Scribble Town (ST): Looking at Valerie C. White’s textile images remind me of a journey or a diary entry because they all seem to tell a story with much history, no matter which way you look them.  Let’s see what adventures she has been on.  Valerie, where are from and what are you up to these days?

Valerie White (VW): I grew up in Somerset, New Jersey, and graduated from Franklin High School in 1969.  Our home was located in a rural section of Northern New Jersey.  Many days I could be found outdoors playing with clay. I discovered a natural clay deposit at our front mailbox I would try and fashion functional objects and later bake them in my Moms oven… It was then that I knew I was drawn to making Art.

These days I can be found playing in my studio with the same excitement and curiosity I had as a youngster, playing with clay.  I am currently working a piece to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela. My dream is to see the work hang in South Africa at the end of July 2014.

ST: You felt that you were drawn to Art and you didn’t deny that feeling.  That’s wonderful!  When did you start sewing and quilting? How did you discover this medium and was there somebody that encouraged you?

VW: My Mother sewed beautiful couture garments, I was not interested in making clothing but it was her careful attention to detail and good craftsmanship that made a lasting impression. I try never to settle for less than my best even it means redoing it.

I started quilting about 20 years ago; I made mostly traditional work using patterns from other quilter’s.  Along the way to more serious and expressive work, I did crewel embroidery and fabric printing. I have always loved the feel of pulling thread through a needle this tactile experience fuels my approach to working with fabric.

As far as encouragement my family has always given me positive feedback regarding my work; their support sustains me when I’m feeling doubtful about my efforts.

ST: So you come from a family of makers, dreamers, and precise handcrafters.  Working with one’s hands really does give a different sense of building and constructing art.  Please tell us more about your multi-media approach to art making.  How does this approach support the message you are trying to get across with your images?

VW: My approach to the work now includes learning everything I can about a subject before I begin to design the piece; I begin each project drawing in my sketchbook before I touch the first piece of fabric. It’s there that I work out design issues and get a sense of what the finished piece will look like, although that sometimes changes. I find in making Art it’s the serendipity and the unpredictable outcomes that often produce the most interesting work.

My work is can best be described as series of layers; I begin very simply and continue to add color or remove color, adding texture to create a more complex cloth.  For me the texture added with stitch is what adds elegance.

ST: Yes, the more you bring into the mix, the more unpredictable outcomes there will be!  That’s so exciting!  Earth and nature allow for that and from what I can see on your website, http://www.valeriecwhite.com, I get the sense that these topics are a source of inspiration for you.  Your colors are so real and your shapes are very organic.

It seems that you practice other forms of art by the huge range of workshops you offer.  The sky is the limit for you!  When is your next workshop and how can we get involved?

VW: My course offerings are targeted towards surface design and my classes fill quickly. My next class is Using Paint sticks on fabric, February 8, 2014 in Parker Colorado. The class is posted on my website.

My other favorite form of Art expression is knitting, I love the feel of the yarn and the endless colors available.

ST: What kind of music do you like? Is there something you are listening to at the moment while you make art?

VW: I do like to listen to music when I work, and I like all kinds of music from Miles Davis to Barbara Streisand. But what I find interesting is when I’m very, engaged in working I want silence…I find the music gets in my way when I’m concentrating.  If the work calls for me to cut or measure then I need for the room to be quiet.

ST: Creativity is all around.  It comes through our ears, eyes, and all of our other senses Any final creative tips for our Scribblers?

VW: I would like to encourage both parents and students to find a medium to express creativity. Pick a night once a week or month and make it craft night for the family… Everyone can participate what better way to engage in good conversation and fun for the whole family.

ST: Thanks for sharing with us!  We hope to make art with you one day soon.

Leonardo da Vinci, born in 1452, came from the small village of Vinci in Italy has given the world many of the inventions that we still use today.  When his father Piero saw signs of artistic genius in his son he sent him to study with the artist Verrocchio in Florence, a city in the Tuscany region of Italy.  In addition to art he also learned sculpture and engineering. Soon he surpassed the artistic abilities of his teacher. At the young age of 20 he was accepted into the painters’ guild in Florence. In his lifetime, Leonardo has shown to be a painter, a musician, a sculptor, an architect, and a scientific investigator.

