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| 'bout me artist's "bio" techniques & materials |
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| artist's "bio" |
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Q: So, Mark. What's your story? A: Uh... could you be more specific? Q: Sure! Where ya from.. where are ya now? A: Um... I was born in NYC, spent my first 20 years in that hole (sorry NYC, I couldn't take it), and fled to New Hampshire in 1993. Q: New Hampshire! Isn't that boring? A: Yupper! :) Q: Ok... enough of that. You got any real art training? A: Sure do! Aside from the Architecture, ceramics, and perspective drawing in High School, I took computer animation and airbrush classes at Parson's School of Design, in NYC. Q: Is that it? A: Hell no! I spent 2 years in Connecticut where I attended the Connecticut Institute of Art in Greenwich. Q: Greenwich? Isn't that kinda... well, never mind that, what did you learn there? A: A little too much I think. We took everything from Charcoal drawing to mechanicals. Q: Uh... isn't that a little vague? A: Yah... here's the rundown of the classes I took there, in order of how much I liked em. :) Watercolor, advertising & design, airbrush, life drawing, pencil drawing, computer illustration, perspective drawing, pen & ink, and a bunch of other classes I wasn't too into. :) Q: Well, cool. Looks like ya got a little education under your belt there... A: Yup... I even have an education in sound recording. Went to a little place called Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts (affectionately called Full Sail Center for Recording Farts (and yes... we did :)) in Orlando, Florida. But, that was before art school. In fact, it was my friends down there who made me realize I was getting the wrong education. Thanks guys! I appreciate that! Q: Ok... ok. Now that you've interrupted me... A: Yah...? Q: Shut up already! I got another question! A: So... who's stopping you? Q: ARRRG! OK! Now... a lot of artists have a 'philosophy' about their work... do you? A: No. Not really. Thought I did, but I don't. I'm just painting what I feel like painting. I'm not looking to make a social statement or tell a story, or that kind of thing. I just want to paint pictures that people like. Q: ok... anything more to that? A: Nope. Q: er... ok... uh... hold on <flip flip flip> uh... I was expecting more to it than that... uh <flip> here we go! Ok... What have you been up to... after all it's the year 2000, and you moved to New Hampshire in 1993.... whaaaaaaaaas goin on!?!? A: Well, quite a bit has been going on. I've spent my time painting, and trying to live out the "dream". Q: ...the "dream"? A: Yah... the "dream"... I wanted to have my stuff sold as posters. That way anyone could have any piece they wanted at a semi-reasonable price. Q: Sounds good to me? What happened? A: Well, I sent slides out to many a publisher... there were a lot of flat out rejections, but some people were kind enough to say they liked my work, but it just didn't fit into their product lines... I understand that... don't like it, but understand it. Q: I hear ya... anything else? A: Sure. I had a bunch of paintings up for display & sale in the restaurant of the Mountain Green Resort at the base of Killington in VT. That was in '97? Q: Well, that's cool.... isn't it? A: Well, it went against the "dream", but that's ok. There WAS a real problem tho... Q: Yah? Wanna talk about it? A: Not really. Q: Oh... come on... A: You're not gonna stop bugging me are you? Q: Nope! :) A: Ok. Here's what happened. I had my best 13 paintings on the walls. I had 4 paintings waiting in the office to fill in any blank spots should a painting sell. One day I decide to give 'em a call and see how things are going... no answer. Q: No answer? A: Nope. Q: Ok... continue... A: Gee thanks... So... I called the front desk at the resort, and they told me that the owners of the restaurant just stopped showing up one day, and that the restaurant had been closed for over a week. Q: You're kidding... A: No I'm not. Needless to say, I got my butt to the mountain to see if there was anything left. Q: Was there? A: Yes, and if you'll shut up I'll tell ya! Sheeeeeesh! Bug me into telling the story, and then don't let me finish why don't ya! Q: Ok, ok... get on with it! A: Ok... I get to the mountain, and thank God! The paintings that I left on the wall, were STILL on the wall. My best 13. What a relief. The bad news is the 4 that were left in the office, also left with the owners. They're all framed and signed on the border... I think I have slides of them somewhere, and I will post a wanted page on this website in the future. Q: Oh man... that bites! A: Sure does, but that's life