"label":62,"to":63},"MjM1","Matboard Color Samples","/ctg/framing-supplies/mat-board/mat-board-samples",{"uid":65,"label":66,"to":67,"children":68},"MjMy","Foam Boards","/ctg/framing-supplies/foam-board",[69,73],{"uid":70,"label":71,"to":72},"Mjg5","Custom-Cut Foam Boards","/ctg/framing-supplies/foam-board/custom-foam-board",{"uid":74,"label":75,"to":76},"MjM3","Full Sheet Foam Boards","/ctg/framing-supplies/foam-board/full-sheet-foam-boards",{"uid":78,"label":79,"to":80,"children":81},"MTM1","Framing Supplies","/ctg/framing-supplies",[82,107,120],{"uid":83,"label":84,"to":85,"children":86},"MTM1-group-0","Assembly & Mounting","/ctg/framing-supplies/assembly-and-mounting",[87,91,95,99,103],{"uid":88,"label":89,"to":90},"MjQz","Adhesives & Glue","/ctg/framing-supplies/photo-mounting-supplies/adhesives-glue",{"uid":92,"label":93,"to":94},"MjQy","ATG Tape","/ctg/framing-supplies/photo-mounting-supplies/atg-tape",{"uid":96,"label":97,"to":98},"MjQw","Hinging Tape & Tissue","/ctg/framing-supplies/photo-mounting-supplies/hinging-tape-tissue",{"uid":100,"label":101,"to":102},"MjQx","Photo Corners & Strips","/ctg/framing-supplies/photo-mounting-supplies/photo-corners-strips",{"uid":104,"label":105,"to":106},"MjM0","Picture Frame Spacers","/ctg/framing-supplies/picture-frame-spacers",{"uid":108,"label":109,"to":110,"children":111},"MTM1-group-1","Hanging & Finishing","/ctg/framing-supplies/hanging-and-finishing",[112,116],{"uid":113,"label":114,"to":115},"MjQ0","Hanging Hardware","/ctg/framing-supplies/picture-frame-hanging-supplies",{"uid":117,"label":118,"to":119},"MjQ2","Cleaning Supplies","/ctg/framing-supplies/cleaning-supplies",{"uid":121,"label":122,"to":123,"children":124},"MTM1-group-2","Protection & Storage","/ctg/framing-supplies/protection-and-storage",[125,129],{"uid":126,"label":127,"to":128},"Mjk4","GalleryPouch™ Art Bags","/prod/gallery-pouch",{"uid":130,"label":131,"to":132},"Mjc4","Photo Storage Boxes","/ctg/framing-supplies/backing-and-protection-supplies/clear-bags-and-storage-boxes",{"uid":134,"label":135,"to":136},"Mjgx","Sale","/ctg/picture-frames-discount",{"MjI3":10,"MjI2":14,"MjI4":18,"MjI5":22,"MjMw":26,"Mjk0":35,"Mjky":39,"Mjkz":43,"MjY0":52,"MjM2":56,"MjM1":60,"Mjg5":69,"MjM3":73,"MjQz":87,"MjQy":91,"MjQw":95,"MjQx":99,"MjM0":103,"MjQ0":112,"MjQ2":116,"Mjk4":125,"Mjc4":129,"Mjgx":133},{"id":139,"name":140,"description":141},"dGVybTozMzc=","Artie's Eight","In this series, we'll be spotlighting different artists, designers and photographers each month, digging deep into their creative and artistic processes. Whether you are just starting in your creative journey or a seasoned professional, you'll find inspiration at Artie's Eight.\r\n\r\nWith each interview, we will be asking 8 thought-provoking questions, ranging from their personal motivations to their go-to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/framing-supplies.html\">framing supplies\u003C/a> like \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/framing-supplies/mat-board.html\">matboard\u003C/a> and favorite \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/picture-frames.html\">frames\u003C/a>. The best part is, the answers will come straight from the artists who have real life experience in the topics.",[143,156,167,178,190,202,214,226,238,250],{"id":144,"title":145,"uri":146,"content":147,"excerpt":148,"date":149,"categories":150,"image":153},"cG9zdDo4NDg5","Ethereal Acrylics: Meet Painter Melanie London","/arties-eight/melanie-london-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>Melanie London's artistic journey has been a winding path. For years, her personal artistic pursuits took a back seat as she navigated a successful career in the fashion world, first as a fashion coordinator and design director in the shoe and accessory industry, and later as a photo stylist and production coordinator. These roles served as a wellspring of inspiration, surrounding Melanie with creative minds that would eventually fuel her own artistic renaissance.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luminous Landscapes\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Melanie's acrylic paintings are portals to otherworldly realms, inviting viewers to lose themselves in cosmic landscapes and divinities that offer healing through their sheer beauty. She describes her piece \"Creation,\" showcased above, as \"color and energy swirling and making way for what is next ... the beginning of something new from the void.\" In a similar vein, both \"Introspection\" and \"Enlightenment,\" displayed below, are intended to lead each viewer to understand their true self. Each of Melanie's works is a labor of love, built up through washes and overlays, resulting in depth that seems to transcend the canvas itself.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Big Apple to Blue Ridge\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Though her roots reach deep into the concrete jungle of New York City, Melanie has transplanted herself to the small, vibrant town of Weaverville, North Carolina, near eclectic Asheville. Her original artworks remain unframed, allowing buyers to personalize their presentation. \"But I always encourage my clients to go to Frame Destination for the best variety and quality of frames,\" she notes. We're certainly not arguing with that sage advice, Melanie!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FD-Arties8Blog_MelanieLondon_Art2-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8489 wp-image-8490\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FD-Arties8Blog_MelanieLondon_Art1-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8489 wp-image-8491\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See More of Melanie’s Work\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Journey over to \u003Ca href=\"https://melanielondonarts.com/\">MelanieLondonArts.com\u003C/a> to discover vivid celestial spaces meant to evoke a sense of communion. Curious which two approaches Melanie uses to combat creative blocks and which tools she can’t live without? (Hint: They aren’t tangible.) Find out in our Q&A below.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Melanie London…\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>Drawing has been a serious pastime for me since I was very young. After attending the Atlanta College of Art, I returned to my hometown of New York City and earned a degree in Fashion Merchandising. I then embarked on a career in the accessory industry. My artistic ambitions were sidelined but not completely lost, with periods of progress every few years. In 2018, I began a series of colorful abstract works that were completely new to me. Since then, I have been developing and expanding on this style.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>I think of the artist as someone who can reflect society. Our job is to move, stir, or inspire the viewer.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>To keep working through frustration and dissatisfaction.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>My work has a personal and spiritual component. I hope to bring healing through beauty to the viewer.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>Yes. Sometimes, take a break. Other times, just keep working until an opportunity arises for something new and unexpected.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>Self-reflection and meditation.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>Putting my website together was a labor of love and required a lot of help. I am working on increasing my visibility at local galleries, online, and wherever possible. Always a work in progress.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>I like the cool spectrum: blue, purple, and green.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire here to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\">apply\u003C/a> to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last updated October 8, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>Melanie London’s artistic journey has been a winding path. For years, her personal artistic pursuits took a back seat as she navigated a successful career in the fashion world, first as a fashion coordinator and design director in the shoe and accessory industry, and later as a photo stylist and production coordinator. These roles served […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-10-08T10:38:29",[151],{"name":140,"slug":152},"arties-eight",{"url":154,"label":155},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/FD-Arties8Blog_MelanieLondon_Hero.jpg","",{"id":157,"title":158,"uri":159,"content":160,"excerpt":161,"date":162,"categories":163,"image":165},"cG9zdDo4NDA5","Artful Optimist: Meet Artist Annie Brown","/arties-eight/annie-brown-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Meet Annie Brown, an LA-based artist who gives the mundane a major makeover. Through watercolors, charcoals, and colored pencils, Annie has a talent for transforming everyday objects, places, and creatures into captivating works of art. And she does it all with a smile — because for Annie, her purpose as an artist is to make the world brighter.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daily Whimsy\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Hailing from a family of makers (her mom's an upholstery pro, her dad's a woodworker, and her brother's a filmmaker), Annie has been drawing and painting since childhood. Most of her work involves watercolors. Three examples are \"A Spot in the Shade\" (featured above), \"Boston,\" and \"The Coffee Date Collection,\" (both below). She created \"Portrait of Parker\" (below) in charcoal, but pet portrait clients can also choose watercolor or colored pencil.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Enter Frame Destination\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Inspired by a photo from a dear friend’s baby shower, Annie created one of her first large-scale paintings, “A Spot in the Shade.” She showcases this piece in a custom 16\"x19.25\" \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/wood-frame-profile-502a.html\">Narrow Wood Frame 502A\u003C/a>, featuring a natural wood finish. The sleek profile, available in six colors, evokes a gallery-style aesthetic that perfectly complements her contemporary, realistic artwork. Another favorite of hers is our versatile \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/wood-frame-profile-502b.html\">Wood Frame 502B\u003C/a> in classic black and white options.