Transition, Profile, 2002, conte on paper, 22" x 15" by Tom Cardarella

Tom Cardarella and I met doing volunteer duty at the front of the ArtOMatic Building.  This particular duty station required sitting outside on a very nice day making sure no one tried to bring artwork in through the marble lobby.  No one did.  It was a very relaxed duty.

Tom had his business cards with him (mine were upstairs in my room, 6Y17, and I had no extras.  Shame on me).  He had several different images on his cards, and I knew right then I loved his work.

Describe your artistic process and how you came to your current art style.

Having limited training in art, I tend to  work in a more automatic, more subconscious, than academic way.  My earlier paintings – I began by painting still life, landscapes and various scenes – were fairly realistic and literal.  When I first tried figure drawing, my work was also realistic, as is appropriate when learning to represent the human form.  My drawings then became more free-form.  The figurative element would be overshadowed by the abstract shapes and colors that I discovered as the drawing developed.  Eventually I began to use oil paint for the figures/abstracts.  Attempting to bring the playfulness of my figures to still life and landscape painting is just one of many paths I have marked for possible future exploration.

As to the nuts and bolts of my current figure paintings, some time prior to a modeling session I cover several canvasses with shapes, colors and/or textures using either acrylic or oil paint.  My objective is to cover the white of the primer and obscure the regularity in the texture of the canvas itself.  Basically I do quick abstracts to use as the background for the figures.  At a modeling session (I participate in a regular figure group) I choose a prepared canvas that seems to work with the pose. Discovering what image will appear by the end of the session is always a surprise.

What/who are your inspirations for art?

Most of the current work is figurative, and so the models and their poses are the most important visual inspiration, along with the "abstract" background on the canvas.  I also credit the artist Trinka Simon (painter, teacher, drawing guru, and ArtOMatic 2007 muralist) with encouraging and inspiring me to go beyond the image in front of me.  Of course, the artwork of many artists, past and present, give me glimpses down many possible pathways.  Although my technical interests probably have a subtle effect on all of my work, I have attempted only a couple of overtly geometric or mathematical works.  My technical side is more obvious in my computer-based design activities.

Why did you choose to show in ArtOMatic?

This is my third ArtOMatic.  It’s always a hoot – lots of strangely interesting and interestingly strange people around (participants as well as visitors).  I’ve been amazed by the variety of transformations in the rooms, hallways, corners, niches, spaces of all sizes.  In 2002 I participated with seven other figure artists – we called ourselves the DC Figure Group.  In 2004 I shared a room with two friends.  This time (2007) I have a wall by myself in a room with a stranger or two.  I think I’m working up to doing one of those installation pieces in a large open space in some future ArtOMatic.  (Also, see quote below).

Where else do you have your art?

Aside from ArtOMatic, and the homes of various friends and family members, my artwork is currently on display only at my studio (3711 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier MD 20712).  I’m there at some point almost every day, and I’m glad to have visitors.  Digital facsimiles of some of my work can also be seen on my website:  www.PelicanArts.com.

Are you a full time artist?

Since my retirement from Bell Atlantic, I’ve been doing a variety of arts-related things.  I was a founding board member of a non-profit called Focus which produces folk music events.  I’ve been an occasional "sound man." I’ve designed documents and logos and web sites.  I’ve been a "gopher" at musical and visual arts events.  And I paint and draw and try to figure out framing techniques.

In other words, I’m attempting to work full-time at doing whatever appeals to me.  Although my retirement income is somewhat limited, there are several reasons I’m able to do this.  I found affordable studio space (and living space) in Mount Rainier, MD.  I have no spouses or children to support.  And since my supportive siblings are "doing very well" I have no extended family financial obligations.  I’ve become very fortunate in my retirement.

Do you have any tips for aspiring artists out there?

Here’s a quote that I received recently from singer/songwriter Cary Cooper (of the Dreamsicles) that verbalizes an idea that has occurred to me in my new post retirement life. (For our purposes here I will assume that her wording and attribution are correct, although I have not checked them):

Until One is Committed

Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the change to draw back, always ineffectiveness.  Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:  that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do

or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius,

power and magic in it.    Goethe

Hand to Hand, Color, 2004, oil pastel on paper, 17" x 14"

Orange Woman on White, 2006, oil and acrylic on canvas, 36" x 24"

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As a by the way, it is snowing here in Southern Maryland on this Saturday, April 7 (one day after Daughter’s 31st birthday – she would want me to mention that)!  The best snow of the year.  Pictures tomorrow.  I had to go out and take some.  All the daffodils are down under the weight and I felt guilty and had to refill the bird feeder and put out peanuts for the squirrels.  Usually our deal is I feed them all winter and come Spring and Summer they eat the bugs.  But I’m guessing the bugs are as down as the daffys.  Heavy snow in April in Southern Maryland.  Who would have thunk it?!

thought for the day:  Oestre or Eostar was a feast of the Goddess Ishtar/Astarte/Esther and celebrated her rebirth.  The egg was used as a symbol for Eostar as it represented the rebirth of the Goddess and all of nature.  According to the Venerable Bede (672-735), Christian historian and theologian, writing in the 8th century, the name Easter is from the festival of Oestre (sometimes spelled Estre), and pronounced "Eestruh," the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, fertitility and rebirth. asnewage.com Encyclopedia