Tag Archives: artvenue

ArtVenue HQ Wall

Posted on by

New artwork is now up at our space at MassChallenge.  The participating artists are (from left to right )Andrew Jerz, Mynn Tan, and Tobias Hathorn.  Andrew Jerz is an illustrator from Cohasset, MA who has been previously featured on artist spotlight.  Mynn Tan has made her way to Boston all the way from Singapore.  Her mastery of HDR photography is evident in the breathtaking scenes and images displayed in her work.  Tobias Hathorn, who grew up in the Midwest, has been a successful ArtVenue artist member with numerous sales.  Definitely check out these amazing artists and be sure to view more of their work by visiting their artist profile pages.

 

Photo Re-Cap of the Allston Art Tour

Posted on by

The ‘Allston Rock City Art Tour‘ was an immense success! There were 18 venues, more than 30 artists and nearly 200 pieces of artwork involved (and not harmed) in the making of the tour. Even though it was raining during pre-event set up, the sun broke through the clouds on Saturday and lit up Allston’s streets for the Art Tour! We were happy to see flyers in the hands of people weaving in and out of all the Art Tour venues. An enormous “Thank you!” to all the artists and locations for participating in the tour, and round-of-applause for “Allston Main Streets” for all the hard-work and diligence put into the preparation and execution – ArtVenue could not have been happier being a part of such a great event!

Here is a photo re-cap of the day!

Artist Spotlight: Citris

Posted on by

Citris is the branding title an extremely fun, fresh and creative design team, fueled by the imagination of two artists. They’ve breathe life into adorable, cheeky characters and dream up bubbly lands of color where your inner-child begs to run and play. Citris is more than meets the eye. Behind the bright color palette and cuteness of each Citris piece is a narrative to get swept away in. Like a photographer captures a moment of life with a camera, so do the artists of Citris with paint markers and acrylic. It’s difficult to not fall head-over-heels for ‘L3mn’ and ‘Lym3′ as they play in puddles, go to the movies or doze off in fluffy blue pillows. And you really do start to wonder about what robots dream of. There’s perpetual charm within each piece of artwork that grows inside you and tugs at your heartstrings. You might ask yourself, “Why can’t I take them all home?”

 ArtVenue couldn’t wait to ask Citris some questions about the lighthearted and whimsical world only such a pairing could build.

“Whenever life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”

"lotus in the night time" &"lotus in the daylight"

Superhero name?
Super L3mn & Super Lym3.

“Home is where the heart is” – where is home for you?
The studio which we fondly call “The Orchard”.

"lym3 enjoy's his lolipop"

What are a few things on your artistic “bucket list”?
Spreading our art and story around the world (as a cherry blossom disperses its seeds) and uplifting those who come in contact with our work.    

Where did you learn the skills and gain the knowledge you, as artists, posses today?
With the right amount of fertilizer, soil, water, and sun our artistic skills were able to flourish.

“…like snowflakes, no two [pieces] are the same.”

Describe your art with 3 adjectives, a genre and a metaphor.
3 adjectives: vibrant, tart & zesty.
A genre: kawaii fruit (or 可愛い クン)
Metaphor: “Whenever life hands you lemons, make lemonade.”

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
Super Fun!
Everything.
To allow this world to spring forth, to reach & uplift its viewers.

"l3mn at the movies"

Where do you gather and/or seek your inspiration from?
The world around us. 

Do any psychological factors or traits transpose into your work?
The accumulation of inspiration taken in throughout our lives, reaching the brim, mixing and then spilling over into our work.

“Citris characters and their environment are allowed to emerge from the canvas and share our space with us.” 

What is your creative process, typically?
We create whenever we are inspired, and we’re inspired all the time. every time we begin a new piece or project, it sets its own rhythm and rituals, like snowflakes, no two are the same.

What is the creative process when there is a two-or-more artist collaboration? We tend to share the same thoughts (when it comes to our work), solely trusting in one another’s creative ability and technique, so it generally all works out well.

"lym3's first flight"

When you prepare work for a show, how do you decide what goes up?
Preparing for a show, all is taken into consideration: the venue, audience, space designated, overall theme, solo or group show, lighting…

We like to create an environment with the space provided, so once all preliminary considerations are reviewed, we select works that compliment each other and the over all show itself. 

 A variety of new art in the works, and future Citris shows on the horizon (none that we can share at the moment), but keep a look out. 

"A Robot's Dream"

Pick your personal favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite and what does it mean to you? 
“A Robot’s Dream.”  It is among the first 3-dimensional paintings we created. This piece begins to bridge the gap between the flat 2-dimensional world and our own. Citris characters and their environment are allowed to emerge from the canvas and share our space with us.  “A Robot’s Dream” is a perfect representation of our inspiration, theme, and ideals of the moment, it gives the viewer a brief glimpse into the Citris world, and a “sweet taste” of what’s to come.

“With the right amount of fertilizer, soil, water, and sun our artistic skills were able to flourish.”

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio? 
Perseverance.

"l3mn exploring after a rainfall"

View Citris’ complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Citris for allowing us some of their time and thoughts. We are thrilled to have them on ArtVenue – welcome to the family! Be sure to check out their work at the Allston Main Streets Presents: Rock City Art Tour, this upcoming Saturday!