Leonardo used a painting technique called sfumato, which he described as “without lines or borders”.  This technique allows the subject of the painting to be blended into the background so that it becomes one with the background.  For example, if two objects were side by side, Leonardo would blur the line between them. We can see sfumato used in the Mona Lisa. Do you see it too?  Imagine how you think Mona Lisa would look if he hadn’t of used the sfumato technique.

Leonardo also kept a diary of all his sketches and thoughts.  He was a true observer and researched those observations with topics such as human anatomy.  Way beyond his time, Leonardo had ideas for inventions that would not be developed for hundreds of years.  To name a few, he had an idea for a flying machine, a propeller, and for weapons of war.  To fit his contribution of an architect, he designed and built bridges, canals and locks to carry water and move ships.

The possibilities are endless and it seems that Leonardo was hungry for an even bigger challenge.  Perhaps he had dreams of flying so he designed and constructed a helicopter.  Unfortunately, the helicopter wouldn’t take off and the glider he built injured one of his pupils who was trying to fly it.  Not wanting anymore disasters he quit trying to build the flying machines he was designing.  Nonetheless, it is believed that Leonardo is the one who initiated this great invention and look at what can be flown in the air these days!

Did you know that Leonard was ambidextrous, meaning he could write with both his right and left hands?  I wonder what he was trying to achieve when he wrote his notes backwards with his left hand.  Well, it sure is obvious that Leonardo had a playful approach to life.  Perhaps we can try and do the same.  Scribblers, let’s learn from Leonardo and don’t forget to dream, experiment, and play with our thoughts and idea because if we don’t try we will know know.

Let’s start with Mona Lisa! Go ahead and download Scribble Town’s Mona Lisa (below).  You can color her in or try the sfumato technique.  If anything else comes to mind, just go for it!  We’d love to see your own Mona Lisa so please email a picture of your artwork to .  You are on your way to becoming a great inventor and artist!

For more fun facts about Leonardo da Vinci please go to:
http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/
http://www.monalisamania.com/kidsmain.htm
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/scientists/leonardodavinci.html

Stephanie Chambers is a 2003 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She lives in New York, where she is originally from and works out of a studio space in Brooklyn. Her work has been shown at galleries in New York, San Francisco, Providence, Canada, Finland, Taiwan and Germany.

Scribble Town (ST): Stephanie, your new body of work, Emerging from Darkness, is so beautiful!  Your theme with animals continue, but this series have a sense of ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for me.

Stephanie Chambers (SC): The body of work is about emerging from darkness and trying to always look toward the light. I used woodland animals in the forest at night to showcase this.

ST: How does this series connect to your other themes such as Overgrown and your Bird series.  What is something in your artwork that you are trying to figure out?

SC: I work with animals a lot as symbols in a narrative setting. I think a lot about how dense a forest is or how much life is in the ocean. I live in New York City, so I experience a different kind of saturation with people, cars and buildings. The paintings are how I imagine nature would look through an urban lens.

ST: Urban lens explains a lot! Where you were living in Finland isn’t urban at all and especially for a city person such as yourself.  What was it like living in Finland for you?  Did you go to the forest to observe the birds and then paint them for your Finland Birds series?  I see the influence of Finnish patterns and textiles in your paintings.

SC: I loved living in Finland! It was such a beautiful place. I was in the country next to a lake and beautiful birch woods at the Arteles Creative Center. Every day I rode a bicycle in a new direction looking for birds. I photographed them and also sat and observed them. The textiles were inspired from trips to vintage shops there.

ST: The country is lined with second-hand markets, which are like windows into somebody’s attic full of treasures. Did Finnish culture have an effect on your creations as well? How was this process different than your New York Birds series?

SC: The culture of Finland and Scandinavia is so visually considered. People think of it as sparse sometimes, but each piece is deeply considered. Being in that culture made me think more about my intentions in what elements I include in a painting. The NY Birds series was inspired from a love of birds in NY, but since I grew up with those birds it was hard for me to see the uniqueness of the NY landscape until I studied birds elsewhere.

ST: What other kind of artwork and mediums do you like to do and use?

SC: I love to make patterns and any kind of flying animal. My favorite mediums are pencils, wax/oil and acrylic paint.

ST: How did your creativity start to grow?  As a kid were you making art too?

SC: My parents were so supportive of me making art. My mom is an artist, so we always had time lots of time to paint and draw. I used to make my own superheroes and comic books. I also drew a newspaper daily and left it outside my parents, sister and brother’s bedroom doors, wrapped in a rubberband each morning.

