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"The world is but a canvas to the imagination" ~Henry David Thoreau~ |
Bio's and writing about myself have never come easy to me. I usually find that I get writer's block after the first sentence or two, even on this small page meant to tell you, dear reader, a little about the artist behind the creations shown. So, let's see now, what would I like to know about any other artist who graces the internet with their work and a small amount of information about themselves. Artistic Influences My inspiration, my ideas... I am heavily influenced by Myths, Legends and Folklore; and though I love all areas of Mythos I seem to favor towards 'King Arthur and Camelot' and 'The mists of Avalon'. I am in a way, the dreaming romantic; lost in the tales of Knights and Kings, Fair Maidens and great Lady's. The Celtic and Norse Mythology are my top favorites however there are some Folklore/Legends that I love to follow as well. Vampires, werewolves, mummy's, dragons and of course phantoms. Mediums Throughout the whole of my life I have had the privilege of working with a great number of mediums, to this day there are three that still remain my all time favorite. Inks, Acrylics, and most recently acquired, Digital. Ink was one of the first mediums that I worked with and I loved the richness and coverage it had. Since then ink has come a long way, now there are professional inks in a very wide variety of color and even texture. I have moved on from the basic black india ink and now also use 'Windsor and Newton' Drawing Inks'. Staedtler Mars Technical Pens are what I currently use in my inking projects but I have worked with Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph Technical Pens and will admit that they are the top of the line. Acrylic paint has always been my choice for actual painting. Most people would think that to get that perfect acrylic they need to spend a lot of money and buy the professional sets. I'll let you in on a secret, my acrylic paints are the same paints they use for wood painting and ceramic figures. They are great quality, the price is low and they have such a huge variety of color available. I watched the rise and popularity of digital creation rise from something you only saw in movies, to what it is today and how broad a spectrum it has encompassed. There was a time I swore I would never change from being a traditional artist to a digital one. Well as with all things in life, this too changed. Sadly, I developed a rather bad and permanent tremor that makes it very difficult to paint with a brush or ink things without messing up, so one day a couple of years ago I did some research and looked at digital art tablets. Since then I have been working with a Wacom Intuos3 which allows me to do everything in separate layers making it 100% easier to take care of my mistakes without wasting paper or supplies and time with having to start again. Digital also, as I have come to realize, allows for crisper looking prints of all sizes ( and I don't have to worry about something happening to the canvas when it's stored ). Accomplishments and Training I can honestly say that there are a lot more individuals with greater training than myself, but I can also say without a seconds thought that I never once believed training made the artist. A teacher can help to hone technique, they can walk you through all sorts of mediums and bases, but they cannot awake the passion, the fire or the spirit of an artist... that has to already be there. I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. I spent my school days creating and probing the areas of art that were available to me, and in doing so I was lucky enough to have the encouragement and support of friends, family and others. I had spent time doing a lot of work for my high school, helping with competitions, back drops for the drama productions and everything else I could participate in. It was during my time at Holy Spirit High School in Mannuels Newfoundland that I had the opportunity to have my first official exhibit. I found myself in a building on Bell Island, surrounded by some of the most notable and accomplished artists that have ever graced the province and our country. James Long who is known among many Hockey Fans for his realistic and stunning works revolving around Canada's favorite pastime. Also, probably the most amazing individual I met at the exhibit was a Newfoundland artist known by the name 'John Littlejohn'. This man was the head artist of a project happening on Bell Island to help revitalize the community. A series of Murals were being painted around the island, these works were both based on the life and times of people who once lived there and to the history the tiny island was known by. John invited me to see one of the murals that had, at the time, still been in the painting process and was closed to the public. I became an instant fan of the murals located all over the island, and could secretly take pride in one particular mural dedicated to the Ore Miners of the island, after finding out that my great grandfather Bill Ford had been one of the few faces chosen to be on the Miner's Mural. Sadly, John passed away June 9, 2004 and I never got the opportunity to thank him for all his wonderful advice and encouragement. He completed my first exhibit as my first ever sale, purchasing a piece I had worked in ink and pencil called " Last Kiss " a depiction I had recreated from a favorite image in one of the many King Arthur books I had read. When I was done High School I moved to the main land to attend Canadore College for Graphic Design. During my years there I connected to many people and found a place for myself that let me create professionally. I was doing promotional art for Canadore's Student Council on a regular basis, including the designing of a new logo for Frosh Week T-Shirts that went to every new student. When in school I also participated in an Awareness Competition for the Aids Society of North Bay, where I received an Honorable mention which was given to me by famed cartoonist Lynn Johnston. After this I was asked by fellow artist Ruth Jamieson to help out the city we live in, North Bay Ontario, by creating the giant Birthday Card for all the community to view and sign in celebration of North Bay's 75 th Birthday. This was indeed an honor and one I had a lot of fun with because the card was taller than I am ( think it was about 6' by 4' ). What's to Come? One never knows what will happen as the days pass, but I hope and look forward to the prospect of breaking through to become a popular artist whose work is known and remembered. After all, isn't that what every artist yearns for? Thanks for reading and visiting, I hope you will come back soon. Angela You can also find me on: |
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