Skipping Painted Stones
An entertaining art blog based in rural Iowa and written by author and artist Haley McAndrews.
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A few months ago I was listening to the Moms Who Create Podcast. The episode was an interview with author Allison Olson, who was talking about adoption (her own and the adoption of her child, as well as her book about adoption.) Olson said something along the lines of writing what you know... And after a quick internet search I knew I needed to write a children's book about a blended family, based on my own family. Where Do My Brothers Go? is about a 4 year old girl, Jeannie, who has an older sister and two older half-brothers. Jeannie and her sister live with their parents, but their brothers share their time between their dad's house and their mom's house. It's written in a simple, easy-to understand way, and explains that even though Jeannie doesn't get to see her older brothers every day, they still love her very much!  The illustrations are bright and colorful. I drew each by hand with pen, then scanned and colored them digitally. They depict Jeannie spending time with just her sister and parents, playing sports, and going on vacation (sometimes her brothers come along and sometimes they don't.) It also shows her brothers spending time with their mom in a positive way.
This book is near and dear to my heart. I talk a lot with my own 4 and 6 year olds about how I am not their brothers' mommy. I know it will be some years yet before they really understand what having a blended family means. But until then, I want them to know that no matter what our family looks like - they are so, so loved! The official release date of Where Do My Brothers Go? will be late August of this year. Keep an eye out on my social media accounts for the announcement of pre-orders, coming soon!
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My stepson very casually mentioned one day that one of the guys he worked with was an artist. Of course, I instantly perked up, got his name, and started looking into his artwork. His name is Jayden Carstensen, and I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to share his artwork here on the Red Stone Art Blog!  Who doesn't love The Rock? :D Carstensen resides in Jefferson, Iowa - a town that is surprisingly active in the arts! Carstensen is extremely talented. He renders photo-realistic portraits and drawings in pencil and colored pencil. This is a skill I greatly admire in other artists, as I'm not great at realism (as we all know - see #6). I asked Carstensen, "What is art?" I love asking this question, as everyone's answer is unique. "I think art can mean a lot of things," he replied. "What I do is I recreate faces or other subjects on paper with pencils and other tools, some people might argue that is not real art, however at the end of the day it’s all up to one’s interpretation." I agree, 100%. Everyone has their own opinions and what kind of art speaks to them... Which is why it's such an amazing feeling when someone else connects with a piece you have created!  Wax on, wax off. Carstensen says he admires all of the great, famous artists. I mean, there's a reason they are famous, right? "Especially the ones that did something different and didn’t care what people thought of their art - such as Van Gogh," Carstensen explained. "I have also had the chance to get to know some great local artists as well, many of which have helped me along my journey." This is evident when you look at Carstensen's work. You can tell he's making art of subjects that speak to him. But not all of his art is created just for himself; Carstensen also takes commissions. His favorite piece he's done so far is his Iowa Sunset colored pencil drawing. "As a native of Iowa it just represents all that is good about Iowa, with the harvest going on in the forefront and the beautiful orange sunset in the background."  We are all familiar with this sight in Iowa! And I always ask: what's a stumbling block you've encountered along the way? "Really everything is a learning curve, if I had to pick one setback I would have to say I spent a long time trying to get accustomed with using colored pencils, however one day it just clicked and since then I haven’t had much trouble rendering my subjects. It can be hard sometimes getting used to new mediums, but it is always good to challenge yourself as an artist and always strive for something new and exciting."  Carstensen's tools of the trade. "I kind of feel like I learn something new every time I pick up my pencils, whether it be a new technique or style, and so I didn’t really feel the need to go to school to learn new things." Well put! I've said it a million times, and I will say it again, but the magical secret to getting better at creating art is practice. "My advice to anyone starting out is to just keep practicing, there is no substitution for hard work and dedication."  Look at those textures! "I do not really have any 'next project' quite yet. I just got done with some commissions. And I am not sure what I want to draw next."
For more information about Carstensen, follow him on Instagram @Jayden_Carstensen_Art. His website is available 24/7 at Artboi.design and he also has an Etsy shop where you can easily purchase prints of his drawings. |
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