Passion in Action

This is the second set of questions that artists answered in the book The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed by Seth Apter:

Who has had the most impact on your creative life?

My husband. He always encourages me, and even though I don't really consider myself an artists, he is always telling others about what I do, and complimenting all the various collages, windchimes and furniture that populate our home.

How do you express your passion in your artwork?

Details. The more details I include in something (collage, dollhouse, whatever) the more energy I've invested in it because I feel strongly about getting it "just right."

If you had your choice o fame versus income as an artist, which would you choose?

Income would be nice. Not so much that my art became real work with little enjoyment left, and I felt pressured to constantly produce more, but just a little supplemental income.

What is your most quirky habit?

I constantly pick things up and save them. I tear ads out of magazines, pick up shells on the beach or stones and branches in my yard, or whole pieces of furniture off the side of the road, with the intention of using them for art.

What is one choice as an artist that you regret having made or not made?

I wish I had taken an art class when I was in college. I was so focused on choosing a major, and getting my General Education credits out of the way that I missed out on a lot of opportunities to try new things.

Is there an emotion that shows up more frequently than others in your artwork?

Nostalgia. I love to use images and found objects that represent the past. I have an entire altered book that just includes antique and vintage photos; I don't know any of the people in the photos, I just found them at flea markets.

What obstacle has stopped you from achieving an art-related goal?

Insecurity. Since I never really thought of myself as an artist, I rarely look for opportunities to exhibit or sell my creations. I'd love to have a place show an exhibit of my work someday, but I don't think I'd ever make the first move.

How do you express anger in your artwork?

I don't tend to use a lot of black, but there are a couple of pages in my art journal that have very thick, black lines (made with an oil pastel crayon), and those drawings reflect some anger.

If you could sell one piece of artwork to anyone, who would you want to buy it?

I guess I'd want someone I know to buy something not knowing who created it, and then when they found out it was me, be like "Oh my gosh- this is amazing. I never knew _________ about you before!"

How do you express vulnerability in your artwork?

By letting others view it, either in my home, or by posting pictures of it online.