Interview with Artist
Maureen
Bloesch
Have you ever come across an artist's work and wondered "Wow! How did they come up with that idea"?
Well, we have. Award winning artist Maureen Bloesch creates eye catching ethereal pieces in all sorts of mediums. She
as an incredibly talented individual, not only artist, but published poet as well. With so many talents to choose from, we
decided to narrow it down and ask her about her enamel on black paper creations. She was gracious enough to answer a
few questions for us.
What is the process for enamel
on black paper?
I use a firm brush to apply a selection of, primarily metallic enamels. Since the enamels dry very quickly, the strokes
have to be smooth, swift, flowing, Zen like.
What inspired you to create with this
medium and what inspired the designs?
It was a medium I had not used before, to create art. My creations are inspired
by the things I 'see' within my mind and interpret into art for others to see with their eyes.
How
long have you been painting?
The arrival of my creativity was noticed by my first
grade teacher Ms. Casson.
Are you self taught
or formally educated?
I did not receive a formal art education. My natural
skills led me to work as a commercial artist; I did paste-ups & mechanicals, cut film (pre-computer), step & repeats
for wallpaper, Peter Max umbrellas/logos, Wrangler Jeans & game boards, tourist novelties, T-shirts, aprons, banners &
bumper stickers. I designed and fabricated light up acrylic jewelry which sold well at the Electric Circus in the Village.
In otherwords,
I worked as a “real artist”, earning my living by my art. In that field you never know how long the job will last
& what the next job will bring. Oh yes, I also taught leather tooling for Tandy Leather Company,
as well as copper enameling. I have taught arts & crafts to Senior citizens in a church/school environment & I was
an art instructor in a woman’s correctional institution as well as an art/ production director for a silk screening
company.
When art jobs are not available, I
do credit collections, bookkeeping, and filing & I also give individual classes, in basic computer skills.
Where do you create your
art? In a studio, or just anywhere you can find the space?
I have several
spaces that evoke a different mood & therefore a different type of art spills from my hands.
What is your favorite medium to work with?
I do not have a favorite, as I’ve been know to use oils, enamel, watercolor,
food dyes & acrylics, all in the same painting, but I also enjoy white pencil or enamel on black paper, colored pencils,
stained glass ( I have a 3D piece traveling the world with NASA). I dabble in eggery and lately I’ve been entering my
photography in the PFA juried shows.
In what ways do you stretch yourself to make
your work grow?
By letting the thoughts & feelings flow, that guides me as
to what mediums or texture I need to use at the moment. I can not just say, ‘today I want to paint or draw’…that
only comes when it is a commissioned job. I found that from time to time a particular medium will catch my interest &
I attack it, I push myself, I struggle to master it & in time the passion for that medium may wane & what I’ve
learned gets incorporated into other parts of my art. I may not always master the medium of my passion, but that is not as
important as the thrill of battle against the medium & myself that drives me.
What artists, dead or living, inspire you?
People from all walks of life and life itself…
The two I most admire are Salvador Dali & Norman Rockwell, as such, I would say, they also
inspire me.
What
is the major venue you use to sell your work?
Http://www.Artisian-Workshops.comHttp://www.Artisian-Workshops.com
but needs to be emailed through my regular email, as spammers, have made email through my website, impossible.
Most
of my sales are by word of mouth, since I created BLOESCH & BLOESCH originals in 1985.
What advice
do you give beginning artists?
Believe in yourself, your work & your passion,
to create what YOU see & don’t be swayed by others. It is YOUR work, it is what YOU feel, It is an extension of
YOU…enjoy what you do and want to share…expect nothing & if something is forthcoming…relish and revel
in the joy that YOUR work was appreciated enough for someone to purchase it and hang it where others will see it as well.
Hence, that is when fame, may blossom.
What is the most difficult thing about being an artist?
The most difficult thing about being an artist, are the prejudices that are encountered.
Judge
the work not the person. “I went to, Blah, Blah, college,
so I’m a real artiste”
If you have the vision, the talent, and the passion when
you entered college, you graduated a better artist. If you did not have the gift, you came out of college with a piece of
paper.
“You don’t
look like an artist”. What does an “artist” look like?
I’m sorry, but I’ve
had to work for a living. “If it’s
not stretched canvas and oils, it’s not real art”
Will you please judge
the art, not the trappings?
When you are working on a commissioned piece,
do you find you have to dig deeper for the creativity?
When someone commissions
you, they already like your style. The first priority is “know your client”. Ask
their color preferences, where will it be displayed, how big?
Most important is to get a “feel” for the person.
Make
it an enjoyable experience for yourself and the client will get caught up in YOUR emotions. I
find that my mind starts popping;
“ooh, a mystery to solve!”
“I can do this!”
“Oh yes, this would work!”
“Oh! Oh! That color would work well!”
“She’ll LOVE this!”
The customer has decided that you,
the expert, are allowing them to share in the “fun” of creating and you are guiding them through the experience.
Do you have a website, or other contact information for buyers
to reach you and view your work?
http://www.Artisian-Workshops.com
http://www.Redbubble.com/people/eggerist
http://www.ArtWanted.com/eggerist
http://www.Google.com/MaureenLRBloesch
http://www.MyArtSpace.com/MaureenBloesch
http://www.Facebook.com/MaureenLRBloesch
and follow me on twitter;
http://www.twitter.com/eggerist
eggerist@optonline.net
