Interview with Jaime Derringer

Posted 11/16/2009 by coelder in Labels: , , , ,
Over the past year, we’ve literally stumbled upon artists, musicians, and future friends through the internet.  While going through a plethora of design sites, I found Jaime Derringer.  The name rung a bell but I couldn’t remember why (Oh yea, dummy.  Design milk!.  After going through her website and portfolio, I was moved to contact her to ask a couple of questions.



AS: As a multimedia artist, what propels between the different forms of painting, drawing, designing and writing?  Is it seasonal?  Do you find if you have certain emotions, you tend to gravitate towards one media over the other.
JD: It definitely comes and goes like seasons. Sometimes I spend weeks just drawing in my sketchbook. Other times I spend countless hours painting and then painting over that painting and then painting over that one. I think much of what I do is about the process for me. I can be a bit anal-retentive and somewhat specific about things, and I see how this comes out in my art. I don't think that I gravitate toward one particular media based on emotions, but rather inspirations.
Sometimes if I see a great painting, it will inspire me to paint, and then it becomes a bit obsessive (which also comes out in my art -- you can see it in the repetition of the shapes and patterns I often use).
The poems that you see on the site are from my lifetime, so I write a poem about every 3.875 years! I actually think I'm due for one soon...

AS: What media are you into right now? Any new long term projects?
JD:  I have been doing some drawing lately, but not a whole lot of anything unfortunately. I just got over a painting binge in which I produced absolutely nothing. So, I'm taking some time away from the canvas in the hope that I can get inspired again. I enjoy drawing more than I do painting because I feel as though I have more control.
I am continuing my sketchbook series and hope to one day do a show of just sketchbooks. I think that would be super fun. In addition, I have my first big show next year so I'm really thinking hard about what I want to create and show.

AS: Who do you think is (are) revolutionizing art?  This could be in general or in specific media.
JD: I think the Internet is revolutionizing art. With blogs like booooooom! and sites like 20x200, artists who wouldn't have previously gotten too much exposure are now getting loads of it. It's so easy these days to appear on a small art blog and then get picked up or noticed by more popular websites or shops. I also think that the Internet has helped break the ice in terms of art snobbishness. I tend to see less of that on the Internet and more support and encouragement. It's about sharing and creativity and community and being inspired rather than "good" vs. "bad" art.

AS: Where do you stand with art as a career? Full time? Part time with a random side job?  How have you been able to make it over the years? Advice for the starving artist?
JD: Art is very part-time for me. I blog for a living. I run Design Milk and I also write for ShelterPop. In addition, I have a consulting/educational business called BAKERY. I like being able to do all of these things together because I enjoy each one of them. While I think that making art for a living would be amazing, I'm not sure I'd like the pressure. I like making personal art because I want to, not because I have to; I like the freedom.

AS: With your illustrated book pages, do the particular pages have significance to you? Please elaborate.
JD:Yes and no. The actual book pages do not have significance, but the art that is on them comes from what's on the page. Whatever that page makes me feel when I see and feel it, that's what my drawing becomes. I particularly like strange and unusual book pages, such as ones with medical illustrations or topographic maps, or foreign texts with torn yellowed corners. I like to think about who owned these books and how many people may have touched the pages. I hope that by my drawing on them I've given them some new life and a whole new future (rather than being trash!).

AS: Could you run me through the past year?  Where you've been, people you met, things you learned about art and about yourself. 
JD: Over the past year, I've learned so much about myself. Two of my paintings called "Discovery" and "Understanding" because that is exactly what was happening to me in my life when I painted them. I was beginning to discover myself -- both as a person and an artist. I've had a tough year and I think my art has reflected that. Basically, I haven't done as much in terms of art this year, at least not as much as I wanted to. Throughout the past 12 months, I moved across the country from San Diego, CA to return home to NJ, quit my horrid full-time corporate job to become my own boss, started a consulting business, and dealt with some emotional issues. I also came to many realizations, including my obsessiveness and perfectionism and how it actually makes the my creation of art harder. I have been making an effort to instead use the art to reduce and heal those issues.  Art as therapy, I guess. 

AS: Going out on a limb here but based on your graphic design portfolio, I would say you're of southern upbringing (much like myself). I find it's interesting that this side of you came out in the most modern form of art.  How do you think the electronic canvas was able to facilitate this expression?
 
JD: That's funny. I'm from New Jersey. The only thing southern about me is the part of NJ I'm from.
I think my quirky illustrations and fun digital art is mostly from my sense of humor. I don't like to think I'm weird, but I like to think that my view of the world is slightly different than others, but in a good way if that makes any sense! All I want is for people to look at them and crack a smile or even just a little smirk. After I started creating these types of prints (mostly to hone my Adobe skills) I realized they were popular so I continued creating new ones. I'm just glad there are goofy people out there just like me!

AS: Is there anything you would like the Art Star fam to know about you or any upcoming shows? 
JD: I'm looking forward to the next year -- I think it will be a better one for me and for my art. I will be participating in the second Incredible Print Show at Artstream Studios in December, and I have a show next August at a new gallery called Assemble in Seattle. My portfolio site is jaimederringer.com and you can purchase prints from my Etsy shop.

1 comment(s) to... “Interview with Jaime Derringer”

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

she. is. baller.




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