1.  Outside of your Self-Portrait series, is there any one piece from your work that you feel especially close to?

 

I feel close to a lot of them for different reasons. I use Flight in just about everything I post because it was a breakthrough painting or at least one of them after I finished up the last piece from my "Victorian Series", "Have You Ever Read Anything So Beautiful".  I like that painting too because it feels so hopeful and triumphant.

2.  Do you ever feel sad or bereft after finishing a piece of art or a poem?

 

Yes I do often with the paintings especially, funny you should ask.  I tried having small celebrations after I finished a work but that has not worked.  I try to paint several works at one time and that helps the let down not feel so harsh.  I don't feel much either way after writing anything which is strange.  I just print them out after posting them here and there and then put them in a pile with the rest of what I have written.  I have boxes of watercolors, pastels, drawings, silks too that I kind of just do and forget about.  It is all just an exercise of doing I guess.

 

3.  Will you tell us more about your process for writing? 

 

I normally come up with a line or two while I am doing something else.  I write down thoughts all the time and keep them till I feel ready to put some of them  together.  Sometimes I read them and have no idea of what I am talking about. lol.  I look at my paintings the same way, I am not sure how I did them and fear I can't again.    I  keep a list of keywords  that I know google will like and try to gear my thinking towards them so I can get 'read'.  Sometimes that wrecks what my original feelings were so I keep one that is pure and one that has been adjusted for googles sake.    I enjoy writing the most  when I can actually place myself in the story or poem.  I try to feel how my subject is feeling and BECOME them... humm same exact thing I do with my paintings.  

 

4.  Do you write every day or only when something inspires you to write?

 

I write and paint everyday.  After 20 years in production pottery I am of the mentality that I have to see something at the end of the day or I feel defeated.  Some days are inspired and others not so much but I don't think you can wait for inspiration, it takes being active in something to make it grow... that's how I feel anyway.

 

5.  Do you ever exhibit your art with one of your writings?

 

I did a story booklet for my "Lost At Sea" series along with a musical tape.   My One Woman Show, ke ala o Pele had a printout of my poem, "I Stood Inside a Rainbow" that was handed out.  I have thought a lot about showing art with words... thanks for the reminder!

 

6.  Is there any other medium you'd like to explore?

 

I have done silk, metal forging, glass etching, sculpture in clay, oils, watercolors, ... on and on.  I would like to do airbrush and learn more about casting for bronze or acrylics.  I have an unfinished sculpture just because I can't find someone in Hawaii to make a mold for me.  There is soo much that can be explored.  

 

7.  Have you ever collaborated with someone else on a particular painting, poem or other writing?

 

I have let people use my images of my paintings for their books, etc.  I have also done a book cover for an author that was interesting.  I had to get into his head to figure out what he hoped to see.  I have been approached quite a bit about collaborating but just feel that I can do a work on my own with both the illustrations and the writing so why hassle with someone else... unless they had a publisher and agent, that would be a different story.

 

 

8.  What part of your work gives you the most joy?

 

I honestly enjoy writing more than I do painting or sculpting.  I think that is because I don't anticipate as much judgement with writing and I allow more freedom for myself.  

 

 

9.  What will you be working on next?

 

I am working on my "In Search of Klimt" series with less inferences to Klimt like the little squares and gold leafing.  I am experimenting with abstract, just to lessen my inhibitions while painting; I continue to work on the Primal Series";  I am also writing a book/story about the Mermaid Baby and trying to work my little character One Fairy in;  I am working on a website just for greeting cards, posters and giclees that has a broader audience; my husband and I have been working on 'Our Story', re-uniting with each other after 27 years,  as well.  I tend to get scattered because I keep too many things going at once but,  'so what',  I think.. do what works and then move on.

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THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE BY PAM RUDISILL @ TEXT LADIES: http://www.textyladies.com/