Category: Art

  • Mairi Timoney

    Mairi Timoney

    Mairi Timoney is an artist working and living in Edinburgh. Her work is inspired by architecture, interiors and landscapes, and has been shown in The Whitechapel Gallery in London, The National Gallery of Modern Art and The Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. We chatted with Mairi to find out more about how she first got interested in art, the common elements in her work and the projects she’s currently working on.

    www.mairitimoney.com

    Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background and education?

    My name is Mairi, I’m a Scottish Artist currently living and working in Edinburgh. I studied Painting and then continued to study a Master‘s in Graphic Design at Edinburgh College of Art. My work takes a lot of elements from both disciplines and since graduating I have continued to develop my practice and personal style.

    Do you remember the first artwork you created?

    I remember drawing my dream house when I was about 5. I’m not sure if I’d really call it a piece of artwork but it’s definitely my first memory of loving to make and draw.

    How do you describe your work? What are some of the common elements we can find in your pieces?

    Within my practice I mainly focus on making multi media images that portray fictional places and scenes that I build through a mixture of collage and painting. I like to collect imagery and materials from various sources to piece together visuals which are both aesthetically and compositionally engaging. I also enjoy juxtaposing different media to consider surface, space, pattern and colour whilst the overlaying imagery allows me to explore my interest in place and narrative. The fragmented landscapes which appear in my work come from an attraction to unfamiliar surroundings, quiet landscapes, architecture and the lives and stories of the people that inhabit these spaces.

    Where do you draw inspiration from?

    I’m always inspired by architecture, interiors and landscapes that I see in day to day life or when I travel. The structures and colour combinations give me ideas to include in new pieces and I always try to take photographs that I can use later. I also find creative blogs and magazines really useful for finding inspiring new projects, as well as being able to look at the work of my favourite artists and designers too.

    What are some of the projects you’re working on?

    I recently started a year long Artist in Residence position based in a school in Edinburgh called George Watson’s College. Here I will have the opportunity to run workshops and teach pupils in the Art & Design department whilst also having time to focus on my own practice. I am provided with materials and a new studio space to work in and I plan to spend my time developing a body of work which I will exhibit in a solo show next July.

  • Peony Gent

    Peony Gent

    Peony Gent is a freelance multimedia illustrator currently based in London, specialising in visual poetry and observational drawing. Working across different media – from comics to ceramics – Peony likes to keep a sense of play in her work, whilst maintaining her practice fluid and always open to change. We chatted with Peony to find out more about her education, her favourite projects and plans for the upcoming months.

    www.peonygent.com

    Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your education?

    Originally from Cambridgeshire I’ve lived in Edinburgh for the past five years, where I completed an undergrad at the Edinburgh College of Art. After a year out of education I’ve recently moved to London, where I’m just starting a two-year master’s in Visual Communication at the RCA here.

    How would you describe your illustrations?

    Describing my own work is something I’ve never been quite good at, even though I really should have gotten used to it by now. I do like to keep my practice really varied though, and enjoy doing a wide selection of jobs, from bold commercial designs to contemplative visual poetry. I would say, however, that my main love in illustration is the visual narrative/comics making side, and it’s definitely the most personal work I create. The interplay between word and image is really important to me in those projects, and the writing is just as valuable as my drawings to me there.

    In terms of a consistent visual style though, I mainly work in just pencils and then edit and add colour to my work digitally in Photoshop. That organic hand drawn element is very valuable to me, so even though I could just do a lot of my sketches directly on a tablet, I still like to keep it in a sketchbook first. I feel it stays a bit more free and fluid that way.

    A large part of my illustration style is about trying to capture a sense of place and/or character without just directly copying the subject, if that makes sense. A photo-realistic drawing that just copies a subjects appearance without showing any of its energy simply isn’t for me. To that end I often create a lot of my work by quickly redrawing the same subject over and over, until I feel like one has really captured the energy I’m searching for. I always keep a sketchbook with me for these observational drawings, and try to use it as often as I can. Often, I’d say around 70% of these drawings turn out like total trash, but it’s still worth it for the ones that do turn out well. I’ll also often return to drawings from those sketchbooks that I did weeks or months ago and find something valuable there that I hadn’t originally seen or needed.

    You work across different formats, can you tell us a little bit about each of them?

