Artist Interview with Shirley A. McElhaney

Shirley A. McElhaney

Kinsman, OH

At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist?

     Always

What medium do you prefer to work in?

     I am a mixed media artist, but currently love working with caustics.

Favorite food.

     I have several favorites, among them pasta.

Favorite color.

     Tangerine, lime, seafoam.

Favorite musical artist.

     Rod Stewart

How old were you when you started making art?

     I remember creating art at five years old.

Where would you like to visit?

     Wow!  Cuba, Iceland, Italy, and France... and here in the USA.

Where do you get your inspiration?

     Everything is an inspiration, the air, the clouds, my Susie Q, people, colors.

What do you do when you get artist's block?

     In my studio, I'll read or go for a walk.  Sometimes just "be".

Who is your favorite artist?

     Wow!  That's a hard one.  There are so many--- and each for a different reason.

What is your favorite painting?

     "The Kiss" is one, but I have more than one favorite.

What is your favorite sculpture?

     David

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

     Attorney Craig H. Neuman.  He has supported every single thing I have done since 1972 and given me guidance.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

     My personality is so varied, that could change within the hour, but at this moment it would be Jackson Pollock or Ernest Hemingway.

Where can we see some of your work?

     I am currently represented by two galleries: The Sandpiper Gallery in the Historic Bridge District, Ashtabula, OH and 
Gallery 29, 146 E. State Street, Winner Arts and Cultural Center, Sharon, PA.  I also currently have "The Solace" and "The Art of Healing" exhibit at The Hoyt Institute and Center for the Arts, Leasure Ave., New Castle, PA.  I also have six pieces in The Rochester Contemporary Center for the Arts, 6X6x2013 Annual Exhibit, Rochester, NY.  I have thirteen pieces at the Tanique Gallery in New Zealand.  There's a handmade memoir book, entitled "A Memoir~Bits and Pieces And Random Thoughts" for exhibit at the Brooklyn Library of Art in NY.   "Dreaming Italy" is in the Annual National Collage Society's Post Card Exhibit in Kent, OH this year.  I have three pieces that will be in the Chautauqua Institution's Annual Visual Art's Exhibit August 4 - 21, 2013.  I also have an solo exhibit at the Geneva Lodge, date to be announced.     

What advise would you give someone who aspired to be an artist?

     Just do it!  Don't even think about whether  you think it's good or not -- your art is you!!!

Are you available for Speaking Engagements?

     Yes, and I conduct a class, "Discovering and Rediscovering Your Creative Self."  And I am also booking solo exhibits for 2014.

Website?

     http:www.ShirleyAMaElhaneyStudio.com.
     My blog is there, called "One Artist's Journey."

Facebook?
     
     Yes, both a personal profile and a studio page.  Also LinkedIN.  And online exhibit at New York Artists Online under mixed media.

ROCK DREAMS

 

 

   
                                             "Diamond Dogs"  album cover for David Bowie

One of my all time favorite books of art portrays the world of rock musicians in a somewhat surrealistic vein.  ROCK DREAMS, a stunningly illustrated book by Guy Peellaert, is a melding of the worlds of art and music that excites the eye.  The book was a collaboration with Nik Cohn, a British rock journalist.  It sold over 1 million copies the year after it was published in 1973.

Peellaert was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1934.  He was a prolific artist, painter, illustrator, comic artist, and photographer.  Prior to debuting as a theater decorator and comic strip artist he studied fine arts in Belgium.  Much of his work was inspired by pop culture, film noir, pulp literature, and psychedelic art.  His illustrations celebrated and exaggerated the rebel heritage of pop music and particularly, rock and roll.  His style of painting was very photorealistic and he often used pastels in his work.  A number of his creations spawned controversy because of their explicit images that were subsequently "cleaned up" for public consumption.

Guy Peellaert was most notably recognized for  his rock album covers after the huge success of Rock Dreams.  To his credit, he designed covers for David Bowie, Etienne Daho, The Rolling Stones,Lio, and others.  Also included in his resume are posters he designed for films like "Taxi Driver", "Paris, Texas",  and "Short Cuts".

Featured second from top, is the album cover for Bowie's record "Diamond Dogs"  (my favorite)  This particular design had to have the genitalia of the half dog, half Bowie creature airbrushed out of the original work.

