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| By Joanie Share |
This month we are featuring interviews with the artists who are part of our
upcoming art show -sight/unseen - at The Artist's Den in Concord, May 21-26, 2016.
This is
Joani Share - what do you like most about living in Concord?
I have lived in Concord just shy of 1 year - since April 2015; prior to the move to California, my husband and I lived in Phoenix, Arizona for over 40 years. We moved here to be closer to family, which has been a great joy to us. The proximity to San Francisco and all that a large, world-class city has to offer has been inspiring and exciting. Being new to the area, everything is a learning curve from shopping to driving – exploring our new surroundings is lots of fun. Moving from the desert and extreme heat to milder temperatures has made living easier, and seeing actual seasons has been inspirational- the shock of fall colors and spring flowers is a contrast to the subtle changes found in the desert terrain. I love my new studio space, it is large, light and airy – it used to be a garage, but no more. With the sealing of the garage door, addition of windows and heating/cooling it is my favorite place to be – I am there all of the time.
What mediums do you plan to use for this show?
It will be mixed media. I started using my sewing machine to create art – making lines become dimensional. I love exploring new media and techniques, I have no fear of color and will try just about anything art-wise to see how it works with my ideas.
Any new techniques or materials you've learned about recently?
I learned how to do monoprints using plexiglass plates. It was not something I knew, but instantly fell in love. The technique I learned was untraditional – oil paint on dark paper – it was fascinating – different and forgiving. I learned to incorporate printmaking into many of my older pieces, without the use of a printing press. The new gel plate prints are helpful in creating texture and pattern to paper which can be used as is – or cut up. Experimenting is something I love to do.
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| By Joanie Share |
How long have you been making art?
I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. I have been an art teacher, and a student mentor. My students always told me that they liked my honesty – I worked with them on drawing and composition. The hardest part of doing art is creating it - and knowing when to stop. Below is what I share with my students:
Rethinking Some Myths
Myth 1: The ability to draw is inherited.
This is one of the main reasons people believe they cannot draw or give up after only a few attempts. I am convinced that this is false.
Myth 2: There is a right and wrong way to draw.
There are learned techniques and approaches that will help you draw in ways that enhance your drawing skills. However, in art museums and art galleries you will see all manners of drawing, from precise to sloppy, from beautiful to ugly. Even art critics are in constant disagreement about what comprises good and bad art. Art students sometimes hand the same work to different teachers and get wildly divergent opinions. Unless you have been commissioned to do a certain drawing, it is not necessary to please anyone but yourself.
Myth 3: Drawing is simply for pleasure and has no practical use.
The process of creating art helps develop problem-solving skills, develops concentration and visual perception skills that are applicable in many other areas, and promotes relaxation and creative energy that is healing to the mental and emotional body.
Myth 4: You can’t really draw if you have to look at a photograph.
You cannot realistically draw the endless array of of animals, birds, and foliage that exist from your imagination alone. If you cannot locate the subject or object you wish to draw, it is okay to use photographs as a reference tool. You can use these references to create your own works of art.
Myth 5: Real artists successfully draw what they want without making mistakes.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Most artists are dissatisfied with their preliminary works. Sometimes they do a composition over and over, adjusting parts they don’t like. “If a professional artist does five drawings, how many do you think he or she will like enough to frame?” The typical answer is two at the most. Give yourself freedom to explore the way professional artists do. Only with freedom will you maximize your progress. Finish the drawings you don’t like, without trying to hide them or apologize for them. This will empower you to learn from your efforts and take advantage of the magic that originates in so-called mistakes.
What advice do you have for a new artist?
It takes a long time to create art – don’t ever get discouraged! If you think you made a mistake, fix it. With art you can always adjust – mistakes are often just happy accidents. Remember for every great piece that Matisse or Renoir created, there were hundreds that they discarded so that you could enjoy the ones known worldwide.
