...of
Christine Marie Artthe second interview in our new series of Boston Handmade member interviews!
Q #1. About YOU:
I'm Chris O'Brien, a digital and mixed media artist in Peabody, MA. Besides Boston Handmade, I am a member of the
Salem Arts Association, and between the two groups have met some very inspiring, accomplished artists.
My own background is in communications, with a minor in graphic design. I've worked as a graphic designer for years; on my own, in design studios, and in marketing departments. A lot of the artwork I do is based on my own photography and/or graphic designs.
Q #2. About being an artist:
I remember the first time I thought I could use my skills in an artistic capacity, rather than as a commercial designer. It was the first time I picked up a Somerset Studio magazine. I thought, "I could do this!" That was in 2002, I think, and although I don't read that magazine anymore, it did provide that first little spark.
There are many artists now who inspire me:
Bridgette Guerzon Mills,
Joanie San Chirico,
Maryline Lemaitre,
Michelle Caplan, and others, including Boston Handmade members! They all work in different mediums, but what draws me to their work is the levels of depth in their pieces, the layering, which is something I try to achieve.
Q #3 & #4. About your artistic process & work:
The layers in my pieces come in a variety of ways: acrylic washes, backgrounds of vintage papers, japanese washi papers, digital collage printed with ultrachrome inks, gel medium to add depth, fabrics, fibers, and more. People usually look for a minute, then move closer trying to figure out what the pieces are made from. I describe them as a blend of traditional and digital collage.
Just the other day someone mentioned that I might like to try encaustics, and she was right! I just haven't had the time to try yet, but that's next.
Q #5. About the business side:
Right now I sell my work on
Etsy, at shows, and in the Salem Arts Association Gallery. In the past I sold some work on Ebay, but not any more. The shows are a lot of work, but I love seeing people's reactions to my work first-hand. And although I'm not the most outgoing person in the world, I'm learning, and enjoying, talking about my work with others. -- My New Year's resolution this year was to get better at doing that, which was one of the reasons I joined both Boston Handmade and SAA, which has helped immensely.
Q #6. About Etsy:
Joining Etsy in 2006 was a great step in meeting other artists and buyers. I'm not as involved as some people are with the
Etsy community, but I did join a couple of the other street teams (
VAST and
METSY) which is nice because rather than being competitive, it's artists promoting other artists. And I just sold two pieces to someone in Australia! I don't think that would have been likely without Etsy.
Q #7. Other fun related questions:
My top 5 favorite bands are: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, Mark Knopfler, Santana and Van Morrison (OK, that's 6! and I'm showing my age), but my favorite song ever is "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. My favorite movie is "Life is Beautiful" which is so funny and heartbreaking at the same time. And my favorite writers are David Sedaris and Steve Martin, because of their sharp, satiric wit.
I love to travel and last month (June 2008) I visited London, Paris and Barcelona. I took a ridiculous amount of photographs to use in upcoming pieces, so stay tuned!
So many colors outside, so pretty, so summery! Today we share our work inspired by purple from Boston Handmade members:
BH: - What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?
BH: What is your biggest obstacle with it?
BH: What’s your most interesting fair/show experience?
a few patriotic figures for your holiday enjoyment made by Vintage by Crystal
Q #1. About YOU:
Have you ever wished that you could clear some of the clutter out of your life in order to jump-start your creativity or to just enjoy life more fully? "Clutter" as in circumstances in life that get in your way and drain your energy. Would you like to unearth what your core values really are, and be able to identify your authentic self in order to create a real vision for how you want your life to be?
Summer is here! The sun, the sand, the gardens in bloom. Here is a mosaic filled with art and objects created from inspirations of summer with contributions by:
I've often heard it said "tis better to give than to receive". I'm not sure who said it first, but if you've tested the theory I'm sure you've found it to be more than true. In building my knitting, crochet and designing business, I've committed myself to a few things and one is to donate when I can, as much as I can.
Before I made any commitments to donate, I thought it might be too much to add to my plate, after all, I do have a full-time job alongside all the other things I do each day and week. However, what I've learned in the past week is, when the decision is made, all things fall into place.
It may be that I got lucky this time, but I'll keep that spirit and when an opportunity comes again, I'll see if it fits. There is a lot more yarn in my stash, reclaimed and not, that I know my hubby would love to see processed out.
