SpaceGypsies

SpaceGypsies had the chance to interview our friend Jan Hoyle about her artwork and what inspires her to create the amazing pieces on her site. Jan uses a variety of mediums along with exquisite details and vibrant colors to bring her pieces to life. If you haven’t seen her work, you should check her out!

Where did you first discover art?

As far back as I can remember. Probably in the womb.

How do you describe your style?

Fantasy, Womens issues, abstract and somewhat eclectic.

What is you biggest influence?

My brain, it’s not geared towards math or science! My mom always took me to art museums in the Detroit area, and always to special exhibits at the Detroit Museum of Art, and Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. She also took me to the zoo & the Ice Capades But she also started me with paint by numbers kits. I had a great Kindergarten teacher who taught us how to use different textures around us to bring depth to our fantastic crayon colorings. And I had a great Art Teacher in grade school who taught us ceramics with pinch pots and printmaking with latex wood blocks. I didn’t like my High School Art teacher because she wanted us to use mathematical concepts, and I suck at math.

Do you find yourself influenced by other artists?

Yes, definitely! Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Munch, Pablo Picasso, teachers. I definitely credit my love of ceramics to my Professor at University of California Irvine, Gifford Myers, and Artist Pamme Turner, also Printmaking to another Professor at UCI, John Paul Jones. You should see the recreation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night I painted on flower pots it’s quite beautiful. Of course my mom made jewelry and was always painting, sewing or crocheting. Textiles are an art form by the way.

What is your preferred medium?

Ceramics & Printmaking. I love watercolor, but I really suck at it so I will leave that for others who are talented with watercolors. I love the feel of clay, it’s very tactile and an excellent medium for people like me who are have had to work through fine motor skill problems. I prefer using underglazes for fine painting, I can’t get the same effects with Acrylics or Oils. And printmaking (scraffito), well it’s the same for me. When I grduated from college I use to joke that I missed the smell of acid, alcohol & Kerosine in the morning, LOL.

What inspires you to create? Can you explain your creative process?

I have no idea, I just get ideas in my head. That seems to be a standard question for artistic people, and I don’t know of anyone who can really answer that. I see it in my head, and work out how I will approach it. I’ve never been able to draw a rendering on paper, I just can’t work that way. I figure it out then if it’s something that has to have exact measurements, then I write it out and create a rendering. Plaster or silicone molds definitely require a detailed blueprint.

The proceeds from some of your work is donated to charity. Why are those charities important to you? And what other ways can people help? 

My main charities are the ASPCA & Doctors without Borders. I love animals so deeply, I grew up with 2 cats, a dog, rabbit and a Parakeet in a suburban area with a lot of wildlife. And I’ve always loved cats, big or small. All animals are sentient beings with feelings, and they love unconditionally. No animal should ever suffer in any way, they are helpless in many situations, and deserve food, shelter, kindness and love in return. The ASPCA is very involved in every process from education to rescuing abused animals, taking in strays, medical care and adoption. They are always there in the midst of disaster to rescue animals displaced by natural disasters. And I adopted my kitty from them in 1995.

Doctors Without Borders because every person regardless of income, age, race, religion or location deserves medical care. DWB goes to places no one else will, to donate their services. Just like the ASPCA, DWB rushes to areas where there has been a natural disaster to aid those in need of medical care. The conditions rescuers work in a anything but ideal, they risk illness, injury and their own lives to help others in need. I know I never could have helped to rescue animals after Hurricane Katrina, I’m just not physically able to do that. 2. Donate, once or monthly, if you can’t give money volunteer your time. There’s shelters and organizations in every area crying out for volunteers, in all areas from clerical to walking dogs, and cleaning litter pans. If you are a veterinarian or a medical doctor, even nurse or tech, offer low cost vaccinations to low income patients, volunteer at the local clinic or shelter, or donate pet food to outreach centers. You can always help in a disaster if you can’t have a regular schedule to allow for that time. Educate yourself about charitable organizations, and tell others about the need for volunteers and donations.

How do you handle criticism of your work? What inspires you to keep creating?

Well it depends what kind of criticism it is! If it’s creative criticism from other artists, friends, etc. I want to hear it so I can improve my skills. I often take and use criticism from other artists in my studio and friends. It still takes a village, lol. But if it’s from someone like my son who just doesn’t appreciate art in the first place, not well. In fact there’s times I’d like to kill that kid, because it’s painful to have a family member feel that way about what I do.

As for inspiration to create, encouragement from others is the best gift you can give an artist. And of course and artist is what I am, not what I do. I couldn’t live without creating art.

Do you have any words of advice for aspiring artists?