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“The quality has been consistently great,” Annie says regarding her experience with Frame Destination frames. When working with clients on commission, she finds the ability to create digital mockups of their framed art incredibly valuable. Annie appreciates the framing guidelines included in each kit, emphasizing that, “as someone who is by no means a framing professional,” these resources are “super helpful.”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"927\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_AnnieBrown_Art1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8409 wp-image-8411\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"665\" height=\"887\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_AnnieBrown_Art2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8409 wp-image-8412\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"786\" height=\"874\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_AnnieBrown_Art3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8409 wp-image-8413\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See More of Annie’s Work\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Visit \u003Ca href=\"https://byannieb.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ByAnnieB.com\u003C/a> to discover the full scope of her creative outlets, from DIY watercolor greeting cards to playful stickers (butterflies and disco balls, anyone?). Annie’s vibrant \u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/byannieb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram\u003C/a> offers a window into her process, including a recent project benefiting the LA Regional Food Bank. During last year’s \u003Ca href=\"https://byannieb.com/blog/the-colortober-collection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">“Colortober” October daily art challenge\u003C/a>, she transformed the hues of her life into mini artworks. And if you wonder who spilled the wisdom that this self-described optimist lives by, explore our Q&A below.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"868\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_AnnieBrown_Headshot-868x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8409 wp-image-8414\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Annie Brown…\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003Cbr>\u003Cbr>Thanks to my parents, I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. We have a creative family: my mom is an upholsterer and Master Gardener who sewed and embroidered all my baby clothes, my dad is an incredible woodworker, my brother is a filmmaker and animator, and everybody paints! As an artistically inclined family, we spent 10+ years living as expats in Belgium, hopping in the car to explore different cities (and their art museums) every chance we could. The easy access to incredible art and architecture was a constant inspiration.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>2. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We all tend to live our lives on autopilot, going from home to work to our obligations and back again. Very often, during that process, we skim over important moments and unexpected beauty and move on to whatever is next. As an artist, my role is to give a spotlight to these moments, to let them be seen, contemplated, or admired so that we might appreciate their importance more. There is so much in our everyday lives that is worth observing and celebrating (even the painful parts) and giving them a permanent space in the world through art can make even the ordinarily mundane feel extraordinary.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A painting professor I had in college once said that making art is all about observation. Regardless of what style of work someone makes, the best artists are good observers. It has stuck with me ever since and has evolved over the years as I think about observation not only in its most literal sense (what do objects look like and how do I draw that) but also how I observe and perceive colors, light, feelings, etc. Using observation in all its forms helps advance my art as well as my perception of and appreciation for the world around me.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’m an optimist at heart, and I think that comes through in my work. I make art of everyday objects, places, and creatures in a realistic style partly because I believe that my subjects don’t have to be transformed to be worthy of admiration. Even when the world is at its worst, and my art is a means of catharsis rather than celebration, I still make it with the belief that observing this feeling or moment will result in something better.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yes! I definitely get them. I’m lucky to have commission work I can focus on when my personal artwork is creatively blocked. When working on commissions, I have a predetermined reference photo and a singular goal of executing it to the best of my ability. I continue to paint, and often, through working on a piece for someone else, I can get re-inspired to return to my personal art with fresh ideas and approaches.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I have two. My planner, a handwritten schedule that organizes my projects (and my life), and a Tombow Mono Sand Eraser, which has saved many a painting from stray droplets!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Recently, I was awarded a grant by the Culver City Arts Foundation for my project, Sharing a Meal. I will create a series of artworks featuring a dish from a local, independent restaurant in my neighborhood of Culver City, California. The series will be turned into a postcard set that will help promote the restaurants at no cost to them, with a portion of the proceeds going to the LA Regional Food Bank. I’m excited about creating the art, but I’m also excited about the benefits of making art accessible to a new audience and becoming more involved in my community.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My two favorite colors (because I can't pick just one) are Holbein’s Opera Pink and Daniel Smith’s Quinacridone Sienna. They are fantastic on their own, but they also make the most electric, vibrant mixes.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated August 27, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>Meet Annie Brown, an LA-based artist who gives the mundane a major makeover. Through watercolors, charcoals, and colored pencils, Annie has a talent for transforming everyday objects, places, and creatures into captivating works of art. And she does it all with a smile — because for Annie, her purpose as an artist is to make […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-08-27T11:30:27",[164],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":166,"label":155},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_AnnieBrown_Hero.jpg",{"id":168,"title":169,"uri":170,"content":171,"excerpt":172,"date":173,"categories":174,"image":176},"cG9zdDo4NDAy","Tranquil Escapes: Meet Abstract Artist Kim Knoll","/arties-eight/kim-knoll-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>From The Ritz-Carlton to Norwegian Cruise Lines, Kim Knoll’s work has found its way into some swanky locations. While her success as an artist came relatively quickly — within a year of pursuing painting — it was built on a solid foundation. The 19 years Kim spent as a graphic designer before turning to fine art significantly shaped her distinctive abstract style.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Meditative Mindset\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Based in Chicago, Kim balances city life with an affection for the great outdoors. She connects the two through her work, infusing minimalism into moments of natural beauty involving sea, sky, and unique terrains. Using watercolors, acrylic, ink, spray paint, charcoal, and graphite, Kim conveys emotion and meaning through gestures and marks. Her goal? To create art that gives the viewer a welcome escape from everyday worries.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Enter Frame Destination\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The works on paper Kim shares with us (“Letting it Go,” top photo below; and a triptych including “Clouds,” “Making Memories,” and “Into the Wild,” bottom photo below) are all framed in our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/nielsen-profile-117.html\">Nielsen Picture Frame Arthaus Style 117\u003C/a>. This aluminum frame embodies the essence of balance, clean lines, and refined proportion typical of the influential Bauhaus movement of the early 20th century. Kim chose a Black finish, but other colors include Frosted Silver, Bright White, and Frosted Gold. She especially appreciates the simplicity of ordering custom frames through our website, making it easy to showcase her work with the finesse it deserves.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_KimKnoll_Art1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Kim Knoll Image 1\" class=\"wp-post-8402 wp-image-8403\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_KimKnoll_Art2-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"Kim Knoll Image 2\" class=\"wp-post-8402 wp-image-8404\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See More of Kim’s Work\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Discover Kim’s artistic fusion of urban energy and natural serenity at \u003Ca href=\"https://kimknoll.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KimKnoll.com\u003C/a>. In the \"Journal\" section, you can explore her creative process, from brand collaborations to her favorite mark-making tools. Kim’s \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kimknoll/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram\u003C/a> shares moments in nature that inspire her art as well as her first works on canvas (see her 5/3/24 post). Curious how Kim made the leap from graphic designer to full-time artist? Our Q&A below delves into that and more.