Artist Interview: Amanda Lanzone

RSVP (Lavender)

Meet Amanda Lanzone. Amanda is an editorial and freelance illustrator, living and working in New York. Amanda is recognized for her attractive drawings, line quality, and intruging characters- creating narrative and concept-driven illustrations. As a freelance illustrator, Amanda has created many works for clients such as the New York Times, the New Yorker, Cosmopolitan, the City Pages, and Procter & Gamble among others.

We are honored to work with Amanda in the current Great Personality Exhibition and celebrate her as a person and outstanding illustrator. Through this interview, you can get to know Amanda, her process, background and inspirations, and her love for drawing!



Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I was born and raised in Queens, New York. I always loved drawing, and became very serious about it from a young age. From grade school through high school, I took art lessons in and out of school, including summer courses at Cooper Union in the city. I then got accepted to the School of Visual Arts, and graduated with a BFA, majoring in illustration. College was amazing, I learned so much there. I actually got my first editorial jobs while I was still at SVA, and won multiple awards for my work senior year. Those were defining moments, all the hard work was paying off, and things continued from there. . .Drawing is what I love to do, I draw all the time, even when it's not for work.

What is your studio practice and process like? Your materials, use of color, style, work habits? 

I like to look at things, and research. I draw using pens and ink brushes to create various lines, and I like to use a generous amount of black. Making a solid black and white drawing is first. When I don't stop there, I tend to work with a somewhat limited palette, and color and edit in Photoshop. Sometimes, subtle textures like a watercolor wash or colored pencil is added.

Shut Up (ver 2)

For the Great Personality Exhibition you were asked to create a character based on a personality description. How did you approach this project, what elements and characteristics did you include?

I based a character on the personality type INTJ otherwise known as 'the Mastermind'. They may be the 'quiet type', but they have other qualities, such as being very logical and driven people. I created the expressions based on typical feelings or reactions to certain situations. To accompany the character's expressions, I created the physical appearance based on what kinds of features I personally find attractive. I tend to be drawn to the various 'lean, floppy-haired male' types.

Shy Boy (Aaron) by Amanda Lanzone for the Great Personality Exhibition

You do a really lovely job of creating potent, beautifully composed and clean images. What is your ideating process like? How do you arrive at your final image? 

Thank you very much for the kind words. I like to pull from life; inspiration can really strike from anything, even if it's just something as minor as seeing colors that look cool together or something. I like to make things fresh, visually and conceptually. I articulate each detail of the illustrations, and I use my point of view to my advantage. Then it all comes down to the drawing really. 

Hunger (The Landing)

Can you talk a little about the differences between freelance and personal work? Do the subjects and themes overlap? Inspire one another?

Since I do draw what I am partial to, I think this definitely happens. When a client presents me with an idea, interesting visual storytelling is most important so the point communicates. There are defiantly reoccurring themes, and I think do overlap at times, but I work to make each piece it's own.

XO

You graduated from SVA a few years ago. What have  been some of your strategy in kickstarting your career? Best advice? And thoughts on freelance? and aspirations?

My best advice would be to keep pushing. Keep practicing, keep learning, and keep trying. Getting used to freelance work was a bit intimidating, but I continue to put myself out there. When you are passionate about what you do, it's worth all the effort. It's very rewarding, and things are continuing to progress. 

Can you talk about your creative community? Do you often collaborate and work alongside other illustrators and designers?

There have been times friends and I would give each other assignments and we would create an illustrations based on those themes, which was fun. I know a lot of creative people, but we all tend to work on our own things. Everyone I know has always been super supportive, and I am very fortunate to have that.

Cab

Thanks Amanda!

You can check out some of Amanda's upcoming projects, all of her illustrations and process on here website here! You can also see her work for the Great Personality Exhibition on the Light Grey website, and check out all of the archival prints on the Light Grey Shop here.

Studio Self Indulgence with Sam Wolfe Connelly - Weekend Recap!

Studio Self Indulgence with Sam Wolfe Connelly

We just finished a set of huge and inspiring weeks at Light Grey Art Lab! In coordination with the opening reception for Great Personality, we invited freelance, editorial, and exhibiting illustrator Sam Wolfe Connelly to teach a three-day workshop called Studio Self Indulgence!

The weekend workshop included a public artist lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a series of studio-intensive sessions, advice on practicing and professional illustration, locational brainstorming, business talks, and a guest lecture by Teagan White. Overall, the weekend was full of dynamic conversations, ideating, and a focus on each individual's art practice and aspirations.



The weekend began with the visiting artist lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In the artist talk, Sam walked through his recent work, motivations, and voice in illustration. He shared his thoughts about promoting work, navigating the line between client-based and personal work, and some of the stories and history that make their way into his pieces- creating eery, interesting, and voyeuristic narratives.