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Now, remember, to be eligible to win one of the many varied prizes we offer, you need to comment and leave a name, so we can reach you if you've won.  In May we awarded an ebook by me and a beautiful art card created by Parker.  Wait until you see what we have planned for July!
                                                
                                                           Hugs,
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THE ART OF CARICATURE

        Marilyn Monroe                                                                 David Tennant                                                                         Amy Winehouse


Wikipedia defines a caricature as "a rendered image showing the features of it's subject in a simplified or exaggerated way."  It is the satirical illustration of a person or thing, differntiating it from a cartoon, which is a satrical illustration of an idea.

The Italian word "caricare", to change or load, is where the term originated.  In essence, a caricature is a "loaded portrait".  According to one source at the School of Visual Arts, the term only refers to representations of real-life people that possess objective sets of physiognomic features to draw upon for reference.  In plain speak, it doesn't apply to inanimate objects like cars and coffee mugs.

Leonardo da Vinci was one of the earliest creators of caricatures..  He used people with deformities as models for the purpose of creating a work more striking than a normal portrait.

One of the first known books on caricature drawing was from the 18th cnetury.  Mary Darly's "A Book of Caricatures",  was published in England in 1762.

British caricaturist, Ted Harrison said, "Drawing caricatures can simply be a form of entertainment and amusement - in which case gentle mockery is in order - or the art can be employed to make a serious social or political point.  A caricaturist draws on 3 aspects.

1)  The natural characteristics of the subject (long nose, big ears)
2)  The acquired characteristics (stoop, scars, facial lines)
3)  The vanities  (hair style, spectacles, expressions, and mannerisms)

Simplifying or exaggerating these characteristics comprises each image and portrays a different dimension of the person or object.

NOTABLE CARICATURISTS

Thomas Nast (1840 - 1902)  Famous American artist considered to be the father of political cartooning.  He is credited with creating the symbols of American political parties - the Democrat donley and the Republican elephant.

Al Hirschfield  (1903 - 2003)  American artist revered for his renditions of celebrities and Broadway stars, as well as politicians, singers, and musicians.  Collections of his work can be found at the Metroplitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Matt Drucker  (1929 -     )  American who gained fame for parodying movie satires.  He's contributed countless covers for Time Magazine and is recognized for his work with the National Cartoonist Society.

Featured above are three of my favorite caricatures.

Author Interview with Sandra Capicotti

                                                              Sandra Capicotti

Jupiter, FL

What have you written?

      Mainly fan fiction, some episode synopses for a television program, articles for a forum newsletter, and an article for a fandom’s magazine. 

What is your favorite genre to write?
   
      Science Fiction

Favorite food.

     Mexican definitely, or anything spicy, like Cajun or Thai.  I really like almost any food but when I crave a snack, it's always cheese, peanut butter, or chocolate that I reach for.

Favorite color.

     Purple.  I like all shades, but deep amethyst (like my birthstone) or royal purple are the shades I'm drawn to most.  Fuchsia also catches my eye.

Where would you like to visit?

     Santorini, Greece.  Havent been there yet, but I hear the views are spectacular.

Favorite musical artist.

     Josh Groban, Lady Gaga, Pink... there are more, but I can't think of them right now.  I also adore James Horner's musical scores.  They've encompassed every type of atmosphere from the Titanic to the Starship Enterprise.

How old were you when you started writing? 

     I was probably in my 30s when I made my first serious attempt, but I began writing for my high school newspaper. ☺

Where do you get your inspiration?

     From brilliant characters who have as much heart as they do courage and tenacity. Their selflessness and intelligence spur me on.

What do you do when you get a writer's block? 
     
     Try to eliminate the cause if possible so I can get back to focusing on the story.

Who is your favorite author? 
     
     Michael Crichton. I love how he mixes technology with suspense and horror.

Best book you ever read.  

     1984 by George Orwell

Who is the one person who has influence your personal life the most and why? 
     
     Hard to pick one. My music teacher in high school for believing in me, my sister-in- law for giving me a life changing book and a certain actor for giving me the courage to go for it (acting) and for showing me that nothing is impossible.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why? 

     The Doctor (Doctor Who). He’s hundreds of years old, has seen all the best and worst the universe has to offer and refuses to stop believing in the goodness of others. He’s an eternal optimist who brings out the best in people and he never, EVER, gives up. He’s also probably the smartest man in existence.  Even though I could never keep up with him, I’d love the chance to try. ☺

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer? 

