Conversations with stacy…

How do you describe yourself creatively?

As an artist before anything else. Not necessarily a painter or writer. I just choose what every medium I want at the time, and work with it ‘til I have something that I’m satisfied. Yeah.

What’s your preferred medium for artwork?

I just work within whatever medium I choose at the time. I guess I like to work a lot with canvas, with acrylic paints and graphic markers.  But, there are other things I’m looking at, or looking at coming back to, like video work, collage. I also do a lot of ink and pencil works, but painting and ink would be my top two.

What artists inspire you?

Picasso always had a big influence on me, watching documentaries on him was influential, as well as Van Gogh. A lot of his drawings affected me. Lately, for a while . . . oh yeah Frances Bacon and Elon Shealy. And Michele Basquiat as well.

Is there a common thread to these artists?

They all deal with abstraction, some more than others; they each have their own style. Picasso was the biggest influence when it came to abstracting images and compartmentalizing sections of a figure to blocking it off. So, that was a really big influence on my artwork in high school. I just really enjoy Van Gohs drawings and paintings.  His approach

Frances Bacon’s stuff was very expressionistic. There was a lot of emotion in his work. Very visceral I should say.  That was what I was really drawn to with him. 

With Econ Sheeley, his work is very presents elongated figures that I was really connected with. Early on, people would actually compare my work to his. To this day, on occasion, people will still reference him when talking about my work. I enjoy his work on its own merit. 

Jon Michele Basquiat has an energy and an abstraction to it that I like. There’s what I would describe as an inspiration in his work that made me gravitate to it. Yeah. There’s also a graffiti esthetic to it that made it stand out.

What inspires you to make art?

I just find it to be therapeutic, and it’s an easy way for me to express myself and frustration I may have or spur of the moment impulse to just, to simply draw and paint.  Sometimes it as simple as just the desire in the moment to make something. Sometimes it’s coming from however I’m feeling emotionally that day. Sometimes I’m painting for the sake of painting. Sometimes it’s about getting a particular message across. 

How would you describe your style?

My style is heavily influenced by Japanese art, specifically anime and manga, as well as American comic books . . . superhero comics like Marvel and DC Comics are huge influences on my work today. So, I would describe my style as very illustrative, with a graphic quality to it; sketchy often times. It’s a combination of anima, manga, American comics and fine artists such as Picasso and Van Gohn.

What if you could create artwork?

If it drawing and painting. I’d write and create music. And, if I couldn’t do that, I’d want to be a chef, because it’s something I feel that I can do.