Interview with Traditional Artist Catherine G.

I first came upon /Cybergranny 's work some 4 years ago. I have had the opportunity to watch her grow and experiment in several art forms. She paints in oil and acrylic, does web-design, photography, tradtional drawing and also writes poetry, translating from French to English. Her works are never 'standard'; always produced with a sense of originality and thought provoking intent. Through each piece, Cybergranny's spirit and consciousness are always present. Above all, her sense of humor rides the waves of her creative engergy, always giving us a good laugh at the end. You'll catch her in /chat quite often, displaying her full heart and positive attitude.

While looking through your gallery, I found many images that are passionate, emotional and politically motivated. What are your greatest inspirations?

I think that it’s mainly my emotions and the things/people that surround me.
It can be reactions to the news or discussions that I have with friends, it can be music or photography too.
I have 2 ways of beginning a painting, sometimes I have already the idea in my mind or I work from a photo that caught my eyes and I just let my imagination/emotions play.
I always say that my paintings have their own lives. I know from where I start but not where it will go or stop.

What is your greatest achievement?

That’s a hard question.
Maybe it is discovering myself and daring to express things through paintings.
I was so shy, so boring when I was young. I’m still shy but I’m curing myself ^^.

Do you have any other hobbies or interests that are priorities in your life?

I have maybe one little hobby apart painting, and that is web-design. (It’s still a bit in the art field ^^) I’m the webmaster for two artist’s associations.
If you want to have a look: www.arva.ch (it’s only in French) I’ve been quite active the last 2 years in this association and my husband is the president now. Also, www.artlausanne.ch it’s a non-profit art fair in my city; it’s in English too.
Besides that I’m very gourmet and love to eat very good food and junk food too ‘cause I’m really lazy with cooking. (Laughs) I love gummies and I’m a chocolate addict too.

What does the Shadowness community represent to you, as an artist?

A place for sharing with art lovers and artists. What really stroked me was the wonderful and warm welcoming from all the staff.
I had really the impression that what I was saying was important and that I was listened to.
I really hope that SN will keep this warm attitude despite the fact that the membership is growing quickly.

Who was your best or favorite teacher as it applies to art, and why?

I have a bad memory and in fact I wasn’t really into drawing or painting when I was in school.
I only began to be really interested in learning to draw 6 years ago. I was doing graphic computer stuff and confronted myself with the fact that I didn’t know how to draw.
I found a workshop in my town held by a painter. I really wanted to learn the basics like perspective and such things.
It wasn’t really a place with lessons; more of a free drawing/painting workshop, so after drawing some portraits the instructor pushed me to try an oil painting.
At first I was so scared; I hadn’t imagined myself painting and didn’t know how to do it with the palette and brushes. But it was a big revelation and I really fell in love with painting.
Painting really brightened up new horizons. I learned a lot of things about myself and people in general. It helped me to express my emotions.
So I’m really thankful to the instructor of the workshop for that.

What are you working on now?

Prepare to have some surprises ^^
There is one painting including poo, another with rotten tomatoes and another one with preservatives.

in your opinion, should traditional art forms be resurrected in digital forms, and why?

I think that computers are a tool amongst others like brushes/canvas.
It’s true that it has some advantages. It’s less expensive and less dirty and a bit easier with the eraser tool and undo option, but I find it personally sterile, it lacks the senses, touch, smells, and the contact with the material which for me is essential.
But it’s true that it can help you prepare your projects better
So it’s really up to the individual to find the tools that they like the best.

What do you try to communicate through your art?

I’m still wondering, maybe I will wonder all my life.
One thing for sure is that I put a lot of my emotions into it and that I like to make people react/think.
A friend told me that my paintings are some kind of healing art because of their strength

What would you like to say to the Shadowness community?

Be you, be crazy and don’t always listen to people ^^

I’ll leave you with some things that I realized about art/painting last year:

Painting is a wild dance between the canvas and the artist.

Each painting is a new beginning, a battle and a search for answers.

ART is a long journey, with byways and breaks. Some people lose themselves along the road, some go straight ahead, and some go back. At the end we always realize that it's a never-ending road.
The more I paint and the more I discover that I have more to learn.

You can find Catherine's work here:
http://www.artense.net/
http://www.shadowness.com/cybergranny
http://www.cybergranny.deviantart.com/

Thanks, Shadows! Until next time,
/hellonastick

May 7th, 2011