It was an informative and very entertaining start to the night! If you missed the artist talk, we just posted it to the Light Grey Podcast. You can find an audio recording of the lecture here.



After the talk, we made our way to Light Grey Art Lab for the opening reception of Great Personality, the release of the Great Personality Dating Games, and an All Creatives Meet & Greet. It was an unbelievable turnout with artists, locals, and friends, who were all gathered for the big unveil! Guests were able to mingle and meet one another while looking at all of the pinups and environments on the surrounding walls. You can see more information about the opening reception here or see all of the photographs on the Great Personality flickr set here.



The studio workshops began on Saturday morning with bagels, coffee, and tea. We gathered around the big tables to meet all of the workshop participants, get to know one another, and discus our goals and focus for the workshop and thereafter.



After a few brainstorming exercises and individual reflections, we broke into teams and began idea generating and comparing interests. Each group was given prompts to expand upon and use throughout the afternoon field trips and locational workshops.

American Swedish Institute

Our first group trip was to the American Swedish Institute. There, students were invited to gather source images, sketch, and wonder through the halls of the Turnblad Mansion. The entire mansion is covered in gilded statues, giant bay windows, lookout points, bannisters, and hand-carved ornaments. It was a perfect place to sketch and work out some drawings!

Students sketching throughout the museum.



We then made our way to Midtown Global Market for a lunch break and conversation. Midtown is a colorful and diverse marketplace for all types of food and goods- It is one of our favorite places for people watching and grabbing a bite to eat.

Midtown Global Market

And after lunch we made our way to Northeast Minneapolis to the Bell Museum of Natural History. Here, there are tons of beautiful landscapes, dioramas, taxidermy, and carefully placed scenes for sketching and observing.

Bell Museum of Natural History

In the afternoon, we returned to Light Grey Art Lab for a lecture, presentation, and work time. And after a productive day, we settled down for a family style dinner and game night! It was a mystery themed game night that included Clue, Pandemic, Rolemodels, Who Killed Doctor Lucky, and more!

Mystery Game Night!

Breakfast and Business Discussion

The second day of the workshop began with a Breakfast and Business Talk. We all gathered around the big tables to pool our resources! The business talk included topics of promotionals, art directors, conventions, art reps, and more. It is a content heavy and incredibly important part of the workshop!

Then Sam gave two technique-based demos. We watched Sam create a small drawing in charcoal, and then how he translated and colored his work digitally. He talked through his techniques and tips for keeping material qualities and setting certain moods.

Digital Demo by Sam Wolfe Connelly

Artist Talk with Teagan White

Then we had an artist presentation by local illustrator, Teagan White. Teagan is an expert in her craft, style, and application. She shared information about what techniques and promotions have worked best for her, finding the right kind of work for her style, and her thoughts on illustration. It was an thoughtful and informative talk! You can see more of Teagan White's work here.



After our artist talks and demos, we had a full afternoon including one-on-one critiques, portfolio reviews with Sam, and group brainstorming for future projects. During the one-on-one meetings, Sam talked with each participant with their individual art goals, current projects, and questions. It was a chance to ask all of the specifics about their personal illustration work.



Groups met to talk about zine, exhibition, and project possibilities! Each group came up with a unique solution that brought together their common goals, inspirations, community, and resources.

Farewell dinner at Fuji Ya

And after a productive, inspiring, and collaborative weekend, we gathered around around for our final, farewell dinner! We had a great time talking with all of the artists and about new things on the horizon! I think we all left with a sense of possibilities and good things to come!

Thanks to everyone that participated in this weekend, attended the lecture at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, or came to the opening reception of Great Personality- this was an extremely special and community driven weekend!

Studio Self Indulgence, 2014

Artist Interview with Jo Yeh

Meet Jo Yeh. Jo is one of the participating artists in the 6 Degrees Exhibition and a current MFA student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. We were immediately captured by Jo's illustrations, her sense of color, story-telling, and influence of place in her work, and we are excited to share her work and celebrate her unique practice!



Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background?

I was born in Taiwan, a tropical island country in Asia. There, the students’ academic performances in schools mean almost everything, especially in the urban areas, so almost every student has to go to cram schools after school to study more, and has no time to develop personal interests. Luckily, I grew up in a remote countryside in southern Taiwan, so I did not have that much stress. I could spend most of my after-school hours on my interests—reading and drawing—instead of going to cram schools, and here was the start of my art life.