Artist Spotlight: Gregery James Miller

Posted on by

"Autumn Fish"

No, your mind isn’t playing tricks on you, this fish really does have feet and it seems like you caught him at an awkward moment, like walking. Doesn’t it make you chuckle? Gregery James Miller studied illustration and animation at Massachusetts College of Art and Design and, in 2009, graduated with an BFA in Illustration. Yes, he knows the fundamentals of drawing, there is no doubt there, but it’s his personality, natural skill and humor which transpose into his illustrations and make them eye-catching and signature. Gregery might have a steady gig with Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and the award-winning Clambake Studio, but he always keeps his eyes and ears open for potential projects in all areas of illustration and animation.

ArtVenue couldn’t wait to find out a little more about the artist behind these fantastic and mythologic creations, so we picked his mind a bit.

“Most of my characters have stories, and my goal as an artist is to illustrate all of them.”

"Moss Zombie"

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
Home for me is in Western Massachusetts where I grew up. I really enjoy nature.

How and when did you discover yourself to be an artist?
I started drawing cartoons around 3 or 4. As a kid, I designed casts
of characters for video games and cartoons. I worked on one epic
project from age 12-18. I still have trouble breaking away from
complex projects that I never am able to finish. Deep down, I know
I’ll end up producing these big stories in some form or another in my
lifetime.

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
The big stories I mentioned above, I have two of them that I want to
start pumping out in graphic novel form.

Where did you learn the skills and gain the knowledge you, as an
artist, posses today?
Lots of classes at Massart as an undergrad, some classes when I was younger, but mainly from drawing all the time, and being inspired by a lot of things. When I like the way something looks, I try to incorporate that look somehow into my work. I’m always trying to grow as an artist. I don’t think you can ever stop growing and trying new things no matter what your passion is.

“Art to me is the ability to bring your imagination and things that you can only see in your mind, out into the real world for others to see and enjoy. Art is magical to me.”

The very first piece or work ever created by you-what/when was it, is
it anything like the work you do now, and do you have it in your
possession?
The first piece? No idea, I have 2 portfolios full of drawings I did as a little kid that I keep stashed away. I like to hold onto this stuff and look back on it every now and then. My style has definitely evolved from when I was young, but many fundamentals have stayed the same.

"Bodhi"

Describe your art with 3 adjectives, a genre and a metaphor.
I’d say 3 adjectives would be … time-consuming, detail-oriented, and mythology. Not sure if you wanted technique for some of those adjectives, but that’s what came to mind from my perspective. I’ve spent a long time trying to define what my work would be described as, there’s a lot of horror and whimsy to it, but I think mythology is an over-riding theme. Genre – I think it’s too early in my career to classify my work in a single genre, I’m always trying different things! Right now I paint pet portraits in acrylic paint, I paint digital background art for a cartoon, and I sketch character designs in pen and ink/watercolors in my free-time. A metaphor for my art might be a child dreaming of the monsters in his closet.

If you were given a blank check, an hour in your favorite art store
and permission to shop to your heart’s content, what would we see in
your shopping cart/s?
Everything! But mainly really expensive watercolors, nibs, ink, and huge beautiful bristol pads.

“I think the most important thing for an artist is passion. You need to want it bad, and love it more than anything.”

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
Art to me is the ability to bring your imagination and things that you can only see in your mind, out into the real world for others to see and enjoy. Art is magical to me. If we could just stick a vhs into our heads at night and record our dreams, there would be no need for art. I always thought that was a cool idea. Dreams are something I’d love to work with more…and nightmares.

"Medusa"

What is your creative process, typically? (Mood, time of day,
rituals, duration of work, surroundings, caffeine intake,
sleep-depravation levels, etc…)
Unfortunately my dad always teases me and says that I like being ”backed into a corner.” What he’s trying to say is I work really well under pressure. Everyone in the art world is so chill, I wish somebody would just start yelling at me sometimes so I could work even more, haha. I like to work late at night, and sometimes early in the morning. I definitely drink a lot of coffee, but I’m starting to think being less caffeinated lets me work better. I’m more relaxed that way. When I work “well” I go for like 8 hours straight. I like working to music, but also really enjoy peace and quiet, I prefer working alone over socially, but everything has it’s time and place.

What kind of art makes you happy from the inside out?
Art that jumps out at me makes me happy. Striking imagery. Art that tells a story narrative definitely resonates with me the most. I like to imagine what the rest of the story is when I look at a Frazetta painting for example.

“A metaphor for my art might be a child dreaming of the monsters in his closet.”

What kind makes you wish you were in your happy place?
I’m always in my happy place when I’m drawing. That’s a lie.

"Spring Rhizome"

Pick one of your pieces to come to life. Name, personality traits,
dietary restrictions, favorite Tv show?
The Autumn Fish is a god of the woods, it represents the season of Fall and floats through the forest where no one can see, spreading it’s bright autumn scales and changing the trees from green to orange, yellow, and red. When all it’s scales are gone, and the forests are colorful, the bones of the fish fall to the ground and return to the earth until next year, when he is needed again. Most of my characters have stories, and my goal as an artist is to illustrate all of them.

