Artist Interview: Lee Shiney

I had heard the name “Lee Shiney” for years before I finally met him at an art event in Manning, IA. I had no idea he lived so close, the school he lives in in Arcadia is less than 20 miles from Denison. Yes, you read that right. Shiney lives in a school.

Shiney at Chalk Art Fest in Wichita, KS in 2012 

“As my wife and I have reached the point of retirement age, we jumped off the leap of faith cliff and bought the old school in Arcadia, Iowa to live and work in,” Shiney explained. I had hoped to get a tour of the school earlier this year, but alas life and previous engagements have gotten in the way! Sometime soon, though.

As far as Shiney’s artwork goes, he hasn’t resigned himself to one medium.

A shot of Shiney's studio

“I’m kind of all over the place, and I don’t like to pick favorites,” he said. “I see things, rather, as dropping into a particular medium, or technique, or whatever, and focus on it, working through iterations, teasing out perceived failures and successes, approaching things with a kind of engineering mentality of breaking things and embracing mistakes until I feel like I’m making some kind of a breakthrough.”

“I really like that I’m not pigeonholed into one signature style, and within all the different categories of things I’ve made, I enjoy all the variations within them,” he replied when I asked if he had a favorite piece. “Things I’ve particularly liked: ‘Moiré Wheels,’ a kinetic sculpture of 50 interconnected bicycle wheels that created a pulsing effect that exhibited at the Wichita Art Museum 2008-2010.” Shiney also listed his “Sequence” pieces, which are a sectional 60-foot long acrylic on reclaimed pallet lumber with an assist from a turntable-driven pantograph; his early “Automatic” series that he worked on over a number of years where he experimented with slowly spinning canvases and different painting techniques; and more recently his “Contrapuntalisms” that are encaustic-based collages with photos and found objects.

"Nocturne" acrylic on canvas, 16"x44"x2"

Shiney doesn’t have any upcoming exhibitions at this point, and is instead focusing on creating work that makes him happy.

What is he working on right now? “Designing/building some large rolling easels to hold 6x6 foot unstretched canvases, and use these to make some really large-scale works. There’s probably an 8x8 foot option in the future too… I figure that should get me through the winter.”

"61 Cygni" acrylic on canvas, 30"x78"x2"

“I just spent a few months with my photography roots, but working with iPhone images, manipulated with Affinity Photo, and inkjet printed on an old Epson wide format. Now, I’m taking a break from that and going back to acrylics, experimenting with fluid and pouring mediums, and also using Montana Gold spray acrylics.”

"LS22-002" acrylic on canvas, 42"x42"x2"

How does Shiney title his artwork, when it’s not necessarily made with an end subject in mind? “I’m laughing because it’s something I have perpetually stumbled on,” Shiney admitted. “I try to catalog everything with something like LS23-001 (2023, and work #1 of that year), etc. Beyond that I’ve used categories (Automatic 27), researched titles (The Moons Venus Should Have Had), and even something I called the S5 naming system where I found and printed off all the five-letter Scrabble words (this was years before Wordle, thank you) and randomly assigned names from the list, mostly to thumb my nose at convention. Nowadays, I pretty much stick to catalog numbers.”

 

"LS21-021" acrylic on canvas, 57"x36"x1"

“I really just enjoy making things,” Shiney said, especially when it comes to “’making things that make things.’ So I have a 2.1 meter turntable that I built years ago that is still in use for large circle paintings, and several small ones. I make various extensions and compasses and spray tools that are used for painting. I’ve built motorized, computerized devices for dripping and moving paint.” He even has an old Roomba vacuum cleaner that he’s used for random marker drawings! “Mine is a long list of built and hacked things that help make art.”

What’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered? “Oh, life? How does one try to create consistency, a work ethic, while (in the past, for me) working a job, or now where I’m essentially a maintenance man of a 15,000 square foot school building that we now live and work in? Being able to make art as one’s life mission, and making time to actually do that, is the real challenge.”