I just received my BFA in communications design from Taiwan’s Shih Chien University in 2013, and I’m currently studying in the MFA program in Minneapolis College of Art and Design, focusing on illustration. When I was in college, I did mostly digital animations and I found myself really enjoying writing scripts and drawing storyboards, and I spent most of my time on those parts of the process. Therefore, after I graduated, I decided to pursue a career as a narrative and story-based illustrator.

Could you tell me about your art practice? What is studio time like for you and where do you find your inspirations?

I try my best to work on something everyday. In general, I have two kinds of working process. Sometimes I start with writing sentences or key words. When I write my ideas down, the images will subsequently appear in my head. Other times, when I have nothing specific, I start with doodling in my sketchbooks. My grandmother was a farmer and when we were living in the countryside, she planted different kinds of vegetables and flowers in our backyard, and I did many sketches of them. I keep this habit even now, I still draw flowers often, and they usually become the patterns in my work. After I moved to the city of Taipei, I carried my sketchbooks with me when I was taking buses or subways, and I drew portraits of random people on public transportations—there are always interesting people doing weird things on subways in every city. So, if I find something with potentials in my sketchbooks, I will develop it further to make it into a complete image. For example, the piece called “You Will Still Be Mine Next Winter” came from such place.

Most of my inspirations come from my daily life. Sometimes the idea just hit me when I am having a casual conversation with my friends, or a friend’s post on Facebook can also bring me some ideas. Because of its colonial past and geographical proximity, Taiwan is deeply affected by Japanese culture, so I also read a lot of Japanese fairy tales, ghost stories and comics, which also serve as inspirations sometimes.


You Will Still Be Mine Next Winter

Can you tell me about the piece you created for the 6 Degrees Exhibition. What is the significance/story behind the image?

“The Southland” is the piece I submitted to the 6 Degrees Exhibition. The elements (window frames, bougainvillea, swallows) in this image are all everyday objects that I could see on the street when I was a little girl. To me, the combination of these elements is a typical image of Taiwan. However, after I moved to the city, these things became more and more rare to see. The woman in the image is my great-grandmother, who passed away when I was in second grade. My memory of her is very blurry, and the only thing I can remember is that she had very long hair, and she always used chopsticks to pin her hair bun. This piece kind of represents my memory of childhood and the early era of Taiwan.


The Southland

It seems that most of your work is inspired by culture, your surroundings, and personal experience. Even viewing your work from home to your life in Minneapolis the color pallet, weather, and scenes in your stories have drastically changed. Can you talk about this relationship of place to piece?

It is a little bit difficult to me to work on themes that have no direct connection/relation to me. As I mentioned, my inspirations come from my daily life, so my work is usually related to the environment I am in, things that happened to me, or some issues I am interested in currently. I project a lot of personal emotions and experiences into my work—For example, It rains a lot in Taipei, so rainy scenes appear in my work quite often when I was living there. Also, the streets in Taipei are full of artificial colors—neon lights, yellow cabs, green and red postal boxes, etc.—so I used bright colors more often before I came to Minneapolis. The snowy winter is a challenge, but also very fresh and new to me as an international student from a tropical country. Therefore, after I moved to Minneapolis, I use colder colors more, such as blue and purple, and snowy sciences start to appear in my work.

All of your work is beautifully made with such a powerful image- they are poetic. Do you have an art philosophy or idea of what art images should include?

In my recent works, I tried to visualize the subtle relationships among people. The themes mostly surround some specific human emotions such as separation, loneliness, longing and yearning. Because of the themes I have chosen, I would say I hope my viewer can feel the same as I do.

You are currently a MFA student at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. What has that meant for a new community, group of peers, and teachers. Has this drastically affected your work?

Yes. My mentor gives me precise advice as a professional illustrator, which really helps me a lot to improve and create more mature work. Besides, I am happy to be in a brand new learning environment. The way it works in Western culture is quite different from Asian culture; all the teachers and students here at MCAD are very willing to share and discuss ideas and works with each other. It is helpful to gain different feedbacks from different people with different cultural backgrounds and professional areas. Some of the suggestions I received are really out of my expectations and surprised me. I think this is a very precious experience, which allows me to look at my work with different perspectives and even develop newer concepts for my future work.


Blue Mountain with Magic Power

What is the best piece of advice (for creators) that you have ever heard?

I have read an artist’s interview in a book once. The artist was asked the question of when did he start to be an artist, and his answer was that he was already an artist when he made his decision to be one. I think that answer kind of made me determined to be an artist.

This time of year, especially, we are thinking about deadlines, new goals, motivation, and changes. Do you have any goals or projects for the New Year?

I am writing a new story called “Joseph Paul” which talks about the Internet-addicted young generation. The story is almost there but not quite, and creating the illustrations for it is going to be the major project for me in the next few months.

