The Artist's Life : Mixed Media

Resistance, Rejection, and Recovery...Phases of an Artist's Life.

ShenShen210 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:39:00 GMT

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is that thing we have to do.

Resistance...I call it the "R" word. It gets me in trouble more often than not. And, crazy as it may seem, it is usually my own resistance I find myself fighting against. I want to be one of those people, one of those artists who goes with the flow, are easy to be around, is always in the right mood at the right time and in the right place, always. While I know that not all of this is in my control, I often find myself trying to control it all!


Angel in the Wind, 40 x 40, mixed media on canvas.

I must say that I try to make sure that my spirit, body, and mind are in the best shape possible, but sometimes feelings overwhelm and I find myself in a slump. Often outside factors that are not in my control are to blame, but I think more often than not, it is my reaction to them that really takes its toll.

My art was recently considered for a major high end chain of galleries. The gallery director was ecstatic about my work, but the owner had to give his approval before my work could go up on those expensive walls in premiere tourist destinations throughout the US. I had an entire week to wait until the owner would be in the gallery to view the originals I had left. What would I do with myself in the meantime? This could be the break I had been working toward for over 25 years! I got into the studio during this intense time of inspiration, and created a huge painting to add to the collection. The gallery had been doing really well with Pop Art, so I focused on that, and at the same time payed homage to one of my favorite American illustrators, J.C. Leyendecker.

I sent an email out to my group of girlfriends that care for me deeply, so that they would help me recover from the rejection if that was the outcome. I know there would be no "resisting" that particular turn of events if it were to come.

Well, it did...it turned out that the owner loved my work, but the galleries were deciding to change directions and minimize their focus on Pop Art. Although the director had told me that this was a possibility, it didn't change the fact that I wanted to curl up in a ball while hiding under a big fluffy comforter in the closet of a really dark room for...ever. But I had to go and pick up the paintings the next day with my head held up high...and show gratefulness to the director, who had really been a cheerleader for me. I did, and am still alive to tell about it. It wasn't easy, but I did it.

Rejection...It was crazy, I recently lost a dear loved one, and I knew that the gallery decision was nothing compared to that, but the emotions sure felt similar. I felt as if I had lost a loved one, and that loved one was this wonderful opportunity set before me. I am no stranger to rejection. In fact, I have a "bite me" file from when I used to get letters in the mail before everything became digital. One of my favorites was from an art show promoter in California who asked me, "Why can't you just be like everyone else?"! With each correspondence, the sting became a little greater, because in my mind, I kept on paying my dues and expecting things to turn around and get easier.

Recovery...Getting back to the basics, I must remember that I do not paint because I want to be in galleries and have recognition, it is the other way around! I love to paint and have dedicated most of my life to becoming the best artist I can be, and that is that.

Through an unforeseen chain of events, within the week, I ended up meeting a really great guy with a very cool gallery, and fantastic art (check it out--it's awesome!) who offered me the opportunity to display my work in Denver, Colorado, which is one of the cities I had just been rejected from!

One of my girlfriends told me that no's are just pathways for the greater yes's. And that the good can often get in the way of the best. But I will be honest, I had to go through the grieving process yet again, and I don't expect it to be the last time, but for now, I will enjoy the "Revelation" phase and get my booty back to my easel!

Have you had similar experiences? Leave a comment and let me know.

~Shen

Push Away the Voice of Your Inner Critic

ShenShen210 — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:54:00 GMT

I feel so inundated with ideas from every single photo reference around me right now. Sometimes I am super inspired by them, but sometimes they make me want to put my paintbrush down because I get so overwhelmed by all the ways I can start painting from photographs that grab my attention! Today is one of those days where I am inspired yet tired. Tired of striving for perfect. Can anyone hear me?


Pro Cycling by Shen, 18 x 24, acrylic on gesso board.

People look at my paintings and drawings and can marvel, but I am sure there are some who look at my work and cringe! In fact, after the great honor of winning the USA Pro Cycling Challenge Poster Contest for Beaver Creek, Co, the comments my work received were quite interesting. They served to confirm my suspicions. I'll say most of them were off the charts extraordinary and hundreds of people liked the image on Facebook, but then there was a comment like, "Horrible" or "What is that?"

I start to question why I do this at all. But I know that answer. I do this because I have a voice. And it is not the voice of the "inner art critic" that I want to give the floor to. It is the voice of my heart and passion. And sometimes that voice carries me in a lot of different directions.

