Mobile Art – APPart Interview with Poetic Medium

Would you tell us more about your art background and transition (if appropriate) to working with mobile hardware, i.e. iPhone, iPad, tablets.

Box of crayons. Dad’s old Leica @16. Tri-X and drug store processing. University. 35mm and 4×5. B&W. Darkroom. Degree in “Design & Communications”. Award winning career as graphic designer and art director until my health gave out, all the while abusing Polaroid SX-70 cameras and film. Short attention span, square format and no darkroom. Focus on fine art, drawing and photography. Multiple group and solo shows of drawings, polaroids, and digital pics. First point and shoot and Photoshop opened up new possibilities. Then, first iPod w/camera and apps. Heard the angels singing!

‘Flora’ – ©Poetic Medium

Please describe your style of art and your portrayals.

Graphic. Experimental. Quirky. Pushing boundaries. Happy accidents. Inanimate objects, nature, and the ordinary. Texture, line, shape, etc. Trying not to bore myself. What if? Stay focused, edit. Delete. Edit. Shoot. Explore.

‘Possess(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

How are you inspired, motivated and nourished in your work?

The poetry of modern living. The familiar and the unfamiliar. Music (member of a noise band). My brain has a mind of it’s own. Always searching. Running in the background, more ideas. Where’s my iPod/iPad? Create. Post. Repeat.

‘Collage’ – ©Poetic Medium

How often do you create images? Do you feel under pressure to produce more and more or do you not subscribe to this? If yes, does this sense of urgency help you in your creation process?

Mental or digital. Daily creation. Posted multiple images to several sites in the beginning. Got off the treadmill. Less is more.

‘Produc(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

Do you adapt a similar ‘routine’ to creating your images or do you change and vary your process depending on the piece?

Tried the “one voice” thing and finally decided it was crippling my creativity. Broader horizons = more possibilities. Comfort zone, mood, resources all play a part in my process for creating. Desired result usually dictates process. No guarantees. It’s a journey, not a destination.

‘Possess(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

Do you have a particular methodology in your work? Do you allow a specific time frame to complete an image? Do you need to work in a certain creative environment?

Time and place for everything. One day things flow, the next day it would be easier to hire someone to do this “art” thing for me. No deadlines. Did that for years professionally. New idea, old image, different result. New image, old idea, different result. Keep mixing. Keep exploring.

‘Collage’ – ©Poetic Medium

Do photographic images feature in your work, what form do these take?

Photographic images that maintain some or most of their original integrity. Still lifes. Organic. Inorganic. Constructing and/or deconstructing images.

‘Flora’ – ©Poetic Medium

Do you use any additional hardware to help you create your art, such as a stylus? Can you also tell us about any other hardware you use including, software, accessories including batteries, chargers, lenses, storage. Do you have a favorite tool?

External battery. Tripod that I keep meaning to use (not very spontaneous). Occasionally a stylus. 250+ apps. No favorite tool. Several favorite apps.

‘Produc(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

Where do you share your images within social media channels? How do you manage social media, sharing, learning, competitions etc., vs creating art?

Flickr, a few on Instagram. Not looking for likes or friends on social media. No Facebook, twitter, etc. Just private and keeping a small footprint on the web. Web = information, inspiration. Knowing there is a whole creative community out there is a huge comfort, moving this “new” medium forward. TheAppWhisperer is a lifeline.

‘Produc(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

Are you motivated by competitions/competitiveness or does your satisfaction come from within? How do you involve yourself in competitions, shows, challenges and what are your reasons for doing so?

Competitions can be expensive and a distraction. I’ve done a few “calls” with some good results. Always a nice surprise to have an image featured. Satisfaction comes from doing good work.

What causes you to pause and take stock of your existing work? How has mobile technology and connectiveness changed the way you see? This can be both literally how you see, and how you see yourself and your work. creative people were more isolated, in the past, and had to deal with less intuitive tools, digitally and in natural media.

I now have a camera, video recorder, darkroom, synthesizers, recording studio, and the “information highway” in my pocket. I can do more with my iPod/iPad than I can with any of my computers. And, I’m mobile/spontaneous. Creative momentum. My art and music just keep expanding. More possibilities than I have the time or energy to fully take advantage of.

There’s no going back now.

‘Produc(ed)’ – ©Poetic Medium

How has TheAppWhisperer.com helped you with your art?

Again, a lifeline. The looking glass. A community. An angel.

Many thanks to you and Joanne for this opportunity.

– Poetic Medium