Artist Interview: Brent Black

Brent Black is an artist of such ingenuity and vision that he has managed to render me speechless on a regular basis since our paths crossed a few months ago. The truth is that I have tried to write an appropriate introduction for this interview several times, but the charisma of Brent’s art eventually distracts me to the point of total incoherence.

Fortunately, my beloved brought it to my attention that the interview can be split into two parts – which is exactly what I am going to do. Today’s post will explore Brent as a person and artist, while the second part will focus exclusively on a few of his artworks... Enjoy!

Why did you to become an artist?

Well, it’s the only thing I’m good at really! I love drawing and I cannot imagine doing anything else other than that.

How long have you’ve been a practicing artist?

I have been dabbling in art for about 8 years. I started out creating illustrations using Microsoft Paint for a shirt company called Finga Pupit which became quite popular and then branched out with cartooning and tattoo flashes. I recently completed my Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design via the Tswane University of Technology and I’m planning on furthering my studies in the future.

How would you describe your work?

My work is current and quite “tongue in cheek” – featuring various subtle innuendoes on current affairs or whatever is going on in my head at that time. My style is raw and “in your face”. Ultimately, I have fun with whatever I’m busy with and that translates to my work.

Tell us about the awards you have received for your work?

Last year I was not only a finalist in the Goldpak Awards, but I received a merit award for the Antalis Art of Design Awards as well. I have also received numerous awards for my work while studying for my Degree.

On an artistic as well as personal level, what would you say inspires you?

I strive to learn more at all times – I do this by keeping up with new trends, finding whatever is new and challenging and collaborating with awesome artists on an International level.  I am currently working on a few collaborations with some amazing talent – you can learn more about these collaborations on my Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.221975297874545.54299.197924303612978&type=3

What helps you to stay motivated?

Coffee – a lot of it!

However, I also try my best to draw something, anything, at least once a day as well as keeping good company – I am lucky enough to have great people in my life who motivate me daily as well as having the privilege of working with an awesome team.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Network, network, network!

Make friends, don’t “hate-collate” and... Never stop doodling on desks, kids – it’s good for you!

To find out more about Brent and his work, follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/Bblack_studios or join his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/BBlackStudios and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the second part of this captivating artist’s interview!

Blessings,

Mel

Update on Artist Kyle Goulden...

Last night I received exciting news from one of the artists I interviewed last year... Kyle Goulden. For those of you new to the blog, here is Kyle’s interview:

http://artsandculturemel.blogspot.com/2011/09/artist-interview-kyle-goulden.html

And here is Kyle’s news in his own words:

“As some of you might remember, I'm one of those people who love learning, creating and so on – it is what I love to do and it’s what gives me the most joy in life. For the last four years, I’ve been working in an office doing motion design and animation. However, this year things needed to change.

That is why as from the 1^st of March, I will be a full-time freelancer which means that you can contact me for all your design, animation, editing, photography, retouching, art direction and cinematography needs. Feel free to check out my website at: www.kylegoulden.com. As an added bonus, I’m offering discounts to the first 10 people who contact me. Simply add "AWBPROMO" to the subject line to be eligible for this offer.*

I hope to see you all soon, and here’s to an epic 2012!”

* Offer ends 1 March 2012 and is limited to one quote per person only. More details on contact. Terms and conditions apply.

There you have it dear readers, support a very talented South African artist in his ventures.

Blessings,

Mel

Artist Interview: Barry Greenland

Today’s article features an interview with a highly talented photographer I stumbled across on Deviant Art – Barry Greenland. Not only is Barry a talented artist, but he is also a very pleasant person as well as an avid supporter of artistic endeavours (he even offers photography related tutorials on his website in order to help other aspiring artists).

Why did you become an artist?

In 2004 I got my first small point and shoot digital camera as a Christmas gift and it all started there. I also taught myself how to manipulate images as I was now able to take my own stock images and use them for that purpose. In 2006 I joined Deviant Art and started sharing my work there – I was quite surprised with the positive response I got and I’ve been there ever since – even though my work presently focuses primarily on photography, but I still use manipulation skills during the editing process at times.

How long have you been a practicing artist?