On my studio painting easel right now is a commission for a woman who adored her pot-bellied pigs that are now in pig heaven, and on the other wall is a six-foot commission of five dogs playing poker (and a cat serving drinks), all of which were another client's pets over the years. Do people scratch their heads about the vast array of subject matter I paint, in a wide range of styles and media? Maybe. But does variety make one less of an artist? Less professional? Some would say so, and some would say absolutely not.

I am tired of the constant quest for other people's perfection. So instead of getting bogged down by comparisons and negative thinking, I am acknowledging where I am and where and how I will advance in my painting techniques and style and message.


		Wonder Woman by Shen, 18 x 24, acrylic on gesso board.

Recently, I put together a list of the "Things That Are Important to Me," and I found it quite revealing. It was a list of simple things like family, faith, beauty, and honesty. But then something showed up on that list like "originality" and "pop culture" and I understand why I painted Wonder Woman and The Joker last summer.

I will keep being an artist, just like you will. It is our life calling. I hope to die with brushes (or spray cans) in hand and paint smeared on my face. But I don't want to die with this nasty inner art critic's voice still haunting me. So, I suppose if I am to strive, it will be to strive to see the truth, but only my truth. Because that is the only truth that matters to an artist.

How have you overcome your inner art critic? Leave a comment and let me know.

--Shen

Shen loves making the flat surface of a painting or drawing come to life. A professional artist and entrepreneur for more than 25 years, she lives to discover new techniques, mix media, and make difficult concepts simple! You will often find her painting live at events of all kinds to "wow" her audience. Her work has been collected by celebrities, corporations, and galleries spanning the globe. She is also an art instructor and keynote speaker, speaking to artists about how to market themselves in new, fun, and creative ways. Shen lives in Vail, Colorado, with her husband and three beautiful daughters. More of Shen's work may be viewed on her website.

A Small Price to Pay for a Life Lived Fully

ShenShen210 — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:53:00 GMT

As an artist, I often feel that I am more sensitive than others, or perhaps I am more in touch because I need to be so that my work will flow genuinely from my heart and allow me to respond from a deeper place. That is one of the reasons that I faced my fear and started painting in front of large crowds of people, culminating last week at my sweet twenty year old "nephew" Ryan's funeral. He died living his passion, rock climbing. As soon as I heard of his death, I knew what I had to do, although I did resist the thought for about a day. There were around a thousand people who were going to watch my memorial painting come to life at the service. All grieving. I asked God for the strength and ability to do this, and do it well.


Memorial portrait painting of Ryan Thomas Wahl by Shen.

The painting was so scary for me because I did not rely on a projector to project a photo of Ryan onto the canvas as I have done for many years in the past with great success. I have tried to keep my drawing skills up to speed, often making drawings and projecting those instead. Many artists feel that working in the latter manner is more pure but I say do whatever works for you. I do my thing, you do yours. Just try to be authentic and keep growing through the journey. With that in mind, I felt like more of my perception of Ryan would be seen if I drew him from my heart instead of with a projected image of him, though I did look at a photo for reference.

I felt like painting raw, slapping on the paint, especially after I heard my friend (who has been more like a sister to me) weep when she viewed her beautiful son's body in the casket. So I did, with a bit of reckless abandon--but not too much. I need to keep a certain level of control to do justice to this homage that was coming together before everyone's eyes.

Every time I turned around, the crowd of people who loved and wanted to celebrate Ryan's life grew. I felt like people were counting on me, and a bit of pressure built up. But I just had to trust and let the outcome go. Trust that the years of drawing experiments and sketchbook exercises and explorations taught me something. Trust that I didn't need to actually see the color wheel that I usually carry with me almost everywhere I go and had forgotten in my packing rush because I could see it in my mind. Trust that my vision would reflect Ryan, his faith, and his love for the natural and outdoors. And most of all trust that people would be touched even if I blew it--because I was really nervous about finishing on time. I only had three hours and the piece was 3 x 4 feet, which is a pretty large piece for me.

Turns out I didn't finish it on time but after the burial I came back to the church to finish it up. It wasn't exactly what I had in my mind when I began, but I just let it come naturally, and I'm inspired by the end result. It was the most difficult and important painting that I have ever attempted, and after having heard reports that the painting brought many people joy and comfort--and knowing that the painting hangs in the home of his parents and siblings to always remind them of his incredible spirit, passion, and purpose--I know it was worth the effort. But what I didn't realize was that I would have the chance to grow and learn from the process as well.

Art has the ability to help people see things in an entirely different way. That is a true gift that I can give to myself and to the world around me in the only way that I can. And here is a quote that I would have included in Ryan's painting if I had heard it sooner by the famous mountaineer Willy Unsel:

Death is a small price to pay for a life lived fully.

