Thursday, April 7, 2011

An Interview With Dpi Magazine

Several weeks ago I was kindly asked to do an interview with the Taiwan magazine dpi. Dpi stands for (Design Popular Imagination) It's a lovely monthly magazine by the looks and I'm really happy with the spread they have done. I'm in this months issue, so thought I'd share it with you.   



 Here is the interview as it's to small to read on the pictures......
 

What kind of material, tool and technique do you use for your creation?
 I work very traditionally in acrylic paint on canvas, wood or watercolour paper. Sometimes I might use coloured pencils on paper alongside the paint. I occasionally add metallic paint and gold and silver leaf.

It feels peaceful to your artworks, and how do you describe your creating style?
Yes, alot of people have told me that my work has a calming effect or sense of peace to it. I'm really happy about this as hopefully it means I'm achieving a little part of what I've set out to do? Much of my work is about connection. The connection between humans and animals, plants trees, nature in general. I often feel that there is a disconnection between us and nature /animals. We as humans have separated ourselves from it, living in cities or submerged in our material worlds. Sadly we exploit it and have in some areas lost all respect for it. In my work I try to show that the connection is still there if you look for it. A special magic, wisdom a spark, a deep respect that was once lost can be re-found, relit and reconnected. I use imagery with stars alot to potray this magic and my colours are often centred around blue which is a very calming colour. I hope the peace that people see in my work is maybe that connection showing itself?
Other pictures of mine can be more whimsical and light hearted and are painted with a specific piece of writing in mind.


What's your inspiration from? Is there anything can inspire you from daily life?
Nature, stories myths, folk and fairy tales and a single word can spark an idea. A piece of music an image, film or an old object found can open rusty locks to creative doors in my head. I'm inspired by many things.I love notebooks and am always  filling them with sentences that often come to me in the midnight hours. These often lead to a painting. At my desk on a daily basis I'm inspired by what's going on outside my window. The trees, their skeletal form in winter. The birds rooks and jackdaws that live in them. The light, how it falls , the constant changing of the sky, the windsong on the leaves.
 
It looks that your artworks contain a lot of animals, such as owl, fox and dogs. Why do you like to draw animals in your artworks? Would you share your design conception with us?
I use animals in a symbolic way. I've always been interested in stories using animals. Fairytales and superstitions relating to them. I use them as the inbetween link between us and the earth or ethereal world I suppose? 
The owl sat amid the starlit forest in my painting  'The Keeper Of Time' for instance is just that an owl, but is also reminding us of wisdom and the passing of time. Or a wisdom lost over time. 
The fox in my picture 'Wearing A Robe Of Gold ' is to me a prince in the landscape. He turns to glance at the light. I used the light to symbolise hope of things to change and the elephant hawk moth that has just hatched from it's sleep represents new beginnings.
  
Would you talk about your works “the hare” and “thrush”? What’s your design conception of these two images and why do you want to put people and animal in the image? 
I use people and animals together to emphasise a bond. The Thrush picture or 'Nest' is about  similarities. Reminding ourselves that we too are animals How we both have the same instinct watching over our offspring.The hare and woman is again about connection something passing between them. Unspoken, a feeling, a knowing between them. 'A Secret'

The image of “Magic Toyshop” looks has different design conception with other artworks. Would you share the creating idea with us?
The Magic Toyshop painting is an old work of mine. My palette and subject matter was much darker at this point in time. It was work I did at college and based on Angela Carters book of the same title. I won first prize as student Illustrator with it at the Benson And Hedges Gold Awards. 

Will you try another creating style in the future? Moreover, do you have any latest artworks now?
At the moment I'm happy with my style of working. Although I would like to learn more about digital work. I would also like to do some much larger paintings and more book Illustration work. I'm working on preliminary ideas at the moment for my next painting about the circle and dance of Spring.
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Now to the Novica giveaway!  Before I announce the winner I have a little good news. Instead of one voucher for $75, I got things a little mixed up and actually have two!  So.. that means two winners!  
I asked my son and daughter to choose two numbers and they chose numbers 11 and 12.
         So the winners are.... 'Deborah Long'  and 'Bunnits'
Congratulations! Email me and I'll send you the vouchers! :-)

18 comments:

  1. that's a lovely spread. Well done on such great work.

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  2. Congrats on the interview! The layout is so beautiful. :) Theresa

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  3. IT'S SO WELL LAID OUT. AND YOUR RESPONSES DIRECT, FORTHRIGHT, GENTLE (LIKE YOU, I SUSPECT)...THE ART IS LAVELY AS ALWAYS. THANKS FOR SHARING

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  4. Congratulations on the article Karen! Very nice indeed.
    ~ Deb

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  5. Seems to me this is a very respectful article with sensible questions (and answers!) and a sensitive layout too. I'm glad they asked you, glad you responded - and glad you put it here. We've had a kind of 'retrospective'!

    Lucy

    P.S. As for the impact of your paintings - starting with them will peacify my day.

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  6. Really lovely spread Karen! Thanks for sharing that!

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  7. What a beautiful spread, I always love learning more about an artist and the story behind their work. Congratulations on such a beautiful feature.

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  8. Wonderful article - congratulations!

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  9. How lovely that your art is appreciated on another continent and showcased so well - good for you! Betty x

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  10. Love this post - your interview is really interesting. Congratulations.

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  11. Such a lovely interview and showing of your wonderful art!

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  12. Dear Karen, it was such a pleasure to read the interview and learn such interesting things about the sources of your inspiration, the way you create your wonderful pieces of art and the things you consider important in your life!...
    I've been absent lately from commenting here, but I've read and seen almost everything I've missed. Every time I feel enchanted by the beauty you create!
    Please, give my special congratulations to your son for his music! I think he's a talented and sensitive boy and I wish him further successes in composing!
    My son is a year older, he played five years the piano, now he's a drummer in the high school band.:)

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  13. Congratulations on the fabulous interview! I am sure it generated great interest from the readers of the magazine. Happy Spring! xo

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  14. Karen,
    I think I'm your newest follower here. I wanted to say hello, and comment on just how amazing and breathtaking I find this blog!

    I have loved children's books since my son was a baby 30 years ago, and have as well been a reader pf children's books in my work as a daycare worker for the past 25 years.

    I love your work, and this interview is very interesting.

    For the past 20 years or so I've been dabbling with a book based on stories told to me by an elderly friend, of animals she grew up with on a small farm here in Saskatchewan, Canada. I'm feeling inspried by your work, and wonderful thoughts about animals to work again.

    I love crows and magpies, and notice some images here of these birds.

    One of my friend's stories, (and I've done a drawing, as well as an applique picture with cloth), is of rabbits in the full moon.There's really something about the effect of the full moon on rabbits I think.

    Sorry about the length of this comment, I'm just so thrilled to have found your blog, and will drop in and follow often!
    I also really like your music here.
    Cheers!
    Brenda

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  15. How wonderful to see your work in a design magasine!
    It was interesting to read about your thought process and the symbolism behind the imigary.

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Thanks so much you for leaving me a comment.
It's great to hear from you! :-)