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_KimKnoll_Portrait-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Kim Knoll Portrait\" class=\"wp-post-8402 wp-image-8405\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Kim Knoll…\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All I wanted to do as a kid was draw and color. I entered every coloring contest I could. I drew my own coloring books. I joined an extracurricular art school where I was trained in perspective and drawing, alongside art classes at public school. My high school art teacher said if I wanted to make a living doing art, I should be a graphic designer. I trusted his advice and forged a path in graphic design, graduating from a university with that degree. I spent the next 19 years as a professional graphic designer with 11 of those years leading my own branding and design studio. In 2016, I was working on a new branding project and wanted to use watercolor washes as a texture in their visual identity, so I bought the supplies and dove in. I was hooked — I loved everything about it! So, I bought more supplies and pursued painting as a personal project. At this same time, I was growing tired of sitting in a chair and staring at a screen all day. Within just a couple months, people were buying my paintings through social media. Knowing people wanted to buy them, my husband and I built a website for my paintings over a weekend. After splitting my time between painting and design for years, I was fortunate enough to choose painting as my full-time focus, so my husband and I closed the doors to our branding and design studio. I have no regrets!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>2. What role do you think the artist plays in society? \u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I think an artist's work reflects society. Everything the artist absorbs from their everyday life is captured in their art through emotions, depictions, expressions, concepts, etc. and it provides a mirror for people to feel, see, and contemplate their lives. There's a power in art that lets people connect with their feelings, fostering empathy and understanding and even change. Artists contribute to the evolution of culture and society by introducing fresh perspectives and challenging the status quo.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There are two pieces of advice that I often refer to. Here’s the first: \"Take the word 'new' out of your vocabulary.\" Since I've been trained as a graphic designer and lived it for so many years, it's ingrained in me to make something completely different and “new” each time. With branding, you can't ever repeat what you've done for someone else — ethically or legally. When I would finish a project, I would turn that part of my brain off and explore new directions, visuals, etc. With painting, it's the complete opposite. You want to continue down the same path and create pieces are familiar or have a thread that runs through them for a cohesive, consistent style. It's a struggle for me since I'm programmed to do the opposite. When I'm going to make a new painting, I no longer call it “new” in my mind, which helps me avoid feeling like I need to reinvent myself. I simply just make another painting. The second piece of advice is this: \"Create art that you would hang in your own home.\" Sometimes I can start heading in a direction that doesn't feel like me. It will have all the elements that I like or feel like other paintings I've done, but there will be something about it that isn’t right. I was on Instagram one day and an artist was talking about how they always hang their finished painting in their own home and live with it for a week or two before they sell it. It's such a simple and basic idea, but a light bulb went off for me. If I wouldn't hang it in my own home, then that's when I know I'm going down the wrong path and it's time to get back on course.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I'm a curious person who is mostly quiet, observing everything around me. Being a Scorpio, I also have a bit of an edge or a bite to me, ha ha. I think this is reflected in my work. I try to create contemporary paintings that are tranquil with an interesting take. Plus, the colors I use in all my paintings match my closet pretty spot on.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course! I usually get them when I've been focusing on the business side of things and haven't painted in a few weeks. The best way for me to overcome blocks is to study my past work and look at my folder of inspiration that I keep updated. It's like I have to submerge my brain in nothing but that for a couple days and get out my iPad to sketch ideas. When I'm really frustrated, I'll just throw some paint on the paper without any thought behind it, and then it becomes a fun challenge for me to figure out the next layer, and the next, until it's done.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My iPad Pro. It is such a big part of my process that I could never be without one. A lot of my creativity comes out on the iPad. It's a great way for me to explore ideas without committing to any of them. The iPad isn’t a precious piece of paper that I've taken the time to cut and stretch, and that allows me to have more freedom of expression without any fears of ruining it.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’ve been working on a large scale for a while, so I’m feeling the need to challenge myself and work on a collection of small paintings, around the size 8”x10”. I also want to explore more color schemes that are new to me, so I’ll be using this as an opportunity to do that. I’m not sure what the concept will be yet, but I’m sure it will come to me when I least expect it!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Black. It’s everything.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated August 20, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>From The Ritz-Carlton to Norwegian Cruise Lines, Kim Knoll’s work has found its way into some swanky locations. While her success as an artist came relatively quickly — within a year of pursuing painting — it was built on a solid foundation. The 19 years Kim spent as a graphic designer before turning to fine […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-08-20T10:39:19",[175],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":177,"label":155},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FD-Arties8Blog_KimKnoll_Hero2.jpg",{"id":179,"title":180,"uri":181,"content":182,"excerpt":183,"date":184,"categories":185,"image":187},"cG9zdDo4MzU2","Layered Humanity: Meet Visual Artist Laura Hunt","/arties-eight/laura-hunt-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Laura Hunt's artistic journey began at age 16 when she responded to a “Draw Me Talent Test” ad. After working as a graphic designer for 30 years, the native Texan now focuses on the human form as she explores the nuances of emotion through portraiture and figurative art. \u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Moments and Postures\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Laura starts her creative process by carefully observing daily life, capturing moments and postures in a small sketchbook. She uses a variety of reference materials, including posed sessions with friends, spontaneous snapshots, and vintage photographs. “Most Handsome Sophomore 1973” (above) is a painting from her series “The Yearbook Revisited,” depicting the dreams and angst of young people coming of age. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As Laura digitally edits photos to accentuate contrast and simplify shapes, those images become her new reference. She then applies layers of vibrant acrylic underpainting onto cradled wood panels, often incorporating patterned paper or torn maps for texture and depth. This foundation peeks through the final piece to enliven the composition. She further abstracts the subject by scraping paint across the surface, focusing on emotional resonance over visual fidelity.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Enter Frame Destination\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Laura really loves Frame Destination for our canvas floater frames. She found inspiration for her piece titled \"Family of Origin\" (below, right) from a family archive photo, using a muted palette to create a nostalgic feel. The vintage silver of our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/ck/canvas-floater-frame-f306.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canvas Floater Frame Optional Metallic Finish F306\u003C/a> visually complements the art. The other two works, “She’s Already Made Up Her Mind” and “Before I Knew Her” (below, left) are presented in our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/ck/canvas-floater-f536.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Natural Wood Grain Canvas Floating Frame F536\u003C/a>, the black frames enhancing the deep blacks of the paintings.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"849\" height=\"640\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FD-Arties8Blog_LauraHunt-Art1-1.jpg\" alt=\""family origin" piece and two additional portraits women\" class=\"wp-post-8356 wp-image-8361\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of Laura’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Discover Laura’s diverse portfolio at \u003Ca href=\"https://laurahuntart.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LauraHuntArt.com\u003C/a>, featuring Figures & Faces along with Contemporary Landscapes, Small Works, Large Works and more. For insight into her impactful collaboration with a local homeless coalition — and to learn which app she uses to create digital work — be sure to check out our Q&A section below.