"Automatic 69" acrylic on canvas, 47"x47"x2"

Any advice for artists just starting out? “Make art and show your best work,” Shiney said. “Be able to talk about what you do; do not hide behind some notion that ‘art should speak for itself.’ Don’t worry about having to have just the right materials and supplies, look for cheap or free alternatives. Study the masters, including the recent ones…they are giving you permission to do the things your friends and family will question. And creating means actually making something that someone can hold in their hands (thank you Sir Ken Robinson.)”

“One gets to be 70 and it’s WTF, where did the time go? Where did the life go? If you want to make art your priority, then do it. And literally shut out the naysayers. You will reach a point (possibly in terror) where you realize there’s been a lot of water under the bridge… Becoming what…late middle age??…has sharpened our focus on what’s ahead. I also had cancer in 2001 which sort of set the stage for finally focusing at least part of my time on art.”

To learn more about Shiney’s artwork, check out his website at LeeShiney.com, or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Artist Interview: Cecelia Comito, Artworks Studio

I met Cecelia Comito the very first time I walked into Artworks Studio, located downtown on Adams Street in Carroll, IA. I was not only blown away by the store, but instantly envious of the studio space in the back, and as an added bonus got to meet another one of my people. It’s such an amazing feeling, meeting one of your people, when you just feel a connection, an energy, an understanding. You know they are one of your tribe, cut from the same fabric, and thousands of other metaphors that describe the way you just click with each other. Comito is definitely one of my people.

Comito describes herself as a mixed media artist. She creates her artwork with a variety of items and mediums.  “My current art passion is creating paintings that celebrate the beauty of Iowa and the Midwest,” Comito said, “Particularly the nostalgia of growing up in a small town in the 1970s. My paintings reflect that time – laundry on the clothesline, hollyhocks in Grandma’s garden, pink peonies, poppies, bright wildflowers, bikes abandoned in the front lawn.  I also love painting old houses and barns, and of course, pigs, cows, chickens, and birds.”

“Life was so different then.  I grew up with benign neglect – and it was amazing.  As long as I told Mom where I was going, who I was going to be with, and came home at the designated time, it was all cool.“ 

“Some Pig” 12”x12” mixed media collage

After graduating from college and law school, Comito moved East and lived in large, urban cities (Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.) for many years. “After nearly 30 years, I moved back to Iowa to join my sister Laura’s studio, Artworks Studio in Carroll,” Comito said. “Jury is still out on that decision – but it has been great for my art and self-esteem as an artist.”

Her favorite medium to use is mixed media, which gives her the freedom to use whatever materials she wants! “It lets me play with all sorts of media, including gelli plate printing, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, pastel – you name it, I can work it into a mixed media painting,” she said. “I also like using papers or other items that would have ended up in the land fill – like old book pages, magazines, handwritten letters, etc. I use the backside of copies that would have otherwise been sent to the recycle bin for my gelli printing.  I love finding pads of old ledger paper or receipt books.  Some of my favorite papers are from an old Carroll County Abstract Book from the early 1900s.”

“Autumn Harvest” 24”x18” mixed media collage

Comito does more than just create her own art, she also teaches a variety of classes at Artworks Studio! “I have taught acrylic painting, fused glass, mixed media collage, and watercolor.  I have done one-on-one classes, where someone wants to learn more about acrylics or watercolor.” It makes sense that she’s a mixed media artist when she has experience working with so many different mediums! 

I gotta get me one of these!

I love asking artists what their favorite tool is for making art – to date, I’ve not had anyone mention the same thing twice! Comito’s answer? “I love the color shaper.  What an amazing, handy little tool.  It’s great for smoothing down papers onto a canvas or board, applying paint, making marks.  So glad I discovered this handy little tool.”

