Skipping Painted Stones
An entertaining art blog based in rural Iowa and written by author and artist Haley McAndrews.
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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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Laura Enninga, of Celia Studios, describes her paintings as “A bit like a shotgun; all over the place.” She creates out of her home studio in Anoka, Minnesota. Her paintings are a mixture of realism and abstract, very painterly, with plenty of humor in them. I first met Enninga in the Art Department at St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN) and have followed her art on Facebook since. “I like freedom of expression in making art,” she said. “Not settling on any one idea and evolving and growing my technical skills. There is always room to improve.”  "Seal A Lisa" 16"x20" acrylic on canvas Enninga also teaches painting classes. “I always wanted to open my own studio and had one for over a year in Osseo, MN,” she said. “People came in for studio time and I would give them pointers on their work or help them put together more intense pieces.” She helped manage a paint-and-sip company, where she learned to host and teach fun step-by-step classes. Currently, 3 people come weekly to learn painting techniques from Enninga.  "Espresso Reflections" 20"x24" acrylic on canvas Earlier this year, Enninga was hired to live-paint a wedding. I’ll admit, I absolutely LOVE the idea of hiring an artist to create an original art piece during/of a wedding. I asked Enninga what her next project was, and she said she’s always working on multiple projects at a time. “I have a fun series of black and white and monochromatic with golds of famous faces and objects like coffee, and bowls. I also am working on my series of famous paintings but changing them to be funny spoofs.” [See “Seal A Lisa” pictured above.] She also has a few commissions in the works, and a set of four realistic figurative paintings that she’s planning on entering for a contest.  "Hummingbird Mosaic" 24"x30" acrylic on canvas She is also working on backgrounds for future paintings. Enninga will use a variety of tools and techniques to create her backgrounds, like potato mashers, mesh, and lace, as well as mixing and making colorful boxes and drips. “I didn't like to work on backgrounds when I was younger due to being more excited about the subject matter itself,” she admitted. “But have developed a need to focus on the background and fine tune it before moving forward.”  Is easel envy a thing? Her favorite art tool is a wooden easel that her father built for her. “My favorite tool, really isn't a tool but the easel my dad built me when I was younger because he believed in me and wanted to show me. I now have two he made and a third one for large canvases.”  "Prince of Minnesota" 24"x30" acrylic on canvas A stumbling block Enninga has is the balance between painting commissions and painting things that inspire her. “I tend to procrastinate far more knowing I have art for a job versus making it for me and sharing it,” she said. “It isn't that I hate doing commissioned pieces; often times it is my bread and butter. It is the need to create something that inspires or moves me that keeps me dragging out commissions instead of getting them done.” Enninga will set aside time to work on her personal paintings, artwork that she’s inspired to create, and then work on commissions. Switching back and forth helps to keep her motivated. “I don't like turning out commissions I'm not proud of and this keeps me on track....most of the time, anyway.” Her advice for other artists starting out? Don’t compete or compare yourself to other artists, and instead surround yourself with people who build you up and give you advice. “Make work you are proud of and would hang on your walls. Money comes with time and dedication to the craft.” Enninga said some of her best artwork wasn’t made because she was looking to make money, but instead because she was creating for herself. “People recognize you in your work and that is what sells them on the piece, not always the actual painting or artwork.”  "I Fell In Love In Fall" 20"x24" acrylic on canvas You can follow Laura Enninga on Facebook at www.facebook.com/celiastudios/ and be sure to check out her website at www.celiastudios.com.
Hands down, my favorite thing about art is the variety. Everyone has their own individual taste in art, and no two artists’ work is alike, even those that work with the same mediums and subject matter! So let’s learn about each other and share our artwork with each other as often as we can. 😊 My first Artist Interview blog post features the work of the Knotty Carver, Justin Miller!  All photos in this blog post were provided by Justin Miller. Miller is a wood worker from Canby, Minnesota. In his words, “I usually like to do one of a kind and/or custom designed furniture to fit the customers’ needs.” Since the main component of his art is wood, the pieces are quite literally one-of-a-kind originals! He can fill in the gaps and holes with resin, sometimes tinted, with items embedded, or clear like glass.  It's too beautiful to even make a joke here! “I feel my work is unique,” says Miller. “Done with care so it can be a wonderful conversation starter for years to come.” He’s currently working on a custom end table that is made of a slab of wood from a pine tree that had been twisted by a tornado. As if that wasn’t enough, Miller will be adding two more shelves to it for a laptop and other miscellaneous items. His plan for the top is to pour resin on each side with the wood slab in the middle. The resin will be colored with chameleon mica powder (that’s what gives it the swirly, metallic shimmer), in plum and gold color. But tables aren’t the only thing Miller creates. Below is a clock he made out of black walnut wood with a tiger orange resin.  What time is it? Hopefully naptime. I asked Miller what his favorite tool for making art was. “Honestly it would be my sawmill,” Miller said. “I like the surprise of cutting a slab and seeing what the tree can provide in its aged lines along with the burl-like looks from the stress the branches have endured over the years.” His favorite piece he’s made so far, and one of his most popular, is a chess table made out of pinecones. “I really love how the pinecones just pop out in the ever-so-clear resin, when you look at it on the sides you get a 3D look that kinda teases your eyes.”  It’s clear to see □ why this is a favorite, it’s absolutely stunning!  Miller is self- taught, combining his lessons and training from a number of different trades, people, mentors, and family, into what he calls “a great recipe I’ve applied to my artwork.” His advice for artists just beginning their journey? “Don't give up! Keep creating, keep going, don't be afraid to be different! Get yourself out there!” He says he learned from his failures, while knowing it’s alright to fail. “You NEVER fail by trying.” His next project is building another framed mirror with a design he created on his CNC (computer numerical control) router program, with glow in the dark resin poured into the fixtures, topped off with a layer of resin to really draw out the wood grain.  This is a-meow-zing! I also asked Miller what an issue is that he’s encountered with his artwork, since every artist has their own stumbling blocks to overcome. “The COLD! Resin Casting has to be poured in a warm environment for it to cure properly,” he said. “Also being new to the business, it is slow progressing. Getting my artwork out there into this world is proving to be hard. (But I will prevail!)”
To see Miller’s new work or to get in contact with him about your very own beautiful commission, you can find the Knotty Carver on Facebook at Facebook.com/JustinTheKnottyCarver. |
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