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"922\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FD-Arties8Blog_LauraHunt-Portrait-1024x922.jpg\" alt=\"Laura Hunt self portrait\" class=\"wp-post-8356 wp-image-8359\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Laura Hunt …\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My art career began at age 16 when I responded to a “Draw Me Talent Test,” an advertisement placed in a farm magazine by Art Instruction Schools in Minneapolis. I spent over 30 years as a graphic designer, although I managed to continue doing personal work in pastel portraiture, cut paper illustration, greeting card design, and textiles. During that time, I honed my design skills to market my clients’ businesses. My focus shifted in 2013 when I sold my business, affording me the time and space to concentrate on my fine art studio practice. Now, rather than creating to help market products and services, my purpose is to elevate the lives of those touched by my art. I work in acrylics, mixed, and digital media. My focus has been on contemporary figurative work, but I have recently added landscapes and still life to my repertoire.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2\u003Cem>. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I believe artists’ role in society is to reflect, interpret, comment on, and even confront the culture. In doing so, we spark meaningful conversations. The focus is up to individual artists; our unique sensibilities guide us in the direction that is most expressive for us. However, all voices have a place, and together, they are powerful.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I did not have the benefit of formal training nor exposure to museums, art books, or galleries in my youth. Back then, visual accuracy seemed like the sign of a good artist. I gradually outgrew that definition and realized that expressiveness, voice, and technique come uniquely from within each artist. Along the way, I heard this: “Be yourself and keep growing.” That advice has been transformative for me.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I need structure and spontaneity both inside and outside the studio. My paintings reflect those aspects of my personality. My choice of subjects reveals my interests and passions—human connections to each other and exploring the meaning of life through figurative paintings, landscapes, and meaningful objects.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I seldom have creative blocks. There are more ideas for paintings than I will ever be able to execute. Because of that, I can be overwhelmed by the choices before me. When that happens, I remember what a mentor once said: “Just pick something.” I must trust that whatever the choice, it’s the right one for that moment.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My iPad. It allows me to crop and manipulate an image and display it as a painting reference. I’ve also used it to test different solutions when encountering problems with an easel painting. I can photograph the painting in progress and then take it into Procreate to make adjustments that don’t impact the actual artwork. Procreate is also the app I use to create digital work.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I am passionate about projects that connect with the community. In 2022, I collaborated with Tarrant County Homeless Coalition to create 27 portraits of people who had recently been without shelter. I interviewed and photographed each subject. Then, I wrote their stories from the point of view of their own voices as best I could. The project culminated in \"Our Community, Our Neighbors,\" an exhibit that helped raise awareness about homelessness, raise funds, and connect viewers with the subjects. I am looking for another organization to partner with.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I’m color agnostic, but I do favor the warmer side of the color palette. I recently painted a still life/mixed media piece of a baby dress my mother had saved, taking the opportunity to work with variations of Peach Fuzz, Pantone’s 2024 color of the year. It was the ideal background for a very nostalgic piece. It’s good for me to try colors that I wouldn’t ordinarily use.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated July 1, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>Laura Hunt’s artistic journey began at age 16 when she responded to a “Draw Me Talent Test” ad. After working as a graphic designer for 30 years, the native Texan now focuses on the human form as she explores the nuances of emotion through portraiture and figurative art.  Moments and Postures Laura starts her creative […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-07-01T11:20:07",[186],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":188,"label":189},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FD-Arties8Blog_LauraHunt-Hero.jpg","Laura Hunt",{"id":191,"title":192,"uri":193,"content":194,"excerpt":195,"date":196,"categories":197,"image":199},"cG9zdDo4MzM3","Born of Land and Sea: Meet Photographer Charles “Dennis” McKelroy","/arties-eight/charles-dennis-mckelroy-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Charles “Dennis” McKelroy has been honing his love of nature for a lifetime. Spending his childhood summers scouting and camping, he worked as a sea captain for much of his adult life, traveling the world with a camera in hand. Along the way, he developed an appreciation for the outdoors that he continues to express through photography.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Soul-Soothing Scenery\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Dennis likes to say that he seeks a story around every corner. He believes that by consistently taking photos, he has begun to “see in pictures.” Beyond simply owning a camera, he says practice, patience, location research, and imagination are all required.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>He applies all those things to the wildlife and wide-open spaces that are frequent subjects of his work. Take \u003Cstrong>“Mull’s Ears”\u003C/strong> featured below. With its desert, mountains, and open skies, Big Bend National Park in west Texas holds a special place in his heart. The photo \u003Cstrong>“Thinking It Over,”\u003C/strong> shown above, is testimony to Dennis’s patience: How often do we see a hummingbird at rest?!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Roots in Film \u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the early days of his photography journey, Dennis worked with film, a medium that required meticulous attention to composition, lighting, and film exposure. The process was not without its challenges, including the cost and the anticipation of seeing the results only during the print phase. However, these hurdles only fueled his passion and deepened his understanding of photography, a knowledge that continues to shape his work today.  \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"638\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1687197819_1-4.jpeg\" alt=\"desert and mountains in black and white\" class=\"wp-post-8337 wp-image-8339\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of Dennis’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Explore this Texan's \u003Ca href=\"https://www.viewbug.com/member/captain_dennis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online portfolio\u003C/a> for a deeper dive into his color and black-and-white photography. From the serene marshes where osprey soar to windswept fields of sunflowers, his artistry is a testament to his curiosity in finding beauty in unexpected places. To learn more about his journey and his most indispensable tool, check out my Q&A with Dennis below.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie\u003C/strong>’\u003Cstrong>s Eight Q&A with Charles “Dennis” McKelroy…\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Right after high school in the 1970s, a friend introduced me to photography. My first camera, an Instamatic with tiny film negatives, grabbed my interest and imagination. I continued advancing from there, purchasing self-help and how-to books and taking a couple of correspondence and college courses in photography. My job had me traveling around America and other parts of the globe, always carrying a camera.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>2. How important is it for a photographer to \"connect\" with their subject?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Ansel Adam stated: \"You don't make a photograph with just a camera. You bring to photography all the pictures you have seen, books you have read, music you have heard, and people you have loved.\" To make the image work, one needs to understand how to capture the viewer's imagination by drawing them into the photograph. That is accomplished by understanding the laws of nature and the ability to see in pictures. One mentor put it this way: \"By constantly using the camera, one begins to see in pictures.\" This requires many hours of practice, patience, researching locations, and, of course, one's imagination.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I traveled to many exotic, remote locations while using film-based cameras. There were no redos, so capturing the moment with limited frames required understanding the medium of film and camera. In college, we worked with black-and-white film and learned to develop and print our photos. Those two experiences have elevated my understanding of a photograph's creation even as we entered the digital age.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My profession was a sea captain. The ability to think quickly on my feet while remaining vigilant in my surroundings has been an asset. I notice things that most people would not see — or would take for granted in their everyday surroundings. Plus, I have the patience to wait as a potential subject comes together.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yes. It usually involves viewing other photographers' work. Then, my imagination seeks out what may be within my grasp locally that might fill a void in my portfolio. I don't want to capture the same image; instead, I think of new possibilities.