     Write what you know and what you FEEL. Don’t let anyone’s personal opinion deter you or make you feel your writing is not worth it!

INSPIRATION ERTE

                                                     "Erte-esque II"  by Parker Kaufman

                                                            "On The Avenue"  by Erte


He was born Romain de Tirtoff on November 23, 1892, but the Russian-born French artist is more widely know by the pseudonym, ERTE.  The name was derived from the French pronunciation of his intiials, R T.  He was an immensely talented artist/designer who excelled at many crafts such as graphic arts, costume design, fashion, and jewelry.

In the early 1900's he lived in Paris where he pursued his passion to become a designer.  One of his first jobs was with Harper's Bazaar Magazine, launching his career as an illustrator.  Over a 22 year period he designed more than 200 covers for Bazaar and his work appeared in other periodicals such as Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, and Vogue.

Working in the Art Deco era, his fashion designs captured the elegance of that period.  Erte's designs are instantly recognizable by the delicate figures and sophisticated glamour, and still influence fashion into the 21st century.

He designed costumes and sets for the Ziegfield Follies of 1923  and Follies Bergere.  Erte made his Hollywood debut when Louis B Mayer commissioned him to design costumes and sets for the silent film Paris.  Undoubtedly his best known image is "Symphony In Black", featuring a tall, slender woman draped in black with a thin black dog on a leash.

Erte worked continually throughout his life, enjoying a major resurgance of interest in his work during the Art Deco revival of the 1960's.  He went on to create elegant bronze sculptures and wearable art.  Sizeable collections of his work can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I created the Erte-esque piece shown at the top, inspired by Erte's bronze sculpture "On The Avenue."  (shown below it)

"Erte-esque II"  by Parker Kaufman is a 12 x 12 inch composition of cardstock, computer images,and Prisma-color pencil.

SNEAK PREVIEW: An Excerpt from my next book

An Excerpt from LORD OF BLAKELEY, my new book coming out this summer.

“Lord Andrew!  Come quick!  We’re being attacked!  There is a regiment of Bishopites on Blakeley soil.  Up on the hill!  They’re burning our crops.  They’re chopped down our fruit trees,” Jacob cried out.

“Aleese, listen to me very carefully.  Go to the wine cellar and lock yourself in.  You’ll be safe there.  I’ll be back as soon as possible.  Stay in there and do not come out until I come and get you.  This is very important.  Do you understand me?”

Aleese nodded and Andrew ran out and mounted, riding out in front of his army to find and do battle with the Bishopites.

“Carmine!” called Andrew, “Are you SURE they are the Bishopites?  How the hell did they get here?  We dismantled and buried the transport dock.  They have no way back here!  They cannot be the Bishopites.”

“One came down and announced to us that he was a Bishopite and they were here to steal our food, chop down our trees, and burn the rest of our farmlands.  That’s all we know.”

      Just then a man jumped on Andrew out of nowhere and they both were blown up in a cloud of dust with a thunderous crash.  Bodily debris flew in the air.  Immediately all the Bishopites up on the hill disappeared.

The stunned Blakeley army, in shock over the loss of their beloved leader, searched the area for any sign of Lord Andrew.  Sadly they returned to the village.. 

“He blew them all up!  Somehow, our Andrew, our Lord of Blakeley, managed to blow up all the Bishopites.  To save our land.  To save our food, our crops.  To save US.  He is a hero.  The bravest man in all of Blakeley,” said Carmine crying.

They rode home in silence

“Jared, somebody has to tell her.  I don’t want to do it.”

“Carmine, you have to do it.  She likes you.  You’re closer to her than any of the rest of us.”

“Yes, I am!  And that’s why I don’t want to tell her!  She’ll hate me if I bring her the news of his death.”

“No!  She won’t.  She’ll be broken-hearted because she truly loves him.  She’ll sob and cry.  And then, she’ll probably go back to Havenhill.  She only stayed here with us because of Andrew, to be with him.”

Carmine dismounted and walked into the Manor House.

“Lord Andrew has been killed in battle.  He died saving the rest of us.  He… He was the bravest man we have ever seen in all our lives.  Where is Lady Aleese?”

“She has locked herself in the wine cellar, as Lord Andrew commanded.”

Carmine turned and went down to the cellar.  He knocked on the door.

“Lady Aleese, it’s Carmine.  Come out.”

“Where is Drew?”