In loving memory of Ryan Thomas Wahl.

--Shen

Are Artists Born—Or Made—To Mix Media?

Naomi E — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:20:00 GMT

"It may seem controversial, but I really think artists are born, not made," says Meagan Shein. Definitely bold words, especially coming from someone who has advanced degrees in fine art and art history. "It doesn't mean that the innate skill is there," the artist quickly adds, "but the compulsion to create art and continue to hone your craft is innate. You did it because you have to in order to feel fulfilled. After all, an art career isn't the easiest road to go down."

Shein may have a point there. I mean, if you could find happiness and total fulfillment work in a steady, well-defined career wouldn't you invest in that instead of the fickle and fearful world of fine art?


Gas Station II by Meagan Shein, mixed media artwork on paper with beeswax, encaustic, and ink, 25.75 x 38, 2006.

For Shein, the desire to grow and challenge herself in mixed media art hasn't waned in more than 20 years. After years of working in oil, acrylic, and pastel, she has switched her focus to drawings that are minimalist in content and rich with meaning. Combining pen and ink on paper painted with beeswax and encaustic, her approach is largely experimental, with the materials playing as important a role as her formal concepts. "Really, I set up a frustration for myself," she says with a laugh. "I work through the tension of wanting to draw a beautiful line, and it's very satisfying and powerful when the flowing line appears because it's like I've earned it."

Earning a beautiful line--one of the many goals of a born artist. Do you think it was nature or nurture that fueled and sustained your interest in art? Do you mix media in ways that yielded unexpected results? Let me know by leaving a comment.

If you'd like to learn more about working with mixed media, check out Modern Mixed Media With Marshall Arisman. The two-hour DVD is jam-packed with tips and techniques to help you discover the hidden talents you may have been born with, but haven't yet unlocked.

--Naomi

Naomi Ekperigin is an associate editor of American Artist magazine.

What's the Wisp?!

ShenShen210 — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:25:00 GMT


Elton, 11 x 14, mixed media on gesso board, 2011.

Yesterday was an interesting day for me. I thought I was near finished with a painting I had been working on for over three months, but when I sent it over to my agent in New York, who I call my third set of eyes, (hubby Matthew is my second) he called me rather than send a quick email like usual. What I was left with made my head spin. He said, "It needs to be like a wisp...in the creation as well as in the final viewing. You have struggled on this painting and it shows."

That stung a little. He also reminded me that I do fine art painting because I love it. He also said that the final set of eyes judging any of my painting work needs to be mine.

In this particular painting, I was working from photo reference, as I have often done to translate photo to painting, and I worked in "spots" rather than viewing the work and painting it as a "whole." This is a trap that I have fallen into before, and I was usually on my own to figure it out! I am thankful to now have a community of artists and friends to help me to see when my vision becomes impaired or simply fogged. Seeing my work through their eyes is a gift.

I have a number of deadlines looming and commissions due as well as new projects that I am excited about starting. The beginning of a piece is always my favorite part, because the possibilities are endless! And there is a very busy personal life that needs attention also. So this morning I am reflecting about being present in each moment as I paint and I'm looking forward to starting a new painting and letting this one go, if just for now. The option to return to it later will be there, so I can just relax.


		Wellspring, 24 x 36, watercolor painting, 2006.

But what can I do to assure that "the wisp" happens?

I probably can't do anything specifically. I need to allow the peace, mental space, and inspiration to come so that it has the room to be in my presence and to breathe. I can't corner it or hunt it down. I have to trust that the muse that has visited and romanced me for over 25 years will be back.

Only now I have a name for her. Wisp Maker! :)

~Shen

Working Through My Moods

ShenShen210 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:12:00 GMT


BlueBillie by Shen, acrylic on claybord, 18 x 24.

I am finding myself in a little bit of a battle with the blues. Whenever I'm feeling down, I find it especially difficult to create. However, I am learning more and more as I get older that it is important to pay attention to my moods—so I don't I end up burning out. Sometimes, I find that I just need to rest, stop procrastinating about something, or pay a little closer attention to my priorities to make certain they are in the proper order. But I often ask myself, "How do I step out into the wonderful world of painting and creation in general if I am not feeling like it?" Here are the steps I go through:

1. Creating is my job. I need to remember that I have to go to work sometimes when I don't feel like it, just like the local banker does. And, there were certainly lots of days I remember not wanting to go to school—just like my teen! Not to mention, I chose the career of art because I love it...and I've often had to love it more than food!

