CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your artwork, what would it be and why?
SM: I would say that my digital art style could be considered sequential art, which stems mainly from my use of panels and dialogue. On the other hand, I also work with oil painting, focusing on Plein Air landscapes and still life compositions.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
SM: I have always been an avid reader of comics, which is notably where my love of drawing mostly came from. The way each page flowed from one scene to the next not only captivated me, but encouraged me to start imagining my own characters and placing them in their own environments. From a young age I knew that art would be something I would dive into, and notably, my father knew that as well. He encouraged me to step away from crayons and motivated me to start using pens, pencils, even charcoal at times. When I started to really dive into comic books, I started realizing who my favorites were, and thus started incorporating what I was seeing into my own drawings. With my digital art, I heavily reference and take inspiration from other comic artists like Quino, David Finch and Jorge Jimenez. Although the three are substantially different, I spend my time focusing on how their use of linework interacts with their imagined environment.
SM: As for my paintings, I draw my inspiration mainly from what I see and the spaces I encounter. Most of my paintings are either Plein Air pieces or still lives of mundane objects. I find that by capturing the likeness of each subject, I learn more about the painting process. Artists like Hans Habeger, Erin Raedeke and Steven Pearson are a few artists that I like to draw inspiration from when painting. Their paint application, albeit vastly different from one another, feels very intentional and methodical, but notably very fluid. This is something I struggle to understand and have yet to see in my own pieces.
CH.89: Is there anything that you would want people to take from your artwork?
SM: For my Digital pieces, I want the viewer to recognize the vulgarity and humiliation that I face when confronted with obviously obscene and gross men. Not only do I want to shed light on the way women are treated in virtual communities, but I also hope to connect with the viewer and allow them to experience the feeling of shame and discomfort.
SM: As for my paintings, I wish to bring light to the obviously mundane objects in my everyday life. My still life paintings exist purely on the idea of "because I wanted to". So with that, there is no intentional take away, rather a more amateur message of "I do it because I like it". But this does not mean that I did not consciously think about the objects' placement or how they were related. When creating a still life, I look to the natural essence of the space I wish to paint. For example, the sink still life was painted as seen and nothing needed to be moved because of how easily the composition flowed. I want the viewer to be left wondering why I chose the objects, only to be frustrated that there is no clear reason.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
SM: Not only am I an artist, but I am also a full-time student and part time Substitute. With a schedule as active as mine, I learned to manage my time in conjunction with how fast and detailed my artwork needs to be. That being said, my artistic lifestyle often overlaps with my schooling and produces a lot of stress when brought up with the task of finishing a project vs. working on my own art. Most often than not, I am forced to put my artwork aside to finish more important projects.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you've learned as an artist thus far?
SM: The most important idea/ lesson I have learned as an artist, is to just keep practicing. This sounds very cliché, but in my opinion, no one is born an artist. Much like in any profession, we learn to use the tools given to us to make sense of our world. I also learned through practice, the idea of accepting mistakes. I am a perfectionist when it comes to making art and I tend to always look down on it when I envision it to be something it's not. Through the years and with the guidance of my art professors, I learned to let go of the fear of producing "bad art". This fear of producing bad art has always loomed over my head, and went as far as to cause me anxiety when I thought about painting or drawing. This is a fear that I am sure every artist can attest to, but for me, I love it. It gives me a reason to come back and start creating. I guess I can call myself a stubborn perfectionist.
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
SM: The hardest thing for me, is being able to follow through beyond the first layer stage. Most often than not, I abandon a project solely because it isn't progressing the way I want it to. Being a perfectionist, and holding high standards for my art, I tend to overlook the beginning stages of a piece and re-do it even when others tell me to "trust the process". Trusting the process was never an artist's quality I acquired.
CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artist's that inspire you in any way?
SM: There are a few artists that inspire me, the two most notable are Nora Sturges and Julie Riker. Both are amazing painters that I always find myself referring back to their artwork when looking for inspiration in my paintings. Julie Riker's understanding of light always amazes me. Her paintings showcase a vibrant color palette which reflect her dedication to capturing the true hues of the scenes she encounters, and her skillful use of light enhances the visual impact of her compositions.
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
SM: I am mostly a home body, but the one place that I always love visiting is Buenos Aires, Argentina. Most notably, I love seeing all the art nouveau architecture and the beautiful murals painted on the modern buildings, seemingly combining both modern and historic aesthetics. I always get a burst of creativity after visiting Buenos Aires and would love to get an opportunity to Paint a street scene someday.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
SM: My favorite book- rather book series- is the Halo collection. I love Sci-Fi and have always been influenced by everything fantasy.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your artwork?
SM: My future art goals are always changing. If you had asked me 3 weeks ago, I would have said that my goal for the end of the year was to complete a 3 ft x 3 ft painting. Now, it seems that my goal is to find my art style in painting. I want to branch out of my norm to try and navigate my ideas in paint. I have been painting a lot of what I see and neglecting all the creative illustrations I'm used to doing digitally. My goal is to merge both my virtual and traditional art in a creative way. I also plan to work with more media. I will be taking a class on printmaking and lithography, so I'm excited to see what I can produce from that experience.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
SM: To me, being an artist means living up to an expectation. Nowadays, when someone says they are an artist, they are often judged on how "good or bad" their art is. Although this expectation is negative, I somewhat resonate with it. Those outside the art world often conclude that to be an artist, your work needs to be in a museum. But being an artist isn't solely a label. It is about willingly exposing our soul, to be looked at and judged.
CH.89: What's the last song you listened to?
SM: Can't Fight City Halloween by Michael Giacchino.
CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your artwork?
SM: I think my aesthetic is always changing because I am influenced by so many people. I'm still trying to find my own style and hope to create artwork that looks cohesive no matter the media I choose. This is my end goal, and once I achieve it, I will finally find the voice I have always wanted for my art.
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