I also always ask “what’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered?” because let’s be honest, each artist’s journey is unique. Comito’s answer is one I struggle with as well. “I suffer from imposter syndrome,” she said. “I am not a trained artist. I never went to art school.  I took classes here and there, worked with some amazing artists like Laura Comito, Ed Hinkley (Chicago artist), and Kellie Day (Colorado artist).  I worry about whether I am “original” enough or have “important” things to say in my art.  You see so much about the tortured, starving artist – and I am not that person.” 

“I also worry that I am too old to embark on an art career – I started dabbling in art after my mother died when I was in my late 30s.  Twenty years later, I am still dabbling.” Nonsense! Anyone, at any age, can be an artist! Bob Ross believed it and I do too. There’s been a number of artists who have become famous (not that fame is the only measure of success) for their artwork in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 100s!

“So often, people come into the Studio and say, “I wish I could paint or draw, but I can’t even draw a straight line.”  Guess what? I can’t either – that’s what rulers are for.  Drawing is like learning to read, play the piano, dance, play a sport, write, cook or do math.  Just like you had no idea how to do a plie before your fist ballet lesson, you have to learn the techniques that go with art.  When I signed up for that first basic drawing class I had no formal experience with drawing – I just wanted to learn the basics and see if it was something I wanted to pursue.”

"Joy” 18”x18” mixed media collage

“Finally, once you embark on a creative endeavor, don’t listen to anyone who starts out their comments on your art with “I don’t like…” or “Your [perspective, colors, shadows] are wrong…” or any other negative comment.  I don’t care how long the person has been studying art, there is always something positive to say about every work of art.” Absolutely! There’s a big difference between constructive criticism and figuratively tearing a piece apart. 

“I recently participated in an art show in which half of the paintings submitted received some sort of ribbon and every artist, except for me, received a ribbon of some sort.  My three mixed media paintings – the only ones in show – received no recognition from the “distinguished” judge – a retired art teacher from Drake. As I listened to his comments on the 24 paintings that received ribbons, I realized that he had nothing to offer me. The judge was of the school that mixed media is not “real” art.  My paintings bring me joy and that is all that matters.”

My favorite thing about art is that it is subjective. Everyone is an expert in what kind of art appeals to them. The downside to that? Art is subjective! Not every type of art appeals to everyone. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s not still “real” or valid art.

When I asked Comito if she had any advice for artists starting out, she crossed out the word “artists” before answering. So, any advice for anyone starting out?

“I have always had the desire to be creative. But I was so good at so many left brain activities (little confession here: I’m a recovering attorney), so I never pursued art.  When I finally decided to take the plunge, my sister, Melanie, who is an incredible artist when she isn’t being a doctor, suggested I take a basic drawing class to get a sense of line, perspective, composition, the basics.  With that foundation, painting would not be frustrating.  It was great advice and I signed up for a 8-week adult drawing class at the Chicago Art Institute. For me, given my left brain, analytical tendencies, I needed a weekly class commitment to motivate me to draw.  If left to my own devices I would not have kept at it.”

“Haunted Goat Barn” 6”x6” mixed media collage

“All this is a long way of saying, when you decide you want to pursue a creative outlet – drawing, painting, mixed media, weaving, etc. – make a commitment to yourself to use your medium of choice on some regular basis – whether it’s every day, once or twice a week, whatever.  Art is like exercising or eating healthy – you have to make it a part of your routine or it won’t happen.“

“Finally, embrace who you are.  If you are a methodical, analytical person, you can still be creative and pursue art.  You’re just going to go at it differently from someone who is less organized.  If you want to see a study in contrasts of artists and approaches, just stop by Artworks Studio and watch Laura and I work in the Studio.  (By the way, Laura is the real artist; I’m just a dabbler.)“

“Red Tractor” 12”x12” mixed media collage

Comito just completed a solo show at the Bakery on Broadway in Audubon. “Being selected to show my paintings at the Audubon bakery was amazing. I met so many interesting people and sold lots of paintings! The Bakery is an amazing place. They serve coffee drinks, baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, plus have a quirky little retail space in front. It is worth a visit.” Comito is scheduled for an exhibition of her artwork at Arts on Grand in Spencer from May-June 2024!

In addition to seeing Comito’s artwork (and meeting her in person!) at Artworks Studio in Carroll, IA, she has paintings available at Arts on Grand in Spencer. You can view her art online at http://www.ceceliacomitoart.com or on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Artist Interview: Melanie Cable, Ms. Chevious LLC

I can’t think of a more appropriate artist to interview in October than Melanie Cable, AKA Ms. Chevious from Canby, MN! She had a cameo in a previous blog post, as she is ¼ of the HalloWhimsical Women art exhibition at the Witter Gallery in Storm Lake, IA (the exhibition will be on display for the month of October 2022.) Cable describes her artwork as having a “perky Tim Burton” vibe to it. “It feels whimsical and odd,” she explained. “And has a tendency to make you wonder.” I wholeheartedly agree!

 

Ms. Chevious in all her glory as she decorates her son’s room!

Cable took some art classes in school, but soon realized it wasn’t the right path for her. “It wasn't a positive experience, as my professor was very rigid in his ideas of what art was and should be,” she said. “I was one of those art students that liked seeing how far I could push within the boundaries of expectation and still do what was asked.” A great example of this out-of-the-box attitude is from her high school days. “When instructed to pick one shape to replicate over and over for a representation of the color wheel, I chose the shape of a sumo wrestler,” Cable said. “I had a color wheel of sumo wrestlers, and the high school art teacher couldn't find a reason to dock points as I had stayed within the perimeters she had instructed.”

This year she’s had a few big projects on her plate, including making new art to hang as part of the HalloWhimsical Women exhibit. “I had planned a large mixed media piece for the show, and I have it completed. It's a piece titled “Creativity Leak”, and features a self-portrait captured in stone, with 'Creativity' leaking out of my mind with various colors,” she describes. “It's a fun acrylic painting on canvas, and completely sealed in resin.”

Creativity leak indeed!

“Aaaand then one of my fellow artists mentioned the word 'theme' and I panicked,” she admitted. “Having a theme for the show never crossed my mind, and I had no idea what direction to take until inspiration struck, and now my brain has committed to an additional six paintings that will evolve around the large original piece I have ready to go. I'm excited, because it involves my original sculpture characters, Octosquatch and Snakesquatch, and also different aspects of my imagination. Collectively, it will be a seven-piece series of what it's like inside my head.”

Recently she’s been working on a series of retro-themed pieces for Siouxpercon, a comic/fandom/anything-nerdy-goes convention held annually in Sioux Falls. She said she’s always been a fan of pop culture and horror movies, so she’s combining the two in entertaining ways: like the Demigorgon from Stranger Things disco-roller skating, or Smeagol from the Lord of the Rings in Candyland. “I feel like I know it’s good when I have to stop and cackle with glee as I’m painting it,” Cable said. “It’s been happening often!”
 

Boooooop!

I asked Cable if she had a favorite art piece, since she has such a variety. “There is a very large, awkward part of my heart that belongs to Snakesquatch,” she answered. Snakesquatch is a three-and-a-half foot long sculpture made of wire, tape, paint, hot glue, and discarded fur from her orange Persian cat, Smooshface. She used an airbrush to add accents to Snakesquatch’s fur, built him a carrying case, and even made him the subject for one of her Acrylic April challenges! “His personality grew and deepened with each painting I made: he is a friend to many, quirky, fun, and dramatic. He has a shelf in our home that used to be a built in phone nook, and he wears different costumes depending on the season (or my mood.) I bring him to shows with me and people either absolutely love it or they hate it,” she laughed. “There's no in-between. Either way, he does his job, because as one of my favorite quotes states: ‘Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,’(Cesar A. Cruz.)”
 

He looks surprisingly snuggly!

Her favorite tool for making art is, get this… A power drill! “I bought it nearly ten years ago when I started getting active back into making art,” she explained. “I was single and needed it to help me make my own frames for canvas. I used it often, and if I had to guess, we made probably 30 canvases together, as well as every single painting I hung in the last decade. I made my son's bed with just that drill and a hand saw. We remodeled a big section of our farmhouse with it. When I finished a mural in my son’s room in January 2022, I went to hang a photo for him with my drill and it started smoking. My husband looked for replacement parts but we had found that model had been discontinued a while back. I haven't replaced it yet, because I haven't found the right one.” RIP sweet power drill!
 

I’m not usually a fan of spiders over 3’ long…

What’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered? “I've had a few over the years, some stumbles just irritate me more. In my notes I jotted down: small towns, mental health issues, and kids...those are the three bigger ones for me,” Cable said. “My stumble with the smaller towns is that my niche crowd seems to not be in the small conservative Midwest towns where I've resided, but rather the bigger cities that set my anxiety on fire. As far as the kids go, it's easier now that they're older and not destroying the world with industrial-strength adhesive and freelance painting the house because I was in the bathroom for 4 minutes instead of two. We have six kids and I balance things mostly by focusing on my painting during the school year, and work my photography angle and touring during the summer. It allows me to be more present and I can always spontaneously grab my camera and click at things that make me happy versus spending 10 minutes setting up my painting area just to be called away for rides to town or making meals.”
 

I love these!

Cable said her most popular artwork is her 'Octo+Skull+Fruit' series. “It came up because I thought it was a good recipe for different pieces. An octopus with a different type of skull and fruit with a color pattern. I believe I have 8 in that series, and they are my best sellers both online and in person.”

Her advice for artists just starting out? “Try different mediums! For me, it was just as wonderful to find out what I was bad at (and didn't like to do) as what I was good at. I know, practice can make you good at many many things, but take tattooing, for example. I tried that and wanted to cry the whole time. I hated it, feeling the buzz of the gun and knowing the pain I was inflicting. It made me nauseated. Sewing is another art form that is nearly torture for me. I can do it but would much rather appreciate someone else doing it. Coming from generations of quilters, that's awkward. But I found I have a knack for chalk, watercolor, and photography, among other things, and they soothe my demons.”

Give the poor squirrel a break!

“It's not a competition. The more artists we have in the world who notice the art in every little thing, the better the world will be. I don't care if it's welding, sewing, origami, baking, coloring, doodling, gardening, body work on a car, tattooing, acting, singing, painting, whatever. It's all art and it's all needed.” Can we get that on a loudspeaker so everyone can hear it, please?

Want to see more of Ms. Chevious’ artwork? She’s active on Facebook @Ms.CheviousMurals, Instagram @Ms.Chevious, and her website can be found here.

Artist Interview - Laura Comito, Artworks Studio

One of my favorite feelings in life is the one you get when you realize you have met “one of your people.” It’s an excitement, an embodiment of time flying while you have fun, and a feeling of kindred spirits. The last time I met one of my people, her mom high-fived me.

It’s one of my happy places!

The first time I stopped by Artworks Studio, in Carroll, Iowa, I was expecting it to be a wine-and-paint shop. It is so much more, with such a variety of both art and supplies, and a drool-worthy workshop area in the back full of tables and stools with walls of shelves and drawers filled with creative treasures beyond belief. I spoke for a while with Cecelia Comito (Laura’s sister) and she said, “Laura needs to meet you.” She knew I was one of their people, and I was beginning to realize they were my people. Now, every time I tell my husband I’m stopping by Artworks, he knows he won’t see me for hours. I really do try to keep it short; I just get lost in talking about anything and everything with them!

Classic Comito: A Frida shirt and a Wonderland themed assemblage!

