Sawyer Rose

 

Why are you an artist?

 

It’s my way of interfacing with the world-- it’s my organizational scheme.  Some people understand concepts by putting them into words, or even numbers.  I tame my perpetual mental rodeo by putting my thoughts into a form I can see.  Once I can look at what I’m thinking it all seems much clearer… well, that’s the idea anyway.

 

Could you tell us some more about your paintings?

 

I do 3-dimensional works on canvas.  Each piece has a sculptural element to it, though what that is varies.  My desire to add 3-D elements to my paintings comes from this never-ending “what-if” machine in my head.  “Well, the canvas is flat, but what if I poke holes in it, glue this thing to it, build something behind it, build something on top of it…” “What if I made it move, tell a story, do a song-and-dance routine?”  I’m still working on that last one.

 

I also like using saturated colors and subtle textures as means of creating depth on the 2-D surfaces of the work.  When building the backgrounds of my paintings I often use layers of washes interspersed with acrylic-sealed papers or fabrics.  Or, when I intend a section to end up orange I’ll paint it green (or pink or blue) first to give the end product an extra bit of unexpected vitality. 

 

Is the subject important to you, or do you simply paint to express yourself?

 

The concepts of space and life are the foundations of my paintings.  My art illustrates the ways in which the energy of a living thing (or even an idea) can affect its surroundings. Physicists say that the weight of objects bends space… what about its meaning, its history, or its consciousness?  This being said, sometimes I chuck all the philosophy and just build some pretty flowers.  I try not to take my work too, too seriously, but I am trying to sort out what I think about a few things.

 

Could you talk about your latest series of paintings and what you are trying to achieve with them?

 

I’m very excited about my latest series.  I’ve gotten a really good reaction to a piece I did called “Half Moon Story.”  When you pull the chains hanging down at the bottom of the piece, small panels numbered 1 through 6 flip up and illustrate a story. Now, in my latest works I’m taking that further.  I’m telling the stories of 7 famous ghosts of San Francisco.  Conceptually, it’s perfect for me—what is a ghost?  It’s either the actual energy of a (no-longer) living thing affecting this world, or maybe it’s just the departed entity’s history affecting the people that hear the story and believe.  Either way, it works for me.  Visually, I’m looking into new ways to make the painting interactive—new movement mechanisms, new ways to build the panels, and new techniques for setting down the words of the story.

 

What artists have influenced you, and how?

 

I love Marc Chagall – he painted what came into his mind without censoring.  He never let it disintegrate into nonsense, though-- he walked the fine line between “plainly rational” and “going willy-nilly” like the genius he was.  Van Gogh’s color palette is my dream—I’m still not sure I have a handle on taking it that bright. 

 

I have always loved the chiaroscuro of the Baroque masters, particularly the Southern Europeans—Caravaggio and Velázquez are my favorites. I love the way Velázquez used dusty browns and blacks to build up a glowing beauty in even his most rustic subjects.  And I love how Caravaggio could always find a place for a giant swath of bright red.

 

What inspires you to paint and how do you keep motivated when things get tough in the studio?

 

When a workable idea comes in my head, that’s all I need to get going on a painting.  As for when things get tough, I have learned not to rush myself.  Ideas need time to percolate.  Pull them off the heat too soon and they’re bound to be weak like bad coffee.  I’m most susceptible to starting wrong-headed work right after I’ve finished doing something I was pleased with.  For me, there’s never an encore.  I try not to let it frustrate me.

How have you handled the business side of being an artist?

I run my own design studio so I have a decent background in the “marketing arts.”  My husband is very smart with these things, and wonderfully involved with helping me make a success of my art.  The key for me has been to listen to his (and other’s) advice and not to think I can do it all myself.  But that’s just my character flaw—yours may differ.

 

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?

 

Just work.  Crank it out.  Take care of the quantity and trust that the quality will come with practice/persistence/divine intervention.  And for those like me who also do design work, let that be your practice space.  Spend that time fine tuning your mastery of color and composition.  Then, when you come to your canvas you’ll be warmed up and ready to use or break those rules as you see fit.

 

What do you do for fun (besides painting)?

 

My husband and I do yoga 3 times a week.  It really calms that mental rodeo I referred to earlier.  We also have a cockatiel, Martín, who makes for endless hours of entertainment.  Lately I’ve been reading a lot of young adult fantasy fiction—it helps me lighten up and it’s really good fun. And I very much enjoy a good sit in the park.