Art Ladders: The Creative Climb Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann

We are joined by artist John Sabraw for this episode. Armin has known John for quite awhile through their connection of working together at Good's of Evanston, an art supply and frame company. I met John as the curator at Studio 23 when I invited him to participate in the Land to River Exhibit. That exhibit was a collaborative experience with the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy.

John Sabraw is an artist, activist, and environmentalist. He is a distinguished professor at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and in this podcast interview we are centering on his projects that lead toward solutions for the environment.

"For me, environmentalism and sustainability are intrinsic to our presence within the system of Earth and the universe at large. These terms define a philosophy of Resonance, the butterfly effect, cause and effect – so we need to do the best possible action in moments and situations where we can have positive effect. If I have an opportunity to make a positive impact here, aren’t I charged with the responsibility to do whatever I can for the benefit of all?" states John on his website.

Listen as he share his experiences along the way on his incredible journey of art and activism. I am putting links to many resources to learn more about the artist. Be sure to check out his frequently ask questions link and his involvement with Gamblin's "Reclaimed Earth Colors" in oil paint. One more great project is with The Squibble Art Workshop in New York where John is on the board as project advisor. Please reach out with your comments and questions on this episode.

Show Notes

John's Frequently Asked Questions

John Sabraw's Website

John Sabraw's Instagram

Tedx Talk Video on Toxic Art

"Great Big Story" Video on Turning Toxins into Art

Harvard University Center for the Environment Artist 2023/2024 with the exhibit, VITAL.

Squibble Art Workshop Board Project Advisor

Gamblin Oil "Reclaimed Earth Colors"

Artists, visual and performing, have an extra layer of thought process fueled by energy. Energy is a precious commodity in the art world or in any world where one is passionate about a topic that is beyond the mundane. It can be found in our creative DNA as explained in Twyla Tharp's book The Creative Practice.

In this episode we describe our own relationship with energy as it pertains to our creative process. Energy is such a fine tuned element that can go away with a breeze or come barreling in when we least expect it. It's the vibration, the tingle, the excitement we feel when we are excited to put marks on a canvas or notes on a musical score. Energy influences relationships, affects our sleep patterns, and challenges time management in positive and negative ways. The point is we need to protect energy in our lives and lift up enthusiasm as a way to lead others in the arts and ourselves. It is very worthwhile to become aware of how you use your momentum through your life not only as an artist but as a human .



Show Note Links:



The Creative Practice by Twyla Tharp



Valerie's Mentor Group through Mastrius.com



Armin Mersmann's Website

Val here, and I had the distinct pleasure of reuniting Armin with his artist friend, Trung Cao. Trung and Armin met in the day of conversation boards specializing in art. Now these conversational threads have reinvented themselves. as groups on Facebook or other social media platforms. Who knew after all those years we would have a wonderful opportunity to interview Trung.

Trung lives and creates his artwork in the Bay Area of California. He specialize in oil and graphite and is inspired by the grandeur of nature and the complexity of man. Being a refugee who dealt with a traumatic immigration at a young age to the United States from Vietnam, he tells us that his art often takes the theme from the classical story form, "A Hero's Journey". Imagination, attention to details, and respect for representative realism shape his artistic aesthetic. He works in portraiture, wildlife, fantasy art, and landscapes.

As a professional artist who also has a scientific career, he can pick and choose his artistic projects with freedom. He touches on the fact that artists who have jobs that support day to day living should really have gratitude for that income. It gives artists time to concentrate on their individual passions without having to sell out.

Trung is also passionate about art nonprofits and serves on the board as Vice President of Blue Lines Art in Roseville, California. You will hear Trung, talk about the importance of artists establishing relationships with others through their art and also their participation and sharing of their skills with art nonprofits. Children in particular have so much to gain by adding art into their lives.

Enjoy this episode! We are honored that Trung spent time with us and truly appreciate his candor and generous spirit in explaining what it means to be an artist in this day and age. Looking forward to keeping up with you, Trung, and happy we could reconnect.

Trung's Website

Trung's Instagram Page

Blue Lines Art

Anna Lemke, author of Dopamine Nation

Trung's interview on the Audible River Podcast

We had a lovely conversation today on the making of art. Each of us has our own process with specific tools and art materials and in this episode we share them with you, our audience. Even if you are not an artist, you may find insights into the creative practice that fires up your imagination to see things in a different light.

This episode is dedicated to visual artist and fine art framing designer, Marilyn Darlene Madden, 1939-2019. She was a designer at Good's of Evanston and worked with Armin. She had exquisite taste in art and design. As a frame designer, her aesthetic was elegant sophistication.

Over the next couple of days I will add links to the supplies we use but for now, I wanted to get this episode up and running for listening. You can always direct message Art Ladders on Facebook or Instagram.

Links:

Art Ladders on Instagram

Art Ladders on Facebook

Our Sponsors: Golden Apple Studio and Residency

Image Transfer Method with Matte Medium by Melanie Matthews on YouTube

Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Mechanical Pencil used by Armin

We are so happy to have artist Rebecca Crowell as a guest on our podcast. She is well known in the world of painting and contemporary abstraction. Her portfolio of paintings in oil and cold wax are a visual feast of atmospheric color, profound depth, and the sense that the works are living and breathing.

Rebecca with co-author, Jerry McLaughlin, wrote the book : Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts, and Conversations. This book has become the "go-to" for artists around the world to delve deeper into the process of using cold wax as a medium for painting.

In this podcast, you will hear more about the early college years and how Rebecca kept art alive in her life while raising a family, traveling the world painting and teaching, and maintaining a robust studio art practice. Lessons learned along the way are shared and the persistence to art certainly paved the way for her career to date.

Here is a beautiful quote from Rebecca on her website, “ I paint in response to ancient and rugged places that I love, interpreting them intuitively, abstractly, through memory and emotion.”

Rebecca's next exhibit, In Place: Recent Paintings, will open July 2, 2024 at Slate Gray Gallery in Telluride.

To learn more about Rebecca follow the links in the show notes to her website, her podcast, The Messy Studio, and Instagram.

Rebecca Crowell Website

The Messy Studio Podcast

Rebecca's Instagram

Rebecca's Facebook

Slate Gray Gallery

Welcome to the panel discussion with seven members of the Great Lakes iPhoneography Group better known as GLIG. It is a rare time when we can have so many artists gather together for a discussion on their art. Thank you to speakers Cindy Bancroft, Nancy Brooks-Siebert, Julie Close, Steven Parkhurt, Elizabeth Sullivan, and Janis Taylor. Also thank you to artists Gaylene LeVally and Carol Whitney for being a part of this group.

During the discussion we find out more about the process of iPhoneography, the learning curve in becoming accomplished in the medium, and ways to find inspiration and concept.

If you would like to take a class in iPhonegraphy, follow Art Ladders: The Creative Climb on Facebook to hear announcement on the upcoming online iPhone Class which will meet monthly during the summer months.

The Great Lakes iPhoneography Group Exhibit can be seen at Creative 360 at 5501 Jefferson in Midland, MI. Their hours are 9am - 5pm Monday thru Friday. Call with any questions: 989-837-1885.

Show Notes

Facebook Great Lakes iPhoneography Group

Creative 360 iPhoneography Exhibit