Laura Comito is a multi-talented artist. Similar to myself, I don’t think she’s able to settle on just one medium to use for the rest of her life. Her favorite medium to use, however, is jewelry. She enjoys blending colors and textures into wearable art. She also creates mixed media and collage art of a variety of subjects.

She creates her jewelry under the name “Terra Bella Jewelry.”

Comito is currently working on a mixed media collage with tiled mosaic of Frida Kahlo (you can tell when you walk into Artworks Studio that Comito is a huge Frida fan, that flowery unibrow is all over the place!) Her next project is the set design for Water Rocks! The Musical.

Art in progress!

Comito teaches classes on the subjects of mixed media art journaling, assemblage, mosaic, and stained glass. When I asked her what her favorite tool for creating art is, she replied, “Holy cow! You mean I have to just pick one? For my 2-D mixed media work it would have to be a Pitt Pen.” (I use Faber Castell Pitt Pens for my drawings, too!)

A work-in-progress shot

“Procrastination and having too many ideas in my head sometimes keeps me from producing,” she admitted. Her advice to artists starting out? “Just do it. Every single day. Not everything you create will be a masterpiece but all those few minutes here, a half hour there, all add up in the long run. Art is just like anything else in life, it takes constant practice.” And she’s right! I believe that artists are their own worst critics, and we scrutinize our own art worst of all. It’s alright if not everything you create is award-winning or sells as soon as you finish it (or before, wouldn’t that be a great problem to have!) We are all working to improve our craft.

“If anyone tells you that you can’t – prove them wrong.”

To see Comito’s artwork and meet her in person, stop by Artworks Studio in Carroll, IA, or you can visit the website 24/7 at www.artworksstudio.art. You can also find her on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Artist Interview: Megan Wassom, Artnique

Artist Megan Wassom (based out of Spencer, Mason City, and Davenport, IA) pours an incredible energy into her artwork. Her studio is called “Artnique” and she uses an assortment of mediums to create art with a variety of subjects – ranging from still lifes of plants to landscapes to abstract designs! I can just imagine her smile as she admits, “I would say that I still haven’t quite found my niche. I LOVE encaustics – that’s my favorite. But, I love everything else, too and find it hard to use just one thing. I go back and forth on many media and use as much as I can (or use as much as I know how to use anyway.)”

"Set The Flame" created with matchsticks

“When I was fresh out of high school and just starting out with my art, I entered every competition, sent my (skimpy) resume to everyone, emailed images of my artwork to every art gallery – I tried really hard to get ‘accepted’ somewhere, anywhere. I wanted to sell my artwork so badly or win a competition,” Wassom said. “But, I faced more rejections than acceptances and spent a lot of money on application fees. It left me feeling disheartened, until I had the pleasure of meeting a textile artist who also happened to be an art professor at a university here in the Midwest. She told me I needed to calm down.” The professor told Wassom that after 20, 30, even 40 years, she will have developed her niche and have a stronger understanding of who she is as an artist. If she continued applying to everything, all the time, she would just get burned out. “This advice has helped me out so much and given me more time to focus on my work – instead of on competitions, selling art and entering open calls for art shows.” 

"Mystery" made with enamel

I asked Wassom what art is, to her. She replied, “I want to start out by saying what art IS NOT – art IS NOT an afterthought. Art is every bit of a forethought (or it should be anyway).” Wassom continued, saying that she didn’t want to criticize any artist’s work, but that she is often frustrated with the contemporary art world. “I feel that too often, something is created – a piece, a painting, a sculpture, etc. – and then it is given meaning afterword.” She said she thinks art is created as a response; as an expression of an idea, and in response to that idea more artists respond by creating more art. Wassom believes that art propagates itself in this way and in doing so, propagates humanism. “I think that to try and give meaning to art AFTERWARD is a disgrace to art itself. That’s not to say that art can’t have meaning. Some art is created just for the sake of creating. In that case, I wish then we would just let it be. Don’t try and give it meaning as we are viewing it and criticizing it. Just let that piece of art stand on its own, without meaning, knowing the artist created it…. just because they wanted to!” Amen, sister!

