For most of my life had had wanted to be a full-time professional artist, but I didn’t think it was possible to make a living at it nor did I consider myself talented enough to call myself an artist.
In 2001 I got laid off from 2 jobs, both companies disappeared completely, I lost all my perks & bennies and my stock shares were worthless. I was fed up with having others in control of my life so I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and decided it was time for a big change.
Q: What mediums do you like to use for your paintings?
I prefer mixed mediums.
Q: What would you say influences your art the most?
Me.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration for your frogs series?
Family, friends and celebrities are my subjects. I look at photos of frogs and cartoon images come to mind. People’s laughter at the art shows also inspires me to continue creating them.
Q: Where did you get the idea for the Florida series?
I had 11 different art series in the works and hadn’t been selling well at my shows. All the tropical artists were selling well, so I decided to give it a whirl but I wanted a different look from the others.
Q: How often do you mix mediums in your art?
As often as possible.
Q: How did you get involved with YouTube?
I had been salivating for over a year at the videos that some artists were doing of their artwork and how they created it. I wanted to do this in the worst way, but had no video equipment even though I had researched on what to get.
Someone told me about this website called YouTube and I immediately jumped in and started making some really terrible videos using my cheapo vid cam. The sound was atrocious and the video was supremely bad, but I was instantly hooked. My son showed me the basics and I made a habit of recording a video every Saturday morning.
It was a major production and I sometimes would do 33 takes. We finally figured out that my 5 megapixel Nikon camera would allow me to take 7 minutes of video with good sound. Except the voice and the video didn’t match, but I cut my head off in the videos so no one would know.
Then Ccswhimsies on eBay told me about Windows Movie Maker and I began making slide shows of my art and others, as well.
Q: Do you have any special plans for your YouTube videos in the future?
Indeed I do. I am now setting up separate accounts in which to store the other artist videos. I want these videos to continue circulating in YouTube for many years to come. This is the wave of the future and this free marketing venue is unlimited in its potential.
On the next pet contest I will be trying a new idea to see if I can’t increase the amount of traffic viewing the contest video. My goal is to become a well-known personality on YouTube with thousands of subscribers and lots of art sales.
I think being on tv would be fun, too. I like having lots of friends without having to get out of my pajamas. Okay, so being on tv would require different attire from pajamas. I can do that.
Q: How did you get involved with $$$VIM and our artists?
Somewhere along the way, I got invited to join the VIM group. I think I have been a member there for over a year now? It’s a GREAT group of people. I have found almost all the eBay artist groups to be fabulous. Full of friendly and helpful people. VIM is fabulous.
Q: You've done some hard work trying to help promote other artists, how does this make you feel?
I like helping other people. That was why I began making over 47 art videos featuring other artists’ work about 7 months ago. I’ve also helped many people learn how to use YouTube because I think it’s a very important thing to do.
Q: Do you find your video work rewarding?
Absolutely. I have made many new friends and my networking skills have improved remarkably.
Q: You've been sponsoring some interesting contests on YouTube. Where do you come up with your contest ideas?
I have a very active imagination. My initial thought on the contests was that it would be a perfect way to get more eBay artists active on YouTube. I like to think that the contests helped to get more of the eBay artist community into YouTube…I hope it did, anyhow.
Q: What's been your most successful contest to date?
The Pet Video Contests.
Q: You've begun offering the prizes yourself, do you find this to be easier to manage the contests?
Yes, it has shortened the length of time between contests. I don’t have to spend hours every day going thru eBay art groups to get people to enter the art contests. This saves a LOT of time that I can now spend in YouTube networking.
Q: Could you tell us how your prize winners are chosen?
I have a panel of 3 judges that make the final decision on the top 5 in the Pet Video Contests.
I grab other friends wherever I can to help me review the video entries and give me lists of their favorites. These all get compiled and reviewed. It easily takes 5-6 people to do the judging process. I, personally, view every single video that is entered in the contests. We had 186 entered in the most recent contest.
So when Pet Video Contest #6 begins, I am trying a new method of choosing a winner. Rather than using the judging process, I will rely solely upon the viewers voting for their favorites. One vote per Account.
This should increase the traffic to the video as entrants will want to send the link to their friends and families to get more votes. My job then will be to count the votes and my judges can take a vacation!
A Special Thanks to our $$$VIM Featured Artist!
You can visit Deborah on the Web at these places:
YouTube- http://youtube.com/profile?user=debcoart
Her Website- http://www.debcompany.com/WelcomeToMyWorld/
Her Blog- http://www.debcompany.com/Blog/index.htm
Her eBay store-
http://stores.ebay.com/D-Company-Art-Gallery_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm
A Previous Featured Artist:
Denise Aumick, eBay member name- wildthreadstudio.
Q: Denise, your designs look so fun and imaginative, I have to ask, where do you get your ideas from? What inspires you to create such lively works of art?