How did you start working for Adult Swim?
I began working for Clambake Animation in Watertown last year. We produced a demo episode for adult swim, followed by a pilot, and now we’re working on a new series that should be airing sometime in 2012. Working with Clambake and Adult Swim has been an incredible learning experience, and a lot of fun!

What would the ultimate project be for you?
I’ve been developing my ultimate project for years. It’s a graphic novel and I wish I had the time and funding to produce it now, but I’ll keep chipping away at it when I have the time.

“I’m always in my happy place when I’m drawing. That’s a lie.”

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to
make a name for themselves or looking to build a solid portfolio?
I think the most important thing for an artist is passion. You need to want it bad, and love it more than anything. You also need to work very hard, and study anatomy, perspective, painting, and color theory. These are fundamentals that I think all artists need.

"Hinged Cat"

View Gregery James Miller’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Gregery for allowing us some of his time and thoughts. We are happy to have him on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

 

Artist Spotlight: Ellen Crenshaw

Posted on by

"Ghosts of Japan"

The watercolor and ink illustration you see above this text is incredible, don’t you agree? The composition is sophisticated, the colors are vibrant, and every physical detail is just how it needs to be. Now take a deeper look and allow the details to settle in your mind. There is an untold story collecting momentum the longer you analyze this picture, and it’s a trait which seems to pertain to Ellen Crenshaw‘s illustrations. She is a talented artist who creates artwork rich in narration, movement and context, and has a body of work that has caught the eye of companies like Beer Advocate Magazine, The Weekly Dig and FableVision. The day Pearle Vision lost an employee was the day the art world gained brilliant illustrator, and thank goodness for that!

ArtVenue approached Ellen through the “mysterious ways of the internet,” aka. Gmail, and threw her some meaty questions. She diced them up and served us some tasty insight!

“Interestingly enough, most of my projects that I’ve been happiest with are the most difficult–it’s through the struggle that I find satisfaction, even if I’m grinding my teeth every step of the way.”

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
This may sound incredibly cheesy, but home is where my family is.  My husband in particular; if we’re together, I’m at home.  Literally, my place of residence is in East Boston.

How and when did you discover yourself to be an artist?
When I was a kid, I was enamored with cartoons, stories, and characters and I drew what inspired me.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t do that.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t tell people that I was going to be an “artist” when I grew up, even if I didn’t know what that meant.  It was always a single track for me, I never seriously considered anything else.

"BYOB, Beer Advocate Issue #42"

When you’re not working or illustrating and have some free time, what do you like to do?
When I’m not drawing, I’m feeling guilty about not drawing.  But I am a child of the screen, I love movies and TV, and in the winter there’s nothing better than cozying up with hot tea and a good book.  This year I started taking kickboxing as a complete change of pace.  I also started getting into fashion blogs, so getting dressed up has become a small hobby of mine.  What I look forward to most, though, is getting together with my husband and friends and letting my silly out.

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
I’d love to work on a children’s book.  Learn to screen print.  I’d be curious to try working in California someday, exciting things in the illustration world seem to come from there.

“When I was a kid, I was enamored with cartoons, stories, and characters and I drew what inspired me.”

Who are some illustrators you look up to, and why does their work speak to you?
I’m adding more and more people to this list every day!  The ones I tend to return to, however, are my standbys that get me going again when I’ve hit a wall.  Chuck Jones for his vitality and humor, and for his cartoons that got me started in all this!  Dupuy & Berberian, creators of the most stunning comics I’ve ever seen–I can’t tell you how often I turn to their books for guidance on page layout, storytelling, composition.  Peter De Seve, whose watercolor techniques I would love to successfully emulate someday.  Jen Wang, Graham Annable, Scott Campbell, Vera Brosgol, Brit Wilson, Juan Berrio…I could go on!  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with inspiration, I feel very lucky.

"My Girl"

What is your creative process, typically? (Mood, time of day, rituals, duration of work, surroundings, caffeine intake, sleep-depravation levels, etc…)
I love visual problem-solving, so I thrive on constraints and deadlines.  Once I settle on a project, either for myself or a client, a great amount of my time is spent gathering visual reference.  Ideally I would make a trip to check out the real thing I need to draw, but most often that’s not possible and I rely on stock photography sites.  Then I make small thumbnails in my sketchbook; refine the drawing either digitally or traditionally; color study in Photoshop; and finally paint, either digitally or with ink, watercolor, and gouache.  While most of the final product is planned in advance, I think spur-of-the-moment decisions and happy accidents keep the work fresh, so I leave myself at least a little mystery before beginning a final illustration.  I work best in the morning and afternoon, but when that occasional all-nighter has to happen (side note: I LOVE sleeping, so you can guess how I feel about all-nighters) I drink a cup of coffee and I’m a jittery, wired machine.  Oh, and I always–ALWAYS–need a movie playing in the background, or I can’t concentrate.  One of my best resources: listentoamovie.com.