First of all while you are still a student talk to your teachers, explore different mediums and genres. I started out earning a BA in Drama, and while working found out I was much happier as an artist, so I went back to school for my MA in art. Also learn how to find and file the paperwork for grants both private and educational. Keep up with all of the professional websites and publications. They always announce “Call for entries” on their websites, getting your work out there even if you will not be able to sell your work is the best way for people to find out about you. Some ask exorbitant fees for submissions so start with student submissions which are free or low cost. Don’t start out trying to sell your work at art fairs, and conventions where table fees are very expensive. There’s nothing more disappointing than not even making enough to cover your table fee. Use those art shows to get feedback on what is popular, what sells and what audience to target. And as with any profession, network! But don’t expect people to add you to their websites, especially if they they are selling the same type of art as you are. No one wants to help the competition. Also, don’t waste your money on ebay. The buyers there are looking to find something for nothing, which is often the case at craft fares. Once you graduate get any job you can, you can’t buy supplies without money. I know most artists just don’t do well at 9-5 jobs, and most of us did very well getting fired from most of them, but you need something. If you can live at home and handle being around your parents, do it, even if they ask you for rent or to contribute. It’s hard to find decent roommates, and it’s very expensive.

Where can fans stay up to date on what you are working on? Where can they purchase your pieces?

I am on facebook and twitter, my facebook page is under The Art of Jan Lorraine Hoyle, on twitter I’m known as @ceramicat. You can purchase at my website http://www.paganart.net and wherever I am exhibiting my art. I have several things pending, but I will definitely have my work at the ApolloCon Art show in Houston June 22-24th. Right now I haven’t decided whether to invest in the Pagan Pride Los Angeles Fair or the Summer Solstice Fair in Long Beach. And I’m always looking into different cons around the country, while I will be volunteering at Wizard World Anaheim in April, and Nuke the Fridge Con in City of Industry, I’m not sure my work would do well there. So if anyone has any ideas on cons or shows, please let me know so I can check it out.

Thanks Jan!

Make sure you visit her SITE and check out her available pieces for purchase!

Hello everyone, I’m WhiteRabite and I’m here to round out our week of Speak Out with my geeky passion, knitting!  Yes, knitting!  I know, what’s my problem?  Knitting doesn’t have a great reputation, even in the wider geeky circles.  It’s become more trendy in the last five years, but the popular image of knitting is still seen as something ladies in classic literature do while waiting for the more interesting people to arrive, or as grandmas creating deeply hideous jumpers to give to their grandkids.  So what’s knitting’s attraction to me?

It’s all about creation!  The urge to create is a pretty deep one in humans.  We want to leave our mark on the world around us and the people around us (hopefully in a positive way), and there are few things more satisfying than taking a raw material and creating something new from it.  There are few things more satisfying than being able to say “I’m made this.”

Sure, socks and gloves may not seem that glamorous at first, but before humans ever asked themselves “What’s out there?  Why I am here?”  they were asking themselves “Why am I so cold?  How do I keep my toes warm?” THEN they asked themselves “Can I make a cuddly dalek?”

Yup

Is knitting a cheap and easy hobby?

Protip: Don't own yarn and cats

Well, what you get out of any hobby is equal to what you put into it.  Some people never go beyond using a size 7 needle and worsted yarn from Hobby Lobby to make scarves and that’s fine!  There’s no finish line to knitting and you’re allowed to dabble.  However, if you really want to push yourself, than no, knitting isn’t any cheaper or easier than any other hobby.  Want needles to go below size 5?  Want sport or DK-size yarn?  Want to know what those words even mean?  Then you’re going to need to start checking out local knitting stores, taking lessons and talking to other knitters.  I’ll be honest, knitting definitely has a learning curve.  Lace knitting laughs at your pain.  Enterlac will defy reason the first time you pick it up.  And one tangled skein can ruin an hour’s work

Shawls made for grandmas = 2x amazing

But the nice thing is that there’s always something to learn and something new to master and someone new to talk to you about mastering it.  All those things I just named?  Some other knitter picked them up in a second and is scrabbling at the keyboard, eager to tell me how to do them in an easier, more approachable manner (Hi Lauren!). Just like I love helping people figure out Fair Isle knitting.  If you’re willing to do the work, you can make something pretty amazing!

