Spotlight: Susan Carden Flicker

Who?  Susan Carden Flicker: Bio

 My first memory of myself drawing on an easel was in Kindergarten. I took art classes in grammar school and continued taking them from high school to college. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration from Paier College of Art, I was employed as a graphic designer with the former Ames Department Stores for 16 years. When Ames folded, I returned to painting full time and now show my art in 3 art galleries - Strawbridge Art League and Gallery, Melbourne; Art Gallery of Viera, Viera; and the Connecticut River Artisans in Essex, CT. 

Memberships:

Essex Art Association (Elected Artist), CT

Lyme Art Association (Associate Artist), CT

Art Gallery of Viera, FL

Brevard Cultural Alliance, FL

Brevard Watercolor Society, FL

Strawbridge Art League, FL

Florida Watercolor Society, FL

What medium do you prefer and why?

I prefer watercolor and acrylics. Watercolor has the ability to be spontaneous and I can get vibrant and wild or moody with colors. I like acrylics as well for their vibrancy of colors and they both dry faster than oils.

 What inspires or motivates you to create your art and what does your art mean to you?

I am doubly hearing impaired since birth, and because of that, I am visually more attuned to my surroundings. I like to paint or draw my impressions of what I see and feel into my landscapes and seascapes. I also have a very fond memory of a painting by Maxfield Parrish hanging in my grandmother's home which fascinated and impressed me at a young age. Later, I felt inspired by Norman Rockwell and Aubrey Beardsley. 

I often take my journal/sketchbook and camera on my travels to draw and paint my impressions of the scene unfolding before me. From there, larger paintings can evolve. 

What does my art mean to me? It allows me to express my feelings and emotions to the viewer, whereas I stumble over my words due to my disability. 

What makes your art unique?

I can paint from very tiny (2"x2") to larger works of art. I work on a minuscule scale by creating landscapes, flora, and fauna on miniature canvas paintings which are displayed on miniature easels in all 3 of my galleries. Many people have told me that my art looks like photographs because they have so much detail. 

My fondness for animals, domestic and wild, allows me to paint their personalities into their portraits to the pet owner's delight. 

As an avid birdwatcher, the birds that visit my little pond give me joy and inspiration to paint with my soul.

 Be sure to stop by the Strawbridge Art League and Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, Florida to see more of Susan's work.

Spotlight on Kelli Coats

 

Shadowy Blue Sea Turtle

 Who?  Kelli Coats: Bio

 For as long as I can remember, I would draw, for hours on end. I would draw everyday genres that appealed to me at that young age. Throughout middle and high school, I took every Art elective possible. After high school, I earned my AA in Art from Eastern Florida State College (then known as Brevard Community College). Nancy Dillen was my college instructor and her teachings left a lasting impression with me throughout my life. Despite my then desire and intention on becoming an artist, I settled for a daily career and my artistic endeavors took a back seat.

It was about 6 years ago that I earned my MA in Art Education and began teaching ceramics at a local high school. Teaching ceramics reignited my passion for creating art. In doing so, I finally found the courage to call myself an artist. I also created online pages (Etsy, Facebook and Pinterest, etc.) to sell my artwork. In this rediscovery, I also joined the Strawbridge Art League, where my art is also on display.  

What medium do you prefer and why?

I currently prefer clay as my medium. This is likely due to my teaching it as a subject matter with the materials are readily available. Drawing (graphite) is also my medium of preference, when time permits.

 What inspires or motivates you to create your art and what does your art mean to you?

Overall, it is an intrinsic desire that inspires me to create. However, my students are also a source of inspiration – teaching often provides a reciprocal exchange of energy that is contagious in the creative realm of living. My fellow art teachers and art league friends are also inspiring – through their encouragement and ideas and art talk I have found the courage to create art I enjoy creating.

To me, my art means I am in alignment with my creative passions. My creative interest has primarily existed within the spooky or Gothic genre, yet I changed course and fell into production art for the hope and sake of selling it. I have since struck a happy medium and have placed my own artistic desires in the forefront. This makes me a much happier artist! 

What makes your art unique?

I think my art is unique because I create spooky art year round – not just at Halloween. I sometimes, I try to reveal the allure of dark art with unexpected subject matter. For example, my hand sculpted ceramic sea turtles - I utilize a black glaze under a sheer color overlay) giving them a shadowy appearance.  

See No Evil

 Be sure to stop by the Strawbridge Art League and Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, Florida to see more of Kelli's work.

General Membership Meeting on Tuesday November 15.... Presentation by Dove Yepes

Don't miss the General Membership Meeting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2016. The meeting is at the Strawbridge Art League and Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue in Historic Downtown Melbourne.

Dove Yepes will be showing the group her interesting relief on canvas.  

She is a native Floridian who has had a life long love for art and art history. She has been creating multi-medium art all her life and believes that art has no rules or boundaries. She studied art history and reluctantly graphic design at the University of Central Florida, and has gone on to start her own business, Dove Designs Art, Inc. where she teaches painting classes and paints murals along with showing her own work. 

Her latest obsession has been experimenting with sculpting on canvas which brings paintings to life!

Food for Thought Show: Call for Art

Take-in for Food for Thought: Monday, November 7th; 2-4 pm and  6-8 pm at the Strawbridge Art League Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue; Historic Downtown Melbourne, Florida.

FEE: $15 for 1st entry; $10 for 2nd: $5 ea. after

Bring in your most mouth-watering pieces.... 

Reception to be held on November 11th during Downtown Melbourne’s Friday Fest 6-9 pm at the Gallery

$75 People’s Choice Award

*Original work to have been done in the past 3 years. All mediums accepted; must be movable by one person. Canvas to be wired for hanging, framed or sides painted. 

Spotlight on Jane Theis

Who?  Jane Theis

Jane, in her own words...

I have wanted to be an artist forever, but always worried that I just couldn't do it. I tried to console myself with the thought that if I had lessons, I could possibly fulfill my dream. Of course, all these plans changed when my precious daughter appeared! Fast forward about twenty years and I was right back where I started, but with a new attitude! I decided to skip the formal training and just give it a try..... 

 

Now I know why I always wanted to do this... It brings me more joy than I ever imagined possible. Painting is renewing faith in myself..... when someone refers to me as an artist, I still pause for a second and then smile... wow they are talking about me!

What medium do you prefer and why?
  

I love the "body" of acrylic... It gives me the ability to achieve great textures. 

Sometimes I will paint over a painting 2-4 times... Now that's some serious texture! 

 

What inspires you to create your art ?
 

The mere thought of painting inspires me... I am energized with each new endeavor.. I love the monthly themed shows at the SAL, for they present ever changing, inspirational challenges... 

 

Starting a new painting is like starting a new  book... The beginning draws you in, then you are motivated to progress through the middle, and by the time you are nearing the end, you either speed up the process because you are rapidly anticipating the ending, or you slow things down because you aren't quite ready for it to be over just yet. 

 

I don't take myself too seriously, so I don't worry about everything being just perfect in my art... would be pretty impossible anyway! Unless there is a specific project, I just pick up the brush and see where it takes me... 

 

To see more work by Jane, please stop by the Strawbridge Art League and Gallery at 819-2 East Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, Florida