Thanks, Jo! It is incredible to see about your illustrations and transitions in your work, as well as hear your personal ideas of making, influence of location, and story-telling.

You can see more of Jo Yeh's work on her website here. Or see her work for the 6 Degrees Exhibition along with the other 80+ works on the 6 Degrees Digital Gallery or Light Grey Shop.

Artist Interview with Simini Blocker

Meet Simini Blocker, a freelance illustrator, children's book artist, visual developer, and one of the participating artists in the current 6 Degrees Exhibition. After graduating from Bringham Young University in 2011, Simini received an internship at Disney Interactive, Avalanche Studios, and worked alongside the visual development team at Disney Infinity. She currently resides in New York as a freelance illustrator, working on projects such as Fairy Birds, illustrations for The Friend Magazine, and most recently, Goodreads.

It has been wonderful collaborating with Simini for the 6 Degrees Exhibition. It is always inspiring to see her characters and environments, and even more inspiring to hear about her never-ending motivation to create!

Can you tell me about the piece you created for the 6 Degrees Exhibition? What was your inspiration, place depicted, story?

I’m still pretty new to New York. Something I love about the city is everywhere you look there’s so much story. So many different people, lots of interesting architecture, all right outside your apartment. I like going for walks and just looking when I need to get out of my head. A few months ago, I moved to Queens and it’s much more residential than where I was previously in Manhattan- there are all these smaller townhouses, instead of big apartment blocks. I loved how lived-in and personal they seemed. It also felt more like a neighborhood, kids playing in the street and everything. I wanted to capture that feeling, as well as maybe a hopefulness for a new start in a new place.



Does travel and location inform your work? Are you most inspired by the people and places around you?

I’ve been lucky to travel a bit, in and out of the country, and even live in Uruguay for a time. A few years ago I was able to go to Israel and work on a mural for a children’s hospital. Travel is one of my favorite things, and even if the content of my illustrations isn’t directly related, I think it’s informed my world view. I hope that's something I can bring to my work. When you travel it’s amazing to see how many different people and ways of living there are, but at the same time so much that’s universal. And I do find my city very inspiring- something about the energy of the place that make me want to draw everything.



You are relatively new to the illustration world. What changes have you been through since being a student, new approaches to art making, new philosophies, etc.?

It’s been a pretty big change, especially going freelance. Suddenly there’s no supervisor to keep track of my hours or tell me what to do, no teacher giving me projects with deadlines and built in feedback. My personal projects and and the business side of things, networking, promotion, all of that, is all up to me, and if I draw or don’t draw, no one will necessarily hold me accountable (except for needing to pay the bills). It’s also very solitary working from home, and very easy to let the work overwhelm my life. I’m still working on figuring those things out, but at the same time, I really enjoy the freedom to set my own schedule and pursue the work I’m passionate about - that’s really excellent. I think my work has changed quite a bit since leaving school a giving myself permission to go after subjects I’m really drawn to, rather than what I think others want to see. It’s incredibly satisfying whenever that then resonates with someone else or fulfills the needs of a client.


You have been working on and toward several exciting things, such as your recent internship with Disney or your upcoming Children's book. Can you talk about your experiences,projects, and some of the highlights?

My internship with Disney Interactive was excellent. I worked with the team doing visual development for Disney Infinity for about a year. I feel like I progressed a lot as an artist, surrounded by professional artists everyday and working on real projects. As interns we were given design assignments just like the other concept artists, which made it a very experience heavy internship, and that was awesome. I learned a lot about collaborating as a team and designing to solve specific problems. And how quickly you must be ready to move on to another solution, and embrace it, even after investing a great deal of energy into something else.



Fairy Birds was the next big project I worked on. The authors contacted me with the opportunity, looking to expand their company into the children’s market. It was my first full length children’s book (I’d previously done some smaller readers) and a great opportunity to experience the whole process of getting a book out. I loved being able to take characters across a whole book in final illustrations, instead of quickly moving on from one design to the next. And I got to indulge my love of saturated colors and patterns which was really fun.

Do you often collaborate with other creatives or look to others for critique and conversation?

My favorite thing about my time at Avalanche was the collaborative atmosphere and being surrounded by other artists. Working freelance, I enjoy being able to see a piece through to the final product, but I do miss the collaborative process and the opportunity to get input from a team and expand on each other’s ideas. I think it’s pretty essential as an illustrator to get out of your head and get feedback from others. You get places you never would with just your own brain. It’s more difficult to do as a freelancer than it was at the studio, but then even working on your own, there’s still can be a lot of collaboration with clients or art directors. I’m working on incorporating it more in my day to day. I’m very grateful for avenues like tumblr and twitter, they’ve helped a lot- even just seeing into the process of another illustrator can be helpful.

What is the best piece of advice (for creators) that you have ever heard?

“Don’t be so precious with your work.” - from Natalie Ascencios at a lecture I attended. I think it sticks in my head because I struggle with perfectionism, and it goes along with the idea that any creative endeavor is learned by doing. There’s a lot mess you have to make before you can arrive at something good. But you’ll never get there if you get so bogged down in “perfecting” one thing and fail to move on and grow or are afraid to take risks. And then when you have something “good,” don’t stop there- keep improving, keep learning- don’t put it on a pedestal.

This time of year, especially, we are thinking about deadlines, new goals, motivation, and changes. Do you have any goals or projects for the new year?

A big goal for the year is to find a balance between creating and living. I’m easily completely absorbed in illustration (there’s so much to do!), but I know it’s important to keep “the well” filled and step away from the computer once in awhile- so I can continue to have inspiration and energy for the work. Because I do hope to do a lot of illustrating- I want to try some new formats- more sequential work, maybe some product or pattern design, and always more narrative illustration. I want to make it a year of doing!

Thanks, Simini! You can check out more of Simini Blocker's work on her website or blog here. You can also see Simini's work for the 6 Degrees Exhibition along with the 80+ other artists who created intimate and awe-inspiring images of their hometowns on the digital gallery or Light Grey Shop.

Artist Interview with Ulana Zahajkewycz

Meet Ulana Zahajkewycz, a talented freelance illustrator, book artist, illustration teacher, and creative living and working in Palmyra, NJ. Ulana has been creating great illustrations for over 20 years, and she is known for her playful and colorful style, unique and lovable characters, and narrative illustrations- her work is ambitious and inspiring to say the least! On top of professional projects, editorial works, and teaching, Ulana manages her own studio practice known as Ulanaland, where she created multimedia works for exhibitions and her online shop.

Over the past year, Ulana has participated in several Light Grey Art Lab Exhibitions such as The Light Grey Tarot, Beautiful Forever, and the current 6 Degrees Exhibition, and we are thrilled to have a chance to interview herabout her practice, her stages of making, and what is next in Ulanaland!



Could you tell us a little about yourself and your background in illustration?

My name is Ulana Zahajkewycz and I currently live in Palmyra, NJ, which is 5 minutes from Philadelphia, PA. I have lived in a few different locations, including Cranford, Montclair, and Mahwah NJ, Bedford N.H. and in Hastings and Minneapolis, Minnesota. That’s a lot of moving around! My BFA in illustration is from Montclair State University and my MFA in illustration is from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

I’ve been illustrating for a while now, since 1993. I also teach illustration. I’ve taught the subject at Montclair State University, Minneapolis College of Art and Design and now at Moore College of Art. Moore is the only private all woman’s art college in the country! When I am not working for a client, teaching or working on a show, I love to plant flowers and move dirt around. Springtime is my absolutely favorite time of year because I get to be outside working the soil. All the bugs are still asleep and they don’t even know I’m out there!

Could you talk about the piece you created for the 6 Degrees Exhibition? What were your stories/sources of inspiration?

For my 6 Degrees piece, I wanted to illustrate my romance with gardening and this plot of land I live on. We don’t have a lot of space in our backyard, but we still manage to grow a lot of food out there. That is the subject of the postcard.

Last year, I did some research on Palmyra and discovered that the Lenni Lenape tribe first settled this land and that some of the main roads in town are Indian trails from long ago. When I drive down those roads, I think about the Lenape tribe and I feel like were are traveling along together, past and present. We are only separated by time.


In the postcard, I am in the center, planting seeds and the woman with the braids is meant to be Lenape. She is holding the sun, because to me, I would not be here if it were not for her tribe establishing a presence in this area. The turtle in the grass is one of the symbols that represent the Lenape tribe on their seal and on their flag. The man in the back pouring water is meant to represent the non-Indian settlers that established the town. Some of the other characters, the gnome, faerie and fox are meant to represent the magical land that my house sits on. I like to believe that an unseen world exists all around me. I try to give respect to the land because only then will it yield its gifts. Of course my cat Underdog had to make an appearance in the postcard. She is definitely the heart and soul of this household and should be given her due.

You have actually lived in several different places. How does location influence the ideas, imagery, folklore, and materials?

Wherever I go, I try to collect stories. Sometimes a trip to the library provides what I need, other times local folks will tell me stories about the land and its inhabitants (both real and unreal). These days, it’s hard to find people that tell stories about their land. It’s an oral tradition that seems to be dying out. That’s why illustration is so important to me. You can tell the story in your imagery. That way, maybe the story will live forever.



