 |
| Mozambique IX 60x72 inches Oil on linen canvas A painting of a reflection of the fishing marina in Beira, Mozambique. |
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself: What got you interested in art? Have you taken any art classes?
I am a full time working artist. I have a BA and MFA in Fine Art from UCLA, in Los Angeles, California.
2. What is your preferred medium and why?
I work in pencil, charcoal, colored pencil, and oils, as well as other two dimensional media. My paintings are oil on linen.
3. Do you have an online portfolio or a blog where we can view your work?
Please have a look at http://www.danielleeubank.com/
4. Do you have a favorite artist? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?
I am a big fan of the German Expressionists, Egon Schiele and Ludwig Kirchner, as well as Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn, Pablo Picasso, Gerhard Richter. These are all artists who had it all: composition, color, form, quality of line, great paint handling. I feel invigorated when I see their work.
5. Can you remember one of the first things you drew/sculpted/painted/photographed etc.? What makes it memorable?
I drew a potato. I think I was three. I think it was the first time I drew something that I thought looked like "something". It made my mother laugh, so maybe it didn't look that much like a potato after all...
 |
| Phoenicia VII 36x24 inches Oil on linen canvas This is Phoenicia, a replica 6th century BC boat sailing off the coast of Gibraltar. |
6. This being primarily an author’s blog, I would like to ask if you’ve ever designed any artwork for an author (cover image, maps, interior art - including font styles - etc.)? Do you have a favorite genre (fantasy/sci-fi, thriller, romance etc.) you like to design for? If not, would you be interested in designing a book cover?
I have designed quite a lot of print and online media over the years. I love working with authors. For this reason I would like to create a lot more artwork for book covers and book interiors. Most notably, I created the book cover artwork for Stephen T Harper's King's X and Amy Newlove Schroeder's Sleep Hotel.
7. Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your works?
That's a great question, and one that is really hard to answer. Mainly I see colors, compositions, or forms in my mind then try to match those images on the canvas. I also have stacks of ideas in sketchbooks that need addressing. Everything I paint is a kind of portrait. That is to say, no matter what I paint -- people, nature, animals, I try to evoke the personality of the subject matter.
8. Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and discovered a whole new genre of art? How did it turn out?
Clients ask me for all kinds of imagery, in different kinds of styles. It's fun. Quite often I'll discover a new way of doing things or a new way of looking at something.
 |
| Phoenicia Reflection 60x72 inches Oil on linen A reflection of the sail of Phoenicia in Syria |
9. Do you have any other interesting hobbies or maybe a fun story about an experience involving your artwork?
In addition to my studio practice, I was an Expedition Artist on the Phoenicia, a replica of a 600 B.C. Phoenician vessel. The ship sailed from the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, around Africa and back into the Mediterranean, completing the circumnavigation of Africa in November 2010.
In 2004 I was invited to participate in the international Borobudur Ship Expedition. As Expedition Artist, I traveled 10,000 miles with the replica 8th century Indonesian wooden boat from Indonesia to Seychelles, Madagascar, South Africa, and Ghana, painting and drawing. The boat was of a design based on stone relief carvings found on the ancient Buddhist temple at Borobudur on the island of Java. In 2005, I was an artist-in-residence in Bali for 3 months. I was based in Ubud, a centre of traditional arts.
I have a lot of fun stories about these adventures but I cannot claim to be a good story teller. Here are three entertaining articles:
 |
| Venice IV 18x28 inches Oil on linen canvas A reflection in a canal in Venice, Italy |
10. Where can we reach you if we are interested in commissioning you for our own projects?
11. What, in your opinion, is the hardest step in creating a masterpiece?
Shutting out the noise and listening to your own instinct.
* * *
Thank you Danielle for taking part in my Artist Spotlight interview! I hope your artwork continues to flourish and we hope to see more of you in the future!
*****
If you or an author/illustrator you know is interested in being interviewed, feel free to send me an email at jejoescienne@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment