Posts Tagged ‘digital’

Heidi Richardson Evans is a digital and mixed media artist. Her artwork is often bold and includes things that are either natural or anatomical. Her art could be described as comic book-like and “very personal, literal, and transparent.” It is easily understood without being shallow. Heidi Richardson Evans enjoys making art that has a deep meaning to her but still can be understood and appreciated by all.

Early Life
Heidi Richardson Evans grew up in Charleston, West Virginia. She had a passion for art and loved drawing. Growing up, Heidi was always surrounded by much support and love. She attended West Virginia State University and studied under Paula Clendenin, Molly Erlandson, Sabina Haque, and Reidum Ovrebo. There, Heidi took many more hours of art than she needed for her degree because she could never get enough. She especially treasured the mentoring experience that this created with her teachers.

Inspiration/Admiration
There are many different things and people that inspire Heidi Richardson Evans. “Psychology, myth, anthropology, feminism, various religious expressions… my work is conceptual and draws on those ideas,” says Heidi when asked what inspires her to create the amazing works she does. The ideas of Carl Jung are a great interest to her; she loves the concepts of anatomy and scientific diagrams. Her art often includes the human anatomy in some way. Mainly, Heidi draws her inspiration from “places where the physical meets the mystical.”

Current/Future Work
Currently, Heidi Richardson Evans is working on many different things. She enjoys using Photoshop to create and edit her works. After learning how to manipulate or even create art on the computer, Heidi has decided to try something new this spring and work on meta-art. Meta-art, meaning art that refers to the process of art-making or is self-referential, deals with adding a 3-D dimension to drawings and words. She also likes to work on small sketches everyday, as an exercise. In the future she hopes to publish a book, possibly an autobiography, of words and images that interact with the viewer. “The best example of what I’m talking about visually is the author Nick Bantok. He creates these amazing fantasy books that interact with the viewer- you can open an envelope and read a letter by a character in the novel.” She will be showing again in June at the Buswater show on the East End of Charleston.

Chad Miller, born on January 31, 1969, in Huntington, West Virginia, is one of Charleston’s local artists. Miller is skilled in making photography as an art. He also uses mediums such as acrylic paints on canvas. Miller has always been in love with photography and continues to display digital artwork.

Early Life
Miller’s earliest artistic experience came about in his early childhood. He would keep himself continuously busy by drawing, sketching, and painting at a very early age. Miller’s mother saw this and provided him with the tools and time to express his artistic side, with tools like, crayons, magic markers, pen & ink, chalk, watercolors, and paint-by-numbers). Miller received artistic training formally through his primary education while attending elementary, junior high, and high school. Miller also took a basic art instruction class during college. Along with education, Miller informally received artistic training through television broadcasts, reference books, and pop culture. During this time of his life, he was given special art projects by his teachers and instructors who took an interest in his ability.

While in Milton High School, Miller’s art instructor set him and a few other students aside from the rest of the class to work with whatever medium they felt like. This is where he fell in love with photography. Miller fell in love with its immediacy and potency in its nature. From there, he received training in the “dark room” photo development process, which is now a thing of the past.

Inspirations/Admirations
Miller’s family encouraged him artistically throughout his childhood and adolescent years into his early adulthood. Mostly, he is inspired by dramatic emotion, which includes extreme images and depictions. Miller says he is “inspired by people I’ve encountered, places I’ve been and experiences I’ve witnessed.” He also says he is inspired by every day things that we as humans take for granted, and make them all less ordinary to make a sense of mystery and awe around the subject matter. “I want the beholder to stop and consider the impossible, to make it possible, to see things from a new perspective.”

Current/Future Work 
Currently, Miller and his partner, Gary Stewart make up Inyourspace Studios.  Together, they are working on multiple projects, together, and individually.  Miller is  including preparation for the CAMC Foundation Gala Art Auction, where he will be displaying Blue Iris- a digital photo.  Also, Inyourspace Studios is preparing for FestivALL 2009, and continuing Art Walk participation and promotions.  They are also preparing for a major live, multi-media art performance with the WV Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences.

Miller’s personal artistic goals for the future are to enjoy a position of notoriety in the art world, and have his artwork appreciated. Also, to enjoy a livelihood as a successful, artist and photographer that is worthwhile. His wish for those who view his work is “to be moved to action or emotion in a positive direction, to affect positive change in their environment.”