Featured Member Interview: Mary Neligan

Mary at work

What inspires you to create?

Sometimes it’s the wood with the different patterns, knots or shapes.  Sometimes it’s the odd metal parts that I‘ve found or been given.  Lately it’s been a theme or concept of a fish that makes me laugh and I search through my hoard of parts to create that fish.

When did you decide to pursue art or did art pursue you?


Oakey

I’ve always been a piddler, tinkering with tools, wood, glass, and the like.  When our talented member and my good friend, Jean Skipper, told me she could sell my fish in her gallery I was amazed.  I had a reason and a purpose behind my piddling.  I later realized Jean bought most of my first fish, but it got me started.

Hooked

If you weren’t an artist what would you be?
I would still be working in the Emergency Room.  With 12-hour shifts you always had 4 days of the week to decompress and work on projects.

What other jobs have you had which aided you on your artistic path?

Daddy Gar

When my boys were young I was able to be a stay at home mom.   My friend Joanne and I taught ourselves how to use a miter box and chair railed everything.  We laid flooring, painted, and wallpapered.  We mastered the bigger saws and built a dog house.  My dog never slept in it.  It has a bit heavy… needing a forklift to move it, but it looked good.   

 At the art store which section do you gravitate to first?
The one with the most colorful display.   They may be displaying something I know nothing about or have no need for, but I will be sucked in.   I have bought amazing things I know nothing about from fabulous colorful displays. 

What new technique or art form would you like to learn?  Have you made plans to do so?

Sally Sells

I have always wanted to learn to batik.  This past Monday I took a class with our own Liz Miller. I liked the element of surprise in a completed batik work.  More batik projects are now swimming through my head at an alarming rate.  I have fish orders that need to be filled first. So much art and not enough time. Batiking will happen, but back burner for now.

If you could do anything, and could not fail, what would you choose to do?

Mrs. Latchy

I’ve toyed with the idea for years of acquiring one of little cinderblock buildings you see dotting the rural highways of North Carolina.  You know the ones… mostly abandoned now, they use to be mom and pop stores, repair shops, and the like.  I would like to completely mosaic the exterior of the building with a landscape theme with monsters, gargoyles, and of course fish.  The store would become a junk shop with displays of found and upcycled art.  Give ideas to all on what they can create with discarded items.  They have the choice to create or to buy from all of us who create, tinker, and piddle.

There'd be lots of CMMAG members who'd be regular visitors to your store, Mary!  Thanks for the interview.

2012 Challenge: "What's on Your Palette?"

Our challenge for this year will be our take on the Capital One slogan ("What's in Your Wallet?").  No Vikings, no Alec Baldwin, no goats...well, unless that's what you're into. 

At the August 9th Guild meeting, all members will be given a 12" x 12" canvas (a gift from the Guild), and a template with the outline of an artist's palette.  The challenge will be to show the world what's on your personal palette. 

Anything goes!  If it can fit onto the palette, and be permanently attached to the canvas, it'll work.  The only requirements are that the outline of the palette must be visible, and a solid color background (which continues around all four edges) must surround it.  Finished work is due at the October 11 meeting (no exceptions!).  As we did last year, the completed canvases will be displayed at Art of the Carolinas (November 8--11). But unlike CanvaSynergy, these will not be attached, or in a frame. Instead, we'll forgo the table we normally have in the hallway leading to the trade show at AoC, and display them on a grid wall.  After that, who knows?  Maybe the Mayor has some more empty wall space...

Intrigued?  Got plans whirling in your head?  Great!  The fun begins August 9th.

Featured Member Interview: Ilona Isaacs

What inspires you to create?
The rush I get from making something - anything really, an event, dinner, a simple greeting card, etc.

When did you decide to pursue art, or did art pursue you?
Art and aesthetics have always been part of my life.  Beautiful things bring me joy. But, I felt I was an "appreciator" and my sister was the talented one. Being in the Guild has given me the courage to begin labeling myself as an artist-in-training and every opportunity I get to do something artistic counts toward my 10,000 hours toward actually being good at it. Most of all, I have always loved the feeling of getting lost in the moment when I am working on an art project. The rest of the time, my brain whirrs around, a dozen trains of thought at a time so this is a welcome respite for me. As I've gotten older, I recognize the value of this focusing more and am encouraging it. Again, the support and inspiration that I find in the Guild is awesome. They do not label anyone and are extremely encouraging and if it takes me a decade to get to the next level ... that will be ok.

If you weren't an artist, what would you be?
The artist in me comes out in always viewing the world through an artistic lens. I don't think I can look at things any other way.

What other jobs have you had which have aided you on your artistic path?
A simple design class in college - 20+ years ago, has stuck with me and I have used the things I learned in that class forever. Working in an antique shop and being an auctioneer helped form one of my core values: old things are of value and need to be appreciated and now, with mixed media - given new life. Being a Girl Scout Leader for a decade really gave me insight into how making things affected me... and a comfort level with imperfection because I always focused on process not product with my girls. Being a mother launched me into scrapbooking and that is one area that I do feel very competent about my skills. And, my family has always appreciated old skills; hard work and making things by hand. These are gifts in today's world. I am very excited about my new job at TechShop since creativity runs rampant in a million different ways at our shop. I am looking at this as a big step in my development as an Artist - Maker, an opportunity for me to learn a lot of new skills that I can use later in my artistic endeavors.

At an art supply store, which section do you gravitate to first?
Paper... always paper. And not just at an art store but EVERYWHERE. Thrift stores, flea markets, antique malls, dumps... maps, books, images, calendars, tickets, spatter scraps... Paper, paper, paper.  I love paper.




What new technique or art form would you like to learn?  Do you have plans to do so?
I like to learn almost anything but my top three desires that have been with me longest are: drawing, watercolor and calligraphy. My current plans are to keep dabbling in whatever comes my way and over time, my skills will grow and things will coalesce into the next level - I will be an Artist. Also, collage is very, very satisfying and a lovely exercise in composition and color so I  pursue that in whatever spare time I have. It also uses up some of my Paper Hoard since I cannot stop accumulating.

If you could do anything, and knew you could not fail, what would you choose to do?
This question required a lot of thought. So, after World Peace of course, ;-)  the most gratifying thing I could think of would be to create a public park with spaces for people to nurture their creativity and connection with God: gardens with gazebos, walking paths, outdoor performance areas, easily accessible, encouraging community, multi-use, public art, playgrounds,  outdoor rooms designed and cared for by different people/groups, one running into another, free and open to the public.

Thank you for this opportunity to reflect on my path. - Ilona