Apter - The mixed-media artist: art tips, tricks, secrets and dreams from over 40 amazing artists

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If the job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery, as Francis Bacon said, the job of the viewer might just be to solve that mystery. Perhaps like me, you have thought that the key to fully understanding and appreciating art is through truly knowing the artist. If so, let this book be your guide. On these pages, you will unlock the door to the personal inspirations, motivations and creative perspectives of the mixed-media artist. You will learn technical approaches and artistic methods. Whether you are an artist, an art lover or both, this book will help you to uncover the creative process of the artist, from start to finish and from inside out.

The idea behind this book originated from an ongoing, online artist survey that I have hosted since 2008. My first book, The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed, grew out of that survey and explored the creative minds of a large cross-section of the mixed-media community. This book highlights a smaller group of artists in much greater depth. They not only reveal their secrets and dreams by allowing you access into their personal thoughts and creative perspectives, they also share their favorite techniques, tips and tricks so you can see their actual creative processesand perhaps try some of their tips yourself!

In the first section of this book, you will be introduced to thirty spotlight artists whose work and artistic approaches are as unique and wide-ranging as the genre of mixed media would suggest. Some of these artists may already be familiar to you. Many will be introduced to you for the first time. They talk about who they are as artists and share their personal, creative worlds. They reveal self-portraits that expose all sides of their innermost beings and explain their thoughts behind these most personal self-reflections.

Section Two takes you deeper into the inner workings of the spotlight artists. You will see new artwork they have created in response to a series of prompts aimed at revealing their artistic souls. Their creative processes are further exposed as they share the meaning behind the pieces in their own words. In addition, this section presents their responses to a series of questions aimed at uncovering their artistic sense of beingthe very force that makes them the artists they have become. The questions explore their personal and professional experiences as working artists today.

These artists not only share their inner hearts and souls, they also share their artistic skills and techniques. Throughout the entire book, artists share their own art tips and tricks that you can use for your own artistic practice. So in addition to learning the who of the artist, you will also learn the how.

The third section introduces you to a different group of mixed-media artistsjust as unique and interesting as the spotlight artists. These fourteen gallery artists share their own stories though both work and words. New works of art have been created in response to probing prompts. Each artist describes her or his own personal vision behind the artwork. Our gallery artists also reveal their creative processes and allow you to learn about their favorite tools, their secret ingredients and more.

Every one of these artists is a fascinating individual. Together they make up a very compelling subset of mixed-media artists. This book taps into the creative force of an even larger group by presenting the results of an artist survey, which had been previously posted on my blog and open for all to answer. Threaded throughout the entire book are their responses, all quite compelling and many very surprising.

So reach for the key, unlock the door and walk inside. Your exploration of The Mixed Media Artist begins now!

I can remember as a child staring in amazement at the ornately framed artwork on the walls of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I also recall wondering both who could be capable of creating such things and how were these incredible pieces made? Many years later, these thoughts have never left me. In this first section, we begin to uncover the who and the how as we discover the heart of the artist.

Thirty generous and gifted mixed-media artists swing open the doors to their studios and their creative minds and invite you inside. They share a nontraditional artist statement and the motto that guides their artistic lives. You will hear firsthand about their inspirations and find out what exactly is lying on their studio tables. Each artist has also created a self-portrait based on their choice of three prompts: The Face I Show the World, My Shadow Side or The (Wo)Man Ill Never Be. You will get to know this group even better after reading their personal thoughts behind these intimate pieces.

You will also see these artists at work, through both a picture of themselves in action as well as a series of tips, tricks and techniques that they share. Together, this information will not only provide a glance into their artistic processes but will guide you through your own as well. Turn the page and get to the heart of the matter. And keep your art supplies handy. You never know when inspiration might strike.