Archive for 'Artists'
Mozart Dane
Posted on 03. Jul, 2009 by ronald.
It is my pleasure to introduce everyone to a unique artist, Mozart Dane.
Mozart Dane is an artist with a mission. His passion is not only one of art but one of stopping puppy mills and the cruelty to animals. He uses his art to bring awareness to this cause and to help fund the rescue of these animals. You see, Mozart Dane is a “Great Dane canine” and one of the fortunate ones. Even though, he was born in such a place and then “auction off” to a family that a few days later turned him over to a shelter as a stray, was rescued. He is now a resident of Harlequin Haven Great Dane Rescue in Bethel, Ohio where he is healthy, happy, cared for and their “spokesdog”.
Mozart first started painting on paper and doing crafts in 2005. He now devotes his time painting on canvas, his real love. In June 2007 he was the featured artist at Mac Worthington Art Gallery in Columbus, Ohio. He has, also, participated in several art festivals.
The interview is conducted with Janet Carleton, spokesperson for Mozart Dane. His story is truly inspirational and one that we all need to reflect upon when we are considering obtaining a pet.
Artdiggs: Janet, since you are the spokesperson for Mozart Dane, how did you realize that Mozart could bring awareness to the cruelty and injustice of puppy mills by having him create art work?
Janet: With Mo’s story, and his eye catching work, we realized that we could gain audiences beyond the Rescue crowd. When auctioning his work on eBay, each piece had a story that tied in information on puppymills. Many people still are not aware of the puppymill/petshop connection –that puppymills supply petstores and purchasing those puppies fuels that cruel industry.
Janet: The Rescue had a fundraising idea to create paw art with different resident dogs, dipping paws in paint and pressing onto paper. Most of the dogs disliked the feeling of something on their paws, although some attractive work resulted. That work was sold on eBay and folks got excited at the possibilities although it was very messy and involved much clean up after. As the process evolved it became apparent that there was one dog who actually *liked* the process, and of course all the attention, not to mention the cheese cubes. That dog was Mo. Initially Mo created many paintings on paper, mostly just placing a paw or moving it around on the paper. From there he moved to “pawtographing” craft items and apparel. The next move was to canvas where he began refining his technique of pushing the paint around on the canvas–something that wasn’t possible when he was working on paper.
wedding_dane
Janet: For the last couple of years Mo has worked exclusively with acrylic paint on canvas. He works with a human studio assistant who gets out the squirt bottles of paint and lays out the canvas. Mo works while lying down on a futon. He indicates color choices with his nose and watches carefully as the assistant squeezes a pool of paint onto the canvas. If he feels there isn’t enough paint applied, he waits for more. Mo then massages and pushes the paint around the canvas with his front paws. He pauses and looks for more paint/different colors. A regular day in the studio for him is two small canvases. Larger works may take a couple of days. He gets excited when he sees the art supplies out, and, if he’s given time off, he pesters folks wanting to paint.
Janet: No, he hasn’t. Mo is a Sanctuary Dog, living out his days in a safe home environment at the Rescue, due to his fear of floors and occasional panic attacks. The fears are probably because of spending the first 9 months of his life in a puppy mill environment where dogs are treated like badly cared for livestock. In fact the very thing that makes him unadoptable may have predisposed him to enjoy the job of painting. Rather than get up and walk away like the other dogs, Mo was happy to lay there and get the love and cheese that came from his early attempts at making art. As for photos of the process, we don’t have many–Mo will not work if he thinks a camera is pointed his way. I think we’ve all known of dogs who had a camera flash in his or her face and hated cameras thereafter.
dane-cing_confetti
Janet: “Wow! No, really?” “How cool! Let me go get my friend, wife, etc.–be right back!” People are very positive. They enjoy both his work and the chance to interact with him at his personal appearances. Mo has a very sweet affectionate personality. Mo was accepted into several juried art festivals this summer. After having been accepted, the Rescue informed the festivals of the species to which the artist belonged. About half declined to show his work, but half said bring him on, we love his work!
opaw-ium_delusion
Janet: Well, folks that see the work tend to agree that it’s good. Then when one looks closely at the paint it can be seen to be massaged with paws, including bonus dog hair! Plus no one at the Rescue is artistic in that way, so there isn’t anyone to do it for him.
jack_in_the_paw-lpit
Janet: It’s possible but we don’t know. There are other dogs that make art, but Mo’s style seems to be unique.
