Sunday, May 27, 2012

Ketra Oberlander


Name: Ketra Oberlander
Website: aopstudios.com

What do you do?
As a fine artist I paint in acrylics; as founder of Art of Possibility® Studios, I run the only art licensing business exclusively representing artists with physical disabilities in the world.

Where can we find your work?
The most interesting place to see my work is in the film “Broken City” (coming in 2013, Russell Crowe, Mark Wahlberg, Catherine Zeta Jones). I’ll have 3 paintings in two different sets.  To see originals, by appointment.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
Asking what inspires me is like asking a fish to describe water. As for maintaining my spirits through adversity, my work is part of a larger message to help others, and that commitment to service carries me through the challenging times. If I saw my work only as The Me Show, so what? It’s got to be bigger than me; it’s got to elevate humanity.
     
What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
I don’t see these as opposite ends of a continuum at all. I think if a piece matches my intention, then that’s successful. I’d note, though, that my most popular work isn’t necessarily my most successful (by my definition). There’s a point at which I have to trust the audience response to my work and move on.
  
Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
Gov. Ann Richards; she was a great lady. My husband. And although he’s not “people,” the cat has a tremendous influence on my daily life. He’s a laid back dude, the Jeff Bridges of cats, and he reminds me to enjoy the journey.
 
 If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Friends would probably vote “Beaker,” the startled lab assistant to Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, but I’d like to be any fictional character with a red cape. Superpowers optional. I just want the cape.

When do you get your best ideas?
At precisely the most inconvenient moment.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
The usual suspects: canvas, brushes, slow-dry acrylics.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I began painting at 40 in a local adult ed. art class and thought it was totally fun. Although I had guidance, the class was more like shared studio time. I still paint with friends and think that I would have been far less realistic about the business of fine art had I gone to art school right out of high school. Lucky for my I studied literature because that has such tremendous earning potential. Would you like fries with that?

What would your creative work taste like?
I have utterly no idea. This is the first “gotcha” question I’ve had in a long time!

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
Rabble rouse, iPad games, garden, loaf, pontificate.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience? 
How can one NOT create and share? 

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?  
Decide what YOU want from your work, then pursue that goal. Revisit that goal every two years because we grow and change. What matters to you now may not matter later and if you’re just in a habit and not paying attention, you’ll digress and waste time that could be more full in your life.





Sunday, May 20, 2012

Matt Gonzales


Name: Matt Gonzales
Website: See below

What do you do?
I am a musician/producer. I am a multi-instrumentalist but my passion lies within the guitar. I’ve also been a promoter/booking agent/sound engineer for 5 years at South First Billiards and other venues/festivals such as The SJ Taco Festival, Moveable Feast, Pagoda Lounge, Johnny V’s, and much more. I am the live music coordinator for an awesome organization called Bring It Back Tour, which has a stage on the Warped Tour this year. We have also had a stage on the local festival called Left Coast Live. I have also taught guitar at San Jose State for their first ever guitar club. I also have worked at a local elementary school for an after-school program. They had a mariachi group consisted of many kids and I helped them hone their skills in guitar and voice. I have been a freelance writer for El Observador bilingual newspaper. As of 2011 I entered the filmmaking world and became a documentarian. The documentary I am currently working on is called “Scenes Are Temporary, Movements Are Forever” and we concentrate on the local art renaissance taking place in San Jose.

Where can we find your work?
              
What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
I am mostly inspired by everyday life and the random occurrences that take place within it. It could be almost anything I see or hear and I’ll get an idea for a song. My creative process is very simple. I like it that way because it allows me to lay a solid foundation for the intricacies I will put in later. I was in a horrible car accident 2 years ago. A drunk driver hit me and almost took me out the game. But I survived and it was at that moment that I truly started to appreciate life and how delicate it is. It was also at that moment where I learned to never give up and fight through whatever is thrown in front of me. Nothing in life is permanent. There will always be change. There will always be struggle. You just have to have the right mindset to deal with those obstacles when they present themselves. Nothing is easy so be prepared to work hard. And after you are done working hard then work even harder after that.
      
What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
I think it’s most definitely a balance of the two. If I had to choose between them I would say technique/process because you have to present your art in a professional manner. It’s all about Quality over Quantity.
   
Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
My mother has always been a positive light in my life. She had a rough childhood so she learned how to be strong at an early age. My Dad grew up not having much either. Ive learned to appreciate the little things. Ive also learned how to be strong. All my other heroes are dead. Jim Morrison, Rudy Madrid, Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, John Coltrane……etc
  
If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
I would be V from V for Vendetta. In fact I plan on actually being like him. Just without the blowing up of federal buildings and all. My bombs and bullets will be in the form of Song and Lyric.
When do you get your best ideas?
Shower and Toilet. I swear to Bog.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
I use my Iphone. Every time I get a melody in my head I record it as a voice memo. I sing it out and then figure it out with a guitar or a keyboard. Then I add lyrics and all if it’s a good idea. I keep it simple.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I picked up a guitar at 14. My grandma had just died and I remember her always telling me that she wanted me to learn. She was always pushing me but I was too young to really get a hold of the idea. So I went on the Internet and learned a couple chords. I never looked back from then. I picked up keyboards along the way. I have also taught myself how to set up a sound system and record audio. I am a huge believer in being self-taught. I feel that when you do learn something the way you want, it liberates you from constraints of formula and tradition. There is nothing wrong with the two but I am an artist that wants to push boundaries and innovate. In my opinion an artist is restricted by what they are taught by someone else and it takes the fun out of learning whatever you are doing artistically. I do believe in guides though. Rudy Madrid taught me a lot when I was young. I was playing in bars as early as 16. He taught me how to be a professional musician. Tune your guitar, don’t play loud, and listen to everything around you. I was too young to really fathom who Rudy was and we lost contact when I was 20. When he died in 2010 there were so many articles on him and even SJSU did a dedication to him. I didn’t realize what a legend he was and I am truly appreciative of everything he showed me. I have taught guitar in the past and I stressed to my students that I was only going to show them the door. It was up to them to walk through it. I want students that truly want to learn and be self sufficient in doing so. I want to be more of a guide than anything.