I am inspired by so many things it is difficult to think of them all. Fabric, photos, other art, and vintage items are a few. Design ideas will come to me while I’m driving. One time someone suggested to me that it must be a thrill to find design ideas so often and in so many things – I told her it was actually kind of annoying! Who has the time to create everything you would like to try?
Q: WildThreadStudio seems to suit your textile works very well. How did you come up with your studio name?
A fellow EBay artist christened me WildThreadStudio. She no longer sells on Ebay but I will always be grateful to this good friend who was one of my greatest supporters when I first started getting my feet wet in Ebay land. She was such a ray of sunshine for me. Thank you, Mary.
Q: How would you describe your work?
How to describe my work? Traditional meets abstract avant garde? I use traditional techniques such as hand appliqué and quilting, married with abstract design. I’ve had people tell me that my art quilts remind them of the past but appear very modern. I think that is because the construction methods are so familiar to everyone who grew up with grandma’s quilts so it strikes familiar chords with them.
Q: Did you always know that you wanted to work with textiles?
I started working with textiles at the ripe old age of about 10 and have never stopped. Sewing was the only acceptable form of creative expression in my family home and, as we all know, us creative souls have to express! So, yes….I always knew I wanted to work with fabric. I never considered myself an artist until a couple of years ago even though I have been sewing fabrics together, stitching on embellishments and then sticking them up on walls for ages. During my college years people would say ‘Well that’s kind of cool but what is it?’. I guess I was a smidge ahead of my time.
Q: How did you learn to quilt?
I began quilting in the early 1980’s and learned as I went by reading a lot of books and looking at a lot of patterns. I am entirely self-taught.
Q: Did you ever receive any formal art training?
I have never had any art instruction other than the standard public school fair. High school just didn’t seem to recognize work with textiles as art. I mean, come on, who thought the Home Ec apron projects were cool?
Q: How do you pick the fabrics for your designs?
I have a very precise and organized way to pick fabrics for an idea.
1.) I paw through a pile of fabric heaped on my work tables until I find something I like.
2.) Then I start to cut it up into the size I want.
3.) Then I go back to #1 to find other pieces to add.
4.) Then it starts to morph into something other than what I planned.
5.) Then I change my design idea.
6.) Then I have a meltdown because I’m improvising and things may not be working out.
7.) Then I take a break.
8.) Then I look at it and – most times – figure out just want other pieces of fabric and designs are needed to provide the right contrast or look.
Q: Do you do custom work?
I don’t typically do custom work because I would try to get into the buyer’s head to know what they really wanted and since I can’t really do that very well it is a recipe for disaster. I would much rather make something and if someone likes it fine, if not that’s fine too. As an artist I believe we achieve our best work when we make what our natures are telling us to make.
Q: In 2006, you took the First Place/Overall Favorite in the Textile Art category of the eBay Artist Choice Awards. How did it feel to receive this honor?
It felt wonderful to win First Place Overall in the ACA’s Textile Art category. I was very proud and kind of surprised too.
Q: Have you won awards outside of ebay?
I was awarded ‘Judge’s Choice’ by a Nationally Certified Quilt Judge in a show for one of my pieces. I also have work being sold in 2 different galleries and have sold many items in upscale boutiques and gift shops. I know these are not awards but they are accomplishments. I am currently waiting on word to see if an art quilt I submitted for consideration is juried into a National Small Art Quilt show being held at a gallery in Ithaca, NY. Wish me luck…..
Q: Do you have a favorite work that you've completed?
Odd thing is when I finish a piece it’s my favorite, then I don’t like it because I’ve figured out what I should have done better, then months later I like it again…and on and on…
Right now my favorite piece is an abstract that has a jungle feel complete with painted tree branches that I attached to it.
Q: Why is this piece so special?
I love the colors in this art quilt and the unexpected tree branches. Also, I always like Wild Wimmins which is my tribute to a very dear friend who I have known since the 8th grade.
Q: You're a painting artist as well. What are your favorite mediums?
Liquitex acrylics with lots of rubbing alcohol sprayed on them when wet. It creates the greatest textures. Dixie of NorthDixieDesigns told me about this technique – thanks, Dixie!
Q: The mediums that you use are so different, do you find one easier to use than another? (Quilting as apposed to painting)
I actually like painting more right now. I think that’s because I am still a baby when it comes to paints and still in awe with what they can do. But, for sure, art quilting comes much easier.
Q: Do you ever combine quilting and painting?
Right now I’m working to combine my love of abstract textural acrylic painting with fabric. I’m painting on fabric, distressing it and after drying plunging it into dye baths. Of course I have no idea what I’m going to do with these odd paintings/fabrics I’m creating but perhaps that path will become clear at some point. If not, I’m having a lot of fun.