I am extremely interested in all of the materials and techniques that you use in your practice. What was the transition like from illustrations to three-dimensional works?

I have been painting with gouache, watercolor, and acrylic for a long time. In my college days, I was working in ceramics (truthfully, I started working with clay when I was in high school!) and found the change in dimension so fun and freeing. For a little while after college, I tried working with balsa wood, but that always ended in disaster! To see a carefully cut and painted piece turn into a pile of crumbled wood is heartbreaking!

In 2007, my friend Margie McGee approached me to collaborate with her on a faculty exhibition piece. She showed my how to use a band saw and it took off from there. There is something really satisfying about working with wood and seeing your work in object form. These days, I have my own band saw and make wooden work on a regular basis. Honestly, if given the choice, I will always choose basswood over paper. It’s funny, when I look at my two-dimensional work next to my wooden work; it looks like a natural progression. What vexed me for so many years was how to create 3d work in a material that was easy to find and easy to work with. Wood is that perfect medium for me.



You are extremely prolific and recognized illustrator making works for gallery exhibitions, editorial, personal pieces, commissions, etc. Do you have a different approach to different kinds of projects?

These days, the field of illustration is very unpredictable, so you have to find ways to get your work out in front of people. I began creating work for galleries because I wanted to keep making art, even if there wasn’t a client. It is a great way for me to create a new body of work to show people that I am here, I am working hard and I am always evolving and changing. Best of all, when I have completed the work for a show, I have fresh work to put on my website and to sell at the gallery and on Etsy. Many wins!



As far as my approach to different kinds of making goes, I try to ask myself the basic questions about the venue or vehicle. What is the message and who is the audience? It all starts with sketches and ideation. When I create my wooden folk, I have to also ask, will this hang on a wall or will this stand on its own? I choose the appropriate thickness of wood to accommodate the way it will be displayed. Everything is painted in similar way, which is why all my 2d work looks like my 3d work.

What is the most monumental project you have worked on? (changed your approach, appreciation, favorite piece)

In 2011, my work appeared in a two-person show with Tara Murino-Brault at the Lunar Boy Gallery in Astoria, Oregon. Utopia/Dystopia: The Shadow and the Light was an ambitious show and I created 15 new wooden folk pieces of varying sizes. This was my first all wooden show and it was by far, my favorite to date. It was the first time I realized that I could just create wooden art without any 2d work to accompany it. I felt that I had crossed over to that space where I wasn’t only considered an illustrator, but also a visual artist. It’s nice to wear many hats. Sometimes you are pigeonholed as an artist because of the type of work that you primarily create. It’s nice to know that you can do something completely different and then go back and forth between whatever type of work you feel like making that day.



What is the best piece of advice (for creators) that you have ever heard?

Marshall Arisman says, “Learn to illustrate your own words”. He also recommends that artists make a list of things they know something about. Illustrate those things and create a series of images based on your list.

This time of year, especially, we are thinking about deadlines, new goals, motivation, and changes. Do you have any goals or projects for the new year?

I have recently begun making sketches for some new wooden folk. I’d like to show them in a gallery when they are done, so I’ll need to find the right venue. If you build it, they will come!



Thank you, Ulana! It is always inspiring to hear the inside story and thoughts behind the maker! You can see more of Ulana's work on her website here, you can also see her work for the 6 Degrees Exhibition on the digital gallery or Light Grey Shop.

Artist Interview with Matt Rockefeller

Meet Matt Rockefeller, an illustrator, animator, and student, living and working in Baltimore, MD. Matt has created work for several Light Grey Exhibitions such as Station Zero, Rolemodels, and the upcoming show 6 Degrees, and it has been an honor getting to know him! In this interview, we were able to ask about his style, sources of inspiration, real-life heroes, and creation. His work is wonderfully captivating and continues to instill a sense of wonder in us all!


Can you tell me a little about yourself? Your background, where you are from and what you currently do?

I was born in Tucson, AZ and grew up in the unique landscape of the Sonoran Desert. I lived there until I moved to Baltimore, where I currently attend the Maryland Institute College of Art as an Illustration Major with a concentration in Animation. This past year, I completed an internship at Zenimax Online Studios working as a UI Artist on their upcoming game The Elder Scrolls Online. Earlier this year, my friends (Leonard Peng and Xanthe Bouma) and I conceptualized an idea for a gallery show at MICA called “Small Creatures Such as We” which recently had its opening on campus featuring over 700 3x3 illustrations by 15 MICA illustrators.

Can you talk a little about the character you created for the Rolemodels Exhibition?

