Visual Artist of the Week: Victoria McKenzie

(a.k.a. Vhmckenzie) 

The beautiful and bold pieces created by Victoria McKenzie cannot be ignored. Her vibrant portraits draw you in, involving you in a way few visual artists can. 

Below are the transcripts of my e-mail interview with Victoria. Please feel free to click on any of the images to see more of her shop.

Q.How long have you been creating art?
I suppose all of us begin making art when we are children. I come from a family of artists -- my grandfather was a designer and illustrator by profession, my mother painted watercolors as a hobby while I was growing up, and my aunt, is an accomplished watercolorist. So when you see your family members committing time to making art, it gives you permission, so to speak, to consider it worthy of your time and effort. Still, I don't think I took it seriously as a passion until I was in college. By then I already was pursuing an undergraduate degree in history, but was encouraged by a fine art professor at Brown, where I was a student, to pursue drawing and painting more seriously.

 

Q.What inspires you the most to create? How do you find inspiration?
I am reminded of a quote by Chuck Close --" Inspiration is highly overrated. If you sit around and wait for the clouds to part, it's not liable to ever happen. More often than not work is salvation." I find that to be true. Inspiration really comes from within, from an overwhelming need to draw or paint whether it is a simple salt shaker or a majestic mountain. Once you sit down and get to work, because it IS work, I've found that whatever it is that I begin to create becomes the inspiration for itself. The art you make leads you and "inspires" you to keep moving forward. And, ultimately, if you are keen to the process, it will tell you when to stop. Does that make sense?

Q.What is the biggest challenge you face with your art?
I'm very good at getting started, my enthusiasm at the outset of a new painting or drawing can be boundless. But I occasionally reach a point where I hit a brick wall. I know the piece isn't finished but I'm uncertain where to go next. Often I will find that a painting has given me an idea for what my NEXT painting should be. I'ts difficult to put that distraction aside, the lure of the next project, and really tackle the path to completion of the current piece.

Q.How would you describe your color palette?
I love rich jewel tones, saturated colors of every hue. Color is like food to me, I can't get enough. And I'm fairly brave in my use of color. I've taken the traditional color theory classes but usually go with my gut/visual instincts. I studied privately with an expressionist painter, Beverly Brodsky, for many years and she often said that my color instincts were so strong that she actually discouraged me from taking any more classes or studying color theories any further -- she was afraid I'd blunt my instincts by
"overthinking" every color step. And she's right.

Q.What is your favorite medium? Least favorite?
I don't have a favorite -- at least not for the reasons you would think. I like the simplicity of working with watercolor , in terms of its set up and quick drying time. But I like the fluidity of working in oils and the ability to constantly change and evolve a painting over time. No mark is permanent in an oil painting, whereas watercolor is a lot less forgiving. I also love the fluid lines of ink, which I draw with a bamboo pen. So spontaneous and unpredictable.

Q. How do you work best? Do you have access to a studio?
I have a small extra room in our apartment that is devoted to my art. It's not spacious but it gets great light and I can separate myself from the hubub of the family and its distractions without having to leave our home altogether. I work best in the morning through early afternoon. By evening, I'm exhausted (job and family) and never can get anything but organizational work done. I try to leave stretches early in the day for creating. Night time is for business.

Q.What is your favorite subject matter? Least favorite?
I find the figure and portraiture probably my most favorite. I'm not a big landscape fan, tho I do enjoy isolated elements from the environment -- plants and trees, for example.

Q.How do you decide what to focus a piece on?
Again, as with "inspiration", the piece will lead you down that road once you begin. If I decide to do a portrait of a particularly compelling face, you never know what will be the most intriguing element of the piece until you get going.

Q.Would you say that your pieces tell a story/have a narrative?
I think the most compelling pieces are those that may tell some PART of a story but also have a great deal of ambiguity, leaving some questions unanswered.

Q.Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I'm excited to be on the path of whatever art lies ahead of me. I'm always looking forward to the next painting and watching my own work evolve and change. Can't stand still, rest on your laurels or repeat yourself. Every painting teaches me something and paves the way for the next. It's exciting not knowing where I will be next.

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Thank you to Victoria McKenzie for being so wonderful at answering all of my questions!

For everyone else: please make sure to check out her shop [a!] www.vhmckenzie.etsy.com

How to: Make Envelopes out of Recycled paper & plastic bags

This will be my most extensive how-to to date. I think it is a very important one though, and worth the time and effort to share. It not only can save you money, but also help out with saving the environment!

 

Lets get started!

 

Materials:

1 medium sized paper bag (like the kind you get from a liquor store)

1 grocery sized plastic bag

1 pair of scissors

sewing machine & thread (or you can simply use packing tape…but the tape is made of plastic and adhesive that uses oil & fossil fuels when created)

 

Instructions:

1. Take your paper bag and begin cutting along the fold line of one (1) of the skinny & tall sides.  When you get to the bottom of the bag, stop cutting.

 

 

 

 

2. Now you are going to want to cut out the bottom of the bag, as close to the fold as possible in order to save as much paper from the bag as possible.  Cut all the way around the bag, so that the bottom part is no longer attached.

 

 

 

 

3. Now the bag is prepped! Fold in half width-wise and set aside. 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Now lets cut up the plastic bag. At the bottom of the bag there should be a seem that holds together the plastic. Usually grocery bags are gathered towards the bottom and expand towards the top. Since you need the plastic to lie flat, and want to utilize as much plastic as possible, you’ll need to cut this bottom seem off. Cut the bottom of the bag, as close to the seem off. 

