The following was an email I got from Emma, who asked me about my art process: Hello, i\’m currently a student at Scarborough Sixth Form College and am very inspired by your work. It would be wonderful if you could answer a few questions for me, as it would be a big help for me to wright up an artist study in my sketch book and extend my project further; if you could possibly tell me a bit about how you became involved in art that would also be a help. What are your main mark making techniques? What are your main inspirations? Who are your influences? How long does each piece take you to create? What are the main ideas behind your work? How important is colour in your work? Is the scale of your work a vital element? Do you feel that different people will interpret your images differently? and finally Do you work with anyone else? Thank you very much for your time and i hope you can get back to me, thanks again Emma Thompson

The following was what I wrote:

Dear Emma,

Thank you for your email. It is wonderful to inspire and effect young people lives. To answer your questions:

1. Getting involved in art is not a very romantic story. I took art classes as prerequisites requirements for my MA in art therapy, at the George Washington University, in
   Washington DC. It was surprising to me how fascinating and interested I was in sculpting.  That is why, when I was required to take paintings my paintings were thick, and most of them are, until this day.
2. My main techniques are whatever comes my way and to my mind – as daring as I allow myself to be. I am an experimenter. I used to use pallet knife, cardboards, my fingers. I go as wild as possible. There are no rules beyond looking and listening. I go back to look at my art while in the process of making. Almost every spot/line/color requires new observation. Take into account that my most important artwork is a large scale (120 X 120 cm/ 120 X 150, and some are even bigger. I have one piece that is 6 miters by 120 cm,) for me observation can take third off the time of the art making process.
3. Some of my inspiration comes from amazing artists like Nathan Oliveira. He live now at the San Francisco area, but used to live here at the
   Seattle area. Another artist that I admire is Jack Shadbolt, a Canadian artist who died in the 80s. But my main inspiration is my gut feeling. I do not plan what do drew, I just allow it to happen. I think in abstract terms (lines/shapes/colors.)
4. Time, as far as making a piece of artwork varies. In the past I could finish a work in three hours. The more mature I get, the more time I need for a piece. It also a challenge as far as taking care of two children and a baby as well.
5. Color is almost everything in my work. It is one of the most important components. I am fascinated by stains, and how the effect each other. It is interesting what fascinates peopleJ Colors effect their surrounding colors in relation to each other. It is a very interesting and deep world to explore.
6. Different people by definition, are different, and for that brings different worlds when observe my artwork. Every art show, different people connect to different pieces. In some cases many people will like one specific work, but each one for a different reason.
7. I mostly work with artists that do not come from the visual art field. In October, for instance, I am going to give a performance with a pianist. I am going to paint while she will play the piano on stage

Posted by yaelzm on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 12:50 pm.