2. The feelings may linger, but no two days creating are ever the same. When I get into my work, creating an acrylic painting like these here, the world usually looks a little bit brighter or if not, it certainly helps to try and be productive rather than just sit around and wait for my mood to change. More often than not, I am glad that I tried and sometimes the results are spectacular!

3. Get Inspired! Look at some amazing art in books, museums, galleries, or online. Or I'll read some of my favorite writings like "The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri or "My Life" by Marc Chagall. Then, there are movies like "Exit through the Giftshop" or "Basquiat"—seeing the lives of such prolific artists certainly leaves me in the mood to throw some paint around!


	BillieSwirls by Shen, acrylic painting, 13 x 19.

This topic also reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble."

When there's nothing to lose, but possibly a great gain on the other side, why not give it a shot? Maybe I'll have a tremendous painting breakthrough that will make my soul sing!

--Shen

May I Introduce Rose Frantzen?

Courtney Jordan — Sun, 01 May 2011 07:15:00 GMT


Up the Block by Rose Frantzen, oil painting, 40 x 50.

Rose Frantzen: Weekend With the Masters Instructor

Rose Frantzen's peers hold her in especially high regard as an artist's artist. In her 25 years as a full-time painter, she has also gained the attention and respect of both national and international collectors. Her community project, Portrait of Maquoketa, which is comprised of 180 portraits of her townspeople that she painted during impromptu portraiture sessions during the span of one year, was exhibited at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, in Washington DC, from November 2009 until July 2010. The project is also the subject of a hardbound book that was created as a catalogue of sorts to accompany the exhibition.

Frantzen attended the American Academy of Art, in Chicago, where she worked and studied with Robert Krajecki; the Palette & Chisel Academy, alongside her mentor Richard Schmid; and the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, studying human anatomy with the late Dean Keller.

Trained in the alla prima style, she explores painting as a language for witnessing and communicating the wide-range of human experience and sometimes finds it necessary to employ other representational approaches including glazing methods with imprimatura or grisaille.

Her exploratory nature has also led her to create many multi-dimensional works in which she incorporates diverse stylistic elements and mixed media assemblage items such as gilding, stained glass, and mosaic.

Frantzen's work has been featured in numerous publications including American Artist, Workshop, International Artist, Southwest Art, US Art, ArtTalk, and Portrait Signature magazines, and she has demonstrated as a faculty member for the Portrait Society of America. She is a much sought after instructor teaching workshops in several regions of the country as well as in her studio.

With husband and fellow artist, Charles Morris, she currently resides in her hometown of Maquoketa, Iowa. Both are represented by Old City Hall Gallery. For more information on Frantzen, visit her gallery's website or buy her latest art instructional DVD.

Return to the Weekend with the Masters Meet & Greet.

Never Stop Learning

Lori Woodward — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Some of my artist friends regret that they never attended an art college or university. It might surprise some of you to know that I majored in art at a large university and have a bachelor's degree in fine-art education.

Being able to share my experiences on blogs allows me to be more frank with my readers, so here it goes. The truth is, I learned very little of what I now know while at college. My professors did not understand or teach the basic academic principles of light, color, drawing, or edges. In one of my figure-drawing classes, I was chastised for actually drawing the model. Apparently, I would have gotten a better grade if I had translated the model's image into an unrecognizable abstract design. In one semester-long class, the only student who walked away with an A on her report card drew two little square boxes on a huge sheet of newsprint—I could understand this if she had drawn boxes that somehow related to the figure, but they were just a couple of poorly drawn squares.

That was in my junior year, and I admit that I lost all interest in continuing my studies at that point. I was on a full scholarship, but my grades took and hit, and I barely kept those grades high enough to continue. After college, I worked for a computer company and hardly touched my art supplies. I guess one could say I was burned-out on art.

Thankfully, in 1990, my desire to pursue art rose to the surface again. I began to study with a local watercolor teacher and took workshops with major instructors. It was at this point that I started getting the education I had always hoped for, and I've continued to study with masterful painters until this day.

This blog's purpose is not to put down the education system but to highlight the fact that we artists have opportunities to get an art education as we have never had before. There's nothing stopping us! Even if you can't afford workshops or classes, there are great videos, books, and magazines to teach you—I can honestly state that one issue of Workshop <$> magazine offers so much more than I learned in four years of college. No, I don't get a kickback if you buy the magazine, but I do wholeheartedly recommend it.

Even today, I seek to improve both my understanding and skill set in the arena of representational art. (I do enjoy looking at good abstract art but don't enjoy making it). I can't thank my mentors and instructors enough for their contributions to the world of artists. I am so thankful that I am an artist at this time in history when opportunities to learn from the best abound.