Paintpushers

Ben Schuh’s solo exhibition, “Making Lemonade” opened today and will be up until Dec. 15th at the Iowa University Pioneer Room. A reception will be held Nov. 21. For more information visit Ben’s website.

“Seventy Two” is the merging of the styles of the eleven artists of Paintpushers and one special guest, working together to make one massive display. Each artist is responsible for 12 feet of wall space to make 144 feet of continuous art work.

The artists are:
Kristin A. Aulwes
Kristine Clemons
Kathryn Downing
Molly Free
Claudia Cole Meek
Charlotte Redman
Jacqueline Roate
Mike Roate
Ben Schuh
Hasan Tosunbegovic
Chris Vance
Julie VandeBerg

Fitch Gallery is located at 15th & Walnut in downtown Des Moines. Admission is free. Food and wine provided during the reception from 5 to 9 pm. For further information about Fitch Gallery call 515-770-3810, or visit http://www.paintpushers.com

Name: Jacqueline Roate
Age: not 30
School attended: Grand View University
Degree: Triple BA Fine Arts, Graphic Arts, Creative and Performing Arts
(emphasis in Set and Costume Design)
Occupation: Painter at Sticks
Statement about your work: Painting and drawing combined on canvas and paper. My
work is often based on history or classical literature, focusing on the Greeks.
Influences: Neo-Classicism, Art Nuevo, Pin up Art, Comic Books/Graphic Novels
Fun Fact: I use a lot of spray fixative without adequate ventilation. While
painting, I often have a horror movie playing in the background.
Misc: Married to Illustrator Michael Roate, no one ever called him Michael until
we started dating. It was always Mike; yes that’s right I started it all.
Favorite Quote:  “Moderation is a fatal thing; nothing exceeds like excess”
Oscar Wilde. “I DRANK WHAT?” Socrates. “Read my lips, no more new taxes”
bastards.

How did you get started in the arts?
I won free classes at the art center when I was five and took my first figure
drawing class at six.

How did you find your style?
It found me. I loved drawing and painting so I try to make both visible in my
work.
Has it changed since you started?
I use to draw pop icons, specifically X-Files and Star Trek. Now, post college,
I focus on literature. I incorporate more line work.

What is your process when working? Can you run us through a typical painting?
First, I read up on my idea. For example, I read literature about my subjects
and look at how other artists represented the subject. I try to make my approach
different and try to learn from their approach. Then, I draw some figures and or
objects that may be relevant to the character or story. Then, I do some small
preliminaries to experiment with color, form, line, space, and composition. If I
like one or more of the ideas, I attempt it on a larger scale. I put down a base
coat, usually something that complements the main color or a medium tone that is
close to the main color. Then, I draw out the composition with pencil; I
fine-tune it with watercolor pencil. The rest is up to the composition and how
far I’m willing to take it.

How do you market/promote your work?
I don’t really. I wonder if that’s my problem?

Do you have a gallery? Why/why not?
Not anymore. With this economy I think I’m going to just sit back and focus on
being an artist and not a salesman.

What was one of your favorite paintings?
Zeus’s Daughters at the DSM Art Center

What do you enjoy most about your work?
Finishing it. Learning about the subject. The perfect little area of applied
paint.

Describe your work setting.
Smelly, but well kept. It’s our second bedroom. I have an easel, a drawing
table, and a drawing horse. My computer on a mammoth desk in the corner and it
takes more space than I would like.

Do you have side projects you work on?
I work mostly on murals, and some graphics. I would like to do theatrical design
on the side, but I want to get paid for it.

How do you maintain balance in your life between work and play?
Weekdays, I try to spend at least an hour in the studio each day.
I reserve most of Saturday and Sunday for studio time. So weeks it’s more, to
often it’s less. Family is always more important than work.

Do you ever have creative slumps? What do you do then?
I never have creative slumps just execution slumps. I move on to another piece.
What do you do for fun/when you’re not working?
Read non-fiction, watch Nova, movies, watch Star Trek, shower, drink awesome
imported beer, play Wii tennis, pet my cats (MeuMeu, CC, and Jaws), talk
politics, and fix up my town home.

What has been inspiring you lately?
“Silent Hill: Among the Damned” Graphic Novel

Any advice for others who are pursuing creative goals?
Find a support group like Paintpushers

Name: Amy Wood Thomas
Age: 34
School attended/ing: Central College/University of London graduated in 1997
Degree:. Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Art Major and Psychology Minor
Occupation: Full Time Artist
Statement about your work: Acrylic paintings on torn paper. Pieces are sculpted on canvas or simply on paper.  My work contains multiple layers and is always finished with a Bible Verse.
Influences (artists, genres, etc): Anything creative I encounter.  I have recently been studying the St. John’s Bible for the beautiful calligraphy and paintings.
Fun Fact:  I have decorated my church the last five years for their missions convention.  We support over 500 missionaries and t he convention is the biggest Assembly of God convention in the country.  This year I designed several 11 foot tall and under African Masks to promote our Africa Special Project.  (While nine months pregnant!)
Misc: I have three children, Eva 6, Gabriel 3 and Levi 3 months.  My husband and I have been married almost 11 years and he helps with our art business.

Name: Kristine Clemons
Age: 30
School: Iowa State University graduated in 2000
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Calligraphy and Photography
Day Job: Lead painter at Sticks, I have been there 8 years.
Statement about your work: Mixed Media paintings on paper. Mostly using fabrics, paper, and acrylic ink and paint. My work is subtle and simple with a collage feel.
Fun Fact: My husband and I, along with our two kids, own a hot air balloon and travel Iowa and the Midwest to fly it. My kids are 1 girl who is 9 and 1 boy who is 5.

Q and A:
How did you get started in the arts?
I used to love to watch my older brother draw, I wanted to be able to draw just like him. I started tracing things first, I think i was in about first grade, and it grew from there. I went to ISU with the intentions of getting a degree in Graphic Design and by the time my junior year in that degree program was over I realized that it was not for me. I took some calligraphy classes and found I would work on side calligraphy projects more than my graphic design assignments. I changed my major and have never regretted that decision.

How did you find your style and has it changed since then?
I took what I responded to most in the work I liked. My influences were strictly calligraphers in the beginning and it broadened from there. I can still see my beginning work in what I am doing now but my palette and influences have changed. The wonderful thing about creating art is it will always evolve.

What has been inspiring you lately?
I have always been influenced by history. I like the feel of things that have a past connected to them. I find myself drawn more to objects that have a long past such as chairs or rooms. I always wonder if they could talk what they would have to tell.

What is one of your favorite paintings or artist?
At the risk of sounding cliche…one of my all time favorite paintings is Starry Night. I like the way Van Gogh captured his emotions in paint. I cannot say that my own personal work is really influenced by it though. Artists that have influenced me work wise are Whistler and Hopper to name a few.

Any advice for others who are pursuing creative goals?
Find a group that can help you through your journey…like paintpushers has helped me. It is wonderful to have a group of like minded people to give you advice and bounce ideas off of. Critiques have been very valuable to me in pushing more work in the direction I wanted to go.