The Art of Derfla

Another in our interviews with the donating artists to Aroma of Art - Kent Paulette, a.k.a. Derfla.

What is your background/how did you get started in your medium?

When I was really young I took art lessons here in Hickory with Beth Marvin. She helped ignite my creative spirit early on. Instead of a lemonade stand, my brother and I had an art stand where we sold our drawings. I continued to enjoy art throughout my elementary and high school years.

What effect are you trying to have on people through your art?

I like to bring people's attention to how they feel on their darkest and brightest of days and how to reconcile the two. I paint at the intersection of love and suffering.

What drew you to your particular medium?

Living in Hickory I had the pleasure to see Andrew Thomason's paintings around town. I saw that he used oil paint to create a really thick texture and I decided to give it a try.

Who were your mentors/inspiring artists as you began to discover your art?

I mainly find my inspiration from great thinkers in music and science. Early on, the beat generation turned me on to some wild ideas. I also enjoy reading books about theoretical physics and books on how our brains think and form consciousness. The one painter who has inspired me most is Brion Gysin. He was a friend of William S. Burroughs and together they cut-up words in order to cut-up reality itself.

What was your first piece of art you created and what inspired it?

The first painting on canvas that I did was near the end of high school. It's a cubism-inspired piece called "The Sex of Wrestlers". I was drawn to cubism thought my interest in theoretical physics. The two changed how I viewed space-time and our relation to it and to each other.

What are some of your favorite projects?

I always love to paint people best. I'm drawn to the strong emotions of love and suffering. As far as my technique, I am most pleased when I am able to give complete control over to a process that allows the painting to come to life organically.

What are you working on right now?

I've been experimenting with water-based mediums lately. It's been fun working with thin paints and letting them drip. This process creates a lot of movement and I've taken advantage of that by painting women dancing. Movement has always been a passion of mine so I'm pleased to find a medium that suits it so well.

The two paintings by Derfla pictured here and one other of his are up for auction at Taste Full Beans Coffee House through March 4, 2010.

Vickie Jo Franks

Vickie Jo Franks is a first time donor to Aroma of Art. She is a retired art teacher, having taught in several school districts for over 30 years. Her work is currently on display at the Gaston County Public Library in Gastonia, NC. Her work has been shown at the Hickory Museum of Art, Kathleen's Simply Irresistible Gallery in Tryon, the Sea and Sounds Gallery in Manteo, NC, the Cleveland County Memorial Library and Frame Masters Gallery in Shelby.

Vickie Jo uses recycled materials to create her folk are images. She has a deep reverence for nature and creation and her work is a reflection of her passion. The messages in her work reflect her sincere beliefs in human stewardship of our planet, promoting the spay and neuter of pets, rabies prevention awareness including World Rabies Day and the Alliance for Rabies Control and anti-littering campaigns. An article about her was recently published in the Charlotte Observer.

Below are her responses to our artist interview questions. We are proud to have her participation in Aroma of Art.

What is your background/how did you get started in your medium?

I grew up in a rural place in North Carolina and spent a lot of time outside. Being close to nature taught me an appreciation for animals , trees, rain, the beauty and wonder of small and large creation. My family was very resourceful and creative, making things with out hands and repairing broken things ourselves. We are a family of readers with many books and encyclopedias at our disposal, including the magazine "Popular Science". I participated in every art and craft event offered. The media I use reflects the positive influence of parents, community, especially women's craft and handwork, with an emphasis on the creative use of materials and appreciation of nature.

What effect are you trying to have on people through your art?

The work I create will cause people to appreciate nature, enabling people to make past, present and future connections. When experiencing my work people will know the beauty and wonder of a leaf, a bird, a flower, a purple sky. People will understand that subduing the earth does not man destroying everything and each other.

Who were your mentors, inspiring artists, as you began to discover art?

Family and community members who were creative, resourceful and appreciated art and craft forms inspired me in my work. Native American potters and basket weavers were also an early influence. I am also inspired by cartoons, particularly the work of Charles Schulz and his story of early rejection. I appreciated the work of Jackson Pollack as a child and was disturbed by the attempts to discredit his work by showing that animals could paint like him. Later in the classroom I was inspired by the collage work of Romere Bearden who showed the artistic possibilities, even when conventional art supplies are limited.

What was the first piece of art you created and what inspired it?

Family trips to Washington DC to visit family were filled with visits to historical places. My cousin Mickey was an excellent artist. As a child of five I thought he was a genius. I decided to see if I could draw. I looked out the window, saw a fire truck and drew it.

What are some of your favorite projects?