“Lady Aleese?  Please, come out,” he begged.  “I need to talk to you.  It’s about Andrew.  He… he’s been…”

She unlocked the door and came out.  She saw the look on his sad tear-stained face.  He didn’t have to say another word.  She knew.

“NO!  NO!” she cried, falling on the floor.  “NO!  Do not tell me he is dead!  NO!”

“I’m so sorry, Lady Aleese.  He died saving all of us, our land, our crops, our food.  Oh, he was so incredibly brave, My Lady!  He was majestic, even!  He managed to blow them all up.  Unfortunately he was in the middle of that explosion.”

“NO!  I feel in my heart that my beloved Drew is not dead!”

“I saw it with my own eyes.  I saw him… get blown up.”

“No.  It cannot be.  Go away, Carmine.  I wish to be alone.”

“I understand you want to be alone.  But, please, let me help you up to your room.  Your ladies can take care of you upstairs.  You don’t want to stay down here in the cellar by yourself.”

“Drew told me to stay here and wait for him to come and get me.  And I’m staying right here.  I’m waiting for him to come and get me.  Go away.”

“But Lady Aleese…”

“GO THE HELL AWAY!!!”  She threw a wine bottle at him.  It crashed to the floor.

Carmine nodded and backed away from her.  She slumped back against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor, screaming and sobbing. 

“Come for me, Drew!  Please, My Love, come for me.  I don’t want to go on without you.  You told me to stay here and wait until you came for me.  I’ll wait for you, Drew.  I’ll wait right here.  Come for me, My Love.  Please, come for me.”  She cried some more and soon cried herself to asleep on the cold cellar floor.

She heard something, someone walking on the broken glass from the wine bottle on the floor.  A shadowy figure approached her.

“Drew?  Drew, My Darling!  I knew you would come for me!  I knew you wouldn’t desert me.  Drew!”  She reached for him.  The shadowy figure reached out and grabbed her tightly.  The light caught a silvery glint from his wristband.  They both disappeared.

Episode Thirty-Two Enter Jakson Blake

Episode Thirty-Two   Enter Jakson Blake

    “Okay, let’s nap.  Come here and let’s cuddle up in the middle of this giant frilly…”

    “Princess,” interrupted Justin at the door, “your father needs to see you right now, alone, please.  The gentleman is to stay here.”

    “Oh, all right.  Jaks, stay here, Honey.  Don’t worry.  I trust Justin.  He’s my friend.  He’ll make sure you’re safe.  I won’t be long.  You can warm up the bed if you want,” she winked and gave him a light kiss on the lips.  She left the room, turning to Justin.

    “Please see that he’s safe, Justin.”

    “Sam, I’m coming with you.  THEY’LL stand guard to make sure he stays, uh, in there.” He nodded to two armed guards who took their place on the door.

    “Father, what is it?”

    “We have had a very interesting turn of events, My Child,” he smiled.  “Guards!”  The guards escorted Jakson Blake into the room.

    “Samantha,” he called out, reaching for her. She ran to him.  They hugged and kissed.  “Samantha, I’ve been so bloody worried.  Are you okay, My Dear?  Did they hurt you?”  He held her arms up and looked her over.  “Where’ve you been?  Where are we?  Who are these people?  Why are you all dressed up like a cupcake?  Who’s the old bloke?  He’s not forcing you into anything, is he?  Oh, these third world countries and their unfathomable ancient ritualistic customs!  Some bizarre sexual role-playing?  You’re the cake and he’s the fork?”

    “Jakson,” she giggled.  “No.  I…”  The king approached the couple.  Jakson stood in front of Samantha and faced the King.

    “This woman is my wife, Sir.  She is not your cupcake.  And you’ll have to go through me to get to her.”

    “Oh, it’s fun time, dearie,” said the king, brandishing the remote.  “Bella, stand back.”  The king removed his finger from the button, arming the device.

    “I’ll have you know…” Jakson gasped and fell to the ground unconscious.

    “Look!  Another Jakson Blake!  How many of them ARE there?  This one came strolling in through the mirror in the basement, bold and smiling, handsomely dressed, as big and grand as you please, a true gentleman this one, with a photo of you in his hand, and asked the guards with impeccable manners if anybody had seen his beautiful wife, Samantha Blake.  And so calm!  So cool!  Do you believe it?  This one has class, and confidence, and, and big dragon balls.  I LIKE this one.  You may keep this one.  Jakson Blake is hereby granted asylum.  No one will harm him.  Just give me the other one to play with.  But, before he comes around, we need to find a way to tell them apart.  Can you tell them apart?”  She shook her head no.  “Well, we could cut him, or burn him, or maybe a little brand on the buttock.”