 

 

 

Now your plastic bag should look like this: 

 

 

 

5. Next you’ll need to cut the handles off the bag, and create a nice and even top. This is also necessary in order to let the plastic lie flat. 

 

 

 

 

6. DO NOT cut the side seems of the plastic bag. We will be using the plastic as is, to create a 2-ply water-proof plastic layer.  Now you should take the plastic bag and lay it flat on your work space. Take the paper bag (folded in half) and lay it on top of the plastic. The paper bag (while folded in half) should be a little more than half of the plastic bag in width, and approximately the same height. 

 

 

 

7. Now lay the paper bag flat, underneath the plastic bag. Align three of the four sides. You will notice that the fourth side (one of the short sides of the bags) will not meet up. The paper should be approximately 1 inch longer than the plastic. If this is not the case, feel free to cut the plastic down. (If this means you have to cut the side seem, don’t worry. Just make sure that the side that does not meet up with the paper has the part of the plastic with a seem, and the side that does meet up with the paper does not have the seem.

 

8. Next it is time to pull out the sewing machine. You are going to want to sew three of the four sides. Sew the three sides that have the plastic and paper bags meeting. Leave the fourth side, the one where the paper extends past the plastic, unsown.   Use 1/2” seem allowance.

It will be best to just use a plain stitch. If you are opting to use tape here, instead of sewing, you must tape the plastic to the paper side, making sure to not leave any of the sticky side of the tape exposed.

 

9. Now that you have three of the four sides sewn, the paper/plastic should look like this. There is likely to be some plastic or paper overhanging on either side.

 

 

 

10.  Trim the excess plastic/paper and create a clean line on all sides.

 

 

 

 

11. Now fold the paper/plastic almost in half, so that the paper is on the outside, and the plastic is on the inside.  When I say fold it almost in half, I mean to fold it so that the plastic is folded in half, but the paper side (with the overlap) does not appear to be folded in half. You’ll want the excess paper to stick out. Your creation should look like this:

 

 

12. Finally, you’ll want to sew the envelope (now folded). Sew the three sides with out the excess paper, and leave the fourth side unsown. I like to use a decorative stitch for this one, but it is really up to you. I do recommend to not stitch over the same line that you’ve already stitched. That can created too much stress on the paper at those points, and cause tearing. 

Again, if using tape instead of sewing, simply tape the three sides together, on both the inside and outside of the package, as not to leave exposed the sticky side of the tape.

 

13.  Now you should have what closely resembles an envelope. The only thing left is the pesky flap, right? Well, I had you leave that so that you have options at the end. If you are like me, and planning on mass-producing these envelopes for the holiday season, leaving the flap allows you to use either tape or stitching at the end of the process to close the envelope. So, you can either fold it over and stitch it up, or fold it over and tape it up. I’m partial to the stitching, but some times life is just too darn hectic to not use packing tape one in a while.

 

 

Well, I hope that was informative and useful! Come back next week for another “how-to.”

 

Thanks!

a-Lou

Keyword: Owls

 

Let’s face it, owls are just plain awesome. I kept this simple fact in mind when deciding on a keyword for this week’s Keyword post.  Apparently, I’m not the only one that sees just how much owls rock. Lots of other creative people have used owl-inspiration to make all sorts of super neat creations. Just take a look:

 

 

 

Hoo Needs a New Hat?

JanesDesigns

JanesDesigns made this adorable and expressive knit hat that I instantly fell in love with.  The ears (do owls have ears? Are those pointing little things ears? I don’t know) are my favorite part. It is both playful and functional! JanesDesigns also has a couple other styles of this funky little hat. You should check ‘em out!

 

Don’t forget to click on the picture to check out JanesDesigns’ shop and listings. There is some really cool stuff there!

 

 

Little Hooters- Vintage Owl Earrings

DreaminofBeadin

I’ll wait till you stop giggling at the name of these items (I know it took me a while).

This very funky retro pieces are just the bee’s knees. What better way to accessorize AND share your love. The colors of the piece also work lovely together. That shade of turquoise is so vibrant!

 

Don’t forget to click on the picture to check out the  shop and listings. There is some really cool stuff there!

 

 

Little Hoot Duo—Green Plaid

Onawhimm

Speaking of color…these little stuffies are just the right color to brighten up a dull day. I love the plaid fabric and mismatched eyes. So cute! And, they are made from all scrap fabric. Pretty crafty, huh? This shop also has a bunch of other little stuffed owls, so make sure to check ‘em out!

 

Don’t forget to click on the picture to check out the  shop and listings. There is some really cool stuff there!

 

 

Pretty Pink Retro Owl Cuff Bracelet

RetroAtomic

So, is this the perfect bracelet to express your love of owls, or what? It is both funky and pretty, something that is hard to accomplish. I absolutely love it, and its feminine tones.

 

Don’t forget to click on the picture to check out the  shop and listings. There is some really cool stuff there!

 

 

HOOT HOOT HOORAY…owl domino magnet

Therubyrabbit

So therubyrabbit makes TONS of these awesome little domino magnets,(upcycling is so fun, isn’t it!?) but this is by far my one of my favorites.

Don’t forget to click on the picture to check out the  shop and listings. There is some really cool stuff there!

 

Well, I do hope you enjoyed this week’s Keyword post. It was super fun writing and researching for it. There were soooo many adorable owl-related things that I simply did not have room to feature. You should make sure to check ‘em out!