ARTISTIC DIALOGUE - Interview with Elizabeth Wilson
By Taurean Washington
portervision@hotmail.com
Hello world! My name is Taurean Washington. I am an up and coming artist as well as a new writer for the infamous eXcape the matriX magazine. I am here with the great Elizabeth “ArtbyLiz” Wilson to talk about why you should have heard of her already, and how she is someone to really look out for because the art world is going to be a new planet when she gets through with it. Let’s check it out!
TW:
So how is life going for Liz right now?
EW: Life is.....full of
growth, challenge, new thought and new art. Every day is a blessing. I’ve been
working part-time doing graphic design at an HIV/aids non profit agency for
about a year now, allowing me to focus more time on cultivating my gift of art.
I am ready to take it to another level.
TW: Well I know you've been in the art game for a minute and have been around
in many circles and places, so for those who are hearing your name for the first
time, do you think you could fill them in on what you do and what you are about?
EW: Well....what I am about...that’s kind of broad but I'll say this - I
paint. I paint what I feel. I paint what flows through me. I paint as a
reflection of the Creator, our God. I don’t plan it, I don’t try to fix it, and
I just try to allow it to come through me purely. I see my role as an artist,
somewhat as a messenger of the divine.
TW: I am a big fan of your “abstract-ish” style. I don't like pinpointing or
categorizing because every artist has variations of styles to an extent, but
does Liz have a signature
look to her work?
“We all have our own voice, our own thumbprint, and our own unique gifts given from God.”
EW: I think the more you see my work, just like any artist, the more you might be able to say “yeah, that’s art by Liz.” I love color, line, shape. I love that it can be anything, meaning you aren’t going to see me painting something that exists - still life for example. My work is energy caught on canvas. If you need to put a label on it, it does fall somewhere in the realm of abstract.
TW: I most definitely agree. Art is subjective as well, so whether realistic or
abstract, the viewer will take their own personal spin on the subject matter
anyway. However, artists gather energy from various influences and sources that
stimulate them when making work. What things would you say influence you?
.jpg)
EW:
Well as I said before, I work as a vessel of God. So He is the influence. Other
major contributors are music and life experience. When I put good music on, it
gets me "in the zone" a little faster. When I’ve experienced something, whether
it’s the mundane or the profound, it imprints me, it imprints my thought, it
allows me new perspective. And another thing I love about creating art is seeing
how it influences itself, meaning I can often see progression or similarity
between works done within a close amount of time to one another, almost as if
one inspires the next inspires the next, giving the work layers of generation.
For example, recently I started a series called "Bits and Pieces." It started
as a deconstruction piece; I actually took prints of my paintings that I usually
sell and cut them up into little pieces. I then pieced the pieces together in a
mosaic like style, added some paint and the result was pieces of my pieces,
brought together to make a new piece. Once I started getting familiar with how
the cut up pieces worked together, my next composition I made in this style grew
a little because I had learned from the first one. The next one took it to a
whole other level and so on.
To take on the label of artist means that you are going to express your voice as authentically as you can.
TW: What does it mean to you to be an artist in today’s society?
EW: It means being true to your authentic voice. I think we all have the ability to be artistic, but to take on the label of artist means that you are going to express your voice as authentically as you can. It means getting out of the way of ego, it means giving of yourself, and it means allowing yourself to be used as a vessel of God.
TW: Where would you want to take your craft 20 years from now?
EW: Wherever God sees fit. Of course
we all have dreams of blowing up, not having to struggle to pay bills and buy
supplies, but ultimately I would love it if I could stay on this path as humbly
as I know how and allow God to steer. If that means being able to show my work
around the world, so be it. However, it could mean any number of things and my
goal is just to stay on my path. It has already been an awesome journey in a
short amount of time.
TW: If Liz went out in a blaze of glory, how would she like to be
remembered?
EW: The one thing that I aspire to is to show others that they all have a gift; they just need to tap into it. We all have our own voice, our own thumbprint, and our own unique gifts given from God. I would like to be remembered not only as one who has acknowledged and cultivated her gift, but in doing so I want it to be demonstrative to others, that they can do the same. Not only that, but there is pure JOY to be found in doing the same.
TW: Thank you very much for the interview and moment of conversation and
insight into your beautiful soul and mind, letting the people know who you are
and what you are about. Now can you let us know what projects or what we should
be looking out for ARTBYLIZ?
Liz
- I have calendars for 2008 available at
www.cafepress.com/artbyliz and...drum roll please...look for a group show of
ARTbyLIZ, eyeniphotography, and fahti. (www.lizlovesart.com
/
www.eyeniphoto.com
/www.myspace.com/fahti)
in Baltimore. We are working on something for women’s history month, which is
March. All new work from all three artists. It is going to be some next level
work from all of us. We are ready to step our game up!
TW: Alright Liz, well we look forward to your continuous success and thank
you again.
This is Taurean
Washington, guest writer for your infamous eXcape the matriX magazine. Shouts
out to Quill the Wordsmith, my man Raven up on the top floor and everyone
reading. Again, check out Liz on
www.lizlovesart.com
and
www.myspace.com/artbyliz.com.
In addition, continue to support this magazine. Let’s all eXcape the matriX and free our minds. Thank you everyone for lending your retinas! Much love and blessings!
One,
Taurean Washington