This character is actually a part of a story I’ve had brewing that involves a boy and his dog finding a portal that takes them to space and eventually other worlds. I thought it was a good fit for my fantasy alter ego (since the characters were initially based on my dog and I), and I developed him into a sort of mythical explorer who travels eternally through these different environments. I love exploring, seeing new people and places and stopping to see the small details, so I thought that a character who is in a constantly shifting environment would be perfect!


Matthew the Curious: Explorer of Worlds

What was your process like creating a character modeled after yourself? Did you give it off of real life attributes or enhance feautures? What do you think this says about your personality?

It was really interesting! I based my general appearance off of myself and focused more on the clothing and armor to define the character. I definitely heightened my physical coordination and build a bit though; I guess I wish I were more physically active, since I tend to sometimes forget to go outside instead of drawing. I also typically wear ordinary clothing from day to day, so the choice to draw such a complex outfit might reveal something about where my true confidence lies.

What are some of your favorite character types to draw? stories to create?

My stories usually involve extraordinary things happening to ordinary people. I find that I can relate to these types of stories, and they feed my inner thirst for adventure. I love to draw mysterious, isolated characters who slowly, over the course of the story, reveal their complex history and warmth of heart. At the center of all of my stories, though, are the places my characters travel to or live in, since the setting can often be just as rich in personality as the characters themselves.



You are also a great draftsman of spaces. Are there types of spaces you are attracted to? moods you are trying to set?

Growing up in Arizona, I was constantly shifting between different landscapes – the vast plains of dead grass, the quiet, pine covered mountains, and the unbelievable cactus ‘forests’. Everything was so vast and inviting, and I try to recreate that feeling in my work. There is so much about the world that is beautiful and mysterious, so I am constantly considering light, time of day, history, and a place’s unique biology when drawing the setting for a story. I want to draw attention to the place- that there is something more to it than what is seen.


How important is collaboration in the things that you do? Do you work as a team? Share ideas? Work on projects together?

Having recently put together a gallery show with 14 other illustrators, I have a reinvigorated appreciation for collaboration. We were able to create a staggering amount of work, and I was continually inspired by the variety of ideas and personalities. Working on projects with others allows something entirely new to come to the surface. There’s nothing like having a group of artists whose tastes and opinions you can rely on when you feel unmotivated or stagnant. I’ve learned so much from my peers, and I hope to continue working with them after graduation!

Who are your real life role models?

My freshman year at MICA, I had Kali Ciesemier as my first illustration professor. She’s definitely been a rolemodel and mentor for me as an artist. She is very dedicated and hard working, and also takes the time to answer questions and share information about her process. She’s very genuine and open, which I try to emulate. Daniel Krall, another one of my professors at MICA, has also been an incredible mentor. He’s hilarious, friendly, and honest, and his ability to generate ideas and talk through problems is unbelievable.

I also have endless respect for what Hayao Miyazaki has done with his vision for animated films. I strive to some day have a fraction of his imagination and storytelling ability.



What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Never give up! Trust your instincts!” –Peppy Hare from Starfox 64. This one’s stuck with me for a while.

In all seriousness, the suggestion to always remain curious sticks out to me as being particularly relevant, to art and life in general. There are so many interesting people, creatures, places, and ideas to be uncovered; it would be a shame to lose that sense of wonder that makes life so exciting.

What are some of your favorite resources for inspiration?

I find most of my inspiration from books/comics, animation/film, and videogames- anything that can immerse me in a different world altogether. I find that I am drawn to visual storytelling due to its expressiveness and flexibility. I also have a book featuring woodblock prints by the Japanese artist Kawase Hasui, and I constantly reference these when I’m searching how to convey a mood in my environments.

In addition, being outside, hiking, camping, breathing, all of these things can pull me out of a rut and bring my motivation back.


Can you tell us about any projects that you have in the works or things we can look forward to seeing?

I am currently finishing the first half of my senior thesis, which involves narrative illustrations featuring folklore from around the world. Next semester I will be developing my own folktale/ legend of sorts that is inspired by these stories and draws from my own experiences. Perhaps I will develop this or another story into a book or graphic novel in the future, so you can look forward to that!

Thanks Matt!

You can check our more of Matt's work on his website here or purchase his piece for the Rolemodels Exhibition here.

Artist Interview: Hannah Christenson

I very excited to introduce Hannah Christenson, a freelance illustrator based in Arizona, and a graduate of the Brigham Young University - Idaho in 2011. Hannah has worked with Tor.com, Fantasy Flight Games, and Galileo Games among others. Her favorite jobs have always been fantasy related, and she has been generous enough to talk to us today about world building, strong heroines and heroes, and of course, her piece in the current Rolemodels: The Battle for Vyk'Tornaahl exhibition!

