Villages are people, not places

an interview with… me!

I’ve been participating in blogging challenges for a while now, and I have noticed that many of the same people come back again and again. It’s really great because I’ve discovered that I am building relationships with other bloggers, even though I’ve never met them in person. So, when, on Sunday, I was challenged to get someone else to interview me, I chose to ask Martha and her three-year-old great granddaughter, Lia, to do the honors.

Lia’s question: Is your bear a boy or a girl?
Bear Lady: When I first painted the portrait of the bear, I wasn’t sure, but now, I really think that this bear is a boy. Maybe that’s because he is wearing a bow tie. And now that I am sure that the bear is a boy, I’m hoping that you will give the bear a name!!

Lia’s second question: Did you draw when you were a little girl?
Bear Lady:’ Yes, I did! In fact, when I was nine years old, I created a cartoon character called “Brim.” He was a little boy with a bowl-type hairdo. It was sort of like a brim of hair over his head.

Martha: How did you get interested in drawing and painting?
Alice: I’ve always been interested in drawing, but not as interested in painting. I felt much more confident using a pencil than a paintbrush. When I was a kid, I drew all of the time and, after Brim, I tried making up other characters for comic strips. But, when I was almost fifteen years old, That Thing happened. You know how kids are so creative and then suddenly announce that they have no talent? Probably because they felt that they weren’t meeting some sort of standard of realism that, up to that point, had no effect on them? Well, I suddenly decided that I was incapable of Art and I abruptly gave it up. But I continued to doodle because I couldn’t sit still and listen to lectures in school. My mother saw those doodles and she bugged me for years to take art lessons. I told her that I had NO TALENT, but that had no effect on her. So I signed up for a class.

When I started taking that class, which was a beginning art class, I said to myself, “Self, you have no talent. Your picture is going to be terrible. And you know it. So don’t even worry about that. Just have fun drawing and painting and let go of the picture.” Without knowing it, I came up with the concept of process art. I was so relaxed that I just had fun. And, once I was back to drawing and painting, I never let it go again.

Martha: How long have you been drawing?
Alice: I’m not sure. Probably since I was old enough to pick up a crayon.
Martha: What is your favorite form of painting, watercolor, oil, markers, etc?
Alice: Probably watercolor. It is the painting medium that I learned first. It can be difficult to control and it’s not as forgiving a medium as oil paints or acrylics. But, still, I love the results, and it just seems really bright and colorful. I love all painting mediums and I like to paint on all sorts of surfaces, including rocks and glass and wood. I do draw the line at eggs, however. I think that I would smash my canvas before I’m able to finish the painting. I can be… clumsy.
Martha: Does something special motivate you?
Alice: Every day is new, and, every day, I am motivated by something different. Today, I wanted to do something abstract, which is something that I kind of struggle with. Nevertheless, I had fun and decided that it was about the process. About having fun. And about playing with color. So, here you go. Modern art, Alice style.

Martha: When did you draw your first bear?
Alice: You know, I’m not entirely sure. I know that I did a series of bears in January 2013, when my mom was writing her novel. Before that point, I think that I was just photographing bears. I also wrote a story to go with the series of pear paintings, called the adventures of Bearnacle Bear, the sea going bear.
Martha: On behalf of Lia and me, thank you for answering our questions.
Alice: You’re very welcome. And than you for the interview. It was a pleasure chatting with both of you.