I’ve always had a love of art and being creative, so when I started to get tools such as cameras, computers, graphic software and so on, I just got deeper into the whole process of creating. I have a need to discover how others have achieved certain ways of editing images or what settings were used on the camera to take a certain photograph. I love learning and there is always something new and exciting to discover when it comes to photography and editing.

Tell us more about your work?

My images are usually muted in tone. I prefer soft colours to bright – although if the image requires it, I’ll enhance the colours to make them ‘pop’. I’m an avid nature photographer: I love getting up close to plants and trying to capture their essence, as well as photographing landscapes and “skyscapes”.

I also love still-life photography which involves setting up a small scene such as a fruit basket or flowers and then photographing it. I tend to use texture overlays quite a bit as well. (What this does is give an image a vintage look, which is a style I’ve enjoyed for some time.) I adore old images and being able to create my own is quite a pleasure. Most of my images will involve editing as I try to create a piece of art with the photo rather than just having a simple snapshot.

What inspires you?

Inspiration comes from many things – movies, TV, books and other artists. There is so much beauty around us that it is hard not to find inspiration somewhere. I sometimes make little notes when I get an idea – this helps when I hit a blank wall because I can simply go to my notes and discover a few ideas that I had a while back. I also try to photograph and edit every day.

How do you stay motivated?

Motivation comes from discovering what I can do. I’ve often surprised myself by attempting something new and being successful. I also look through tutorials available on the Internet to see what others are doing and then try them out to see if I can achieve something similar. Practice is something I feel is always necessary, no matter how good you might be.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Practice, practice and practice some more. Your heart needs to be in your work or you just won’t get anywhere. Don’t get disheartened when things don’t go as planned, keep at it and you will eventually achieve what you want. I never think that my work is perfect; I always feel that I can improve on something and this helps me with motivation...

For more information about Barry, his exquisite works, and the prints he offers for sale, visit http://bgphotography.za.net. You can also find him on Facebook and Deviant Art at: http://www.facebook.com/BarryGreenlandPhotography and http://bazzabent.deviantart.com

Blessings,

Mel

Artist Interview: Kyle Goulden

I’m not really an expert on photography but the work of Kyle Goulden caught my attention a while back and I was thrilled when he agreed to do an interview for the blog. He is a gifted South African photographer and I find his work absolutely exhilarating...

How long have you been a practicing artist?

I’ve been practicing photography for three years now although I only started taking it more seriously during the last two years. I initially experimented with Photoshop and similar mediums – vector art* kind of stuff – and progressed further with time. I have a career in graphic design and broadcast animation**, which means that I have to merge the two mediums a bit.

Why did you become an artist?

It was natural. There wasn't really a definitive moment. It started with taking a few photos and playing around with them using Photoshop.

How would you describe your work and style?

My work changes frequently – which can sometimes be a problem!

Generally my work’s influences range from expressionistic, conceptual, cinematic to fashion and art. A lot of the time I photograph fashion-centric subjects in order to improve my skills and earn an additional income but cinematic emotive*** subjects are my passion.

Tell us about the awards you received?
I received a Promax Silver Muse for Best Sponsored Spot in both 2009 and 2010 for two different promos, which is a big thing for me considering I had no previous training in this field.

Promax/BDA is an awards ceremony and conference held in South Africa every year. It’s kind of like the Louries, but not as focused on commercials, rather more focused on promos and ads – such as channel branding, best radio/broadcast/print campaign, and best typography usage.

What inspires you – as an artist and as a person?

I am primarily inspired by games and music – mainly the latter, but daily life and how humankind works, thinks and acts inspire me as well. A part of me wishes I became involved in music instead of photography, but there is no reason one can't love and work with both.

How do you stay motivated?

I stop trying so hard. Artists block is when you have nothing to say, so go out there and live. I firmly believe that as an artist you should love life more than your art – experiences are really what motivates a person.

Where would you like to go with your art - where do you see yourself in the future?

With my art, I'd love to get more involved with people and their stories. It may be a funny thing to say for a portrait photographer, but I love cinematic images which tell a story in one image. I'd love to do more collaborations and I'm busy planning an exhibition for sometime next year.

I'm also working on a few music videos for some international musicians and would love to continue with that. Career wise, I want to study some more – learn some 3D and Flash skills.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Just keep going – keep living life and creating. Don't get caught up in what others do, follow your own style.

