By Thaneeya McArdle
How would you describe your art?
I would say that it is eclectic, because I enjoy whimsical/fantasy, doodling and realism. My subject matter is primarily figurative although abstract gets mixed in the bunch sometimes. I enjoy drawing faces and the human form most of all. Lately, I have been exploring the “Doodling/Zentangle" phenomena that has exploded in the last couple of years. It is a lot of fun and can be very relaxing. I find I get lost in it if I’m not careful. I also do figurative sculpting when I find time.
How long have you been an artist and how did you become an artist?
My mother told me that she could sit me in a high chair with crayons and paper, when I was a little over a year old, and color like crazy for long periods of time. Good for her to keep me occupied, I suppose. So, I have been drawing since I was a little girl and have loved creating as far back as I can remember. I would draw pictures for my little sisters and anyone who wanted one. As an adult, I continue my love affair with art as much as possible. I can't imagine doing anything else with my free time either.
What is your favorite medium and why?
For now, I am enjoying Micron Pens and Inktense water solvent ink pencils for the work I have been doing lately. I like the fact that the Inktense pencils go down dry like regular water colored pencils and that after they are wet, blended, and dry, they are permanent and don’t move, so that I can layer over them with more Ink-tense color, or another medium like pastels. I think that whatever medium I am using at the time is my favorite, unless I struggle with it too much, then I'll go to what works best for me, then go back and try what I struggled with again. I do enjoy many mediums, but I think my absolute favorite is pastels. I love the way they lay down on the paper and how you can blend them, making realistic or cartoony pieces. I haven’t shown any of my pastel work yet, but hopefully in the near future.