    Whilst pencil drawings are the most common medium I use, I do really love to experiment and have recently got really into ceramics. In contrast to typical illustration work, it’s nice that you don’t have to worry about deeper meanings or anything, you can just concentrate on making something aesthetically pleasing. I’d love to work on a more cohesive range this year and ideally get a space with a wheel to cut down on production times. In the past all my ceramics have been made very informally in my room without any proper equipment or tools, and I’d like to learn a lot more about glazing and different clays as well.

    And whilst I enjoyed printmaking at uni it’s been difficult to access any facilities since leaving ECA, but I have kept up making some risograph prints. It’s been the only way for me to print large runs fairly cheaply and I do like that organic texture and ability to layer colours that risograph printers give. I’ll often take bits of other projects and transfer them into these prints, rather than sitting down with the direct intention to design a new one from scratch.

    What are some of your favourite projects you’ve worked on?

    The ones I value the most have to be my own comics and poetry projects, they’re the ones that always take me the longest to do and they’re definitely the most personal. It really means a lot to me when those stories strike a chord with people, and some of the responses I’ve had to them have been honestly very touching. With each new one I make there’s always an element of fear: that I’ve put too much of myself into a piece of work or made myself too vulnerable.

    On the other hand I also enjoy the pay off of making ceramics, it’s just very pleasing to be able to use things you’ve made yourself for everyday practical purposes. Especially when so many illustrations I make only exist digitally in their finished form – it’s a nice balance to have physical results of things you’ve made.

    I was also lucky enough to be one of It’s Nice That’s 2016 graduates and really appreciated the opportunities I got through that. In particular, each of the grads that year got the chance to make a book in collaboration with GF Smith papers and it’s still easily the nicest thing I own with my illustrations in it. I made mine as a kind of formal presentation of my sketchbooks and it’s a collection of my photography, drawings and writings from the two previous years.

    What are your plans for the upcoming months?

    Mainly settling into London! I’ve honestly only ever lived in Cambridgeshire where I grew up or in Edinburgh, so it’s an exciting change to live somewhere new and see what opportunities there are here. I’ve also been working on my very first long form comic and hope to make some good headway on it before Christmas, at least. Having only made short self-published zines before this is a big change for me, especially since I’m usually so bad at committing to one theme or idea long enough to carry it through to the end. It is still very much in the early stages though, so we’ll have to see how it goes…

  • The Jaunt, art and travel

    The Jaunt, art and travel

    The Jaunt is a project by Jeroen Smeets sending artists all over the world to find inspiration and create a new artwork which is printed in a limited edition. Before the trip, you can purchase the print sight unseen only knowing about the artist and their destination – a place they’ve never visited before. During the trip, you can follow the artist whilst they get immersed in the destination and get inspired to produce their artwork.

    In this short interview, Jeroen tells us about how the idea behind The Jaunt started, how people have reacted to this innovative project and the last trip with artist Kristin Texeira.

    www.thejaunt.net

    Photos by The Jaunt

    Jaunt #021 – Scott Albrecht – Masaya

    Can you introduce yourself and tell us about how The Jaunt started?

    My name is Jeroen Smeets. I’m from the Netherlands originally, but living in Copenhagen these days with my family. I’ve been working with artists for a while now through different jobs and projects. Ranging from editor-in-chief, creative director, art agency, gallery manager, publisher, journalist and everything in between.

    The Jaunt started about five years ago when I first started talking about this project with friends and artists, trying to shape this idea I had of sending artists on trips all over the world to find inspiration. After a year of conversations we organised our first trip in April 2013, and have been running ever since up to trip number 35.

    Jaunt #030 – Jean Jullien – Marfa

    The Jaunt is an innovative take on the traditional artist residency. Can you explain briefly how it works?

    We send artists on trips all over the world with the sole purpose of finding inspiration. There is no agenda and no briefing. The artists make their own trip and their own adventure. Once the artist returns from their trip, they create an artwork which we then produce as a limited edition silk screen print. We sell this print before the trip takes place. Meaning you have no clue about the outcome of the artwork until the artist has returned and you receive your print at home.

    This way when you buy a print you become part of the experience and make it possible for the artist to go on their trip.

    The Jaunt #007 – Jordy van den Nieuwendijk at work on location in Los Angeles

    We love the surprise element of buying the print before the artist travels to their destination, without knowing what they’re going to create. How did your first customers react to this? Can you share some of the feedback or comments you’ve received since you started The Jaunt?