So knitting has a community?
Yup, just like any other geeky community, knitters love other knitters.  Stitch and bitches are common across the country and it’s not hard to find one at a local library, coffee shop or knitting shop.  Some groups create projects for charity, some are all about sharing techniques (and wine) and others are about such diverse projects as yarn-bombing or The Happiness Project.  If you’re looking for conversation and company, knitting is a great hobby to pick up.  Just a word of advice though, most stores sell tutoring lessons.  So if your project is truly fubar, or if you’re visiting during business hours and not open-knit hours… well, don’t be the guy at the party forcing the medical student to look at his rash.

From the book "Creepy Cute Crochet" by Christen Haden

What about crochet, you jerk?
Hey,don’t get me wrong!  I love crochet.  I’m just not that good at it yet and probably shouldn’t be making any broad statements about it.  That doesn’t mean I don’t realize the awesome geeky power of it!

How do I get started?
If you’ve never knitted, I recommend checking out your local knitting stores.  Most offer classes and give discounts on class supplies.  A few of my favorite websites are:
www.ravelry.com (A humongous community of knitters and crocheters  Need free patterns?  Need advice?  Need to brag on something you made?  Rav’s got it all)
http://knittinghelp.com (a website with a very friendly forum and a ton of video references for the inexperienced knitter)
knitty.com (lovely free patterns to inspire you)
craftzine.com (a creative blog, showcasing professional artists, tutorials and all sorts of ideas that anyone can do)

Hello fellow travelers!

This is a very special week for the SpaceGypsies. We recently discovered Operation Speak Out with your Geek Out and it was something that really spoke to us. We’re proud to be geeks and we’re proud to be fans. And we’re not afraid to show it!

Geeks have spent far too long being teased and stereotyped. But instead of combating negativity with harsh words, Operation Speak Out with your Geek Out proposes that we invite those that pick on us to “sit at our table and share our interests.”

“Let us combat being used as pawns for internet gaffes with the reasons why we’re awesome, why we love what we love, and why it’s good to be a geek.” -Operation Speak Out with your Geek Out

SpaceGypsies is proud to join Operation Speak Out with your Geek Out this week, September 12th- 16th by posting about the things we geek out for and why we’re proud to be geeks.

Do you want to join the revolution and geek out too? Post your geeky story in our comments section this week and let us know what you geek out for!

Never be afraid to let your geek flag fly!

SpaceGypsies

Steampunk Captain Marvel Wins Comic-Con Costume Contest

Atlanta welcomed the First Annual Wizard World Atlanta Comic Convention this December, and there were plenty of celebrities in the house, including Adam West and Burt Ward, Billie Dee Williams, Richard Roundtree, and Henry Winkler. But this article isn’t about the celebrities, it’s about the surprising upset at the Atlanta Comic Convention Costume Contest, where the Best in Show prize went to Doctor Q’s Steampunk Captain Marvel.

Popular Disk Jockey, Doctor Q (short for Dr. Doctor Quincy Erasmus Quartermain) is a mainstay in the Atlanta Steampunk community.  In the past year he has spun at Dragon*Con’s Time Traveler’s Ball and has managed music and performances at AnachroCon.  An expert on all things comic book, he has contributed to panels on Steampunk’s influence on comics and the concept of the superhero in light of Steampunk’s sensibility.

I had a chance to sit down with him recently and ask him about his Award Winning Costume

Q: What was the inspiration for your costume?

A: The costume is based on the DC comics character Captain Marvel.  The character’s roots go back to 1939 and in his hey day before it was acquired by DC outsold even Superman and was the most popular superhero in American culture.  The hero is Billy Batson, a kid who says a magic word – SHAZAM – and is turned into Cpt. Marvel, Earth’s Mightiest Mortal.  Shazam is not only the wizard who gave Billy his powers, but it is also serves as an acronym representing the characters’ powers.  To do a Steampunk interpretation of my favorite superhero, I reinterpreted the acronym as 6 different gadgets, rather than the gifts of magical beings, to be perfect for the steampunk genre.  It also helped that Cpt. Marvel isn’t a major icon these days, giving me some flexibility.

Q: Describe how you put it together/what are the elements?

A: It started as a sketch in my notebook.  Then I had the jacket made while I scavenged and searched for the underlying costume pieces.  I began work on the 6 gadgets, many of which were done with a lot of help, both in the creative pre-production process and in the actual nuts and bolts of the work.

Q: How long have you been involved in Steampunk?

A: While I have loved the genre for a very long time, since before I knew a word for it, I have really only been part of the active scene for a year.   Also, I had a bit of a unique vantage point as I draw from rockabilly, burlesque, cabaret, bellydance, and neo-victorian scenes when I came into steampunk.  I identify most with the term “retro-futurism” for the subculture, as it summarizes not only steampunk, but any way to look into the past with a firm hold in the here and now.

Q: Do you see Steampunk as a movement that will last?