Janet: Don’t put limits on anyone (person or dog) based on what YOU think they can do. We never dreamed where Mo would go with his work! Remember we began with just putting a paw print on paper! Later, when we were preparing for Mo’s first gallery show in 2007, we were told that the Mo needed to create larger pieces. We thought no way, but Mo rose to the challenge of moving from filling a one foot canvas to filling three and four foot canvases. And his style evolved even further to meet the new challenge.
am-paw_theater
Janet: This year we only applied to art festivals that were juried–that was new for us. We’ll have to see where Mo’s work can take him and the Rescue. The more exposure his work gets, the more education we can do about the evils of puppy mills. Additionally, the Rescue runs on a shoestring and sales of Mo’s art really help.
Janet: I’m very proud to be a part of the much needed work of the Rescue and this amazing artist! Please follow Mo on Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr.
His Web site is http://hhdane.org/mozart
Artdiggs: To our readers… take a moment to reflect on how you can help the Animal Rescue organizations in your own neighborhoods and then act. The animals need the help from kind and caring humans.
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Linda Hogan
Posted on 25. Apr, 2009 by ronald.
Celebrating 3-Dimensional Art with Linda Hogan:
Linda Hogan is a nationally recognized 3-Dimensional artist who has a passion for creating art with a variety of textures and colors. Linda and her husband, Dennis, are currently living in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. She has been perfecting her craft for more than 30 years and has been the recipient of many awards, including “Best of Colorado” in 2001.
Linda’s “Tropical Fish” are fascinating in design, color and character. This series was inspired by her stay on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, and more recently in Vero Beach, Florida. There’s a “feel good” feeling people get by just looking at them. They are a joy to experience.
Angel Fish
ArtDiggs: Why do you prefer three dimensional art over other mediums available ?
Linda: I love doing three dimensional pieces for a lot of reasons. They are different, original, cutting edge, contemporary, outside the box, unique and just plain fun. I love hearing someone say “I have never seen this before”.
I think it’s important as an artist to push the boundaries, stretch the imagination and to continue to break new ground. An artist’s contribution to the universe should be so much more than reworking things from the past.
Sometimes my vision is better expressed on canvas, so not all of my work is three dimensional. Although some of my canvas pieces are heavily textured with a palette knife. One of the advantages of working on canvas is the ability to have reproductions made. Not everyone can afford original art, so more people get to have the image in their homes.
“Save the Reef Save the Turtles”
ArtDiggs: In your Bio you mention attending college. Do you have a formal education in art or do you consider yourself self taught?
Linda: I did not receive a degree in art but I did take all the art courses that were available. As far as 3-dimensional art I would have to say I am self taught since I have never seen what I do made by anyone else.
One of my classes was “experimental art” and we could create anything that could be imagined. That’s where my first three dimensional piece originated. A friends’ father was a cabinet maker and general contractor and their garage was filled with wood scrap, tile, molding, etc., so I gathered up several boxes and took it to school.
I arranged the pieces over and over until I liked the balance and texture, glued it all together then painted it black. At that point I thought “how boring” so I began adding color, lots of color, more texture, fabrics and papers and really loved it! I just knew that this was a path I would follow.
Well that was 1969 and there have been a lot of turns in the path but I am still following that inspiration. My techniques and materials have evolved, the first piece was an abstract and it was framed which I don’t do now. My current abstracts are multi-level, free-form, and overlapping.
A friend once described them as “Flying amoebas procreating”… I think that was a compliment but then I’m not sure! That first piece is on my web site found at: www.lindahoganart.com (under Abstract), titled “Sun and Surf”.
Oval Butterfish
ArtDiggs: What was your inspiration for the Tropical Fish series?