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The ability to use imaging software. My equipment is a professional Canon camera, and my imaging software is Photoshop with several plug-ins. I started with PS in the early '90s and have continued to advance using it as Adobe advanced their technology.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I am currently working on scanning early images taken using negative film and positive slide images. Recently, I have been putting together some local photographs as prints or to share as note cards.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What \"fad\" gadget do you most regret purchasing?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With the cost of photographic equipment, I've not purchased any \"fad\" gadgets. But I have invested in a few items that I have not yet gotten around to using. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated June 17, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-cover is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\u003Cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-100 has-background-dim\">\u003C/span>\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container\">\u003C/div>\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003C/h2>\n","\u003Cp>Charles “Dennis” McKelroy has been honing his love of nature for a lifetime. Spending his childhood summers scouting and camping, he worked as a sea captain for much of his adult life, traveling the world with a camera in hand. Along the way, he developed an appreciation for the outdoors that he continues to express […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-06-17T09:47:20",[198],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":200,"label":201},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FD-Arties8Blog_CharlesMcKelroy-Hero-4.jpg","Charles McKelroy hummingbird",{"id":203,"title":204,"uri":205,"content":206,"excerpt":207,"date":208,"categories":209,"image":211},"cG9zdDo4MjI0","City Tranquility: Meet Fine Art Photographer Eric Renard","/arties-eight/eric-renard-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>From city streets to Death Valley dunes, the fine art photography of Eric Renard covers a lot of ground. Lately, he has focused on capturing the City of Angels, where he currently lives, with an eye on poking fun at the ’80s tune “Walking in L.A.”\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Stroll, Saunter, Strut\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>If you know the song by Missing Persons, you’ll remember this verse: \"Nobody walks in L.A.\" Eric’s work by the same name shows us that, despite the car culture, Angelenos do move about the city on foot.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>“This black-and-white project focuses on high-contrast urban cityscapes that reflect an eerie sense of peace and tranquility,” Eric explains. For example, in “Circles & Stripes,” showcased above, sweeping architectural details tower above a lone man, conveying the motion of a journey on pause. In “Urbanity,” below, long shadows line the interior of a building in downtown L.A. while a man’s silhouette brings scale and life to the image.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Enter Frame Destination \u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>For his “Nobody Walks in L.A.” exhibits at the Sasse Museum of Art in Pomona, California, and TAG Gallery in Los Angeles, Eric framed his work in our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/wood-frame-profile-852.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Black Wood Photo Frame 852\u003C/a> with matte finish. This contemporary gallery-style frame complements a range of art and photos without overpowering the display. Eric also appreciates the quality of our frame construction, the vast selection, and our customer service. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FD-Arties8Blog_EricRenard-IMG1-1-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\""Urbanity" by Eric Renard\" class=\"wp-post-8224 wp-image-8227\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>“Urbanity” by Eric Renard.\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of Eric’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Discover an array of black-and-white, color, and “splash” photography at \u003Ca href=\"https://ericrenardphotography.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EricRenardPhotography.com\u003C/a>. Eric’s \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/renard_photo/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram feed\u003C/a> captures the character of urban environments and natural spaces, primarily in black-and-white. To find out which high school teacher’s advice he follows to combat creative blocks — spoiler alert: it’s not an art teacher — read my Q&A with Eric below. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"971\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FD-Arties8Blog_EricRenard-IMG2-1024x971.jpg\" alt=\"Eric Renard poses with his artwork\" class=\"wp-post-8224 wp-image-8228\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie\u003C/strong>’\u003Cstrong>s Eight Q&A with Eric Renard…\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My photographic journey began almost 50 years ago, documenting what I saw: my friends, family, and neighborhood. However, I didn’t embrace photography as a creative art form until many years later. I still find myself exploring with camera in hand, documenting my surroundings — the people, the light, and the shadows.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>2. How important is it for a photographer to \"connect\" with their subject?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I love what I do, but I think it’s more important for the viewer to connect with the subject than me.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Very simple. As French artist and photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson said, “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” In other words, keep shooting.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>We are polar opposites. My work is meticulous; I am not. My work is black and white; I am grey. My work is solitary with few people; I am usually in a crowd. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yes. I take the advice of my high school gym class coach: \"Walk it off.\" 🙂\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Walking shoes, my Mac, and a big monitor.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 1982, the song “Walking in L.A.,” by the new wave band Missing Persons, poked fun at Los Angeles for its dependence on cars — “Nobody walks in L.A.” Forty years later, the world may still think we don't walk much, but we do. We also saunter, stroll, and strut our stuff on bikes and scooters. This black-and-white project focuses on high-contrast urban cityscapes that reflect an eerie sense of peace and tranquility. Wrapped in our daily cocoon of routine, we obliviously move past cityscapes painted by light and shadows. In this series of images, we explore L.A.’s unique architecture — some of it is loved, some is hated, and some is completely unnoticed.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What \"fad\" gadget do you most regret purchasing?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Hmmm. Probably a mini tripod, which isn’t any more stable than hand held.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated April 9, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>From city streets to Death Valley dunes, the fine art photography of Eric Renard covers a lot of ground. Lately, he has focused on capturing the City of Angels, where he currently lives, with an eye on poking fun at the ’80s tune “Walking in L.A.” Stroll, Saunter, Strut If you know the song by […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-04-09T10:16:14",[210],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":212,"label":213},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FD-Arties8Blog_EricRenard-Hero-1.jpg","Eric Renard",{"id":215,"title":216,"uri":217,"content":218,"excerpt":219,"date":220,"categories":221,"image":223},"cG9zdDo4MjA0","Redemptive Resilience: Meet Visual Artist David Brady","/arties-eight/david-brady-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>Many people would prefer to forget their cancer experience, especially one that includes misdiagnoses, chemotherapy, radiation, and a terminal prognosis. But visual artist David Brady records — and redeems — his experience via sketchbook, imagination, and a ballpoint pen. \u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>“In the Pain Cave”\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>While going through stage 3 throat cancer, David chronicled his journey via hundreds of drawings and paintings. He used his sketchbooks to create the series “Into the Tunnel,” layering his artwork with such items as medical records and prescriptions. Because David believes art is a healing experience, he infuses this somber topic with threads of resilience, hope, and even humor.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Today, fully recovered and living near the mountains in Phoenix, Arizona, David is still using his art to bring attention to difficult subjects like the mental health crisis, creating psychological portraits of what he observes and feels as he explores the figure through collage, assemblage, oil, and drawing. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Enter Frame Destination\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The pen-on-paper piece featured above, titled “Nervous,” is part of the “Into the Tunnel” collection and is showcased in a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/c/nielsen-p117-metal-frame-in-black-with-white-mat.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">black Nielson P-117 frame\u003C/a> by Frame Destination. “Little Hero” below is a new work. David framed this oil, pen, and collage on canvas in our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/ck/canvas-floater-frame-f361-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">metallic bronze Canvas Floater Frame F342\u003C/a>, featuring a slight inward slope that draws the eye directly into this powerful piece.