Intro
I began to pursue creating art as a secondary source of income as well as a passion project back in the spring of 2015. I have since had numerous commissions and public works from paintings to murals.
Process
Research Methods
I conducted research methods to understand who my user is and understand their needs
Persona
My User
Art Collector
Characteristics
25-60 years old
annual salary: $40K - $200k+
Engaged in the art scene
Pain Points
Difficult to find new artists
Price can be an issue for certain income levels
Needs
To collect new and interesting art pieces
To have accessible purchasing options
Wants to support the artists
Analysis
Comparative Analysis
Compared Kyler Martz, Sophie Roach, and Jennifer Ament’s artwork and their promotion styles.
Kyler Martz
Classic Sailor Jerry style work, with elements of Art Nouveau
Mainly women figure and NW inspired scenes
Tattoos, murals, prints and sculpture work
Promotes via Instagram, website, and works visible through the Seattle
Sophie Roach
Colorful psychedelic, fun, shapes and lines to create abstract images
Sketches, pen and ink, and large murals
Promotes via Instagram, website and collaborations with large companies
Jennifer Ament
Minimalist line and figure work with elements of Memphis
Encaustic painting, printing and large murals
Promotes via Instagram, art galleries, and non-profit events
Project
Colorful abstract Sketches
Began with creating repetitive colorful abstract organic forms using pen and ink. This was my first attempt at this style of work and worked to create and define my own style.
Insights
People really responded to this style of work and were fascinated by the detail
Worked on trying to take this work to the next level and see the limits within this style
Iterated this style over 40 times to really understand and perfect my craft
Iterations
Project
Brian Paquette Interiors
Commissioned by Brian Paquette Interiors to paint a large 5’x7’ painting to reside in an apartment’s main lobby in Seattle.
Insights
I didn’t sketch out any ideas before painting and became very frustrated
Should always make a smaller version first as a “blueprint”
Because of the lack of a “blueprint” I had to make many corrections through the project
Process
Deliverable
Project
South Park Light Box
Selected to paint and design and light box for Seattle City Light in the South Park Neighborhood in Seattle.
Insights
Submitted 3 designs to a “call for artists” from the city of Seattle
First time painting a light box and there was definitely a learning curve
Translating the design onto the light box took longer than thought and took a few tries to get the scale right
Ideation
Process
Deliverable
Project
“One of Many”
Commissioned by a local art collector to paint a 22”x 30” gouache painting on paper
Insights
Given complete artist freedom on this piece and decided to work in gouache for it’s delicate nature
First time painting for a collector and was nervous they wouldn’t care for the work, so focused on what I wanted to do and the work, so as not to get overwhelmed and paralyzed with anxiety
Created a new technique and style for this work and has continued to influence my work ever since
Process
Deliverable
Project
“I want to break free”
Commissioned to paint a “live” painting on a window during an event at The Skyview Observatory at The Columbia Tower in downtown Seattle
Insights
Never done a “live” painting before and I had a time limit of 3 hours to complete the painting, so i had to have the design be interesting enough but simple enough to finish in time
Never painted on window and had to do research into what paint works best on a window and is easy to clean. I ended up using chalk board markers
This was a new medium so i had to do a little practicing to understand how best to work with it
This was a LGBTQ+ Pride event and they wanted it to be representative of the Pride movement
Initially the title was going to be “Look How Far We Have To Go” but the curators preferred “I Want To Break Free”
Process
Deliverable
Project
“Falling to the ground”
Was asked to participate in a gallery show in Salt Lake City, UT. Each artist was given a 24”x24'“ panel to paint whatever they would like. I chose to paint in a combination of acrylic and gouache.
Insights
First time in a gallery show so decided to make multiple iterations to work through some ideas
The first time I did a small test painting to test my idea would translate in this medium
Doing multiple iterations was very helpful in helping me to troubleshoot and really understand the painting and how to execute my idea
Ideation
Deliverable
Project
“You and I will be always be back then”
I was recently commissioned, along with many artists, to paint a 8’x20’ mural on one of the boarded up businesses during the Covid-19 shut down in Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle. This represents the connection between people and their spirits and how time and connection are never-ending.
Insights
This is the first time I have painted a mural this size by myself and needed to plan for scale
My scale was too small and my design was too detailed so it took me a longer than expected
Was given artistic freedom except they wanted something colorful
Didn’t realize how therapeutic it would be for me and for the community for dealing with the effects of Covid-19. It was really amazing seeing the community response
Ideation
Process
Deliverable
Takeaways
What I Learned
That I am never done learning and challenging myself. I grow and learn with every project
To trust in myself and my own creative energy
The more I work on projects the more I work to define my style and differentiate myself