Can you tell us a little bit about your Rolemodels persona? What elements of their personality and class traits are the most reflective of yourself?

I chose a warrior with lots of armor and a ridiculously huge shield. I'm a very quiet person who probably puts up a lot of armor around myself. My personality isn't very sneaky or graceful like I imagine other classes to be. I can see my imperfect, lumbering self in the warrior class. I'm sure I was influenced at least in some way by all the cool fantasy stories and fairy tales that I've ever read, but perhaps what I was thinking of the most was "What is the opposite of a bikini-clad warrior in the snow?" and I kind of went with that and had some fun. There is a time and a place for bikinis, but it wasn't this time or place!

You mention going on many great, yet sometimes perilous adventures while you were growing up.  Do still find your self taking on risky yet exciting challenges, especially when it comes to your art?

I grew up in the country in south Texas where there were rattlesnakes and alligators literally in my back yard. When I went outside to play my mom would tell me to watch out for snakes instead of to watch out for cars. It was great and it taught me to be cautious and prepared, but also to take risks if you want to go play. I suppose you could say that's helped me in the art world with doing my best and not being afraid to email that art director I've always dreamed of working with.  

When it comes to world building and creating environments and persons, what resources do you tend to look to?  How much research goes into designing your characters and building scenery? What are some places, books, or websites that you go to for a jump start?

I love going to the used book store and finding all kinds of books on armor and the stuff that goes under the armor, weapons, photography of environments, various anatomy books, animal books. Of course you can use the internet to research all these cool things, but books are always around to inspire you later on as well. I like to go to Parka Blogs for art book reviews. 

Can you tell us about your process?  How do you go about making decisions on creating such expressive figures within consistently dynamic compositions?  How do you make sure that each element is convincing and suitable for the stories that you try to tell?

My process probably doesn't differ from that of any other artist in that I start with a thumbnail and go from there. It's important to thumbnail and get your good and bad ideas out. Personally, if I myself were to be convinced of the believability of a character in any story, I would look at the environment first and see how the environment has shaped the character. What is the environment? Does the character dress appropriately? Live in an appropriate house? Have the items that one would need in order to live in that environment? What's her job? Does she dress and have the right equipment for that job? It's easy to fall down the details rabbit hole, but it's important to at least consider those basics.  

Much of your work seems to deal with themes of high fantasy and powerful female characters.  Is there a reason why these subject matters take such a significant role in your work?

I try to make what I want to see more of. There weren't a ton of female role models for me in fantasy when I was a kid. My local library was very small and they would only have one copy of a particular book (I had to wait FOREVER to read Harry Potter) so sometimes I'd imagine that all the good books were out. I want to see more ladies in lead roles, powerful roles, roles where they're given names and pasts. They don't all have to be armor-clad warriors either. I just want to see female characters that are written and depicted as people.

When it comes to obstacles such as art block or a lack of motivation, how do you conquer them?

Just keep working. Work on your own stuff, that secret project you dream about. Personal projects are incredibly important. They help you in so many ways. They help you improve your abilities, it's cathartic, you're producing something you love and you're passionate about. You can put it in your portfolio to get more work that you love. Cory Godbey wrote a great post about personal work, go read it! My own personal project that I've been tinkering on for a long time has helped me get jobs, break down art block, and helped me find bits of myself that I'd hidden away. 

What are some things that you arm yourself with before jumping into new projects?  How do you psych yourself up when embarking on a new illustration, or maybe there are some artistic tools or supplies you simply cannot work without?

I prefer to work digitally, so it'd be pretty hard to work without my Wacom 4 and some version of Photoshop. One thing that helps me start and finish a new illustration is a checklist. Even a very small one! My current checklist says things like gather reference, paint owl face, block in colors. It helps me stay on task and not get distracted by the shiny internet.
Tell us a little bit about your own role models; who are your artistic influences or even people who simply inspire you to keep creating?

Bear with me, this is cheesy, but my husband is my biggest supporter. When I create something I feel is incredibly stupid, I don't meet my goals, or I fail at something I had secret high hopes for he's there to push me back up above the waves. He does a good job at helping me keep my chin up. As far as artistic influences, there are so many amazing, truly inspiring artists out there that set such a wonderful example of hard work, persistence, and determination. Of course their individual work is amazing, but their sheer willpower is inspiring.  
Can you tell us about any new projects that you are currently working on, or are excited to start working on?

Outside of freelancing I'm currently working on my own secret project after hours. I can't share a ton about it but I'm excited about it. It involves a lady, some magic, some adventures and dog all in a webcomic format!   

Thank you so much Hannah! 

To see more of her work, take a peek at her website as well as her blog! Her piece is also available to purchase in the Light Grey Art Lab Shop!