The Newton Kansan

Here's a nice little piece from the Meet an Artist section of the local paper. I enjoy and get a lot out of reflecting on my work, and yet I rarely do on my own. Note that this appeared before Christmas, note the last 4 words, and note I'm still working on a few of them….

NORTH NEWTON —Compiled by Wendy Nugent
What do you like about your art?
I like being surprised at where creativity takes me if I let it lead. Though I strive to be as clear and deliberate as possible, I enjoy hearing others make connections and interpretations that weren’t intentional. Also, it makes me smile, and that’s worth something.
 
How did you get started?
Like most of us, I drew when I was little, but I never stopped. After graduating from The American Academy of Art in Chicago (and before that Bethel), I got a job illustrating books and doing graphic design work for a marketing agency where I learned as much as I did when I was in school.
 
Describe a memorable moment from your pursuit of art and/or any schooling.
Most of my life I’ve gotten compliments from friends, family and schoolmates about my art. In my first class critique by a teacher who would end up being incredibly influential and important to me, he walked up to one of the student’s pieces on the wall, looked at it and said, “This? This is terrible.” He said it as nicely as you could, but at once I realized the line was pretty sharp between drawing for fun and drawing as a profession. I also realized what a powerful tool honest critique is, if you can bear it, and I’ve tried to incorporate that into other aspects of my life.

What are you working on right now?
Right now, I’m illustrating several pieces for two different grammar workbooks, designing images for a manual, and trying to finish some Christmas presents.