Arabella is a Cleveland Ohio based artist, who is also an art educator as well as a co-founder of Indie record Label. I met her through email after she linked me to her site to check out an upcoming show. Which I missed unfortunately, but I love the subject matter and the portraits. SO instead I thought she should have a feature so you can see her paintings and learn a little about her too.
The show actually ends today Feb 3rd @ Articulated Gallery But you can check out the full show on their website still.
Do you have anything upcoming you would like to talk about?
I have a few group shows coming up: the annual G40 Summit that takes place in the Washington DC area, and Moon Goddess group show curated by Aunia Kahn this fall. The solo show and the book took a lot out of me, so I’m sort of taking a break; my doctors told me staying away from chemicals for a while might be a good idea anyway. I was recently awarded a fellowship to visit New Orleans (I’m thinking of moving there), and hoping I visit Russia again this spring as well.
Do you have any personal projects you work on just for your own happiness?
I don’t do much in the way of non-art related things. I co-own a record label, the newest project for 2012 is we are putting out a reissue of 80s UK psyche rock band The Lucid Dream. I also teach a fashion illustration course online and at an arts center, I started teaching when I was still in college, and in 2009 got back into it again. But, mostly I’m painting. I’m actually starting a new series that has no people in it for once! I’ve been approached a few times about writing a novel, but I don’t know if I’m really into the idea just yet.
What is your routine before you sit down and start working on a new piece of work, or do you even have one?
The only time ever had a real routine was with this last show, mostly because it was territory I wasn’t familiar with. New surfaces (linen) and I made a lot of trips to the Museum of Medical History for their lectures and library when it came to knowing more about old medical practices. I took reference photos, studied some costumes, but I almost never do anything beyond a rough sketch before hand; I draw directly onto the surface and make it up as I go along. Advance planning and preliminaries are not my strong suit – the exception being commissioned portraits. I work in an old Templar Car factory that still houses a lot of industrial businesses, so I get there around 2 in the afternoon and stay until I either get bored, or feel like calling it quits.
What makes you counter productive?
I feel like I’m being counterproductive almost all the time, and yet, things get done. I’m not sure how! I work in oils, and you would think things would move a lot slower for me considering the nature of the medium. I’ve had a lot of setbacks with being diagnosed with cancer, having major surgery and construction where I didn’t leave my bed for 2 months, dealing with the bullshit of that whole mess on top of my usual distractions. When something like that happens to you, being in as many gallery shows as you can just isn’t as important. I’m not one of these artists who claims to be painting 12 hours a day; not unless there’s a ridiculous deadline for a freelance job. I read, I see my friends, I do housewifey things, I go on trips. Sometimes I just want to play with my cats and watch stupid videos online. But still, I knock paintings out and can write a piece of fiction in no time. It seems to be working okay for me, not being in an overdrive mindset.
Where do you draw your insperation from?
As far as inspiration goes, anything that’s old world European, fashion history, the dying aristocracy, aging socialites, punk rock (I had a white mohawk for quite a while myself), and creepy or kitsch medical illustrations always get my attention. People like Dita von Teese, Karl Lagerfeld, and Daphne Guinness are always on my radar, too. I also have a weird fascination with Joan Crawford – I still don’t understand it! I collect a lot of Joan Crawford related things, but I knew it got plain silly when I bought a Joan Crawford paper doll book.
“Skin of the Fox Cures the Pox” 16×20″ oil on linen.
“Sawed” 16×20″ oil on linen.
“Violets for Heart Veins” 16×20″ oil on linen.
“Blind Deviant” 16×20″ oil on linen
“Daughters of Maternal Impression” 16×20″ oil on linen.
“Black Madonna” 5×7″ oil on panel
Each of these pieces has a bio to go along with them please CLICK HERE to read them and see all the work from this show.
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