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/FD-Arties8Blog_DavidBrady-IMG1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"David holding one of his framed pieces, "Little Hero"\" class=\"wp-post-8204 wp-image-8206\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\"\u003Cem>Little Hero” displayed in Canvas Floater Frame F342.   \u003C/em>\u003Cbr>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of David’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>David’s website, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.bradyart.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BradyArt.com\u003C/a>, showcases his collections, new works, and publications, including a published graphic memoir of his cancer experience. Tune into his \u003Ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@bradyart1279\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube channel\u003C/a> for interviews and insights into his painting techniques. David’s company Brady Book Design helps turn people’s passions, adventures, and causes into personal publications. To discover his latest form of expression, read the Q&A below. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"827\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/FD-Arties8Blog_DavidBrady-IMG2-2-827x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8204 wp-image-8208\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with David Brady …\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, my mom sent me to another school every Friday so I could attend their art classes. She said I was better than the public school teacher and was bored to death. After leaving home as a teenager, I discovered the power of a sketchbook; over 90 sketchbooks later, they have become the center of my figurative universe. Although I took art figure drawing classes in college, I never felt connected to anything going on and abandoned it all altogether until I was nearly 30. It took me leaving my corporate job and leaning on my tiny savings to go at it full-time. Like most artists, it was about balancing making money and the time commitment required to do good work. Today, at 60, I am deeply rooted in my daily creative practice and am grateful to have never given up.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2\u003Cem>. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Art, like music, not only can inspire others to pursue meaningful truths but also educate society in new ways. The first day I encountered the power of the internet (1992), I immediately thought, \"Wow, artists can now not only present their work in their own voice, but they can also communicate with other artists all over the world; I wonder if we will see this opportunity.” When I saw Francis Bacon's \"Pope Innocent X,\" I realized for the first time that artists could make art about things they were upset or bothered by. Art could be used to talk about wrongs, inform the culture of its errors, and inspire others to tell the truth. While others painted familiar, safe, and already-seen things, I became fixated on \"the unseen\" people we marginalized. Suddenly, bringing awareness about mental health and other issues became part of my purpose to create. Through my touring installation of 100+ psychological portraits, \"The Mind Mask,\" and my graphic memoir, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.bradyart.com/shop-brady/publication-into-the-tunnel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\"Into the Tunnel,\"\u003C/a> I have raised awareness about several subjects.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Opportunities are created. Many of my relationships with professional creatives have yielded amazing conversations that have kept me going through the challenges of being a full-time artist. My best teaching experience was running a commercial gallery for years for a large company. I learned that whatever you do, whatever you make, be honest with intent, stick with your voice, and don't follow trends. The artist LeRoy Neiman once told me, \"The art world will turn on you in a minute and label you done. Follow your own voice and create your own world.\" I have learned that, in the end, it's about what you have left for the world to digest, what you've added to the history of art.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Well, I often get emails and texts asking, \"Are you okay? Did something bad happen?”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>People have given me business cards for shrinks and doctors and have even told me that their whole church was praying for me to stop making \"that art.\" So, some people have associated my paintings with me personally. I wondered, \"Do they think Stephen King has killed someone because of what he writes?\" I often work alone, like most artists, and most of my images are solo figures. I have done bodies of work based on something that has happened to me. (My \"Into the Tunnel\" exhibition and publication are about surviving cancer.) The reflection is based on the viewer and their state when seeing it.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Creative blocks do happen, and it's part of the process. After completing a body of work for an exhibition, the following weeks in the studio are often a bit flat. I continue to use my sketchbook and return to familiar music and traditional materials that slowly crank up my mind again. Sometimes, it is best to stay away from news, social media, etc., while resting my mind and doing fun, childlike experiments in the studio. In the end, the whole point is to have fun and be happy that you are alive.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Discarded ballpoint pens. You can find them on sidewalks, public places, and even banks (lol). With my sketchbook companion, these two elements are just about all one needs to record daily.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With process and materials being key in my work, I have recently moved away from line drawing and into mark making. This slight adjustment to tap the pencil on the canvas or paper rather than move lyrically has opened a whole new form on my canvas, an entirely new way to express. With about 10 drawings and a few paintings in this mark-making, I am fully focused on its possibilities and new languages.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Currently, yellow. Hope is a theme in most of my work, which often portrays a sense of loss or stagnation; yellow represents hope to me.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated March 13, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>Many people would prefer to forget their cancer experience, especially one that includes misdiagnoses, chemotherapy, radiation, and a terminal prognosis. But visual artist David Brady records — and redeems — his experience via sketchbook, imagination, and a ballpoint pen.  “In the Pain Cave” While going through stage 3 throat cancer, David chronicled his journey via […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-03-13T09:31:17",[222],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":224,"label":225},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/FD-Arties8Blog_DavidBrady-Hero.jpg","David Brady",{"id":227,"title":228,"uri":229,"content":230,"excerpt":231,"date":232,"categories":233,"image":235},"cG9zdDo4MTYz","A Finer Point: Meet Colored Pencil Artist Diane Simmons","/arties-eight/diane-simmons-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>First, it was showing horses. Later, it was raising kids. After several decades of deferring her classical art education, Diane Simmons now happily portrays pets, wildlife, and people with colored pencils. She even found a way to keep her new favorite medium from fading.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\"\u003Cstrong>Pugs and Pencils\u003C/strong>\"\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When Diane returned to creating art, she wasn’t keen on the messy oils she used in college. Fortunately, she stumbled upon a renowned colored pencil artist, Bonny Snowdon, who taught Diane techniques for wielding the precise medium. Now Diane uses photo references and applies her colored pencil skills to create detailed renderings of animals ranging from bunnies to bobcats and poodles to penguins.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Glass for the Win\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Diane created “Wolf,” showcased above, during a tutorial by Bonny Snowdon Academy using a photo by Susan Richardson. She framed the piece in Frame Destination’s contemporary \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/c/angular-blue-wood-picture-frame-p435.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Angular Blue Wood Picture Frame P435\u003C/a>. Below, her “Descent” drawing of a leopard is displayed in our Silver Picture Frame Nielsen 117A, a classic, gallery-style frame inspired by the Bauhaus movement of the 1900s.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Because colored pencil art can tend to grow pale over time, the right framing glass is key. “I love that Frame Destination offers \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/sh/tru-vue-conservation-clear-glass.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tru Vue Conservation Clear Glass\u003C/a> (formerly UV Filter ArtGlass 99). It is essential to keep colored pencil [artwork] from fading,” Diane says. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"941\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FD-Arties8Blog_DianeSimmons-IMG1-DL-941x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Cheetah drawing on tree trunk\" class=\"wp-post-8163 wp-image-8172\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>“Descent,” showcased in our Nielsen Profile 117A.\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of Diane’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Lions and tigers and bears are all on display at \u003Ca href=\"https://www.animalcreationsbydiane.