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This is an article published on the Loving Mixed Media website 2011
This month we are reintroducing 'Artist of the Month'
So please give it up for the talented dentist/Artist Deborah Petronio.
LMM Profile Name: Deborah Petronio
Who are some of your
favorite artists? Are you influenced/inspired by any of them or by
a particular art movement?
I
have been particularly influenced by the whole assemblage and
recycling upswing. My favorite assamblagers are Gary Reef,Joseph
Cornell, Linda and Opie O'Brien, Jane Wynn and Michael De Meng. I
have found that we all share a fascination with objects that are
either old and cast off, or things that are made to look that way.
Jane Wynn has an assemblage in one of her books that has a wisdom
tooth encased in a hollowed out glass jar. That was the first time
I thought "Wow, that's me!" I haven't made anything with a tooth
yet, but the fact that she even thought to use a cast off tooth was
very inspiring. I want people to have a little double take and a
little chuckle when they see my work.
What are your favorite mediums to work with and why?
I collect lots of old stuff, but I love to use the old porcelain doll parts that have been dug up in Germany. They just exude tragedy and history. I also love old tins, but they have to have some kind of message on them that adds to the quirkiness of the piece.
I like to join with rivets, wire and Apoxy Clay.
Have you had any formal art training/ or currently involved in an Art Society?
I took an art class in college. Does that count? I have taken lots of different types of art classes. For a period I did the craft show circuit doing first clay jewelry, then lampwork glass. I had some training in both of those mediums. Since changing careers I have just played around with whatever strikes me. Where do you draw your inspiration/creativeness from?
Right now my focus has been on these assemblage doll like pieces. I think the inspiration comes from the parts themselves. I have everything out where I can see it, then one day I'll just start putting things together. I like the whole creepy doll thing. I guess my original source of inspiration is that naughty kid from Toy Story that recreated dolls into monsters! Do you exhibit your work somewhere? Any current or upcoming exhibitions?
I started selling some of my assemblage dolls on Etsy, mostly tiny ones. I have been selling my optical lens jewelry on there for about a year. I have two things going- one is the jewelry which is a whole different thing than the art pieces. I also have a website. I don't want to sell though a gallery at this point, but would consider some kind of exhibition in the future. LMM is my main outlet!!!! Deborah's links
www.deborahpetronio.weebly.com
www.debdds.etsy.com
I'm on Facebook too! and Flicker. I have a blog, but it's too lame to mention!
deborahpetronio@live.com
If you need dental care, check out www.auroradentalcare.com
Who do you aspire to be like? As successful as?
I don't really care about being successful, I just want to have fun doing what I do and let other people enjoy it if they want to! I would like to sell more of my larger pieces as I make them though!
Now let me say this, in my full time career as a dentist I am pretty successful and competitive. If I decided to give that up and be an artist full time, I'm sure I would put that energy into marketing myself. I think I would like to be on the level of Mr. DeMeng with his books, videos, classes, and sales.
But I not going to do that in any foreseeable future. I love my life just the way it is. I have the freedom to create what I want to and am blessed to live in such a place and with such people around me that there are no limits on whatever I choose to do or accomplish! How would you classify your style?
Assemblage bordering on dolls.
Does your art carry a message?
No, nothing that serious. Just have fun with it!
What caused you to start creating in the first place?
I have always been one of those artistic people. When I was little I had sets of acrylics and oil paints. I used to paint all these dramatic landscapes like Bob Ross. Creativity is my outlet. I have pretty much always had something going. How long does it take you to complete a work of art on average?
It's always different. I don't have as much time as I would like to work on things. Right now I have several things in the works, but some day I'll just finish everything all at once. I really work in spurts. If I made one of my pieces start to finish, I would probably spend about 10 hours total on a bigger piece, but that never actually happens. It's more like 10 weeks!
What about colours/themes? Is there a predominant colour &/or theme that runs through your work?
I think the predominant theme is quirkiness. Also, I really tend to make doll like creatures. I love the life that gets breathed into them! What advice would you offer beginner artists?
Try everything! You never know what will capture you. I was always focused on painting when I was younger, but it has involved into something very different for me.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on these dolls with old clock cases as the bodies. Their thoughts are swirling around inside. I am making some Mermen to swim in there. Do you have a studio space? If not, where do you work? If so, do you keep it clean and tidy or is it a complete mess?