You’re a dirty-joke teller – give me your best (PG-13) joke!
Gosh, you’ve really pushed me against a wall here.  It’s awfully hard–to perform under pressure, I mean–I don’t want to get a rise out of anyone, after all.  I may just have to sit on it.

“Kindness opens more doors than you can imagine, especially in a world where a lot of the people you meet never see you in person.”

On your ArtVenue profile you say, “As a lover of animation, I also employ a sense of motion in my illustrations, capturing action so that the characters appear to have life beyond the page. ” How did you craft this skill? (Specific classes? God-given knack and ability? Hours in the studio at school?)

Hours and hours of cartoons!  Practice makes perfect, of course, and I did go to an art magnet high school as well as art college, but when I’m drawing a character I imagine the movement–like a cartoon–I feel myself doing it while I’m drawing.  If I can’t get it right in my head, I act it out!  For a long time I wanted to be an animator, and any animator will tell you that you have to be an actor as well to bring a cartoon to life.  When I realized in college that I didn’t have the patience to be an animator, I inherently had to find a way to convey movement in a still image.

"Jack Spratt Investigates Old Mother Hubbard"

Describe your most difficult project you have ever worked on, personal or work-related. How about easiest or must fun?
Interestingly enough, most of my projects that I’ve been happiest with are the most difficult–it’s through the struggle that I find satisfaction, even if I’m grinding my teeth every step of the way. The comic I illustrated for Inbound #4 (written by my husband, Matt Boehm, published by the Boston Comics Roundtable) was incredibly hard for me.  We were constricted to four pages, and we chose a fairly ambitious story to tell in that amount of space, which means there were a LOT of panels.  It also took place in a historic landmark that no longer stands and has very little documentation, so reference was quite a challenge.  I ended up relying heavily on written accounts, which I had never depended on before for a nonfictional setting.  And, of course, I procrastinated…pulled those all-nighters I hate so much, panicked, inked until my fingers ached.  I’m very proud of the result, though, and I’m proud of the book it’s in.

“Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with inspiration, I feel very lucky.”

In regards to the second half of your question, I’m actually collaborating on a project with a bunch of my friends right now and it’s incredibly fun!  It’s called Fanartica (fanartica.tumblr.com); it’s a blog started by me and Matt, in which we and our closest illustrator buddies contribute fan art that conforms to rotating topics.  It’s only been up for a [few] weeks, but we’ve been picking up a lot of steam with our first topic, 90s Nickelodeon.  It’s really great to work on something that’s simply meant to make you and your friends laugh.

"Fair Is Foul, and Foul Is Fair"

Describe the pinnacle of your artistic career. (ie: Are you a household name? Influencing fashion? Prints flying off the shelf?)
Ha!  I think the pinnacle is still coming (that’s what she said).  So far the proudest moment of my career is a fairly humble one: it’s when I was able to quit my day job.  I worked part-time for four-and-a-half years with a wonderful staff and generous bosses at Pearle Vision while moonlighting as an illustrator.  There finally came a time when I couldn’t realistically juggle both jobs anymore, so I took the plunge into full-time freelance.  It’s scary, and not always lucrative, but I’ve never been happier.  (Plus I’ll always have my eyewear knowledge to carry with me.  You need help with lenses?  I’ll hook you up.)

"Brer Bear, Brer Rabbit, and Brer Labrador"

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite and what does it mean to you?
Woah, I imagine that’s like trying to choose a favorite child.  Let me instead tell you about my most influential piece, Ghosts of Japan.  When someone looks at my portfolio for the first time, this is the piece that stands out.  I don’t know what it is about her, but she opens doors for me.  She’s the first piece I made when I reevaluated my career strategy in 2008.  She brought me out of a six-month-long creative slump.  She was printed on the cover of the Weekly Dig to promote my solo show in 2009.  When I look at her now, I see all the technical errors that I have since improved upon, but she is consistently my most popular illustration, and remains my best-selling print.  I can’t help but get sick of her sometimes, I feel like I’ve progressed so much since I made her, but I owe a lot to that Japanese girl on the subway with her ghosts.

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
Just keep working.  Find reasons to make new artwork, dig for deadlines to meet.  When I left college I had this idea in my head that I was worth too much to work for free; don’t get me wrong, to a certain extent, this is true.  But when you decline the opportunity to build relationships and experience because of the money, you get yourself nowhere fast.  Respond to those calls-for-artists, start a blog and consistently post work, find any reason to get your work seen–better yet, published–and the opportunities will come.  Also, be nice.  Kindness opens more doors than you can imagine, especially in a world where a lot of the people you meet never see you in person.

"The Food Issue"

View Ellen Crenshaw’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Ellen for lending us some of her time and fantastic thoughts. We are psyched to have her on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

 

Artist Spotlight: Neal Portnoy

Posted on by

"Tedy Bruschi"

Neal Portnoy‘s illustrations stood out to me for several reasons – at first glance they looked like a collage of sports clippings or photos, not hand-drawn illustrations; I couldn’t pinpoint the medium right away; and he had the only sports related subject matter on ArtVenue. He clearly found a way to combine two of his passions. When I read Neal primarily used felt-tip markers, I just had to get a closer look at his body of work.

