Mark Damrel

Name:  Mark Damrel
Website:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_damrel/

What do you do?
During the day I work in architecture.  I basically draw lines and solve complex problems with various computer programs.  At night I make a mess of my garage with paint, ink and wood dust.  I basically try to create art that I enjoy.

Where can we find your work?
Most of my artwork can be found in my garage, at Kaleid gallery, or on my flickr site.  My architectural work for various firms can be seen sprinkled around the bay area. 

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
Everyday things inspire my work.  Traffic, road rage, bad food at lunch, work issues, home issues, having kids, and living in San Jose could be inspirations.  Drawing , or building stuff helps when things get tough.  Like, if I have a crappy day at work, art is an escape.  Although creativity is somewhat required in architecture the truth is about 15% of architecture work is creativity, and the other 85% is tedium and problem solving.  Art is like anti-work for me.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
For me the process is the most fun and therefore the most important.  The actual making of whatever is where the time flies and you learn and explore.  Finishing it means I’m done.  Content sometimes transforms based on the process.  I am loose with content.  Sometimes I have a solid idea that I want to see through a small series or something, but usually the meaning takes shape through time and layers.

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
I’m inspired by my wife and kids, my extended family and friends.  In both fields I’m inspired by so much work that is happening right now around the world that it’s a hard question to simplify.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Phileas Fogg, because I don’t travel nearly as much as I’d like to.

When do you get your best ideas?
Usually at night when unwinding.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
Wood, glue, acrylic paint, ink, pencils, paper, matte medium, spray paint, watercolor, gouache, it’s all fair game.  I dabble in all but master in none.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I have a BFA in interior design from San Jose State.  In order to get that I took a few art classes like color theory and 2d design which I really enjoyed.  I’ve taken a couple semesters in architectural rendering, which was cool as well.  I learned some technique in those classes.  Most of the ways I use my supplies these days would probably make my past instructors cringe.  One of the biggest things I took away from school was to draw all the time, fill up sketch books.  I also sketch a lot at work to discuss ideas with coworkers. 

What would your creative work taste like?
Salty and crispy.

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
I like to relax with family, hang out at the park, read books to my little girls and eat way too much.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
I was working for a firm in San Francisco and at lunch I would walk around SOMA looking at buildings feeling inspired by a lot of the graffiti. I remember being at my desk after lunch one day sketching something for work and thinking – I’m going to start painting tonight. So I went home and pulled together my dusty art supplies to see what I had that wasn’t all dried out and made a list of what I needed.  Then I went to the art store to buy some new brushes and paint, and came home and started painting at night.  That was 2006, and I’ve been doing it semi-regularly ever since.  I don’t do graffiti by the way, but I love it and am inspired by it. I don’t do it because I’m scared of heights and have crappy can skills for now.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
Be yourself and make what you enjoy.

                                     

Rajiv Khilnani

Name: Rajiv Khilnani

Website: www.rajivkhilnaniart.com

What do you do?
I am a water media artist who paints abstract works on canvas and paper.

Where can we find your work?
The best places would be my website www.rajivkhilnaniart.com or my studio in Sunnyvale. I am in the process of finalizing multiple exhibitions for 2013, details of which will be posted on my website soon.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
My desire to share my creativity and people’s appreciation of what I do are two of the reasons that inspire me to create. As for motivation during tough times, I always remind myself that life is a cycle of ups and downs. Like happiness, struggles are a part of life and you have to learn to accept them, learn from them, and not get discouraged. You need to have the right mindset to deal with those obstacles when you encounter them. Nothing in life is easy so be prepared to work hard without worrying about the consequences.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?  
For me technique is the most important thing in all creative pursuits. A sound technique will lend itself to a superior finished product. Learning proper technique is a process in itself. This process will push one to make better choices with respect to content, display, etc.

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
I get asked this question quite often. I wish I had a simple answer because inspiration for me has never come from one person or thing. My parents have been the biggest inspiration because they have sacrificed a lot in life to see me and my siblings succeed. I am also influenced and inspired by my other family members and friends who maintain their individuality and as a result teach me something new all the time. As for art, I am inspired by any and all artists/art works I can relate to irrespective of the subject matter. 

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Time traveler-so I could meet the old masters and see them paint.

When do you get your best ideas?
When I am least expecting them. Most times I will see something by chance that might light the creativity bulb in my brain.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
I use wooden blocks and plastic sheets quite often to create interesting textures and designs in my works. Lately I have also been using bits and pieces of some of my old mixed media paintings on paper to create interesting textures on my canvas. I also use palette knives, scrapers and pointy tools to create embossed effects in my works.

Are you self-taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I am pretty much a self-taught artist. I say “pretty much” because I never went to an art school but I did spend about four years being mentored by a local artist while I finished my business degrees. By not going to an art school I was able to develop my own style fairly quickly, something most artists aspire for in their artistic journey. The disadvantage of not being formally trained has been my minimum knowledge of art history and the many hours I lost not being involved in some form of creative process.

What would your creative work taste like?
Like SPICY Indian Curry as I use Reds and Greens in a lot of my works.

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
I work full time as an events/marketing person. Apart from work I play league tennis, hike from time to time and occasionally act in films and commercials.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
I was drawn to art from childhood. Every week I looked forward to my art class in school. Having and interest in art is one thing but being able to reach a point where I can call myself an artist is another. After high school I was fortunate to find a mentor who inspired me to draw and paint. My relationship with my mentor not only improved my ability to create but also helped me to develop a sense of belief in what I was creating. This translated into confidence for me to share my works with others.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures? 
Enjoy the arts and don’t stress over it. Be open to learning from others and practice, practice and practice, that is the only way you get better at what you do.

Jane Emery

Name:   Jane Emery
Website:  blog:  auntjanescreations.wordpress.com

What do you do?  
Fiber art.  I make folk art spirit dolls and animals from recycled decorator fabrics and trims.

Where can we find your work? 
I have them all over my house, waiting for art and craft fairs in the fall.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
 I was inspired by some spirit dolls I saw in an issue of “Art Doll Quarterly.”  Mine turned out quite differently, but I was hooked.  The other dolls and animals just evolved from that.  When I start having trouble with a piece, I just set it aside and work on something else for a while.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process? 
For me, the finished product is what’s most important.  

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you? 
 I grew up in New Mexico and have always admired and been inspired by Mexican and American Indian culture and art.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?  
Athena-the Greek goddess who is the protectress of civilized life, of artesian activities, and of agriculture.

When do you get your best ideas?  

Random times.  Sometimes when I am working on a piece, I feel like it is telling me what it wants me to do. 

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
 I use discarded decorator fabric and trim samples, all sorts of embellishments, stuffing, needle, thread, and occasionally a sewing machine.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work? 
 I was taught to sew when I was young, but I have not had any formal art education.  I think being self taught might make a person less constrained and more open to their own ideas and techniques.

What would your creative work taste like? 
I think maybe pizza.

When you are not creating what do you like to do? 
I am a Raging Granny.  We participate in rallies and protests for justice, progressive and ethical causes.  We sing and do street theater.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
 I think creativity is something inside that drives a person.  I have always had that creative drive, but not the confidence.  When my friend, Debbie, saw my spirit dolls and birds, she encouraged me to sell them at craft fairs.  I got more confident when I realized that there were actually people who liked my work and were willing to buy it.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures? 
I would say, just plunge in and do it.  Do what pleases you.  It’s great when other people like your work but if they don’t, that’s ok too.