Linda: Numerous snorkeling and scuba diving experiences in The Keys, The Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii have shown me a fascinating new universe. Thousands of fish of every shape and color swimming in and around the coral reef.
And the Sea Turtles! I am so passionate about the turtles. It is rare to spot one and they are endangered but they don’t seem to be afraid of people. They just slowly swim by or if they are not moving you almost miss them blending in with the rock and coral. I am amazed at the survival instincts of the hatchlings.
They hatch in the night with only the reflected light of the stars or moon to guide them to the water. There are many predators and dangers with a very small percentage of them ever reaching adulthood. Some of my canvas pieces show fish and turtles together and I hope to use the images to educate children and adults about the destruction of coral and the dangers to both fish and turtles.
ArtDiggs: Do you try to maintain a balance between representing the “natural” characteristics of the fish or do you just have fun with the colors?
Linda: Yes. I try to make the markings of the fish realistic so they are identifiable but I do tweak the colors sometimes. Other times I completely make them up…”Fantasy Fish” I call them and I do have fun. I have the skill to paint very realistically and sometimes that’s the goal such as with the trout and turtles. I guess it’s all a balance.
Fantasy Fish “Margarita”
ArtDiggs: Do you think that acrylic paint is better for this type of work?
Linda: Acrylics are good for bright, hard edge graphic style and for quick drying. They are also good when thinned with water or medium for semi-transparent washes and layering. I also use oils especially for the landscapes and wildlife.
ArtDiggs: Which subject is the most challenging and rewarding? The fish, the animals, or the landscapes ?
Linda: I would say the Sea Turtles. It takes forever to shape the shells as each segment is a separate piece that is cut, sanded and fit to the next one. Achieving the natural curve of the shell is another challenge.
The Sea Turtles are my passion and people are really drawn to them. I hear all the time, “I just LOVE Sea Turtles!” Never have I heard someone say, “I sort of like Sea Turtles.”
Loggerhead Sea Turtle “Sidney”
ArtDiggs: What direction do you see your art work taking at this point in your life and is there a project you would like to undertake and haven’t as of yet?
Linda: I would enjoy doing more Public Art. I was commissioned to create a large 48 x 72 “Fantasy Tree House” for the Children’s area of the South Glenn Public Library, Denver. I like that hundreds, maybe thousands of children, have enjoyed it since 2000.
Also, I would love to do more monumental pieces either landscapes or abstracts. Since the works are designed in overlapping sections the size is unlimited. I can imagine a 50-60 ft piece down an airport corridor or hotel lobby. I’ve only done a few free standing sculptures and I would like to explore that as well.
I would enjoy collaborating with the architect of a building to integrate the art with the structure, possibly to be on the exterior of the building using weather proof materials.
ArtDiggs: Have you done any workshops in 3-dimensional art?
Linda: Not really. I have done many demonstrations with the audience asking questions. I have been interviewed on the television news, 2 or 3 times for gallery openings, and once for a half-hour program on the arts.
ArtDiggs: Do you have any tips for artists about 3-dimensional art?
Linda: (Yes)
1. It’s two forms of art. The sculpture has to be well designed and balanced on it’s own, either wall sculpture or free standing.
2. The painting will add to the piece, but it has to work with, not against the shape.
3. Light and cast shadows play an important role as the shapes interact with each other.
ArtDiggs: What advice can you give to a new artist that can make them better at their craft?
Linda:
1. Never give up. Want it with your whole heart and do not let criticism get you down. Learn from each rejection and use it to clarify your vision.
2. Don’t let distractions fragment your focus. Be disciplined with your studio time. Even if you can only manage a few hours a day – let everyone know, “This is my JOB!”
3. There are “in the zone” times where everything is effortless and other times when you are not feeling it, but work anyway. Clean your brushes, order supplies, answer e-mails, photograph your work, update your portfolio, scrape the paint off the floor, etc.
If you want to reach Linda, you can send her a message at Contact Linda or visit her Website.
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Artists Interview Referals Requested.
Posted on 26. Mar, 2009 by ronald.
