by Kayly Iali
Kayly:What kind of artist are you? And what medium do you work in? How would you describe your art?
Sabine: I am a mixed media artist which means that I use multiple
mediums in my work. I start out with acrylic, then draw into them with
oil pastel or a water-soluble ink/chalk. I also add paper to help me
define space in my paintings. I am more of a "builder" then a painter
in a way as I add different things to create the layers in my work.
All
of my paintings have multiple layers. I play textures off of patterns
so you don't know what is what. Is it paper or is it texture?I love
having a depth to my paintings that people want to step in and go, “Wow!
How did she do that?”
Kayly: Do you work from photos? Do you work from life? What gives you inspiration?
Sabine:I don't work from anything. Everything just flows. I will take pictures as I am working on a piece so that I can look at the values in the painting. I look at the gray scale to see if I have a good range. So, I would ask myself -do I need to up a lighter area or do I need to make my darker area stronger. That really helps me to work on the painting. It is really more important to me then looking at the composition that just shows up in the process.
John Singer Sargent is an amazing artist. I love to look at his work as he is a master of a brush stroke that pulls you in but you then step back and look at the overall piece to see how it all fits. I want to make something that when you look up closely you are interested but when you go across the room the painting still holds your interest.
I also love Jean Dubuffet and Willem deKooning. They both have such amazing textures; that is what I am after. It is like they are playing with the texture to see where it takes you.
I can't stand looking a painting that is just one flat range of color. Paints that are just flat soft colors with no range of darks and lights to me are just blah.
I listen to music when I am painting. If I have some really great music flowing and I feel like dancing and the painting is just pouring out of me it is like the top of my head is coming off. It takes me to a complete other state of being.
Kayly: Did you have any formal training in art? If so, what university? If not,did you take workshops or learned from books?
Sabine: Yes, I have painted since I was 7. I started taking oil painting classes, painting mainly still life. Now, I refuse to paint a still life -never again! I went on to major in art in college and concentrated on painting and drawing. And then continued to take classes in a local art center for a long time in both oil and mixed media abstracts. I am also very good at pen and ink renderings and painted representational landscapes for years. One day I took a workshop in abstract mixed media and fell in love with it. I never really looked back.
Kayly: What is your reason to exhibit in Second Life? And what is your experience had been? Any positive or negative? And has exhibiting in Second Life affected your real-life art?
Sabine: Oh, I really like being able to share my art here. There are a couple of things that make meme-that is art is essential to my being. I can't not paint. I also can't not workout. I am a serious fitness person. Those two things keep me balanced and sane.
People here would not know the fuller me without me showing my art. It is key to who I am.
Someone,a while ago said I should show my work here and I decided to do it. I do show my art a lot in Second Life. I get invited to show in various places. I think about getting a booth in an event sometimes. In real-life in my area people know who I am or have heard my name.
In real-life, I also teach art at a couple of art centers here and I also offer Zoom classes so if anyone here wants to learn to paint, I can teach them.
Kayly: Do you have your own galleries? Do you exhibit in other galleries? What art related projects do you usually do in Second Life?
Sabine: I have exhibited in a few but not many. I need to apply to other galleries in real-life. It is on my bucket list. In Second Life, I think I should consider putting something in an event. I have seen others do that.
I participate in Sisi Biedermann Artist United Gallery, Ernie Farstrider The Galleries, Windlight Galleries Galleries, and different boulevard art shows.
Kayly: Is there a crossover of people from Second Life to real-life to buy your works?
Sabine: No not yet -no one has commissioned me to paint them anything here, but I have had people say they would. Not yet but maybe one day.
Kayly: So,do you sell prints of your works?
Sabine: I need to do that. I am working on getting a new website in place to be able to do that.I had sold some of my Geisha Series as printsvia Saatchi, Instagram, and Facebook.
Kayly: What advice would you give to artists who is interested in exhibiting in Second Life?
Sabine: Just reach out to gallery owners here in Second Life. People are really happy to help here and give you an opportunity to show your work. Showing in Second Life is a lot more artist friendly and it gives you an avenue for people to see what you do. And you don't have to be an accomplished artist to show your work here.The experience will give you more confidence and allows you to show your friends what you love doing.
Exhibiting here, you learn how to set up to exhibit your works. If anyone needs help figuring out what to show or how to hang a show,I can help them.
Website: www.mjanejohnsonart.com
Email: mj2makesart@gmail.com
Sabine Mortenwold Second Life Gallery:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/oxygen%20o2/148/186/1172
Kayly Iali
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