ST: It’s so wonderful to have a family that nurtures your imagination to grow. In your case, you probably were as encouraging to your Mom as she was to your creativity.  What is something you’ve recently seen or heard that has triggered a splash of inspiration?

SC: The autumn in NY has been so beautiful this year. I went upstate to the Hudson Valley recently and felt so inspired by all of the color in nature. The city seemed so gray when I returned.

ST: Concrete just can’t compare to living leaves.  What are you up to now?  What is a day like with Stephanie Chambers like?

SC: Right now I’m getting ready for a solo show in Taipei, Taiwan at the Sonnentor Art Space next Spring. I’m finalizing the concept for the show and trying to find inspiration outdoors. I draw and paint every day and I just finished a series of Winter birds for Buy Some Damn Art, which launches on Tuesday.

ST: Please keep us posted on your show!  Lastly, any advice for our Scribblers?

SC: Tips would be to remember to always have fun with what you’re making. Art should be something to enjoy doing!

ST: Thank you for taking the time to share with us, Stephanie.  Scribblers have a look at http://stephaniechambers.com to view more of Stephanie Chambers’ artwork.

Scribble Town (ST): To quote Joanna Greenhill, “Francisco Bustamante is both the subject and object of his work.” He pulls you in with his colors, lines, and unspeakable movement found in his works. The intrigue has been initiated and we are so lucky to have Francisco with us to talk with him more about him and his artwork.  Francisco, you work with a number of materials like oils, gold leaf, stoneware, etc. How do you choose which medium to use?  Is there one in particular that you feel most comfortable with?

Francisco Bustamente (FB): Throughout the years that I have been working in art, my main medium has been oil paint. I feel very comfortable with this medium since has made me grow as an artist the last 20 years. Still, I have always been working in other mediums as well, and lately, thanks to close friend from Chile who works in ceramics I discovered stoneware. And that has been a big and nice surprise since in this case I am actually building forms with my hands.

ST: Your paintings are often gilded with gold. The shininess and vibrant colors brings an air of decadence and respect. What is your fascination with using gold leaf?  I wonder what it represents for you.

FB: I was born in Lima, Peru and in Peru gold leaf is present in many things. To start with, Peru was the territory of the Inca’s civilization, which among other things used gold in many ceremonial activities. They considered the Sun as their God, and the work with gold was one of their sacred materials. Later, with the arrival of Spanish people, they continued using gold in their religious activities (Catholic Church). These are some of the reasons which I think moved me to work with this material.

ST: Knowing the relation of gold to your personal history now makes the paintings even more meaningful! What are you currently working on?  You seem to be a very symbolic person. How have the themes of your artwork evolved?

FB: At the moment I am preparing an exhibition for Washington DC. and in mid-November I will show paintings at the Pinta Art Fair NY, which will take place in 82 Mercer street from Nov 15th to Nov 17th.

I am currently trying to achieve in paintings the idea of working with light and shadows and how each one relates to the other. My work has evolved throughout the years influenced by family reasons from one side, like for example the death of my parents at some point and how to translate those emotions into an actual body of work…..which by the way is very helpful. Nowadays my main concern is to get into the depth of the act of painting.  It is some kind of a personal fight, a good fight, that keeps me engaged with work.

ST: Art is a wonderful way to process conflict, joy and all the emotions that happen in between and beyond. On your website, when I look at your works, it is almost like I am reading your diary. Your artwork is obviously so personal. When and how did your creativity start to grow?

FB: Ever since I can remember as a child I was always drawing and painting with crayons or enjoying looking at nature. I guess I was a rather shy and silent kid, mainly because my head was somewhere else, sort of dreaming…….as many children, I guess.

I would always look forward to art classes in school, whereas on the other hand, I would suffer a lot whenever math or geometry were around ……I was never good at it. In my family there are only lawyers so I did not know that I could actually give all my time to art. I started studying architecture for one year, but still, it was far from what I wanted. Fortunately my parents support my idea of getting into art school. From then on, I was all smiles.

ST: You just did what you had to do! And that was to make art. Who are some inspirational artists for you?

FB: I completely admire the work of the Spanish artists Diego Velazques and Jose de Rivera for their amazing talent in the use of light and shadow in their paintings. On the other hand I love the work of Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon for the powerful results in their paintings. Finally I cannot avoid mentioning Rothko. His paintings are as well so powerful, and the sizes he uses make the viewer get deep into his paintings.