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AnimalCreationsByDiane.com\u003C/a>, her Facebook page by the same name, and \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pugsandpencils33/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pugsandpencils33\u003C/a> on Instagram. You’ll also discover adorable pets and farm animals and get a peek at her people portraits. See my Q&A below to reveal Diane’s secret for adding interest to shading in her colored pencil art.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"862\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FD-Arties8Blog_DianeSimmons-IMG2_DL-862x1024.jpg\" alt=\"white tiger above bed\" class=\"wp-post-8163 wp-image-8169\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>Diane’s studio mates in the foreground, White Tiger colored pencil drawing on the wall, displayed in Frame Destination\u003C/em>\u003Cbr>\u003Cem> \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/metal-profile-2.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gallery Style Black Metal Picture Frame 2\u003C/a> in matte black.\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Diane Simmons…\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I majored in art at UCLA and UCSB in the 1970s but put that on hold when I got involved with riding and showing horses. Everything was put on hold when I got married and started a family. The only art I did during those years was when my kids needed help with a school project! Recently, my daughter was going to buy a custom portrait of her cat on Etsy, and I said, \"Let me try to do it.\" I went to a local art store and purchased some pastels because I needed more time to fill my workspace with all the tools and supplies required for oil paints, my preferred medium at the time. I gradually shifted from pastels to colored pencils. Granted, it's a very slow medium, but very satisfying!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2\u003Cem>. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I believe God put creativity in all of us. As artists, we bring beauty into people's lives.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The best advice I've received as a colored pencil artist is to trust the process. Sometimes, pictures look like they aren't working, and I am tempted to throw them away. But as I continue to layer the colors, I usually am happy with them.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I love animals, people, and color!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Since I work from photographs, creative blocks aren’t a problem. The real issue is finding time to do every picture I want to do!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Kneadable erasers, Tombow erasers, Magic tape, and slice tool.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I am starting to do portraits of people, not just animals. Drawing people was my passion in art school. I've started with my family to get a feel for which colored pencils to use before I offer commissions.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I love using split complementary colors in shading. It adds more interest than just black.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"534\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FD-Arties8Blog_DianeSimmons-ByLine-1024x534.jpg\" alt=\"Diane Simmons image\" class=\"wp-post-8163 wp-image-8165\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated February 13, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>First, it was showing horses. Later, it was raising kids. After several decades of deferring her classical art education, Diane Simmons now happily portrays pets, wildlife, and people with colored pencils. She even found a way to keep her new favorite medium from fading. “Pugs and Pencils” When Diane returned to creating art, she wasn’t […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-02-13T14:15:23",[234],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":236,"label":237},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FD-Arties8Blog_DianeSimmons-Hero.jpg","Diane Simmons Pencil Artist",{"id":239,"title":240,"uri":241,"content":242,"excerpt":243,"date":244,"categories":245,"image":247},"cG9zdDo4MTIy","Urban Abstractions: Meet Photographer & Architect Alan Chimacoff","/arties-eight/alan-chimacoff-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>One look at Alan Chimacoff’s photographs and it’s obvious that his architecture career shapes his work. Fascinated by everyday urban landscapes, this Princeton, New Jersey, photographer explores the real and illusory space of the manmade world — revealing humanity’s presence despite the absence of people in his photography. \u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Geometric Cohesion\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As Alan captures city life through buildings, objects, manufacturing, and urban neglect, one great unifier ties his body of work together: geometric structure. For example, in “Facade Floated” shown above, a sunlit south-facing glass building is reflected in the opposite north-facing glass building. In “Ceiling” below, light plays tricks while solids and voids reverse. The depths of raw steel and the artifacts of weather exposure are revealed in “Steel 9,” also below. Each photograph showcases repeated lines and shapes, creating what Alan would call an \"abstracted reality.\"\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\"I am interested in the uninteresting and seek the unusual in the ordinary, finding the world around me a visual fascination,\" Alan says.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The Frame and the Pouch\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Alan’s current frame of choice is our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/nielsen-profile-117.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nielsen Metal Frame Profile 117\u003C/a> in bright white. He framed “Ceiling” in this particular frame for an exhibition at Soho Photo Gallery in New York City. “Everything I have ever purchased from Frame Destination comes hermetically sealed, with almost never a speck of dust,” Alan says. He’s also a fan of the \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/ctg/photo-storage/gallery-pouch.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GalleryPouch™\u003C/a>, our heavy-duty, reusable art protector: “I have re-packed a show in an hour that would have taken a day, thanks to this amazing invention!”\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FD-Arties8Blog_AlanChimacoff-Ceiling-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\""Ceiling" framed in Nielsen Profile 117\" class=\"wp-post-8122 wp-image-8124\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>“Ceiling,” framed in our slender metal Nielsen Profile 117.\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FD-Arties8Blog_AlanChimacoff-Steel9-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\""Steel 9" imprints from manufacturing process\" class=\"wp-post-8122 wp-image-8125\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>“Steel 9” reveals imprints from the manufacturing process. \u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of Alan’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Explore the galleries of Alan’s website, \u003Ca href=\"http://chimacoff.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chimacoff.com\u003C/a>, to view an artistic contrast of New York and LA (in his Bi-Coastal gallery), the softer side of “hard-hearted” steel (Steel Evocations), and the visual intrigue of fleeting moments (Ephemera). To discover the tools he cherishes the most and what stops him from buying fad gadgets, read my Q&A with Alan below. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with Alan Chimacoff…\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>At 8 years old, I was fascinated by pictures and cameras. I started a photography club with two friends in fifth grade.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>2. How important is it for a photographer to \"connect\" with their subject?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>It varies with the subject, but it is essential that the photographer bring the subject into intense \"focus\" to reveal it.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A genius friend in our little photography club helped me understand that there is meaning in pictures beyond what is depicted!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I am essentially about visual things — finding the unusual in the usual and normative, the anomalies in the obvious — and I believe my pictures reflect that. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Yes, I get them. The only ways I have discovered to overcome them is to work, work, work my way through the block and to look for unfamiliar subjects to photograph.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My eyeballs. And Photoshop Elements!\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The goal of depicting space continues to consume me — the actual space between things, and the imaginary space that exists “phenomenally” in two-dimensional images.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What \"fad\" gadget do you most regret purchasing?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I am inherently a cheapskate. So, lucky me, I don't buy fad gadgets. I’ve certainly made some stupid purchases, but they weren't fad gadgets. Some were expensive, and I hope I learned lessons from the stupidity.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"534\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FD-Arties8Blog_AlanChimacoff-ByLine-1024x534.jpg\" alt=\"Alan Chimacoff\" class=\"wp-post-8122 wp-image-8126\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated January 15, 2024\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>One look at Alan Chimacoff’s photographs and it’s obvious that his architecture career shapes his work. Fascinated by everyday urban landscapes, this Princeton, New Jersey, photographer explores the real and illusory space of the manmade world — revealing humanity’s presence despite the absence of people in his photography.  