“Art to me is a picture that talks back to you. Art for me is realism. I create to ‘share’ the story.” 

I was impressed by the the spirit, movement and story captured in each of his sports illustrations, and felt inclined to find out a little more about the artist behind them.

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
Home for me is Holden, MA. I grew up in Worcester and have lived here my whole life. Lost my Mom to Cancer when I was 14, lived in a subsidized housing complex thru High School, moving to whatever was affordable for my Dad and two sisters.

How did you discover yourself to be an artist?
I’ve been drawing since the age of five. My father had me copying photos from the newspaper at an early age.

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
To have all my dreams of success happen before I’m horizontal.

Where did you go to high school and/or college? What was your concentration, best/worst subject?
I graduated from Doherty Memorial HS in Worcester class of 1971, was a scholarship pitcher at UMiami, and unfortunately had to leave during my first semester due to my dad having a heart attack….never went back. I was a Psychology major – best subject!

"Tyler Seguin"

The very first piece or work ever created by you-what/when was it, is it anything like the work you do now, and do you have it in your possession?
I drew a pots and pans store in Kindergarten, which my teacher Mrs. Weinreb said “was a great drawing of a hotdog stand.” Don’t know where it ended up, and no, it’s nothing like I do now.

“I work solely in felt tip markers – very unique when the art is completed, you’d swear it was a watercolor or another medium – you’d never guess markers!”

If you were given a blank check, an hour in your favorite art store and permission to shop to your heart’s content, what would we see in your shopping cart/s?
Frames, Mattes etc… I have so many original that I’ve never framed!

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
Art to me is a picture that talks back to you. Art for me is realism. I create to “share” the story.

What is your creative process, typically?
I work all times of the day. Like [an] old baseball relief pitcher, I work best when “the pressure is on.” I work solely in felt tip markers – very unique when the art is completed, you’d swear it was a watercolor or another medium – you’d never guess markers! I work from reference photographs similar to my favorite artist Norman Rockwell.

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite and what does it mean to you?
My favorite is the Tedi Bruschi [piece] because it’s a mult-image rendering that tell a lot of “story,” [and] because I am a huge sports fan.

"Celtics Hall Of Famers"

How many of the people you’ve illustrated have you met in person? Favorite moment?
When my boys were growing up they used to say:
“Daddy, you know Ted Williams? Daddy you know Larry Bird? Daddy you know Bobby Orr?”
I’d reply, “No, they know Daddy!” I’d continue, “In a lot of circles, Daddy is a celebrity, but what am I to you guys?”
“DADDY!”
“Well,” I’d reply, “they’re daddies too! Remember in life, It’s just what we do; treat everyone the same.” They’ve learned that lesson.

“I work all times of the day. Like [an] old baseball relief pitcher, I work best when ‘the pressure is on.’”

If I was a fly on the wall as you were creating your fantastic illustrations, what would I see?
You would see the magic I create while using my ability, enhancing my technique and creating my art!

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
I would recommend to budding artists one thing – Follow your dream, network your talents and draw every day!

"Pedro Martinez"

View Neal Portnoy’s complete ArtVenue Profile!

 ArtVenue would like to thank Neal Portnoy for letting us get to know him a little better. We are thrilled to have him on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

Artist Spotlight: Adam LoRusso

Posted on by

"Looking For Something That's Right in Front of You"

Adam LoRusso ponders life’s notions a lot, and you can feel his thoughts leaping, reaching, calling out to you in his mixed media pieces. You might not be able to decipher them at first glance, but each of Adam’s works are pensively crafted – you’ll pick up the sentiments in each artistic nuance. His work is balanced, ethereal, interesting and bold. It’s clear there is a permanent place for Adam in the art world, and we can’t get enough of his creations.

ArtVenue handed Adam a few questions and allowed him time to let his thoughts simmer. Here is a little glimpse into the world of a talented individual.

How and when did you discover yourself to be an artist?
I’ve always been interested in creating visual art, sketching and drawing, but grew up more as a musician. When I got to college, I couldn’t find any musicians that were into playing the same type of music so I said ‘whatever’ and picked up a pencil and paintbrush instead.

Envision yourself at the pinnacle of your artistic career?
Not really sure to be honest. I try to stay in the present and not worry too much about the future.

“Stop thinking so much and just make stuff. Experiment.”

The very first piece or work ever created by you-what/when was it, is it anything like the work you do now, and do you have it in your possession?
A three-legged dinosaur outlined in green crayon from when I was 5 or 6; it’s tucked away somewhere in my mother’s closet. I still have a bunch of drawings and painting studies that I did when I started taking art classes in college. My professor gave us this awesome assignment that consisted of taking a bunch of completely unrelated photo references we liked and working them into a drawing together; the first one I did was a woman surrounded by all these molecules and vintage clocks. That’s probably what strengthened my interest in surreal/visionary art and my motivation to use my work as a way to show people things that exist even though our eyes can’t necessarily see them (molecules, metaphysical concepts, etc…).