    “Augh!  Father!  No!  Let me think.  It has to be something Tarek doesn’t see, or he’ll duplicate it.  But nothing that’ll hurt him.”

    “Let me have the other one, then.  I can think of a few things to do to him.”

    “No!  Can we bring Jakson around and ask him what he thinks?  He is brilliant.  He’s an international problem-solver on Earth.”

    “Really?  All this AND an international problem-solver?  Well, then, all right.”

    “Can we make him a little more comfortable?  I’d suggest taking him to my room, but Tarek’s in there.”

MAKE A MAD STATEMENT

                                                    Museum of Arts and Design
                                             2  Columbus Circle, New York


Supplement your flea-market treasure-hunting for baubles, beads, and sparkly accessories with a series of stylish jewelry workshops this summer at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD).  Running in tandem with  "Fashion Jewelry:  The Collection of Barbara Berger",  opening June 25, these sessions are must-dos for fashionistas-about-town. 

Join the silver-haired mavens of the Advanced Style blog for a series of salons, gleaning gems of wisdom from their expansive knowledge of Personal Emblems (starting June 29), Necklaces of Time (July 27), and Beaded Bracelets (August 24).  These fashion forward salons are gratis with museum admission and for members.

Spend a Saturday afternoon creating personalized statement pieces with artist Jessica Stroller.  Her hands-on Forming Your Style: Wrokshops in Fashion Jewelry explore the endless possibilities for accessorizing with classes like Reconfiguring Rhinestones (June 15), Extreme Epaulettes (July 20), and Revised Ruffs (August 17).  Classes cost $65. for the general public and $55. for MAD members.  Update your accessory collection and check out MAD's full roster of exhibitions, film series, workshops and more.

See  madmuseum.org

Article from New York Magazine, June 2013

ANOTHER BRICK

                                                           
                                                      The Art of the Brick
                                                        Discovery Times Square
                                                      226  W  44th St.,  New York


Get inspired at Discover Times Square with "The Art of The Brick", opening June 14.  Find your inner child or take your kids to see what's been hailed as "one of the top 10, must-see global exhibitions" by CNN.  Starting with ordinary multicolor LEGO* blocks, acclaimed New York based artist Nathan Sawaya creates extraordinary sculptures, ranging from lifelike figures to whimsical abstract characters.

Discovery Times Square has assembled the largest display of LEGO* art ever, including elaborate, never-before-seen, masterpieces.  Working with these commonplace bricks found in nearly every child's toy chest or classroom, Sawaya is redefining the concept of fine art, one LEGO* block at a time.

Spanning from realistic renderings of large-scale human figures sitting, swimming, shouting, or even tearing through the floor, to surreal modern geometric statues, Sawaya's pieces are simple, yet startlingly complex.  On average, a life-size sculpture of a person requires 15,000 to 25,000 bricks.  While the artist works largely in the familiar palette of primary blue, red, and yellow, deeper shades of meaning can be found in his awe-inspiring pieces

See  discoveryts.com

Article taken from New York Magazine June 2013.

CREATIVE REVOLUTION

                                         Whitney Museum of American Art
                                                  945  Madison Ave  New York       


The Whitney Museum of American Art  shares a long legacy with the late, great American artist Edward Hopper.  His first-ever exhibition was held at the Whitney Studio Club in 1920, and now, some 45 years after his passing, the museum offers the first major exhibition to hone in on his creative process.  Culling from the Whitney's unparalled collection of his work and key loans, "Hopper Drawing" pairs many of his greatest oil paintings, including Early Sunday Morning (1930),  New York Movie (1939),  Office at NIght (1940), and Nighthawks (1942), with their preparatory drawings.

Between the finely drawn lines, Hopper's sketches reveal a contunually evolving relationship between observation and invention.  It puts into fine focus the spaces and motifs - the street, the cinema, the office, the bedroom, the road - that he would return to throughout his career as an artist.  Spanning from the early sketches of his student days to one of his final works,  Sun In An Empty Room (1963),  the exhibit showcases the evolution of an artist.

See  whitney.org

Article from New York Magazine, June 2013