My work is a reflection of my time spent connecting with nature in the garden. I use my work to encourage the community to participate in rabies reduction advocacy including World Rabies Day and the Alliance for Rabies Control. I also participate in the annual Great Back Yard Bird Count promoted by Cornell University. I also work on advocacy for wild horses in NC.

What are you working on right now?

I am completing some work in progress while continually scouting exhibition opportunities and marketing venues for my work. My husband, Ronnie, and I take road trips to find places around the state that are appreciative of folk art. I work on several pieces at a time. One piece, "God Bless America", a quilt/collage/assemblage piece I plan to have completed by May for the Hickory Museum of Art 9th Art on the Avenue.

Wolf Song Studios JW Baker

Another of our artists for Aroma of Art is JW Baker. Along with his wife Sandi baker, they run Wolf Song Studio, where they create their amazing portraits.

Below are JW's repsonses to our artist interview.

What is your background/how did you get started in your medium?

I started my career as a professional finger-painter at the age of 4 - things just sort of took off from there. I have since branched out into other mediums.

What effect are you trying to have on people through your art?

Good art should evoke a reaction - ideally (from my perspective) it should be a positive reaction. I like to think of painting as storytelling in that as the Artist you seek to share a unique perspective to educate or make your audience aware of some aspect of your subject they may not have considered. For example, with the wildlife art, ideally it is to make the viewer consider the subject not as "just an animal" but rather as a fellow inhabitant of this Earth we both share.

What drew you to your particular medium? How did you get started in your medium?

That's difficult to answer in that I consider myself a "mixed media" artist. I combine acrylics and oils for effect, and use the airbrush and conventional paintbrushes, again for effect. Each lends itself uniquely to specific presentations. I originally started airbrushing because it lent itself well to working larger with greater ease and also it opened up the possibilities of putting art on unique substrates; the foremost of which for me personally was wearable art.

Who were your mentors/inspiring artists as you began to discover your art?

I didn't have any mentors being a self-taught artist. My inspiration from other artists was initiallyu from the comic artists fo the day, formeost being Jack "The King" Kirby, Joe Kubert, Samuel J. Glanzman and Barry Windsor- Smith. Later inspirations would be Frank Frazetta, Roger Dean, Brian Froud and Alan Lee.

As I began to work as a full-time 'working artist" I was very fortunate to have two mentors in how to live and make your living as a working artist. Both of these individuals are friends and their work has been a great inspiration - Mike Segal and Dee Morris.

What was your first piece of art you created and what inspired it?

I can't specifially remember that "first piece of art". I suppose it would be those finger-paintings that I would consider my first artworks, as art has always been my best means of expressing myself, and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. It's hard to remember a day that I wasn't doing something creative during some par (if not all) of the day.

What are some of your favorite projects?

Creating art to benefit the various wildlife rescue and rehab places over the years has always been rewarding. When I was in my early 20's I used to work for the City of Clearwater with a good friend of mine, and we donated our time and talents (he is an excellent musician and sound engineer) to benefit a summer theatre project for young people interested in theatre. I used to design the sets and he did all the stage lighting and sound - that was fun.

What are you working on right now?

Continuing on in my "artistic journey"...

Aroma of Art Artist Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio

For another in our series of interviews with our artist contributors, we posed some questions to Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio about his work.

What is your background and how did you get started in your medium?

I am a resident of Hickory, NC and I grew up in upholstered furniture manufacturing. I've spent a lot of time merchandising fabric and frame combinations for manufacturers and I still do so today. I started painting when I understood a project to pain the interior of a house. In doing so, there were many angles and niches in the walls to where I could contrast colors and more interest to them. During that same week, my daughter had a project to complete and we went to the craft store. There I saw an oil painting kit for 50% off. I purchased it, painted a tree by a stream and my daughter did not believe that I had painted it. I thought I was onto something and have been painting ever since.

What effect are you trying to have on people through your art?

That you don't have to be pigeon holed into something everyone wants to think you are. With the freedom we have in America, we can be whoever we wish to be and express abilities and talents without fear of repression. This a gift, to be able to pursue what is fun and interesting.

What drew you to your particular medium?

I really enjoy oil paintings and oriental rugs. Trying to furnish your homes with these items can get expensive. I bought a few paintings and found I liked impressionistic landscapes. seascapes and buildings. I really studied the finished product of them and tried it on my own. I work primarily with oils but occasionally water color as well.

Who were your mentors and inspiring artists as you began to discover your art?

Stephen Brooks, Joe Lafone, Elise Starnes, Toni Carlson and Kate Worm are people I know who are artists. These are great individuals who learned their craft over time and are very good at what they do. Some of them are people I grew up with and that gave me the confidence to try painting myself.