ST: Those artists also are interested in your currents themes so I can really see the connection. What is an exercise or activity you do when you start making art in your studio?

FB: The first feeling I have when I am in front of a white canvas is being absolutely terrified. I don’t understand how I am going to be able to get the idea I have in my head into an actual painting. Fortunately, something strange and magical happens and work later happens. The first part of the actual work is to cover the canvas with gold leaf, which basically is the light that has already arrived to the canvas. only then I start the process of oil paint.

ST: I love how your work is built off of light! It reminds me that light carries all colors of the rainbow. Any other advice for our Scribblers?

FB: My tip or advice to anyone who is involved in the work of art, no matter what medium they are using is: JUST DO IT!  Do not let insecurities get into you or your work. There is no failure here, just the fun of creating and if at some point you feel there are errors, think twice, because errors can lead you to a deeper and freerer result in your art piece.

ST: Thank you Francisco! We can’t wait to see more of your artwork and have fun at your upcoming art exhibitions!

Scribble Town (ST): Look closer and you’ll see an unconventional yet familiar material we see everywhere. Yup! Sarah Rosado makes art from dirt. I think that should spark intrigue immediately. At least it did for me!

Sarah Rosado (SR): I’m Sarah Rosado, a New York based illustrator and photographer. I love anything that has to do with Art and am always challenging myself in creating different styles of art form. I love variety and as such you will find a reflection of that in my art work, from fashion illustrations to thought provoking photographic images.

ST: I have never seen dirt used in such a way!  How did you come up with this idea? How has it developed to what it is now?  I’m sure it’s been quite the adventure!

SR: I wanted to do something different, something challenging. I had seen other artists do art with food and other objects but I had never seen art with dirt. That’s where the idea came from. I have close to 100 pieces and yes, it has been an adventure.

ST: I like your usage of mixed materials such as the hair in the Long-Haired Horse and the bubble in Bubble Gum Girl.  How do you come up with the subject for your pictures?  You’ve documented them in such a seamless way.

SR: The subject of my work could be something that I have seen in the park, street or internet that interests me enough to create something about it.  However, most of my work is an inspiration of my own feelings and thoughts. The process involves tossing a pile of dirt on the table and carefully shaping it into the selected object.  I then add real life accessories for realism.  Once done the piece is documented by taking a photo of it.  Although it seems easy it takes a lot of practice and having the artistic skill to draw is helpful in maximizing the output of the image.

ST: Real life accessories to natural materials makes for a great combination! What other kind of artwork do you do or tools do you use?

SR: Mainly my work involves photography, illustrations, graphic arts and cartoons.  I use several programs such as Paint-shop, Makeup Pilot and other software.

ST: I wonder how your creativity started to grow?  I can imagine you playing in the sandbox making pictures in the sand. As a kid were you making art too?

SR: As early as five years I began to show an interest in Art.  I remember doodling all kinds of shapes, sketches and drawings on anything I got my hands on. My grade school teacher was one of the first ones to notice that I had potential so she enlisted me in an Art contest and I won 2nd place. Also, my beloved uncle, an artist himself and a big inspiration to me spent a lot of time advising and offering tips and techniques on improving my drawings.

ST: You can’t escape making art because you were born to make it! What is something you’ve recently seen or heard that has triggered a splash of inspiration?

SR: The other day I came across the work of a mom, Queenie Liao, who creates amazing scenes around her sleeping child. I was taken aback by her work. It’s very creative.  She may have been one to trigger a splash of inspiration for my next project however, it would be, of course, completely different.

ST: We don’t have to look too far because inspiration is usually right in front of us. What are you up to now? What’s your day like?

SR: Currently, I’m in the early stages of creating a new project.  Hopefully, it would be as successful as my “Dirty Little Secrets” series.  A regular day with me would probably be spent going to the park, shopping, maybe a movie or just staying home cooking and watching my favorite shows and browsing the internet.

ST: Your day sound so playful and creative! Any tips for Scribblers?

SR: To the parents and teachers I would say to be on the lookout.  It is at an early age that a child begins to show an interest or a potential to become more than just a scribbler. If that is found I advise that they encourage, support and assist them every step of the way.

ST: And we’ll be on the look out for more great art from you, Sarah! Thanks so much for sharing with us. Scribblers, check out Sarah Rosado’s artwork at www.sr-artwork.com.