    We work with a variety of established and upcoming artists, and this way we get to introduce artist whose work we admire to a new audience. One of the things I personally enjoy hearing the most is when people order a print from an artist they did not know before, but are very pleased with in the end and the artwork ends up hanging on the walls in their house.

    The screenprint studio of Joris Diks where the artworks are printed

    Your last trip has been with artist Kristin Texeira, whom we’ve interviewed before. Why did you choose Kristin and her destination, Newfoundland?

    I actually just stumbled upon her work by clicking through different hashtags on Instagram, and it immediately captured my eye. Her work is to me a great example of an artist putting her own feelings and experiences into the artworks. Meanwhile she is able to tell a vivid story with her quite abstract work. So I got in touch with her and two weeks later her tickets were booked.

    Originally I was looking into the Caribbean islands for her trip, but Kristin expressed a bigger interest in less tropical climates, enjoying the different elements of the weather and nature. Newfoundland, Canada seemed like a perfect fit for her.

    Jaunt #012 – Cleon Peterson – Athens

    You have published a book about your first 10 artists and their trips. Are you planning a second volume or other ways to expand the project outside of prints?

    It’s in the works. The first book was self-published which is a big challenge, especially on the distribution end of things. So ideally I would like to collaborate with a publisher on the second book and make sure it gets the proper international distribution.

     

  • Meet the Graduate: Julia Krewinkel

    Meet the Graduate: Julia Krewinkel

    We’re starting a new series of posts in which you can meet students from art schools around the world that are graduating in 2017. If you’d like to be featured on our blog, please send us an email to hello@thefuturepositive.com with some information about your graduation project.

    Julia Krewinkel is an illustration student who is about to graduate from the art academy AKV|St. Joost in the Netherlands. We talked to Julia to find out more about her course, her project ‘This must be the place’ and how someone graduating in 2017 feels.

    www.juliakrewinkel.com

    Illustrations taken from ‘This must be the place’.

    Can you tell us about yourself and your course?

    I literally grew up with a pencil in my hand. With my mother as a goldsmith and my father as a painter, my brother and I grew up in a very free and creative environment where I learned to look at the world around me with curiosity and to react with it accordingly. In high school I didn’t have a creative outlet, so when I started my first course in graphic design I felt that I was really in the right place. Here I was encouraged to think big in a conceptual way, but also to think about working with clients. After graduating I decided to continue my education with a programme in illustrative design at the art academy. During this course, I learned to position myself in the art world and to make my place in the world. I have become an independent designer; I try to distinguish myself and to use my education in the best way.

    Can you tell us more about your project ‘This must be the place’?

    For the last four years I have been living in an international student campus in the Netherlands. More than 200 people, from all over the world, live in my building and from the beginning I was intrigued with who my 199 housemates are. I decided to interview these international residents and ask them how they experience their lives in the Netherlands, how they organize their lives and what problems they may encounter. Through the interviews it became clear that many of the residents didn’t know their neighbours either and that sometimes they felt isolated and lonely. I decided to tell their stories in a graphic novel where I could show, through many short stories, some of the different ways these people experienced these types of loneliness. The stories show that although everyone experiences loneliness in a different way, the essence of the experience is the same. Ultimately my goal is for the reader to see that loneliness can be relieved if you realize that you are not the only one who has these feelings.

    How has your course and school prepared you for life after graduating?

    During my education I learned to position myself as a designer. I worked for four years to find my distinctive abilities and apply them. In my third year I worked as an intern in a design studio with a number of classmates, where we worked on numerous different projects and had intensive contact with clients. These experiences taught me how to maintain my own aesthetic while working with the needs of a particular client and project. Alongside my education I have worked independently over the last four years, participating in various art fairs in the Netherlands. Since 2016 I have also been selling my work in an art store in Maastricht.

    How does a graduate feel in 2017?

    Graduating and discovering the workplace is exciting for everyone, but perhaps especially for art students. You don’t have the quick guarantee of a steady job and income, so the future may feel unsure and that’s unsettling. However, there are some advantages to my situation; I often work digitally and when I have my computer and drawing tablet, my immediate surroundings are irrelevant – the world is virtually at my feet. I’m eager to become part of the creative world and to show people my vision of events.

  • Bring Out Your Creative Side With A Side Hustle

    If you have managed to forge out a successful career with your creative side, then well done you. We hope you find continued success. However, many of us are stuck with 9 to 5 jobs that rarely touch upon the creative side of our lives, be we photographers, artists, writers, or one of the many other creative types that exist in our world today. We need to pay the bills, after all.