"Xx Transmission"

If you were given a blank check, an hour in your favorite art store and permission to shop to your heart’s content, what would we see in your shopping cart/s?
A whole mess of things: acrylics and watercolors, tons of brushes, Prismacolor and Sharpie markers, spray paint, a bucket of Mod Podge, acrylic medium, x-acto knife blades, any magazines or art books I could cut pictures out of, and probably a bunch of stuff I’ve never used before just to play and experiment with.

What is your creative process, typically? (Mood, time of day, rituals, duration of work, surroundings, caffeine intake, sleep-depravation levels, etc…)
I’ve tried to figure this out for 5-6 years and I honestly don’t know. The only common factor I’ve noticed is that my work usually comes in big waves. I’ll usually create 4-5 pieces in a two week span, and do nothing but work on those pieces of art. Then, once they’re finished, I won’t pick up a paint brush for three to four weeks. And repeat. That’s the main reason I’ve learned to work with mediums that dry quickly; I’m able to have an ‘art-xplosion’ without smudging everything together.

"Eagle's Song"

Where do you gather and/or seek your inspiration from?|
Things that I find fascinating. A beautiful woman, a silent and ever-present Buddha, the fact that the ‘world’ we conceive is actually just one giant field of energy, what it was like for warriors to hunt for food before supermarkets existed. I use art as a way of sparking an inner dialogue that might help me understand these concepts. I start with a concept and just go from there and see where it goes. Sometimes I come to a better understanding on a subject; sometimes I just confuse the crap out of myself. But I guess it’s the journey that matters more than the final destination.

“I couldn’t find any musicians that were into playing the same type of music so I said ‘whatever’ and picked up a pencil and paintbrush instead.”

If I’m a fly on the wall as you’re creating art, what do I see?
It really depends on what I’m doing at the moment. There’s times I’m sitting meditatively in silence only making the necessary movements to put paint on a canvas. Then there’s other times I’ll just thrash about hucking any art medium within arms reach at a canvas and end up looking like a 5 year-old after finger painting for the first time.

Describe your art with 3 adjectives and a genre, if you can.
Experimental, Self-realizing, and Alive. I have no idea what ‘genre’ my work would fit into really.

"They'll Call Me Freedom"

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
Stop thinking so much and just make stuff. Experiment.

There is symmetry in several of your pieces on ArtVenue — what’s the story behind that?
I’ve always been intrigued by the psychedelic aesthetic, so that’s probably where I subconsciously picked it up. I never really sat down and was like ‘OKAY! Now THIS piece will be symmetrical!”. It just kind of came out that way.

“I use art as a way of sparking an inner dialogue that might help me understand these [self-realizing] concepts.”

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What does it mean to you, why is it your favorite, and how did it come to be?
Not to sound cliché but each piece holds a different lesson and meaning to me, I don’t really think I have a particular favorite so to speak.

Anything else?
I have a solo show opening September 3rd at Dark World Gallery in Worcester. I’m super stoked on all the new work and really excited to get some feedback on it. Check it out!

"Lion Heart"

View Adam LoRusso’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Adam for giving us some of his time and thoughts. We are thrilled to have him on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

Artist Spotlight: Andrew Jerz

Posted on by

"Matthew"

Andrew Jerz‘s illustrations and paintings are saturated in this vibrant and unmatched awesomeness, and it is clear the artist is as well. During his collegiate stint at Syracuse University, Andrew studied illustration and was introduced to several influential illustrators. Some showed him the serious side of painting and pressed him to take his work seriously; others handed him metaphorical buck-teeth and clown noses, and taught him to “stop being such a serious freaking painter and live a little.” In each of his pieces, you notice artistic skill and technical comprehension, but it’s the cheeky composition and way he constructs a personality with thoughtfulness and paint that leaves a lasting impression.

ArtVenue, prepared with disarming questions, dug into the deepest regions of Andrew’s mind. These are the treasures we unearthed.

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
Short answer: I grew up in a place called Cohasset, MA.

Longer, but related answer: I grew up in a two-hundred year old house with a lot of crawl-spaces. If there’s one place that ISN’T home, it’s in clean, newly-rendered and disproportionately boring spaces. I feel comfortable in places with layers and layers of historical grime.

“I go see magazines and websites every day full of illustrators way better than me. Does that have to be hopeless? No. If anything, it’s inspiring.”

How and when did you discover yourself to be an artist?
There’s not a day that’s gone by – no matter how many day-jobs I’ve had to work when art money gets slow – that I don’t look at a group of young, urban, professional pharmacy students about my age (you can actually spot them a mile away) in their “goin’ out” clothes on a Saturday night on the Red-Line and think, “Whew…that’s a bullet dodged.” Not to say there’s anything wrong with what they’re doing, I just can’t believe how “not-for-me” it feels, even after living in general squalor and indebtedness for so long. I guess I always knew…I just never…knew. How esoteric of an answer is that? Proof that I’m an artist.

"02134"

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
Getting consistent calls from Rolling Stone magazine, which will probably never happen, because by the time the art directors at Rolling Stone stop throwing my unsolicited post-card promos in the trash, the magazine will probably have abandoned its print-publication - reduced to merely an iPad app that repeatedly notifies you several times throughout the day of how awesome Bob Dylan used to be. So, apart from that? Honestly? I’d love to do a mural. Like, a really big one. In a public place. I think murals are great, there should be more of them everywhere.