Visit www.kreation.co.za to find out more about Kyle, his work and the services he offers as a professional photographer. You can join his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyle-Goulden-Creative/222044544487754?sk=info.

Blessings,

Mel

* Vector Art - For me it’s using a technical part of my mind in a creative way. I love playing with the Abstract, and Vector for Me allows me to create that in ways I can't in photography. Adobe Illustrator is my favourite friend in that.

** Broadcast Animation - Not so much of Disney animation but more advertising based. However that doesn't mean it’s not creative. I've animated a whole bunch of them and very rarely do two projects look the same. It gets tricky however to do fun stuff within a very specific look but it’s a great challenge.

*** Cinematic emotive - For me it’s a feeling you get when you look at an image and you see a greater story within it. It calls out to you and makes you feel something so real and makes you want to see more, see how the story plays out.

Artist Interview: Pierre Knobel

Pierre Knobel inspires me. I have known him for quite some time and I even have one of his landscapes hanging right next to my desk. His attitude towards life is inspiring and his work diverse and beautiful. Here is the interview I conducted with him a couple of weeks ago*… Enjoy!

How long have you been a practicing artist?

Since I was a child, I also had art as a subject at school until Matric after which I studied art at the Pretoria Technicon. My first exhibition was in 1984 in Johannesburg were I did miniature and micro miniature watercolour landscapes. I’ve had about 25 exhibitions since then – two of which were in the Bank Towers foyer in Perth, Western Australia.

I also had works in the Una Van Hall Art Gallery in Perth and donated every year for 5 years a painting on an auction to the Cambodia children’s project. I was chosen to present South Africa in 1994 in a one man exhibition at the Admirer Gallery in Sophia.

What about other exhibitions?

Most of my Exhibitions were at private houses or at venues. In 2001 I was asked to exhibit with other Artists at the opening of the Voyer Gallery for Modern Art in Brooklyn, Pretoria. In 2005 I was invited to exhibit my works with other Artists at the opening of the Gallery for Modern Art in Port Alfred.

In 2010 I had an exhibition in Cape Town were some of my works are now in the Art Gallery in Riebeeck Stad. I have works which are exhibited at the moment in the Chris Tugwell Gallery in Brooklyn, Pretoria and I am planning an exhibition with 2 new Artists in September in Pretoria this year.

Why did you become an artist?

It is in my blood and it is my passion. My late Mother was an artist and my Father’s Mother was very artistic.

Tell us about your work – what is it about and how would you describe your style?

I paint in 5 different styles:

South African landscapes:

It is said that my landscapes have the feel of Pierneef although I never tried to paint like him. The works are mostly of the Western Transvaal where I grew up. The style is Expressionistic and very colourful. I also do landscapes in the Impressionistic style. All landscapes are done in Acrylic.

  

Still lives:

Mostly of Tulips and St Joseph Lilies. The style is Realistic with a hint of Surrealism. All paintings are done in Acrylic.

Rock Art:

This style had its debut in Sophia. It is Koi Art (Bushman drawings on rock) were I sometimes combine it with Modern Art. I also do landscapes on a rock texture. Paintings are done in gesso for relief work and Acrylic.

Modern Art:

This style includes Optical Art that changes when the light falls on it during the night. Paintings are done in Acrylic and in oil, depending on style.

Tree of life:

This style is done in stained glass effect with very bright colours. One of them, titled No.13 can be viewed at the Chris Tugwell Gallery in Brooklyn Pretoria. I also paint landscapes in a stained glass effect. These paintings are done in Acrylic.

What inspires you – as an artist and as a person?

Life with all its varieties of form and colour.

How do you stay motivated?

My different styles, depending on my mood.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Paint from your heart and your soul. Don't try and paint something that people might like. Stay true to what you want to express. Never try and copy another Artist's style.  

If you want to see more of Pierre’s art, you can view it on Facebook under the name Pierre Knobel Artist. He also gives art lessons at his studio (and home) in Pretoria East. For more information, email Pierre at swiss380@gmail.com.

Blessings,

Mel

*I couldn’t possibly feature all the images of Pierre’s work in this post, but I will feature more of them in future posts.