sometimes... ain't it. Q: Yah... I guess... but still. A: I know, but what can ya do? Got any more questions? Q: Uh... sure! <flip flip flip> Ok! So... where does "goatlike" come from. A: Well, this is a long story I'll make short. I was given the nickname Goat back in 1989 by people I had never met. I got lucky... a friend of mine got stuck with Gelding. Q: Poor guy. So... how do you get goatlike from Goat? A: I'm not completely sure how this came about. I do remember that someone, it might have been me, uttered the phrase, "he who is of goat like consistency". Like I said, I don't remember the where or why of that statement, but it stuck. And I like it, and it's not easy to forget. heh. Q: So... you're not a Devil worshipper then? A: No! Q: Some people may be disappointed to hear that. You may even lose sales! A: That's a risk I'm willing to take. :) |
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| techniques, materials, other |
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Q: Ok, Dude, how do you get those white lines in your paintings? Is it liquid mask or tape or something? A: Nope. It's just being reeeeal careful. Q: Do you draw things out before you start painting? A: Not usually but sometimes. If there's lots of straight lines or perfect arcs then there's probably been a little pre-drawing with a ruler or compass. Most of the flowie weird stuff is just wingin' it. Q: What about paintings like #12 or #38? How'd you get that effect? A: Kosher Salt. Q: That's all yer gonna tell us? A: Yup! Can't give away all my secrets! The stuff is great for cooking too! :) Q: I see. How bout this, what's the difference between "weird" and "abstract"? A: Ah! Most "weirds" are "abstract" but not all "abstracts" are "weird"? Yeah! That's my non-answer! Q: ...ok... that was helpful... Let's talk paper and paints! A: Let's! Q: Now, I know you talked about this over on the galleries page, but I'll ask here. What kind of paper do you use...and what kind of paints? A: I used to use a french paper called Aquarelle Arches in all textures; Rough, Cold Press, & Hot Press. Great stuff. I recently switched to an Italian paper called Fabriano Artistico which is also available in all three textures and has the bonus of being slightly less expensive than the French stuff. It's also very good paper. I'va also used Strathmore 400 series which give a different effect from most papers. Q: Do you have a preference? A: Yeah, I like the french stuff better... it has a "quality" that I can't quite explain. Q: And the Strathmore 400? A: Apples and oranges. The Strathmore... ok... the best way to explain the difference is to show you. Most (if not all) of the paintings in the March 2003 section were painted on Aquarelle Arches. Many of the paintings in the August 2003 were painted on the Strathmore 400 series paper. Wall, Whorl, New Paper Test #2, and Phantom Sympathy are a few examples. Most of the paintings from 2004 were painted on the Fabriano Artistico. Q: I see...? A: Good! Q: Paints! A: Paints! Q: Yeah, paints. A: Yeah, paints! Go paints go! :) Q: Alright, alright what kind of paints do you use and what colors? A: I use Winsor & Newton Artist's Water Colour paint seris 1A. I believe it's their top of the line paint and it has great color. I use Prussian Blue, Cadmium Red Deep Hue, and some type of Lemon Hue. Q: That's it? Just the three colors? A: Yup! Q: Kinda limiting yourself there, ain't ya? A: Yeah, but I don't care too much. I can mix just about anything I need from those three. Sure, I miss out on some special greens and blues and browns... but right now, I don't want 'em. I like a nice simple pallet with just the basic colors. So far it's been fine for me. Q: Now, what about your signature? Why don't you just sign the painting like most people? A: Ahh... I dunno. I guess I... I don't want to clutter up the painting with a signature. I don't think signing adds to a painting and sometimes it just gets in the way... in my opinion. So... I sign on the border and on the back. Q: Ok, how bout shipping? A: How bout it? Q: What materials do you use for shipping? A: Well, I wrap the paintings in tissue, sandwich them between two sheets of thick corrugated cardboard, wrap them in plastic and slip the whole thing into a large envelope. The plastic is a new addition to keep moisture out of the package. I havn't had any trouble with moisture (or any damage for that matter) in the past, but... I'm all for not chancing it. I want your painting(s) to get to you in prefect shape. :) Q: That's all I got for now, got an email address people can mail questions to? A: Yup! Just click here: questions@goatlike.com. Thanks! |
| All logos, photos, and original art © 2000-2006 Mark W. Stevens |