Geometric Cohesion As Alan captures city life […]\u003C/p>\n","2024-01-15T10:10:57",[246],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":248,"label":249},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FD-Arties8Blog_AlanChimacoff-Hero.jpg","Alan Chimacoff",{"id":251,"title":252,"uri":253,"content":254,"excerpt":255,"date":256,"categories":257,"image":259},"cG9zdDo4MDQ3","Midwest Modern: Meet Contemporary Acrylic Artist John Chehak","/arties-eight/john-chehak-spotlight","\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>When John Chehak graduated with a degree in pharmacy, he couldn’t have guessed that 25 years later he would become a professional artist. Now, as he travels to juried fine art fairs throughout the Midwest, this acrylic artist blends playful, colorful creativity with sensible decisions around framing and production.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Marshmallow Clouds\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>One magazine editor described John as a “mid-century style artist, a cubist, a minimalist reminiscent of Braque and Picasso.” His vibrant, graphic paintings fit that description well. “The Road Home” (above), from what he calls his “Marshmallow Series,” and “What the Forest Does at Night” (below) both exemplify his talent for simplifying shapes to achieve a distinct look. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Framing Streamlined\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>John uses acrylic paint on canvas and archival paper. Because his goal is to showcase his paintings without the distraction of multiple frame styles, he has streamlined the framing process. John cuts his own mats and backing board to keep production costs low. “But for the highest accuracy and larger size capabilities, I order all my [framing supplies] from Frame Destination,” says the artist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>John has purchased the same frame and mat from Frame Destination since 2012: our slender metal \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/frame/nielsen-profile-117.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nielsen Profile 117\u003C/a> in black and our \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/prod/c/papermat-wc-4ply-full-sheet.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PaperMat Mat Board 4Ply\u003C/a>. His glazing of choice is our shatter-resistant Standard Acrylic 1/10 Inch, and when he orders a backing board, it’s our lightweight Regular Foam Mounting Board 3/16 Inch.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1294\" height=\"682\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FD-Arties8Blog_JohnChehak-Art2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-post-8047 wp-image-8111\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>See More of John’s Work\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Go to John’s \u003Ca href=\"https://www.easelwork.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website\u003C/a> to see his art organized into galleries such as My Birds, Urban Crowding, Landscapes, and Architecture. You can shop prints, original art, a coffee table book, and mugs featuring his work. He also posts his paintings on \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/johnchehak/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram\u003C/a>. To discover his views on perfectionism and his future professional goals, see my Q&A with John below.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FD-Arties8Blog_JohnChehak-Art3-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"John receiving award for artwork\" class=\"wp-post-8047 wp-image-8050\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"/>\u003Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u003Cem>John, here with Amy Amdur of Amdur Productions, received the “Outstanding Achievement” award at the 2018 Lincolnshire Illinois Art Fair for this painting from his My Birds series.\u003C/em>\u003C/figcaption>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Now for Artie’s Eight Q&A with John Chehak…\u003C/strong>\u003C/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>1. What is your background; how did you get started?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As a kid, I could always paint or draw, but I never took drawing seriously or considered it a future profession. In the late ’60s and early ’70s, I attended the University of Iowa and, in 1973, received my degree in Pharmacy. That was just the start of many careers. My mother had a severe stroke in 1991, and my father died in 1995 at age 70. Subsequently, I moved into my current home with my two daughters to help care for my mother. I remarried in 1998 to my wife, Deborah. That’s when I started painting professionally. At first, I painted furniture, then switched to paper and canvas. In 1999, Peppertree Studios Art Gallery offered me my first professional show. My paintings at that time were dark in color and tone. Over the years, my style evolved to bold and bright colors of original subject matter. In 2012, my wife and I started selling at regional, juried fine art fairs, and still do. We travel in a 250-mile radius from our home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, most notably to Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Evanston, Madison, and other Midwestern cities. I’ve developed a broad range of styles — a little something for everybody. I work hard to create new styles and subject matter. Sometimes, creations are just accidents. I often start with a palette knife and make a simple black line across the middle of the paper. The inspiration follows. People often ask me how long it takes to paint a picture. I refer to Pablo Picasso’s answer: “a lifetime.” Painting is the process and evolution, not the result. The result, to me, is someone enjoying and hanging the painting. \u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2\u003Cem>. What role do you think the artist plays in society?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Artists of all ages provide the public with various emotional triggers: happiness, sadness, anger, envy, admiration, stimulation, encouragement, etc. After 20 years of painting and 13 years of doing regional art fairs, I have learned that everyone has different likes and dislikes with an artistic presentation. It's not a simple yes or no answer to the question, \"Do you like this art?\" Opinions are not right or wrong. Even professional artists have their favorites and not-so-favorite pieces. From the creativity of subject matter to the selection of media to the choice of tools used, the possibilities are exponential in concept and execution. We truly are all artists, whether we know it or not.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>3. What has been a formative experience or the best advice you’ve received within your career?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Try not to be a perfectionist and realize that everyone expresses their artistic capabilities differently. Don't try to paint like anyone else. We all have our own style and capabilities — own yours. Practice does NOT make perfect. It just opens another door.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>4. In what ways does your work reflect your personality?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I like to think my artwork is creative and fun to look at. I want to enjoy my own work, and I am overjoyed when someone else likes my art.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>5. Creative blocks, do you get them? If so, how do you overcome them?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course. Realize that a temporary block means you are simply seeking new creative styles and embellishments.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>6. What is your most indispensable tool? (Not counting the obvious, like paints, brushes, canvas, camera, etc.)\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>My mind.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>7. Do you have a new project you are working on, or a new passionate idea?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As I get older, I want to extend my creative reach through various media presentations, art presentations, invitational lectures, and speaking engagements.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>\u003Cem>8. What is your favorite color to incorporate into your art?\u003C/em>\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>I love all my children.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"534\" src=\"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FD-Arties8Blog_JohnChehak-ByLine-1024x534.jpg\" alt=\"Contemporary acrylic artist\" class=\"wp-post-8047 wp-image-8051\"/>\u003C/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\">\u003C/div>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>All artwork and/or photographs used in this post are subject to copyright held by the featured artist.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>ARE YOU READY FOR THE SPOTLIGHT?\u003C/strong> Simply respond to the questionnaire \u003Ca href=\"https://www.framedestination.com/interviewform\">here\u003C/a> to apply to be included in an upcoming Artie’s Eight Spotlight.\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Last Updated December 20, 2023\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\n\n\u003Cstyle>.blog-post img {max-width:100%; height:auto;}\n.has-fixed-layout {width:300px;margin:20px 0;}\ntable, th, td {\n  border: 1px solid black;\n}\n\u003C/style>\n","\u003Cp>When John Chehak graduated with a degree in pharmacy, he couldn’t have guessed that 25 years later he would become a professional artist. Now, as he travels to juried fine art fairs throughout the Midwest, this acrylic artist blends playful, colorful creativity with sensible decisions around framing and production. Marshmallow Clouds One magazine editor described […]\u003C/p>\n","2023-12-20T13:10:31",[258],{"name":140,"slug":152},{"url":260,"label":261},"https://frameblog.framedestination.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FD-Arties8Blog_JohnChehak-Hero.jpg","John Chehak artist"]