A: Yes!  I am fairly certain that within the geek subculture I don’t see it going away any time soon. I think with its emphasis on creative individual interpretation, no actual source media as its root, and its ability to reinterpret and redefine most any cultural icon through the lens of steampunk, I think the movement is really just getting started. Read the rest of this entry »

Behind every fanboy or girl are their parents. This is just biological fact.  However, periodically, behind a great fanboy or girl is a fanparent. Sometimes the fanparent is themselves is a fan: decorating the nursery in Federation red, screaming “It’s a pap!” at a startled obstetrician and ensuring that 99% of the people on Junior’s trick-or-treat route will have to ask what a Jaffa is. Other times, the fanparents are not fans: suffering through hour after hour of Pokemon discourse, secretly researching if the “browncoats” are a cult and wondering at what point their offspring’s life has veered sharply off the beaten path and into some confusing and oft hilarious foreign planet.  Whether a fanparent is joyfully embracing fandom or carefully prodding it with a stick, they are willing to make the effort. They may or may not have been fans of the things we obsessed with, but they were always fans of us.

It is in the finest tradition of fanparents that “The Doctor Who Pattern Book” by Joy Gammon was created.  Published in 1984, this book encompasses 24 seasons of Doctor Who and 6 incarnations of the Doctor.  This was the BBC and the authoress’ gift to the parents of children that deeply deeply desired a stuffed Cybermat.  The patterns throughout the book range from the truly epic (such as the awesome TARDIS Sleeping Bag), to the rather unfortunate (such as the Neon Who-logo Jumper).

Good night? More like the best night!

The patterns in the book only range officially into the adult category with some sweaters, otherwise this book is clearly designed to help parents make gifts for the adorable moppet in their life who needs a Yeti. Like the original Doctor Who series, “The Doctor Who Pattern Book” is a home-grown effort.  Family and friends dutifully don knitted jumpers while the background scenery ranges from badly superimposed starscapes to a gray wall with paper plates glued to it (possibly taken from an actual Doctor Who set.)

In terms of desirableness to today’s Doctor Who fans, some of the projects in the book suffer from a late 1970’s aesthetic. In particular, the “Time Lords in Action” patterns; knitted costumes of Doctors 1-6, plus a Master to give all of them someone to harass.  The pattern also requires several late 70’s-early 80’s “Action Man” figures, (a squat British action figure with removable clothes, apparently) so I recommend putting the costumes on some X-men figures or GI Joes and let the kids experience their first fandom crossover.

Now you can finally combine Doctor Who and Intervention

Most of the patterns however, would still be very well received by retro Who fans, particularly the charming sewn K-9 shoulder bag (there is also a knitted K-9 pattern, for those who abhor sewing machines) and the seminal Fourth Doctor scarf, which is how Doctor Who tricks you into knitting for the next 15 years.  For more modern Who fans, there’s the aforementioned TARDIS sleeping bag (sure to be a conversation piece at you or your child’s next sleepover), a TARDIS organizer and a TARDIS floor cushion, for people who need infinite amounts of space to hold their tush.

The book is also great fun to read, both for its retro appeal and its charming asides (“The Master has always been bearded and the beard here was made by teasing out tiny pieces of dark yarn and gluing them on [an Action Man figure]. This can be very difficult to remove, so only do it if you want a permanently hirsute Action Man!”).  Joy Gammon walks us through each project with a wealth of background information and enthusiasm. Was Joy Gammon herself a fan of Doctor Who?  While Google couldn’t find much information on her, she was a British crafter of some renown, and created several character-based craft books, including Garfield, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a uniquely British phenomena called Postman Pat.  It is possible that the BBC sent her all the show information and as she planned patterns for Cybermats she could only wonder at what on earth this stupid-looking triops was supposed to be.  In this book, however, I look to the enthusiastic faces of the child models Walter, Jack and Emily, to whom Ms. Gammon dedicated the book.  Regardless of whether Ms. Gammon was the head of the Who fanclub or could barely tell a Axon from an Auton, these are the faces of kids who know they’ve got it good.

You, sir, are a good man. A good, good man.

It’s clear that almost every pattern in the book was designed to be delivered right into a child’s delighted hands. The Doctor Who pattern book is a book made for giving.  So to those who are interested, the book can be found on Ebay or Amazon.  Go ahead, buy it and whip up something for that special fan in your life, be they a sibling, best friend, child, significant other or yet another gift-package mailed to David Tennent. Just be sure to make a little something for your fanparent.  They gave you the gift of support, the least you can do is repay that with a sweater with Colin Baker’s face on it.