 ”Read about the way a hand works. That’s art. That’s real art. I’m just fascinated by it.”

What is your creative process, typically? ( Mood, time of day, rituals, duration of work, surroundings, caffeine intake, sleep-deprivation levels, etc…)
It’s funny that you mention caffeine intake, because I’ve been experimenting with this for a very, very long time. It’s an almost impossible, perfect balance to reach. Too much and you have no fine motor control over your furiously frenzied fingers; an old professor of mine, John Thompson, once told me, “whatever you do in your career, if you get swamped with too many fast turnaround assignments — don’t do speed! It doesn’t make you do ART faster, it just makes your HAND move faster!” Best advice I was ever given.

When I wake up on my day off, it takes about two to three cups of coffee and EXACTLY TWO slices of left over pizza from the night before to obtain the correct caffeine buzz; around five, when the tighter parts of the work have finished, I’m really sick of noodling with a pencil and a chisel-tipped brush on the darks, and a midtone wash is down and dried, switching to beer is essential for broad looser lay-ins of the lights and highlights.

Late night re-noodling to correct any drunkenly dramatic brushstrokes occurs to tighten these areas up when the threatened cerebrum kicks into primordial survival mode with some kind of weird, mostly inexplicable energy boost around midnight or one in the morning, depending on how much beer is involved. Gin and tonics and or whiskey will have you passed out on your drafting table at seven, and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Punctuate the slow points in this process by watering the plants out back or calling your girlfriend/significant other to plead on deaf ears as to the reason you can’t come over tonight (you’re “in the middle of something!”)

"Raz"

Describe your art with 3 adjectives, a genre and a metaphor.

  1. “Inebriated,” “wily,” and “vaguely-smelling-of-salami.”
  2. Is ”the barnacle on the whale of fine art” an acceptable genre?
  3. There’s a song by a band that goes, “if money’s all you want, then money’s what you’ll get; I’d rather be drunk and in love.”

What is art to you?
Go find an anatomy book – not, you know, an artist’s anatomy-drawing book, I’m talking about something a medical student would study – and read about the way a hand works. That’s art. That’s real art. I’m just fascinated by it.

"Juicy"

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite and what does it mean to you?
Right now there’s a piece on there called “Matthew.” Matthew was an acquaintance of mine who ran a “Free Store” from the basement of a derelict apartment building in central New York state.  A friend of mine brought me to him because I needed a replacement wheel and sprockets for my bike (the old wheel had become warped and useless), but I didn’t have any spare change to buy a new one with.

Matthew found me the exact right size wheel and sprocket set in his expansive, basement Free Store, but I had to hang out with Matthew for three or four hours in a dark basement to get it. I didn’t really remember what Matthew looked like when I painted this, but this picture is definitely what hanging out with Matthew was like. I like this piece because I love portraits that tell more of a story than just the likeness…think George Grosz.

“The barnacle on the whale of fine art.”

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves or looking to build a portfolio?
You think you’re good now? You could probably be better. Do I think everything I do sucks? No. But that doesn’t keep me from stepping back after I finish a project and thinking, “ok, this could have been done faster; this could have been executed better; next time, I’ll plan my time better to make that deadline.” You can be self-aware of your condition without being self-deprecating.

I go see magazines and websites every day full of illustrators way better than me. Does that have to be hopeless? No. If anything, it’s inspiring. If they can do it, so can you – you just have to want it enough.

You’re creative, right!? Find yourself a way to set yourself apart from those [other] nincompoops!

"Downtown Crossing"

View Andrew Jerz’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Andrew Jerz for letting us pick his brain a bit. We are so happy to have him on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

Artist Spotlight: Ilene Richard

Posted on by

"At The Pool"

Ilene Richard’s heart always held a flame for art, and it carried her through an accomplished artistic career. She majored in Illustration, Graphic Design and Jewelry Design at UMass Dartmouth, and discovered her passion for children’s book illustration. After graduation, Ilene also discovered the disheartening realization of the exclusivity of New York’s children’s book industry. Ilene changed course and focused on jewelry design, and made a name for herself with multiple national publications and exhibits in reputable galleries. Even after 15-years of hard work creating jewelry, she never gave up on her dream of being an illustrator. Ilene changed course once again, returned to painting and drawing, and has since illustrated many children’s books for many large publishing houses.

“Art to me is what makes my world a happy place. I could not imagine a world without it, and the people who create it.”

ArtVenue asked Ilene a few questions to get to know the person behind the colorful and striking acrylic paintings seen on her ArtVenue profile.

Home is where the heart is-where is home for you?
I live in Andover, Massachusetts, but I have my studio at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell, MA

How did you discover yourself to be an artist?
Ever since I have been a little girl, I have always loved to draw and create characters. My mother is an artist, and my biggest supporter, so being an artist wasn’t a decision for me, it was my destiny.

What are a few things on your artistic bucket list?
Funny question. I have to say that I am a very driven person when it comes to my art, so when I put my mind to making something happen, I do my very best. With that said, I already have had a lot of successes which I had on my bucket list. I have worked with a lot of publishing houses and have had many books published, have had my work in galleries, and I get interest in my work from people all over the world. What I would like now, is to take my work to a higher level monetarily, and bigger and better exhibition opportunities.