    However, if you’re looking to spend more time with your creative passion, and make money while doing so, then it makes sense to take on a side hustle. Not only will this give you the incentive to put your skills to good use, but it will also give you something to add to your resumé; useful, especially if you later want to move into a career that allows you the scope to fully use your creative talents.

    Here then are some ideas that we hope you find useful.

    For photographers

    (image credit)

    You can forge out a career as a photographer in many ways. You could open your own photo studio, work as a photojournalist, or take on any one of these interesting careers. However, if you aren’t ready or wanting to commit to a full-time position, then you can still make money on the side.

    You could advertise your services online for photo shoots. You don’t need to own your own photo studio, as some clients prefer location and outdoor shoots. They might even want you to come to their home or business premises. Still, you could always rent a professional studio if this was needed, so check the linked article for some useful advice. Types of photo shoot include family portraits, pet photos, and headshots (perhaps for those looking to get into acting or modelling). With your own website acting as a portfolio, and with a marketing push to get your website noticed online, you might one day take this up as a full-time career once word gets around about what you can offer.

    Make money from your work online. You could sell prints of your work from your own website, or you could use popular websites such as Etsy and ImageKind to sell your work. You might want to check out Clickasnap too, which offers free photo sharing for photographers and pays out when your photos are viewed. And considering many people need to use stock photos for their blogs and websites, you might also make a passive income by submitting your pics to stock photography sites such as Flickr and ShutterStock.

    For jewelry designers

    Jewelry designers can also leverage their craft to increase their income. By designing unique pieces that appeal to specific markets, designers can establish themselves as experts in their niche market and secure a steady income. Etsy, eBay or your own personal website provide jewelry designers an avenue for selling their designs globally. Additionally, boutique stores or art galleries often seek unique artisanal pieces as an additional revenue stream. Custom design services allow customers to customize pieces specifically to their tastes and requirements, offering unique selling points while charging premium fees for personalized services. Russian Shungite jewelry has gained significant traction through online platforms and custom design services; you could utilize various materials, styles, and techniques in creating jewelry lines that stand out in the market.

    For artists

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    Forging a career as an artist is easy(ish) once you become well known after selling your work in galleries, and there are many other careers that can be obtained if you have an art degree or relevant experience. But if you’re looking for a side-hustle, there are options open to you.

    You could sell merchandise with your art. Using the print-on-demand services of websites such as Printful and Zazzle, you can upload images of your art to create your own custom-made merchandise that is sold on their sites. These include t-shirts, business cards, home decor items, and more. A portion of your profit will go to these sites, but you will still make money from the endeavour, and you won’t have to worry about packing and shipping costs, as they will take care of that for you.

    You could earn an income selling prints of your work. This is also something to keep in mind if you’re a photographer, as by digitizing your work with a scanning tool or graphic design program, you could turn your work into high-quality posters that would make a lovely addition to people’s homes. You could then sell these from your personal website, or use sites such as Etsy or Sellfy. You can also connect your site to these websites, so if anybody likes what they see, they will be able to connect with you and see what else you have to offer.

    For writers

    (image credit)

    Sure, you could make money by becoming a journalist or writing a best-selling novel, but until you do (if these ideas even interest you at all), you can still make a bit of money on the side.

    You could work part-time as a freelance writer. Now, you won’t make big bucks as a freelance writer, especially if you’re only working when you have spare time, but you will get to practice your craft, and this could one day net you a well-paid and full-time gig that will enable you to earn real money. By visiting sites such as Upwork and PitchWhiz, you will be able to advertise your services and search through the myriad of clients who are looking for a freelance writer for blog or ghost-writing purposes.

    You could create your own blog. Why write for other people’s blogs when you could write content for your own? Okay, so you could still do both, but if you want an online presence of your own, your blog could work as both a showcase of your writing talents and as a means to make money. You can find out more about monetizing your blog here. Unlike guest writing for others, you can write what you want on your blog, within reason and good taste, and you can also support other aspiring writers by giving them the platform to guest write articles for your site.

    Finally

    To be honest, we have barely touched the surface of the side-hustles that are available to you, so use our suggestions as a springboard for what could be possible for you, and then continue your research online. No matter what your creative passion is, you are sure to find a money-making idea that will supplement your regular income. And let us know if you have any other ideas for our readers too, especially if you are already making money on a part or full-time basis. We should all be supportive of each other, after all.

    Take care, and thanks for reading.