Oeuvre Evolution: thepairabirds

2008-08-18T13:11:00-05:00

A month ago PamelaAngus found an early piece of hers hidden in the drawer. Now Tabitha from ThePairabirds is delving into the past to show us her beginnings. The Chicago-based illustrator came a long road from manga-styled figures to pop-art, and she is still evolving.

When did you start drawing and painting?
I started drawing regularly when I was eleven. I became interested in comic book art. I didn't begin painting until 2001, when I started college.

How do you evaluate the change between your first drawings/paintings?
My early drawings were inspired by Japanese manga work. I was really entranced with the use of line-weight and light and dark contrast. My style began to take on its own when I started art college. In school, I had the chance to experiment with different media, study different cultures, and learn and share with my classmates. This blending of cultures encouraged me to blend the beautiful linework of Japanese manga with nostalgic American pop culture.

In which area do you think you evolved a lot?
I think my use of linework has evolved. I used to add so many details to a piece that it became over-worked. I am drawn to clean and uncluttered design (which is ironic since I am a pack-rat), particularly in interior design. This look is finding its way into my pieces more and more.

What kind of evolution do you see for yourself in the future? What are your plans (if any)?
I think my art is beginning to focus on the juxtaposition of human and nature. I think the most beautiful relationship is the one between humans and their environment. I am intrigued by people and how they relate to their environment, specifically their homes. So it is interesting for me to see how art and furniture is arranged in the sacred place of "Home."

Can you live on selling your drawings?
At the moment, yes. I'm single and child-free. It means going without an iPhone, a lot of social events, and having to live with family. But, those are some of the sacrifices I have to make right now that will hopefully change over time.

See other Oeuvre Evolutions on the Storque. Vadjutka highlights many more artists' evolutions on her blog, Craftsthenandnow.blogspot.com. How has your craft changed over the years? Post in the comments below!

Oeuvre Evolution: PamelaAngus

2008-07-18T10:48:00-05:00

I am sure that from time to time, every artist and crafter finds an early piece of theirs hidden somewhere in a drawer. They look at the piece and ask themselves, "Who made this?!" Sometimes it is good to stop and look back to see where we started. PamelaAngus, Irish glass artist, started with traditional stained glass in 2003, and ended up making three-dimensional pieces inspired by Asian textiles.

When did you start crafting with stained glass?
I took a traditional stained glass course with David Walsey in England in 2003. I was not a particular fan of stained glass but I had been working on very detailed black and white pen and ink work and thought I needed to learn to use colour again. Also the idea of learning such a traditional craft was appealing. I moved to France shortly after finishing the course so it was about a year before I started to experiment with making pieces.

How do you evaluate the change between your first piece and the works you do now?
My first piece was made in the traditional method of lead came, which is great fun to construct - lots of messy putty, chalk dust, etc. I'm still very proud of it: David encouraged us to design our own pieces rather than take a copy from stained glass pattern books. I took my inspiration from a rhinestone hairclip and I still use jewelry for design ideas now. However, I found that the work I wanted to try out was not possible with lead and I started using copperfoil because it's lighter and more versatile and allowed me to experiment and make the sort of stained glass I’d want to live with myself. It has enabled me to put movement into the pieces and also for the overall shape to be more organic. I want the work I do now to be beautiful first and stained glass second if that makes sense – I want the pieces to be tactile and I hope they make people want to stretch out and touch the beads or ribbons or whatever.

Which area do you think you evolved a lot?
Well I’m still learning technique, but I think my designs have evolved. When I started, I bought pattern books and searched the Internet for designs like everyone does when they are starting out and haven’t found their groove yet. But it was only when I started to look at non glass work for inspiration that it all clicked for me – hand embroidered textiles from India, collected trinkets, knitwear, etc. – if I love something I’ll look at it and think how I can interpret it in glass. And I think my use of colour has evolved – which was the whole purpose of the exercise!

What kind of necessary evolution do you see for yourself in the future?
I’m always looking to try out new ideas and want to work on more 3D pieces such as cups and saucers and start adding my own etched patterns to the glass. I’ve also recently started experimenting with glass sewn onto painted stretched canvas and I’m using ribbon and tiny bells there too, so that you can brush your hand gently over the work and there’s just the gentlest of noise and slight movement in the glass pieces. Who knows, it could be a total disaster, but you have to try these things.

Vadjutka highlights many more artists' evolutions on her blog, Craftsthenandnow.blogspot.com. How has your craft changed over the years? Post in the comments below!

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Oeuvre Evolution: thepairabirds

Oeuvre Evolution: PamelaAngus