Alyssa Frazer
Artist Statement
I value realism and color. In my lifetime i have found that I express myself through color, from my hair, my tattoos and into my art. Taking a color theory class my freshman year of college completely redirected my thought process and inspirations with my life in art, for me art is the meaning of life. It is a true way of expressing myself through something that I love all while creating something that can bring others joy. There is a sense of satisfaction to engage in the artistic process from an idea conception to completion. Hard work, research, and Lots of experimentation are necessary to create something I am proud of.
When I am working in abstract, bold colors and textural surfaces are explored, I feel as if every new painting i experiment with something new. I like to go in with a clear concept, but not a detailed plan. I tend to sketch less and get aggressive with color seeing where the painting takes me. I put all of my focus on color, Even while throwing paint onto the canvas I'm still focused on why, how much of and what shade of which color needs to be in each part of the painting as I watch it come to life. I enjoy testing out new materials and techniques with each new painting letting each painting inspire the next. I can have a random thought, develop an idea that turns into a sketch, and then create a painting that all came from a moment of inspiration.
I also greatly enjoy drawing in realism, which I tend to do in black and white. I find myself studying the beauty of the female form, exploring the softness of charcoal to express the more sensual side of womens bodies. I am constantly pushing myself to learn more of every art form, getting inspired by other artists daily on social media and in exhibits. While in college I gained degrees in fine art, sculpting, drawing/painting and graphic design, which I believe has helped me find a diverse space in the art community.
Clay Prins
My name is Clay and I am a painter. I work with paint because it seems, to me, to be the most similar to the way my inner mind creates and experiments with thoughts. I bring experiences and ideas and images together in a loose-enough manner that wholly original and surprising and fun results are able to sprout through the cracks of my intentions. I believe there is far more for me to share of my inner world than what I could deliberately choose. This is where experimentation becomes the key. My art feels the most authentic and “successful” when I feel out of my element: trying something new and figuring it out along the way. My tools are improvisation and energy.
My goal is to share the beauty I find in my life by creating beautiful objects (paintings) for other people to enjoy. In other words, I want to be your beautiful mirror. My art is an expression of my love for the world, all living things, and especially the people living it. I paint pictures of flowers, birds, landscapes, and people. I am not only inspired by the natural world around me, but also by my internal visionary world of pure colors, shapes, and light. A lot of my paintings are purely abstract, with an emphasis on geometry, composition, and the exploration of unique and dazzling color relationships/effects. Working in purely non-representational forms allows me to create images that feel closer to my heart: closer to my true visual language.
My paintings are a celebration of beauty and of the things that delight me. I am most delighted by flowers, people, trees, leaves, the ever-changing light and color of the sky, clouds, and animals. I tend towards color that is brighter than reality and techniques that emphasize the beauty of my subject and the beauty of my materials. I work primarily in acrylic paint, oil paint, graphite, pastels, and mirrors. I also experiment with expressing my vision through my trade of cutting glass and mirror.