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#233 Cyndi Lanier: Nature Printing and Gyotaku

Artist Cyndi Lanier does nature printing, using natural materials like sea fans, sea oats, or feathers. She also makes prints using fish, which is called gyotaku. Cyndi uses inks to cover the fish and then lays paper over them to transfer the image. She also dyes papers to create a background, and will create a composition that may contain one or many images of the fish so it looks like a school. Cyndi is a member of the Nature Printing Society, and she also teaches classes near her home and elsewhere. Her prints have also been put on public art and she does commissions as well.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Cyndi Lanier

Cyndi’s website is secondnaturearts.com

She is also on Instagram @cyndilanierart

and on Facebook as Cyndi Larson Lanier.

She is a member of the Nature Printing Society.

She offers upcoming classes at the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta, Florida and the Joe Center for the Arts in Port St. Joe, Florida.

Here are some great takeaways from our conversation:

Cyndi is a member of the Nature Printing Society, which is a great resource for artists like her. Joining an artist group is a great way to learn more about art techniques, as well as learn by meeting more artists and finding out how they do things. You can find local or national artist groups by googling the art subject and location.
When you’re displaying an unusual type of art, like nature printing, it’s a good idea to describe the type of art either on a title card or a separate information card. You don’t have to describe all the techniques. Describe just enough so they understand what they’re seeing, like “a print of a fish made with oil-based inks.” Cyndi has made postcards that describe her art and she can leave in a retail shop or gallery that has her originals or prints.
If you see art that you really like and you’re curious how it is made, don’t be afraid to reach out to the artist. Artists are very generous with their information, but be cognizant of not taking advantage of them or taking too much of their time. Offer to pay them for an hour’s time or at the very least, take them out to lunch while you’re asking them questions. And if they offer classes, sign up for them since they’ve got that already set up for sharing their knowledge.
Even if you are making your art on paper, you can still mount the paper to a canvas or a wood panel. Then you can also decide if you’d like to add a frame or not.
When offering classes in person, you can provide options for more students by letting them sign up for multiple days or just one or two. You don’t need to do a big 4 or 5-day class because some people may not be able to get away for all the days.
If there is a part of your class that is very time consuming, you could just demo it to the students, but then have that part done for everyone. You need to evaluate all the steps for your art to determine if it makes sense and you have enough time to have everyone do every step together or if you should do some steps for them.
Municipalities will sometimes have calls to art for public art. Even if your art is on canvas or paper, and not like a mural, you could apply if they’re looking to transform art into digital art to be applied somewhere. Cyndi applied to have her art put on a wrap that was then put on public traffic boxes. She just needed to provide them with a high-resolution scan of her art.

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#232 Robin Olsen: Abstract Layers Inspired by Quilts

Robin Olsen is an artist in Portland, Oregon. She creates abstract art that may contain paper and many layers of paint, as well as removed layers through sanding or painting over. Her paintings sometimes take on a grid pattern with geometric shapes like circles or diamonds. She also incorporates marks and lines, finding an equilibrium between freedom and order. Robin offers her art through galleries or shows, and previews them on Instagram.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Robin Olsen

Robin’s website is robinolsenart.com.

She is also on Instagram @robinolsenart

Robin is featured in Issue 51 of Uppercase Magazine. Go to their website to order a subscription or back issues.

She mentioned these artists and the classes she has taken from them:

Steve Aimone

Mark Eanes

Sara Post

Here are some great takeaways from our conversation:

Try different substrates to find the one that suits your art. If you’re adding heavy materials, you might want to try wood rather than canvas. Robin prefers wood because she likes to sand down the painted layers of her art.
Most artists will work on a few pieces at once. Robin likes to work on ones that are different sizes, so if she’s working on a large abstract piece, she can take a break by working on a much smaller one. Small pieces are also more portable and you can take them with you to work on them anywhere.
When applying to shows, research them to make sure that your work would be perfect for them. Some shows get so many submissions, that it’s almost like a lottery whether you get in or not. Don’t waste money on application fees if you don’t think the show is right for your art.
Getting into shows is a way to build up credibility with your resume so that you’re more likely to get into better things. Keep track of all your shows on a CV because some places want to see your CV with your application.
For smaller pieces, artists have found that announcing a sale of a dozen or so pieces on Instagram or through their website results in good sales.
Don’t forget the edges of your artwork. Either continue the art around to the sides, or paint a solid color like black to give it a clean, finished look.