Scribble Town (ST): David Devries describes himself as a, “Dad, husband, illustrator, teacher—not much of a fine artist. Though I do gallery shows I am at heart an illustrator.” After you read this Scribble interview with David, you’ll know he’s a a great artist and a lot more than that! Plus he’s got great stories to match!

David Devries (DD): I once did a show and my work didn’t fit the space so I offered to redo it smaller.  The shocked gallery owners said they would never ask me to alter my art— but that is what illustrators do. What’s the job? What are the parameters? When do you need it by? In terms of personal philosophy I bend the rules when I can, break them when necessary—it is why I love kids—they are all outlaws at heart.

For my commercial work, I specialize in high impact, high drama images. I also publish a book called The Monster Engine that answers the question, “What would a child’s drawing look like if painted by a professional illustrator?” The results are startling transformations of flat childlike imagery into fully painted illustrations. This technique came from my illustration work, primarily in the entertainment field– specifically the comic book, advertising and video game markets. Some of my clients include Dreamworks SKG, Lucasfilm, Universal Studios, Sega, The 3DO company, Seed Studio, ASCAP, Tor Books and Marvel and DC Comics among others. Currently, I teach at FIT and Syracuse University as well as lecturing nationwide on The Monster Engine and my illustrations.

In addition to being well versed in traditional paintings skills I’m also an accomplished Photoshop artist and was featured in Best Practice: The Pros on Adobe Photoshop by Toni Toland from Del Mar Learning (Copyright 2007).

ST: David, the list goes on!  I think it’s wonderful that you are truly collaborating with children in the creative process of these Monster Engine artworks. In what capacity can individuals and schools get involved?

DD: There are two ways.  One—I can come to your school and either do a presentation or a workshop.  Presentations are defined here and workshops are either a 3-day or 10 week class of guided storytelling and drawing lessons designed to pique the imagination and bolster burgeoning artistic skills.

The other way doesn’t involve my presence at your school.  An an elementary school art teacher can team up with a junior or senior high school art teacher to produce collaborative art between schools.  Below are two examples.

4th Graders Use Funny Movie Maker Pro to Bring Objects to Life: An Approach Explored by Many Artists (Part 2) from Suzanne Tiedemann on Vimeo.

I only ask that the teachers, if inspired by my project, please give me credit for the inspiration in their descriptions and press releases.  Also a link to my site would be very much appreciated.  I have worked a long time to build this brand and any credit helps support all that sacrifice and hard work.

B.A. Kindergarten and XRoads So. Middle School Monster Engine Project from Suzanne Tiedemann on Vimeo.

ST: How did The Monster Engine begin?  I’m sure it’s been quite the adventure!

DD: It has been an adventure.  The idea came to me about 15 years ago and has gone on to big places—recently it was covered on CBS news this morning.

From my website…”It began at the Jersey Shore in 1998, where my niece Jessica often filled my sketchbook with doodles. While I stared at them, I wondered if color, texture and shading could be applied for a 3D effect. As a painter, I made cartoons look three dimensional every day for the likes of Marvel and DC comics, so why couldn’t I apply those same techniques to a kid’s drawing? That was it… no research, no years of toil, just the curiosity of seeing Jessica’s drawings come to life.”

ST: I wonder how it has developed to what it is now.

DD: After my niece had inspired me with her drawing in my sketchpad I thought that it would be cool to explore this idea but I just kind of forgot about it. A few months later, I was teaching at a comic book art school. The problem I faced there was that the students didn’t appreciate abstract expressionism. I explained that abstract art is needed especially in comic book work to visualize unseen worlds–places and creatures that can’t be referenced with a photograph. They didn’t care and said they still hated abstract expressionism. That’s when it hit me. If I could render a kids drawing–really detail it–then maybe they would see that abstract painting is useful.  After all, when I do a Monster Engine painting, I am rendering it with abstract thinking and planning. It worked—some of them got the lesson. After that, I wanted to see how a series would work so I did a few Monster Engine paintings of superheroes as Christmas gifts for my nieces and nephews. The series looked great and then the book idea hatched.

I chose monsters because I love them and so do kids. That was in 1998 and it took 6 more years to paint all the art,  do the interviews, photograph the kids and design the book. I self published a beautiful 48 page hardcover with a dust jacket in 2005 and it became an Internet hit. During the first month of his web site’s launch, the site got 17 million hits and was linked to over 12,000 blogs. A month later I was flown to Japan and appeared on Nippon TV, where I showed his work to an astonished audience.

