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Artist:: artbyelm
Interviewer: johnnyjinx

DI: When and where did you begin your art training?

Elm: I started drawing as soon as I could pick up a pencil. I started taking art classes in elementary school and never stopped. I'm always looking for ways to improve my work so I never stop learning.

DI: Your DA gallery is an eclectic collection covering many different genres and mediums. Now that you've recently had a show in the Phoenix based Paper Heart Gallery [link] can we expect to see a more focused area of concentration, or will you continue to explore different avenues of art?

Elm: I think so. I've been trying to find my "thumb print," as one of my art teachers called it. I do different types of art depending on my mood. I have three series going right now and I'm going to promote all three and see which one takes. Then I'll concentrate my efforts on that style.

DI: You were given a Daily Deviation for Sunset [link] yet you haven't made another one like it since. Why not?

Elm: I have, it's just not up on Deviant Art. It's a diptych which is hard to *really* show on DA. I may put it up later...I'm not sure. I want to make more of that style though. It was a really fun piece to make.

DI: Do you think age and gender play significant roles in an artist's work, and if so how have they affected yours?

Elm: Of course. So does culture. You can't take your context out of your work. That's what art is all about. I paint a lot of self-portraits and other women because I like to explore gender and sexuality and what it means in American society. American women definately have a certain face in America...certain expectations we're forced to live by.

DI: There has been a significant difference in your art within the last two years. Your earlier work was busier with more dream like images and darker colors. Your newer works are cleaner and design oriented. Does this change come from the classes you're taking, your home environment, audience feedback, or something else?

Elm: Ahhh, definately the classes. My professor at the University liked that loose look. We had to use this "bombing" technique which lended itself to that style of painting. He liked large brushes and he'd give you crap if you used anything smaller than a 1.5" brush. He liked large paintings...nothing smaller than 3 feet. That really affected my painting style. Since then I've been able to do my own technique....not sure if that professor would like it...but I do.

DI: This was at the University of Arizona, where you are currently working on your master's degree in psychology. What sort of influence do your psychology studies have on your art? Do you think your art production will increase or decrease after your degree is achieved?

Elm: I'm working on my Ed.S. degree in School Psychology at the UA. I think that it has expanded my cultural understanding which in turn affects my work. I don't think my degree achievement will have any impact on my production of art. Actually, I take that back. I will probably have a ton of time on my hands to make more work. Right now, I have a lot on my plate between work, school, and family.

DI: In spite of the different mediums and subject matter, is there a common thread or underlying theme in your art? What do you hope your audience can take from the experience of viewing your art?

Elm:No...no common thread that links all my works. Except maybe my mood. I paint depending on what I feel that day. I want them to look at it and take away what they want to take away from it. If they find great meaning in my work, then I'm ecstatic. If they just think it's a pretty picture, then that's good too. I don't like telling people what my work means because that takes away the point. It's like a poet explaining at the end of each poem what the poem means...when it could have a different meaning to everyone. That's what I want of my art...to have a meaning that is specific to the person.

DI: I notice you use both oils and acrylic. How do you decide which one to use for a piece? Do you have a preference in mediums?

Elm:Oils and acrylics have different looks and textures. I use that knowledge to decide which medium to use. A preference? Well, I prefer the way oils look. I like the way they move, but they are a bitch to clean up. And I get it all over me because I don't paint on an easel. I normally paint on the floor of my house or outside on the brick wall.

DI: I want to talk about your eBay sales. Do you prefer making online sales towards anonymous people spread all over the world, or would you rather make more sales to locals in person?

Elm: Well, eBay is an interesting market all on its own. I think it's advantageous to hit a world-wide market that you may not have been able to reach other wise. On the other hand, I like the intimacy of selling locally.

DI: Is there any advice you wish someone had told you when you first got started?

Elm: Yeah- everything. Actually, I got some good advice from another artist I contacted through eBay. It's a business, and like any business it takes time to build. Don't give up.