I've decided to start a monthly segment on my
blog exploring creativity through interviews with other artists and authors.
Why? Partly for selfish reasons; my own inspiration has felt rather starved
lately, but I realized that in my life I have had the sweet serendipity to know
many immensely talented people dedicated to their craft. I want to learn from
them how to court the creative muse!
Without further ado, I present the
ever-stelliferous artist Heather Robinson Teran!
What is your process of inspiration for creating
art?
Intuition is what guides my artistic process. I
begin by gathering a wide variety of visual material--old photos, digital
images, magazine clippings, vintage comic books, patterns, even lace and other
fabric. Then I select the imagery that really calls to me and place it
together. I begin by spray painting, using texture or pattern, or just by
painting a background in acrylic. From there I usually begin painting in oil. I
paint, sand, layer, paint, splash, and keep going until the painting feels
right. Some of my paintings are simple and only focus on one image, while other
paintings feature a smorgasbord of information all competing for attention. A
painting can start out one way and end up radically different. I let intuition
guide me throughout and it is a very fluid process.
Who is an artist that inspires you and why?
Hands down, Monica Canilao. She is an
Oakland-based artist known for her eclectic installations and collaborations
with fellow artists. Everything she creates is imbued with this folk magic and
belief in the good things in life. With most artists, some of their work I
love, some of it I hate. With Monica Canilao, everything she creates is
inspiring and pushing boundaries. I would also say I am most jealous of her, because
she collaborates often, usually is creating these huge gorgeous installations,
and has a big studio space that looks like a vintage fantasy world. My dream
home would be inside a Monica Canilao installation. Other artists that have
influenced me include Joao Ruas, Kent Williams, James Jean, Tran Nyguen, Arthur
Rackham, William Rossetti, and Henry Darger.
How do you overcome fallow spells in creativity
and regain the courage to create?
Consistency. Discipline. Schedule. If I waited to
make art until I was feeling “creative” and “in the mood,” then let’s be
honest, I wouldn’t paint often and I wouldn’t get anything done. I know because
years ago I used to be that way. Serious artists have consistent work habits.
I paint a certain amount of hours each
week, and the more disciplined I am at sticking to it, the more creative I
become because I am in the act of creating. The more you create the better you
become at it. If you are in a rut, then force yourself to work a certain amount
of hours each day, and you will work your way out of it. If you are
consistently creating, whether it be writing, painting, etc., then something
good will come of it. Not all your work will be perfectly inspired but some of
it definitely will be. And then you go from there.
Along the lines of “Regaining the courage
to create,” I think that surrounding yourself with encouraging people is one of
the best things an artist can do. Don’t live in your head too much. Talk to
others about your art, have it critiqued, know who to show your work to when
you are feeling particularly negative or in a tough spot. All artist need
support groups that give positive and helpful feedback. Find those people and
stick with them. I have an amazing group of people who support and critique my
work and I definitely couldn’t do it without them.
Heather Robinson Teran
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