I do have a space which I consider a studio unless we have company, then it is considered a guest room. It is fairly neat. I have to clean it up before I can really start working. It's a pretty small space and I'm working on bigger and bigger stuff. My dream is to convert our garage into a studio space for me and let my husband have a space for all his junk! So that is it for this month! A big thanks to MaryB for her assistance.
Gaz
This is an article published on the Loving Mixed Media website 2011
This month we are reintroducing 'Artist of the Month'
So please give it up for the talented dentist/Artist Deborah Petronio.
LMM Profile Name: Deborah Petronio
What are your favorite mediums to work with and why?
I collect lots of old stuff, but I love to use the old porcelain doll parts that have been dug up in Germany. They just exude tragedy and history. I also love old tins, but they have to have some kind of message on them that adds to the quirkiness of the piece.
I like to join with rivets, wire and Apoxy Clay.
Have you had any formal art training/ or currently involved in an Art Society?
I took an art class in college. Does that count? I have taken lots of different types of art classes. For a period I did the craft show circuit doing first clay jewelry, then lampwork glass. I had some training in both of those mediums. Since changing careers I have just played around with whatever strikes me. Where do you draw your inspiration/creativeness from?
Right now my focus has been on these assemblage doll like pieces. I think the inspiration comes from the parts themselves. I have everything out where I can see it, then one day I'll just start putting things together. I like the whole creepy doll thing. I guess my original source of inspiration is that naughty kid from Toy Story that recreated dolls into monsters! Do you exhibit your work somewhere? Any current or upcoming exhibitions?
I started selling some of my assemblage dolls on Etsy, mostly tiny ones. I have been selling my optical lens jewelry on there for about a year. I have two things going- one is the jewelry which is a whole different thing than the art pieces. I also have a website. I don't want to sell though a gallery at this point, but would consider some kind of exhibition in the future. LMM is my main outlet!!!! Deborah's links
www.debdds.etsy.com
I'm on Facebook too! and Flicker. I have a blog, but it's too lame to mention!
deborahpetronio@live.com
If you need dental care, check out www.auroradentalcare.com
Who do you aspire to be like? As successful as?
I don't really care about being successful, I just want to have fun doing what I do and let other people enjoy it if they want to! I would like to sell more of my larger pieces as I make them though!
Now let me say this, in my full time career as a dentist I am pretty successful and competitive. If I decided to give that up and be an artist full time, I'm sure I would put that energy into marketing myself. I think I would like to be on the level of Mr. DeMeng with his books, videos, classes, and sales.
But I not going to do that in any foreseeable future. I love my life just the way it is. I have the freedom to create what I want to and am blessed to live in such a place and with such people around me that there are no limits on whatever I choose to do or accomplish! How would you classify your style?
Assemblage bordering on dolls.
Does your art carry a message?
No, nothing that serious. Just have fun with it!
What caused you to start creating in the first place?
I have always been one of those artistic people. When I was little I had sets of acrylics and oil paints. I used to paint all these dramatic landscapes like Bob Ross. Creativity is my outlet. I have pretty much always had something going. How long does it take you to complete a work of art on average?
It's always different. I don't have as much time as I would like to work on things. Right now I have several things in the works, but some day I'll just finish everything all at once. I really work in spurts. If I made one of my pieces start to finish, I would probably spend about 10 hours total on a bigger piece, but that never actually happens. It's more like 10 weeks!
What about colours/themes? Is there a predominant colour &/or theme that runs through your work?
I think the predominant theme is quirkiness. Also, I really tend to make doll like creatures. I love the life that gets breathed into them! What advice would you offer beginner artists?
Try everything! You never know what will capture you. I was always focused on painting when I was younger, but it has involved into something very different for me.
What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on these dolls with old clock cases as the bodies. Their thoughts are swirling around inside. I am making some Mermen to swim in there. Do you have a studio space? If not, where do you work? If so, do you keep it clean and tidy or is it a complete mess?
I do have a space which I consider a studio unless we have company, then it is considered a guest room. It is fairly neat. I have to clean it up before I can really start working. It's a pretty small space and I'm working on bigger and bigger stuff. My dream is to convert our garage into a studio space for me and let my husband have a space for all his junk! So that is it for this month! A big thanks to MaryB for her assistance.
Gaz