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#231 Laurie Mika: Mixed Media Mosaics and Assemblage

Laurie Mika is a polymer clay artist who shapes, paints and stamps clay, and assembles the pieces into mosaic creations. Her polymer clay tiles can be square like traditional mosaics, or they can take on an organic form. Laurie’s mixed media art has evolved over the years, but she’s stayed true to her love of medieval and renaissance styles. Many of her pieces contain words and faces, through stamps or image transfers. Her creations have been published in many publications, and she has taught her techniques in workshops and online classes. She has also written a book called Mixed Media Mosaics.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Laurie Mika

Laurie’s website is mikaarts.com

She is also on Instagram @mikaarts

and Pinterest, where most of her newest pieces are: Mika Arts

Etsy: Laurie Mika

The stencils that Laurie has designed are on StencilGirlProducts,

Here are some great takeaways from our conversation:

You have many choices of bases when making your art. Laurie has used wood and MDF, which is medium density fiberboard. She has also used cradle board, which is a wood board with a wooden frame, or sides. None of these need to be later framed. Think about if you want to frame your art, leave the sides blank, or embellish the sides, which you can do with cradle board.
There are many ways you can create image transfers to use on your art. One way is to print it out using a laser printer. Inkjet printers won’t work and the image will break down when you try to do the transfer technique.
You do not need a separate oven to bake polymer clay, but you can buy small craft ovens so you’re not using your kitchen oven. Laurie uses the brand Amaco for her small pieces.
Online classes are very popular right now. If you aren’t comfortable filming your own class, look into businesses who can film, edit, and host your class for you. Laurie uses Create Arts Online and she went to their studio to film her class.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different materials and techniques with your art. Take classes from other artists and watch videos to discover new ideas and methods so that your art can evolve over time.
A great way to expand your art business beyond selling originals is to design products that can be sold through other sites. Laurie has a line of stencils that she sells through StencilGirlProducts that you can find on their site.

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#230 Kate Quarfordt: Mixed Media Portraits and Abstract Landscapes

Brooklyn artist Kate Quarfordt is a painter and mixed media artist whose luminous abstract works evoke inner landscapes and portals into other worlds. Her current work celebrates women and their strength through portraits she’s creating in the pages of a book. She held a solo show of her small landscapes called Tiny Portals in a New York space during lockdown, welcoming in one guest at a time to experience her art. Kate also expands her art by photographing and enlarging it, and further embellishing the new piece.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Kate Quarfordt

Kate’s website is katequarfordt.com

You can also find her on Instagram @katequarfordt

Kate is a member of the Resistance Revival Chorus.

Through September 30, 2021, Kate’s flags are on display at gallerywalk.nyc

Kate assisted another artist who is making a mural honoring actor Michael K. Williams. That mural can be found in Brooklyn at Lafayette Ave. and South Portland Ave.

Here are some great takeaways from our conversation:

I know we’re all tired of seeing people through Zoom, but realize that it’s a great way to collaborate with others who are far away. Kate used Zoom to photograph women for her portrait series called Sentinels, and she was able to virtually meet with each woman one on one.
Expand your notion of what is an art material to expand your own notion of art. Kate has used discarded books to make her art, but it doesn’t have to remain in the book. She’s taken high quality photos of each page and enlarged them to give more strength to her portraits.
Realize that artist studios can be for a short period of time if that’s all you need. Look around and you may find something that can be utilized for less than a year commitment. Kate is taking advantage of a 3-month studio so that she can have the space to spread out and finish her current project.
Sometimes you need to push yourself to a level of discomfort to encourage yourself to do more. Start the art, and look for a space to show it later. Announce publicly that you’re doing a project, and then you’ll feel more committed to it.
Kate took advantage of a program in the city where she could utilize a small storefront space for her own limited time gallery. I’ve talked about that concept on the podcast before, as my area has an organization called Zero Empty Spaces that helps artists find studio space. This is a great thing to look into for your town, and there’s no reason why you couldn’t propose to a property owner a short-term use of their retail space for a studio or an art show.
I’d like to encourage you to collaborate with other artists. Kate talked about a mural she helped with as well as a public art project as part of a gallery walk that shows her art on flags. Collaboration will challenge you to create something greater than what you could do on your own. You’re still able to showcase your talents, but it will enable you to expand into an area you haven’t previously explored.

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#229 Jana Oliveira: Making Art and a Podcast

Artist Jana Oliveira calls her website 2worlds art because she has lived in both Brazil and the United States. She paints with oils, watercolors, acrylics, and even alcohol inks. Her goal is to help women feel joy through art, and she achieves this through her YouTube videos and her podcast called Artistically You. Jana recently moved to Wellington, Florida, which is very close to me.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Jana Oliveira

Jana’s website is 2worldsart.com

Her Instagram is @jana_2worlds

Jana’s podcast is called Artistically You.

She recommends printful.com for getting prints and products made with your art.

Here are some great takeaways from our conversation:

When you’re practicing different techniques, use inexpensive paper or art journals. Save your canvases for later.
Golden makes an Open acrylic paint that dries slower than their Heavy Body paints. Try that acrylic first if you’re used to working with oils which dry very slow.
Jana recommends some specific brands of paint you may want to try. For oils: Vasari and Gambling. For acrylics: Golden, Nova, and Sennelier abstract acrylic paints.
She also recommended a good podcast app to try called Overcast. Jana likes it because you can organize all the episodes and podcasts you listen to.
Books of flowers are good inspiration if flowers are your subject. Jana recommends the Floret Farms books and other flower arranging books, as well as gardening magazines, and following gardeners on Instagram.
Think of all the costs involved with making and sending prints: the packing materials, mats, envelopes. You may find that it’s cheaper to just use a printing service that will directly ship your prints to your customers.

Post category:Podcasts Season 4 Show Notes