Andrew Braitman, Birger Sandzen, George Inness, Van Gogh, Monet and David McCraig are artists whose techniques I enjoy studying. I'm a self taught artist so I pick up techniques from current articles, magazines, the Internet and books that relate to painting.

What are some of your favorite projects?

I spend a lot of time in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Mountain landscapes and local scenes are what I enjoy painting the most, mostly outdoor settings with lots of color and heavy textures.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on two commissioned paintings, one of a fisherman in a boat on a lake and another of an old farm setting in Burnsville, NC.

Alex's work is currently on display at Taste Full Beans Coffee House

Bud Caywood, Contributing Artist for Aroma of Art 2010

I am so pleased to share with you interviews with our wonderful artists who contribute their creative pursuits to the Aroma of Art silent auction.These are the special people that over the years give of themselves to make a difference in the community by helping to raise money for the Catawba County Humane Society and ALFA.

Our first artist to be featured is Bud Caywood. Mr. Caywood is a long time contributor to Aroma of Art and is again this year giving of his time and creativity to support the mission of Aroma of Art. Following are some questions I posed to our contributing artists, and Mr. Caywood graciously agreed to give us his insights into his art. All of the photos are of Mr. Caywood's work.

Interview with Bud Caywood

What is your background/how did you get started in your medium?

I am a freelance furniture designer, designing for over 38 years. I have been fortunate to be able to use my creative talents in my profession. There is no clear beginning point for my creativity. I have been creating art as long as I can remember.

What effect are you trying to have on people through your art?

All visual images leave a permanent physical mark. For the "image makers" who value beauty in art, the quest is to share an experience with the viewer. When this works I am justified.


What drew you to your particular medium?

No single medium controls my creativity. I don't want it to be a burden. I work in acrylics, plaster, paper, fiber, wax and just about anything else that will stick to a foundation. My subject matter can be abstract, expressive or real. I don't want to get stagnant.

Who were your mentors/inspiring artists as you began to discover your art?

The one person who I can credit in my development as an artist was my high school art teacher. He taught me to use everything I could hold in my hand as a tool to create art and that anything that could be applied to a foundation can be a medium. That brushes and pallete knives were available to everyone, but the sole of a shoe or the bent top of a tin can were made for "not just any artist". That anything that can be applied to a surface is a medium. I have used this practice since.

What was your first piece of art you created and what inspired it?

I have no clue, but do have a woodcut I made in 1969 that was inspired by a a true story about Siamese triplets separated at birth which is still one of my favorite pieces of art.

What are some of your favorite projects?

Every several years the Caldwell Arts Council invites artists to participate in the Postcard Exhibition. Each artist has to create a piece of art that fits on a 4" x 6" postcard. As much fun as I have creating something in such a small space I have even more enjoyment from seeing what every other artist creates. It is a tremendous source for inspiration and creativity.

What are you working on right now?

Encaustic paintings and sculpture for exhibitions in 2011.

Holiday Celebration at Catawba County Humane Society

One of our charities for Aroma of Art, the Catawba County Humane Society, is having an open house for the holidays this Saturday and Sunday, December 12th and 13th, 12-6 and 1-6.  

Bring the kids,  friends,  your neighbors,  your dog, and the whole family to see the wonderful work the HSCC is doing for pets, not only in Catawba County but for surrounding counties as well.

I had the unique experience to tour the facility today and it was really impressive.  I am looking forward to the coming years as they show that a state of the art facility and a comprehensive spay and neuter program can really improve the health of the animals in our county, reduce the number of homeless pets and slow down the euthanasia rate - that's what it's all about!

I suspect that many in the county do not know the history and evolution of this organization over the last 5-6 years and this weekend is a great opportunity to find out what these community heroes have been doing to improve the quality of life for so many in the county.

Directions are on the site and it's very easy to find.  Stop by and say hello to the staff and volunteers - you'll be glad you did!

Tastefull Beans Art Reception December 10

This Thursday, December 10, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM, Tastefull Beans Coffee House in downtown Hickory will join the Hickory Holiday festivities with an art reception for the new art being displayed over the holidays.  The painting to the right is by Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio.

Come out and see the wonderful new paintings by JW and Sandi Baker of Wolf Song Studio, silver woven and beaded jewelry by WovenStones, original oils by Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio and the other fine artists exhibiting this December.  Wine and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served along with wonderful conversations with the artists.  

Many of the artists on display this holiday season will be donating pieces for Aroma of Art 2010 so come and get a preview of what will be up for auction this February.

Hope we see you all there!