What would your creative work taste like?
SUSHI

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
I never stop creating. It is a 24-hour job for me. But on downtime I play pool, listen to music, and watch documentaries.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
I think it’s just a series of repetitions. Practice makes perfect. Its cliché but it’s very true. I learned how to just go out there and give it my all. I’m not worrying about who is there or the size of the audience. I am envisioning how it is going to sound. I am thinking about every note and how the music is going to make me feel. I get in this zone. I’m outside of myself. When I get on stage there is nothing that can touch me. I am in my element. This is where I thrive. My soul is content. If you project positive energy, then that is what you shall receive.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
Be Independent. Be Yourself. Work Hard. Learn everything and anything. Don’t give up. Innovate over imitation. And…………..fuck what everyone says, no one can stop your inevitable greatness.  




Sunday, May 13, 2012

Vida Killz

Name:  Vida Killz
Website: www.vidakillz.com
               www.organizedthreat.com
What do you do?
I am a poet/emcee, an audio engineer, producer, and a photographer.

Where can we find your work?
Last year I wrote/recorded and released an EP every month, the site for those albums is: www.vidakillzepproject.bandcamp.com

I also post music/beats/remixes monthly on my soundcloud:
www.soundcloud.com/vidakillz

random older music:
www.vidakillz.bandcamp.com
Youtube here:
www.youtube.com/vidakillz

My photography blog (still working on it)
www.creatingmicultura.tumblr.com

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
My main artistic expression, poetry, is typically created through tough times. I tend to write through tough times therefore writing acts as a sort of motivation. In high school I learned of stream of consciousness writing which is what the majority of my poems are and I have found that I birth the best pieces when from emotionally charged situations.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
I think they all play a significant piece in creation. I base the importance of each per project, whether it be a song, photo, beat, etc. Some songs I chose to record with my SM57, to give the song a more raw feel and typically to match a raw subject matter. Other songs I record with my condenser microphone for a more polished sound and feel.

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
One of my number one influences is my best friend and partner. She’s inspired numerous of my poems and songs. Aside from that, my main inspirations can range from the wind to a conversation with a stranger. I like to think that inspiration has no restrictions.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
The Owl, Hedwig.

When do you get your best ideas?
My best ideas come after intense thought meditation sessions.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
I use a lot of different materials and tools, the main are: pen, microphone, computer and camera.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I am self taught on most of my avenues of creation. I am working on my music technology degree, which definitely benefits my output with mixing and mastering. I think both of which have influenced my work, for the better. I’ve been able to create without any pressure of a structure to follow, which at times allows my art to be very odd, yet raw. I enjoy it though.

What would your creative work taste like?
Funfetti Cake with vanilla frosting.

 When you are not creating what do you like to do?
Enrich my mind, by doing homework, reading, watching movies, conversing.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
Honestly, writing was an escape from a lot of negative thinking I was having in which I felt that I didn’t have anyone to talk to about. So after feeling overwhelmed for a bit, I decided to pick up a pen and I haven’t turned back. Being comfortable with performing came with time. Sharing via online or in person was just something that came with the territory. I feel that my music is how I communicate with people and how I feel most connected, therefore, if I do not share I end up feeling detached from reality.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
Persevere and never apologize for what you create. 


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Karen Honaker


Name: Karen Honaker
Website: www.karenhonaker.com

What do you do? 
This year has marked my 50th year being a painter.  I got my fine art degree using oil paint, but switched to watercolor when we moved to San Diego 30 years ago. 

Where can we find your work? 
Changes all the time depending on the economy, but my website, www.KarenHonaker.com, continues to be the place to see my latest work.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
When you use everyday objects to create painting compositions, every moment is a possible painting.  It is that constant search that makes life interesting.  
   
What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
The content/finished product is more important to me.  It does not matter what technique is used when the product conveys your own voice.   

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
 Being surrounded by local artists and seeing their work inspires me every day.  The artists who take my workshops, also, take me to new artistic heights.  Just seeing my artistic influence come out in their paintings is my greatest inspiration.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Lil’ Red.  You need to be from Nebraska to understand that one!

When do you get your best ideas?
Usually while swimming or walking my dog.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
I use transparent watercolors and a particular kind of watercolor paper that allows me to suspend my pigment on the surface.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I have a BFA from University of Nebraska.  My degree taught me how to maintain a studio of my own while creating a body of work needed for the end of the year.  However, they should have added marketing classes, something I have had to learn on my own all these years.

What would your creative work taste like?
It would be smooth to the tongue, but spicy when swallowed.

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
I love spending time with my dog, Daphne, a mini Schnauzer.  Travel is very important to me, and finding some time for some golf fills up my extra time.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience? 
When you begin painting at the age of 6, my creative side just feels natural to me.  My creative outlet is painting, but if you have that side of you that is begging to “come out”, it will in some form.  It is just who I am.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
 Listen to your insides and fulfill that creative edge or your life will only be half full.  Do not stop no matter what anyone says.