The website is internationally known with book buyers from all over the world since it opened in 2005. The Monster Engine has also been featured in many magazines and newspapers including Rue Morgue magazine alongside Lemony Snicket and Clive Barker.  In 2006 The Monster Engine was given an honorable mention for “Outstanding Book of the Year” at the Independent Publishers Book Awards in the category of “Most Original Concept.” I’ve been approached numerous times for TV show possibilities and but nothing has gone the distance yet.

ST: Wow! You’ve really accomplished so much! Aside from illustrating, what other kind of artwork do you do?  I have a feeling your talent goes beyond the pencil.

DD: I do concept art for games, advertising work, comic book covers and, teaching. Go to www.davedevries.com to see some stuff.

Some history:

In 2011 I finished up an expansive project called BlueShift, which is an eco-thriller, high-octane adventure – lots of action, lots of global warming. We did two issues of the graphic novel – it’s on MTV Geek I’m proud of that project.

I’m super proud though of winning a National Endowment for the Arts award last spring.  I was flown to Texas on the grant to work with underprivileged kids in Lubbock.  Watch it below or click here.

Out & About Bozeman, Dave DeVries from Lubbock ISD on Vimeo.

In addition, The Monster Engine was featured in its first commercial job.  Microsoft and Windows Phone sponsored a contest to get kids drawings in response to the following questions:

“What do you wish your Windows Phone could do? How do you imagine yourself, your family, and others using your phone?” We received tons of amazing artwork from children all around the world, each one a whimsical creation that showed how Windows Phone could help unlock a child’s imagination. It was a blast and was featured on their website—you can see them here.

Lastly, just visiting a lot of schools and doing my Monster presentations—and having a blast doing so. Here’s a video of one of them.

I use both digital and traditional paints.  For painting I use mixed media painting techniques… acrylic, airbrush and colored pencil to make the images you see.

ST: How did your creativity start to grow?  As a kid were you making art too?  If you have any stories or people that were there to encourage you, please share.

DD: I never thought of myself as an artist then. I drew pictures but no more than any other child my age. When I turned six, though, my older brother, Jack, asked me to come into his room. At the time he was the family artist—I thought I could never be as good as him. He told me to lock the door to his room. I did so. He then told me that the only way I could leave his room was if I drew from a photograph.  The idea of trying to draw from a photo was impossible to me—after all he did that–but after much crying and pleading I sat down and drew. After I was finished, the picture was so good that I drew 3 more. So, when Jack finally opened the door to his room I was a changed person—I was an artist.

As for painting—I had to wait till I was 21 years old. I lived in terror of painting till I was almost out of college—can you believe that?

ST: Baby steps…at least you took a chance and got over your fear of painting   Please tell us about My Spooky Heart. I wonder what your son thinks of it now.

DD: You know I never showed it to him.  It was done for a charity and was sold shortly after his birth.  He never saw the original and I have never shown a picture of it to him. I’m waiting till he’s a bit older to appreciate it. He’s six and I would eventually  love to have a conversation with him about it and that time in our lives.

ST: What are you up to now?  We’d love to know and join you, if possible!

DD: Just school presentations and Monster Engine commissions for now.  Thinking of doing a graphic novel story based upon The Monster Engine—still a ways off but worth the journey.

ST: Go for it!  The time is now!  Any advice for our Scribblers, you’d like to share?

DD: Just always remember that your kid is always right when it comes to their work.  You cannot impose logic upon their creations. This will go a long way to making them confident in their own beliefs and decision-making skills.  No matter what they become as adults, they learn that their ideas have substance in those early years.  Just think about it—in no other school subject do kids have the right to tell a teacher that they are wrong.  Math, Science, English, or History are all quantifiable subjects. If a kid says 2+2 = 3 they are wrong no matter how they justify it.  Art isn’t quantifiable— it teaches them to rely upon their instincts.

–fun to watch–wish I worked this fast.

ST: Thanks David for that!  Please check our www.themonsterengine.com & www.davedevries.com to see more of David Devries one-of-a-kind artwork!

Scribble Town (ST): Patrick Gannon is a magician when it comes to paper arts and storytelling with images! Maybe he has magical powers elsewhere too! He knows how to play with paper in a way that shapes space and builds a mood for all kinds of places.

Patrick Gannon (PG): Hi, I’m Patrick Gannon.  I’m a cut paper artist, which means that I cut up sheets of really fantastic hand-made papers, then layer them on top of each other to make a picture.  I’m originally from New Jersey in the US, and now I live in Fukuoka, Japan.  I spend most of my time drawing, cutting, gluing, walking along the ocean, hiking up slightly creepy mountains, dreaming up odd creatures in the forest, and collecting tons and tons of paper.

ST: The way you’ve described your day look like this happy creature in your piece on the right, ‘A Bright and Sunny Day.’ Where are you and what are you up to these days?  I’m sure very busy with your The 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar campaign on Kickstarter.  Please let us know more about the project so that we can support you.

PG: For the past 2 years, I’ve been making my home in Fukuoka, in southern Japan.  Before that, I lived in Tokyo around 5 years, learning as much as I could about hand-made washi and chiyogami papers, and creating as much cut paper artwork as I possibly could.

When I’m not hiking up the nearby mountains or exploring the island of Kyushu, I spend most of my time slicing increasingly intricate cut paper artworks.  The last few years, I’ve been showing my work in galleries, Art Fairs, etc. in Japan and more recently, Korea.

The 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar is an annual project for me.  It’s a great way to share my work with as large a group of people as possible, and to introduce cut paper artwork to people who might not have the chance to see it in their daily lives.  The campaign (which has already met it’s goal) runs until October 7th this year.  Without the campaign, I wouldn’t be able to publish the calendar – or all the other cool rewards like laser cuts and stickers.

ST: I know it’s a hard question, but how would you define your work?  It seems to be a peaceful combination of craft and fine art. It reminds me of traditional paper arts, but with a new twist. I have never seen anything like it before.

PG: Honestly, I try not to define it.  For me, defining it too much creates boundaries, and I’d be in danger of failing to experiment and try new things.  I approach the work as a fine art, I guess, by which I mean I create all of the designs and sketches myself.  I begin with an emotion or a concept in mind, sometimes as simple as a single word.  Somehow, when traveling from my mind to my hand, the ideas become these beings and environments.  Then I let it grow organically from the sketch, to the final drawing to choosing the right papers.  If there is a craft mode, it’s in the final steps of cutting and gluing.  I’ve certainly gotten better over time.  Looking at my clumsy early work can surprise me sometimes.

ST: You seem like a person on a playful path steered by passion. I wonder what what led you to paper arts. Was there somebody that encouraged you?  I like how you use different methods of paper cutting like tearing.

PG: When I was in graduate school studying art (I was a literature major as an undergrad), I wasn’t particularly experienced with paints, or using color at all.  I had really only worked in black-and-white.  I didn’t dislike painting as such, but I found the infinite possible colors I could mix to be stressful.  One of my professors suggested using cut paper – at the time, big blocks of colored paper in abstract shapes – behind my ink drawings.

And it just felt right.

At the time, I had no idea about the history or traditions of cut paper art.  I just started experimenting and creating a technique and style of my own.  As time went on, I started to discover different paper cut art, from the jazz-inspired American styles to the traditional Chinese and Japanese monochromatic work.  It’s been an eye-opening journey.

ST: When it feels right, it feels right! Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?  How do you find themes for your artwork?

PG: I find myself inspired almost everywhere.  A short train trip can be a great time to sketch.  Ideas pop into my head while I walk or run and listen to music.  Escaping from the city and hiking through the mountains around Fukuoka is a huge source of inspiration to me at the moment.  Most of my work combines these elements, and my themes tend to be a conversation between the conflicting partsof my life; urban and nature, ambiguous relationships (especially parasitic vs. symbiotic relationships), pop culture.  I think it’s important to allow yourself to be amused or fascinated by just about everything.

ST: Please let us know about some of your cut paper installations such as The Ghost Parade and A Pacific Place of Rest.  Where were these installed and how did you fit the themes with the environment?

PG: Both of these pieces were created for a Yokai (Japanese supernatural… and really weird… creatures and beasts) themed exhibition I held in Tokyo.  The gallery space already looked a bit like the inside of a cave, with warm brown and orange walls and protruding chunks of wood.

The exhibition was also doubling as a Halloween party, and I felt hauntingly playful while designing A Pacific Place of Rest.  It was designed to be a graveyard rising out of the back of a long, black bench against the main gallery wall.  Over it’s length, it transforms from a traditional Japanese style graveyard to an American one (probably from the deep south – before coming back to Japan, I lived in Savannah, Georgia for a little while.  They have some amazing cemeteries).

For a long time, I had been thinking of creating an illuminated cut-paper piece as well.  The Ghost Parade was a way to continue the playful halloween theme while combining it with truly beautiful lighting and layers of shadow.

ST: Savannah does have some amazing cemeteries and ghost stories to match! What forms of art do you include in your mixed media paper cutting paintings? What are some tools you like to use? Do you put your cut paper on wood for a reason?

PG: I started to use wood as a backing to my work for the simplest reason of all.  I thought the grain and warmth and depth of color was beautiful, and I wondered it if would go well with the textures and colors of the paper.  Luckily, they suit each other.  Which makes sense, seeing as paper starts out as a type of wood.  I also like the roughness that the wood adds to the finely cut paper.  Life is full of seemingly conflicting feelings coinciding together.  I wanted to reflect that in my work.

Other than wood, washi and chiyogami papers, I don’t use any other media.  I sometimes stain or varnish the wood, but the paper I like to leave as is, without adding any paint or color to it.  I think it’s a fun challenge to find exactly the right combination of colors.  I have some papers which have waited years for me to find the exact right place to use them.

My tools are pretty basic.  A self-healing mat, and NT cutter design knife – it’s similar to an X-acto, but the blade is thinner with less of an angle.  It breaks more often and needs to be changed more, but I’m able to make finer cuts with it. – pencil, eraser, tracing paper, various glues (I’m always trying to find better glue and adhesives).  A computer with design software gets used to put together my sketches and blow them up to the final cutting size.

ST: Patrick, can you give us Scribblers any advice on creativity?

PG: The best advice I can give to anyone dabbing in cut paper art (or any art, actually), is to play.  Play constantly.  Draw without thinking sometimes.  Draw the craziest thing.  Don’t worry if it’s great.  Not everything has to be perfect.  I never use 90% of my sketches.

In each project, I usually come to a point where I’m not sure which color paper to use.  I take out and test all of the colors that I think might work.  Then I grab a few pieces which I’m positive will absolutely not work.  And sometimes they are absolutely the right thing.  The greatest things in life come from play.

ST: With that said, let’s play! For more inspiration please check out Patrick’s website, http://www.pgannon.com. You can follow Patrick on Twitter:   and get updates on his Facebook Page:  .  Thanks Patrick and keep us posted on your 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar!

The painting titled Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh is at the top of many artistic achievements! Even though Van Gogh sold only one painting in his life, the mark he has made on this world is priceless.  Starry Night is one of the most well known images in modern culture.  How does it speak to you?

Abstract from Vincent van Gogh museum:

Energy and inspiration
From early on Vincent van Gogh was fascinated by the mood conjured up by the evening and the night. Van Gogh regarded the evening and night as a time for self-reflection and creativity, particularly for looking back over the day’s events. As such he loved to work during this hours of twilight and darkness, drawing from them energy and inspiration. When he decided in 1880 to become an artist, twilight and the night gained a fixed place in his oeuvre.

Arranged around the themes Landscapes at twilight, Peasant life at evening – ‘Les Paysans chez eux’, The voice of the wheat and Poetry of the night, the exhibition shows how Van Gogh immortalized the twilight and the night on paper and on canvas.

From painterly tradition to modern art
Van Gogh particularly associated the nighttime hours with a feeling of security, solace and the poetic. At the same time he was not immune to night’s darker side, when one can be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and despair. But Van Gogh was above all attracted by the landscape at twilight, thereby linking up with a longstanding painterly tradition. Evening and nighttime landscapes have for centuries been a well-loved theme, and were also strongly represented within the Barbizon School that Van Gogh so admired and initially imitated. After a number of years, however, Van Gogh began updating the genre through his striking use of colour and rhythmic brushstrokes. With his distinctive style he blazed the trail for modern art.

Read the rest of the article about Vincent van Gogh here: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=150362&lang=en#.  If you can go to Amsterdam to visit it in real life then this is your next best chance.

Now go ahead and scribble your own Starry Night! Print out the image below and color in how you see the night to be with it’s stars shining so brightly.  Send in your drawing and we’ll post it for everybody to see.  Email it to .