"Go Cells Go" made with mixed media

Her favorite piece that she has created is from 2017. She made it as a response to her grandmother’s diagnosis of Stage III invasive breast cancer. It depicts a large cancer cell being attacked by smaller white blood cells. “It represents my grandma’s fight and victorious win against cancer,” Wassom said. The idea behind it is that if the smallest, most basic unit of life can fight off cancer we, as larger units of life made up of those small units, can too. The piece is 36”x36” and she created it with “TONS of texturizing paste and TONS of enamel paint on wood.” The piece, titled “Go Cells Go” is featured in the Lilly “Oncology on Canvas” online gallery. “If you have a personal history with cancer, I encourage you to check this gallery out. It is so inspiring!”

"Cell Division" created with encaustic

Her next project is actually a continuation of a series she started at age 16 – paintings she calls the “Life Series.” It will consist of 80 paintings when she is finished (she is currently working on #52.) Each piece represents a life lesson that Wassom has learned. She hopes that someday they will all be put into a book (a collaboration with her sister, who is a writer.) “Eventually, I would love for all 80 paintings to be hung in a gallery (perhaps the Met in NYC?)” she said with a wink. “Anyhow, I work on the paintings 3-4 times throughout the year, and so I will be working on another one here soon!”

"Succulent" made with acrylic paint

When Wassom was younger, she wanted to be an art teacher. But while in community college, she entered a surgical technology program (with the goal of having a summer job) and fell in love with surgery and medicine. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedicine at Buena Vista University. She was planning on minoring in art, but found that many of the art classes were taught at the same time as her science classes. Wassom is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. She hopes to move back to northwestern Iowa after graduation in 2023.

"Duck Duck" made with acrylic paint

It's no surprise that being in Grad School has caused a stumbling block to her art production. “Often, while I sit in class all day, my mind drifts off and I find myself wanting SO MUCH to be painting something,” she said. “However, because I am needing to focus on my studying (or pay attention in class), I don’t have the time to do it. Because of this, I have a few Word documents saved on my tablet with paragraphs and descriptions I have thought of – something I can reflect back on when I’m all out of ideas.” She also has a folder of hard copy images she has found in magazines or printed off the computer, along with a pile of books, art magazines, and Sotheby’s catalogs to help fuel her inspiration when she is itching to make art but unsure of what to create.

Just one of the many uses for pool noodles.

I love asking other artists what their favorite tools for creating are, because the answers are as unique as each individual. “I have chosen a few things,” Wassom said. “[A] Tuna can/cat food can is PERFECT for encaustic paints (that’s what’s currently in the one pictured); the clay tool is an ESSENTIAL tool I use in all my encaustic paintings; I had to include my paint palette – I use it for every single one of my oil paintings. It probably has 100 layers of paint on it at least.” She also included a leftover food container (she uses this for her paint water) with a piece of a star-shaped pool noodle that she uses to hold her brushes! “The blue wrap is actually a cloth-type material that we use to sterilize surgical instruments in. I have a bunch of them and use them to store brushes, tools, pencils, etc. when I am ‘on the go’ – put them in the slots, roll it up, store it away!”

"Monarch" made with watercolors

“I would just like to say that for anyone – artists or non-artists – be mindful of what you hang up on your walls.” Wassom said, referring to big-box store mass-produced art. “Are you inspired by that? Does seeing that generic decoration every day REALLY make you happy? Consider what it would mean if you had a thought-provoking colorful painting created by a real artist that you know hanging there instead. Yes, this is sort of a push to ‘support your local artist,’ but I also think we need to consider what we surround ourselves with.”

To see more of Wassom’s artwork, check out her website here https://megleesunshine.wixsite.com/website or you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.