"Blue Dachshund"

Where did you learn the skills and gain the knowledge you, as an artist, posses today?
My early years consisted of a few art classes, and then I went off to Art school at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth studying graphic design, illustration, and jewelry design. Later on, I took classes at the Decordova Museum School in Lincoln, MA and the Boston Museum School.

After all of the education, I want to add that I worked a lot to continue to develop and grow as an artist. It is a never-ending process of growth.

What was the first children’s book you illustrated, and what was the experience like?
My first book job was with Houghton Mifflin Co. It was a ‘little reader book’ that are sold directly to schools. After working so hard to get a real job, I was so scared of the thought of not being able to do a great job. Fortunately, it worked out just fine, and there were many jobs that followed and an art rep that also signed me on to their agency.

The very first piece or work ever created by you-what/when was it, is it anything like the work you do now, and do you have it in your possession?
My very first drawing is long gone, but I do have a collection of work that I did when I was in elementary school. So happy those have survived. Thanks, Mom! Although my work has matured over the years, my quirky sense of humor and my ability to be observant hasn’t changed much over the years. Thank goodness!

If you were given a blank check, an hour in your favorite art store and permission to shop to your heart’s content, what would we see in your shopping cart/s?
A ton of canvases, gallons of acrylic paint, gouache, paint brushes, really nice papers, another easel, 4h pencils, oil pastels, and just about anything that makes me want to create.

What is art to you? What is art for you? Why create it?
Art to me is what makes my world a happy place. I could not imagine a world without it, and the people who create it.

Good Art is something that makes me go WOW! It doesn’t matter what it is made of or what it is, I appreciate things that are powerful, mind stimulating, well executed, and inspirational.  This is also why art is worth creating. It forces me to think!

Last exhibition or gallery you visited? (Who, what, where, when and why?)
Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, last week to be exact. AMAZING! I went to see this exhibit because I had heard it was fantastic and because I am a member of the museum.

“Although my work has matured over the years, my quirky sense of humor and my ability to be observant hasn’t changed much over the years. Thank goodness!”

"Eve"

What is your creative process, typically? (Mood, time of day, rituals, duration of work, surroundings, caffeine intake, sleep-depravation levels, etc…)
When I get a children’s book job. I can work all day and evening sometimes until 1:00 AM. for weeks. It is really hard work, but when I have a deadline, I have to get it done on time. That is one of my major rules. I find that days and weekends don’t exist for me when I am in the middle of a job. It is all worth it when I finally get to see my hard work posted on Amazon and in bookstores.

When it comes to my fine art paintings, I usually get to my studio in the early afternoon, and I will work until maybe 7 or 8 PM. The only break I will take is when another artist stops by to chat, or when I need to stop and self-critique my work and take a drink (Tea, Diet Pepsi, or water.) I am always happy when I go to my studio. I work in an old mill building with 180 artists renting space. It is such an inspiring place to create, and I feel very lucky to have it. I am there at least four to five times a week. On the other days, I usually need to do other things so that I can refresh myself before starting a new painting.

Where do you gather and/or seek your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from my observation of people doing everyday things. I am a people watcher, and I love to put those qualities into my work.

Pick your favorite piece on ArtVenue. What is it of, why is it your favorite, when did you create it and what does it mean to you?
“At the Pool” is my favorite piece that I have posted on Artvenue. I painted this piece in 2009. I especially like the way I posed the women. One woman looks completely frazzled while the other woman is oblivious to her and continues to talk. They are sitting so close to each other, but their elbows are still one inch away from each other. I didn’t want them to touch so there would be a little physical tension between them. I don’t think that there is a pool anywhere that doesn’t have a scene like this one that I painted.

What is some advice you could give to budding artists, hopeful to make a name for themselves as an illustrator?
My advice would be to stay true to yourself, work really hard, do a lot of research for the market that you want to attract, believe in yourself, and if you want it badly enough, don’t let the rejections stop you from achieving your dream.

"Boxed In"

View Ilene Richard’s complete ArtVenue profile!

ArtVenue would like to thank Ilene Richard for letting us get to know her a little better. We are so excited to have her on ArtVenue – welcome to the family!

ArtVenue selected as MassChallenge 2011 finalist

Posted on by
Reply

We’ve been selected as a finalist in the 2011 MassChallenge Startup Competition!

Thanks to all of our supporters who voted for us and everyone who endorsed us! We couldn’t have done it with out you.

What is MassChallenge?

The MassChallenge competition this year involved 750 teams across many different sectors. Experts from the Massachusetts ecosystem will identify the highest potential startups, which will receive cash prizes and will qualify for privileged access to funding sources from across Massachusetts. The exact number and amount of prizes will depend on the judges, but we expect 15-20 prizes of $50K-100K, totaling $1million of prize money.

View our ArtVenue MassChallenge Profile

What’s next?

At the end of the month we will be moving into the MassChallenge offices and start our time in the 3 month accelerator program. Feel free to stop by and say hi!

Our new digs: