IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Catzilla Productions

We continue our “In the Spotlight” series with Boston-based filmmaker, Dennis Stevens, of Catzilla Productions, who was kind enough to sit down with us to discuss his latest project, a new web series called, “Last Day in Paradise.”

TSI: How did you first get into film and what first propelled you toward that decision?

DS: As a kid, I loved science fiction and horror films. When I was old enough, I was curious how they made those spaceships fly and how they turned Lon Chaney into a Wolfman. I used to read all the ‘fanzines’, as we called them, like Starlog and Fangoria. These magazines were started by fans, but they really looked at those genres from many perspectives. They would have interviews with special effects people, but also with writers, directors and actors. Those got me less interested in the mechanics of special effects, and more into plot, character development and other elements of storytelling. I started to see film as a way of telling a story, and storytelling as ways of exploring the world. In my early teens my Mom got me an 8mm camera, and my friends and I made some little sci-fi and horror films. How good were these films? Well, they looked like they were made by 12 year old boys in suburban Michigan in 1979, which they were.

By the time I was in college, my interests had shifted, and I wasn’t actually making films any more. I watched a lot of movies, read film theory and criticism, etc. I majored in Religion, and minored in Anthropology, concentrating on Eastern Traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. I traveled a bit as well. I sort of felt I should see the real world before creating imaginary worlds. But I always wanted to work in the film world. Then about 5 years ago, I read about how digital video was changing filmmaking. Just for fun I bought a $300 video camera. I wrote a script, and just got some friends to act in it and help out. It was a bit like being 12 years old again.

I’ve always been imaginative, but I was never good at drawing, or writing or anything that let me express myself.  When I started editing the first scene, I saw the little bits of computer files coming together and telling my story. The little vision in my head was real, and I could show other people. It was a like a revelation. It was like someone who picks up the guitar the first time, and they suddenly realize this is their instrument. Film is my instrument, my paint brush.

TSI: Were you afraid, trying something so different? How did/do you combat that fear?

DS: Well, the fear I think comes from the fear of failure. If you never try, then you never fail. You also never succeed. A great inoculation against the fear of failure is to go ahead and fail. So you tried something and it didn’t work. So what? Try again. You’ll do better.

I knew I needed to make films because I enjoy the process of making films. If you just like the idea of being a filmmaker, it will be difficult to succeed because it’s a lot of work. It’s like if you just want to call yourself a writer, it’ll be hard to have the discipline to actually sit and write for hours at a time. I like the casting, planning scenes, being on set, doing the post production, etc.

The other issue to mention is looking at film as a career. I’ve changed careers before, and I know it’s a process of years, not something you just do. There is no road map either, so you may try things and have them not work. Film/TV also has it’s own culture, like software programming, or sales, or finance. You have to be sort of an anthropologist yourself, and figure out the rules, written and unwritten, that govern this strange world you’ve entered.

TSI: Who have been some of your real sources of knowledge, inspiration, etc.?

DS: I’m a fan of films of the 70s, particularly American films. This is the era of Scorsese, William Friedkin, Coppolla, and films like The French Connection, Harold and Maude, Midnight Cowboy. Films that challenged and questioned.  There are a lot of foreign directors I look to like Luis Bunuel and Pedro Almodovar.

TSI: Are there certain themes that repeat in your work?  If so, why do you
think that is?

DS: A theme I find in my own work is how people make decisions, and those decisions lead in a different direction from where they wanted to go. This is probably from my own experience. I recently reconnected with a friend from high school, who I haven’t heard from in 20 years. He went to film school after graduating from high school. I originally planned to get a PhD and be an academic. Guess what? He has a PhD and teaches English literature. I’m the one who actually makes films.

TSI: What has been a highlight of your time working in film so far?

DS: That’s hard to say, because even when it’s a pain in the ass, which it often is, I still love it. I can only say it is the people I’ve met. I keep meeting people with energy and talent. Just being around them inspires me.

Scott Winters in "Charlie's Game"

TSI: What is a filmmaking lesson you’ve learned that you wish you hadn’t had to?

DS: HA! You mean, ‘what’s the dumbest, most obvious mistake you’ve ever made?’ They are all obvious in hindsight.

Actually, I can think of one film in particular. I shot about 80% of the film, and I knew the scenes weren’t working. I kept thinking I’ll be able to edit something together, we’re just having some bad days, etc. I eventually re-cast practically everyone and got a new crew. The ‘new’ film came out really well. But I would have saved myself a lot of time, money and angst if I had just shut down after the first day and re-evaluated.

TSI: What is some of the best advice you’ve gotten regarding filmmaking?

DS: The best advice is something I’ve heard several times. Only do it if you love the process of making films. If it just sounds cool, you may be in for a rude awakening when you stand around for 5 hours. Or work yourself to the bone for 7 hours straight.

You have to be a bit of a risk taker. Nothing is ever perfect. In ‘Making Movies’, Sidney Lumet said he’s released at least one film a year for 50 years because you only learn to direct by directing. You can plan all you want, but you only really learn by getting out there, and dealing with problems as they arise. Each film takes on a life of its own. A film is the alchemy of all the elements – light, sound, acting, writing. The film starts to tell you what it is and where it wants to go. You just have to listen.

Being creative means you expose yourself to the criticism of others. It’s the toughest part, because art is always personal. It’s quite a trick, because you have to be in touch with your feelings but protect yourself emotionally. I always remind myself they are reacting to the film, not me. Again, the only way to progress is to go ahead and risk failure. If you don’t want to hear other people’s reactions, make the films with sock puppets and don’t show them to anyone.

TSI: What are you working on now?

DS: My big project is a web series called ‘Last Day In Paradise.’  It’s about a guy who inherits a cult. Basically, the main character inherits some property from his estranged father. He discovers his father was running a cult on the property – and the cultists want him to be their new guru. You might guess that my academic background studying Eastern Religions is a big part of this.

The other inspiration is a fun exercise I sometimes do. I ask someone, ‘Do you believe in God?’. ‘Yes,’ they usually say. ‘OK, please tell me who or what God is?’ I usually get stunned silence, or a stammering, hesitant reply. It’s interesting that they immediately said they believed in God, and had never, ever considered what that meant.

The web series is my attempt to look at that. The whole premise is about someone who is not religious having to deal with people are intensely religious.  I’m always interested in stories where people’s assumptions get challenged, and in this situation, all the characters are forced to question beliefs they passionately hold.

I’m really excited about the cast of “Last Day In Paradise,” and I’d like to talk about them.

Ciaran Crawford plays the male lead, and is a native of Donegal, Ireland. Besides his theater credits, he was on an episode of ‘The Sopranos’.  Ciaran brings his easygoing accessibility and likeability to the role. That’s really critical to this role, as the character represents the ‘regular person’ as he encounters the cult.

Casey McDougal has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, and has a lot of commercial and indie film experience, as well as a lot of theater. She plays a young cult member named Aimee. The key to this character is she has a very long arc, and during the series will go to a very different place from where she starts. Casey showed a lot of range and versatility in the audition which we did over a Skype connection.

Ruth Sullivan plays Samantha Harrison, the lawyer who represents the cult and contacts Scott. I saw Ruth in some wonderful indie films that were shot in Rhode Island, so when she answered the casting call, she was one of the first people I auditioned. She has this great range and a real presence on the screen.

Ramona S Taj plays Mary, a cult member who is afraid of  change. Actually, Ramona is different in age and appearance from the way I wrote Mary. But I read opposite her during her audition, and she really understood the character and was really excited about the project. It’s the kind of intuitive understanding of a character that you really look for.

Colin Allen plays Mark, a shy, bookish young man who is also a cult member. Colin also shined in the audition, and his reel showed a great range. Range, by the way, is really key here, because all the characters will go through some dramatic changes over the series.

I’m very actor-centric in my directing. If you don’t have a human presence on the screen for the audience to relate to, you’ve got nothing. This piece in particular is completely dependent on strong acting. If you don’t find these characters interesting, the show is going nowhere.  So I’m over the moon to have this cast, because they are clearly the right people.

TSI: Any other things on the burners?

DS: I’ve always got a bunch of things going on. I just finished Kalliope’s Karavan, which is a documentary about a group of sideshow and vaudeville performers in Boston. Besides live performances, I have interviews with burlesque dancers, mentalists and a female escape artist.

I have a couple things that are just germs of an idea. I have a sci-fi idea where we discover life on one of the icy moons of Jupiter. Apparently some of these moons might actually have life in oceans under a layer of ice. I read that and wondered how we would communicate with them. If they are under the ice, can they even see the sky? How would we tell them we’re actually from another planet?

I also have what I call a historical bromance. Tecumseh was a famous Shawnee Native American leader who led Indian resistance around the War of 1812. He briefly allied with a British officer, General Isaac Brock. In reality, they only knew each for a few days, but they captured large chunks of American territory while working together. It seems like these two men, from utterly different backgrounds, forged deep bonds of affection. They both had personal circumstances that sort of drew them together. That’s all I’ve got right now. To be historically accurate America would be the bad guys, and the two main characters get killed. So that might be a tough sell!

–

Dennis Stevens was born and raised in Michigan, and came to Boston in 1990 to attend Harvard Divinity School. He has been a filmmaker since 2005 and has had several films in local Boston film festivals.

For more information on Catzilla Productions and its various projects, please visit www.catzillaproductions.com.

For all press inquiries, please contact nicoleg@treadsoftlyink.com.

If you are a fine artist or filmmaker and would like to be considered for a print interview with Tread Softly Ink, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Gabriel Bishop

After an early summer break, Tread Softly Ink is back, and continues its “In the Spotlight” interview series with international artist Gabriel Bishop.

Gabriel Bishop

TSI: Where did you grow up?

GB: I guess I grew up all over the place.  My mom and I recently sat in Karlsplatz, Vienna and counted all of the places we lived before I graduated from high school.  There were a lot.  And that hasn’t changed – since high school I hardly hold still in one place for very long.

One place definitely stands out most, though, from my childhood memories.  It’s this little town called New Glarus in southern Wisconsin. Before we moved there, I would spend a couple of months every summer with my cousin swimming at the pool they had there. That’s also the town where I graduated from high school, so as far as the notion of home goes, that is the closest thing I have to a childhood home.

TSI: I once heard you telling a story about how you used to sketch on the collection envelopes at church as a kid.  Is that true?

GB: Oh my, yes, all manner of things, mostly dragons, though. I have always loved dragons. I have what some might call an overactive imagination. I was always making up stories and drawing things from my imagination.

"Guardian of Dreams"

I had some great compatriots growing up. We still call our group the “Sandbox League,” as we spent a ton of time in the sandbox. Come to think of it, my sandboxes were very rarely “boxes,” they were more often entire hills of sand, with such vast and shifting environs that we sometimes found it necessary to mix Elmers glue with our sand to make the castles stronger. You ever see kids pour water into a sand moat only to have it immediately disappear? Well, we never had that problem. We lined our moats with plastic for maximum water retention.

TSI: So, I guess it’s safe to say that art was your thing from a really early age?

GB: Yes, mostly just making stuff though. Whether “art” or robust castles in the sandbox or tree forts or good ol’ fashioned make-believe.  I think I have always looked at the world in an artistic manner.

When I was in “Chicken Little School” (this is what my grandpa called my preschool), my dad explained to me that the branches of a tree extend up and not down and that got me drawing this one tree over and over again.  It was my tree.  That image really stands out in my mind.

TSI: Did your spirituality or religion ever play a part in your desire or ability to create in those early years, or were you simply more inspired by the tangible world around you?

GB: Well, I would say I was happiest when my drawings made other people happy. So, yeah, even though I never would have attributed a spiritual impetus to my artwork, there it is, glaringly obvious now that you ask the question. My spirituality has always been so intuitive that I really haven’t given it too much thought. That is not to say I do not put energy into my spiritual life. I have developed a few theories on how things work; I try not to construct beliefs. I think beliefs can be too hard to change; instead I like to create “theories.” These “theories” certainly play into how I create.

TSI: As an adult you call yourself an intermedia artist.  Can you explain that categorization?

GB: Intermedia art is the art that fits between mediums. There was a Fluxus artist, Dick Higgins, who used it to explain the blurring of genres common in the 60’s. Some things that were once intermedia art have since become recognized genres in and of themselves (e.g. concrete poetry or dance theatre).

Higgins imagined other areas that had yet to be discovered and that the computer would serve to bridge the gap. Well, I am doing just that, exploring new areas between and within established mediums, often with the aid of my computer.

There are other parallel movements in the same vein. So Higgins was not the only one in this movement, I just like his explanation. It seems to fit what I do.

TSI: What draws you to video painting as an art form?

GB: I love the idea of a painting that moves. You see it in fantasy and sci-fi, whether by magic or technology, and there are some paintings that trick the eye into seeing movement when you look at them, but I want to see REAL paintings that ACTUALLY move.

I think subtlety is key, otherwise you just have some Sony flat-screen video which is not a painting at all… just a video taking the place of a painting. Of course, these are all just theories.   I should know more after my next project.

TSI: I know and work with lots of artists who claim that their very best work is born out of hours upon hours locked inside their studios with nothing surrounding them but their tools and their thoughts.  You seem to place more of an emphasis on collaborative art.  Can you talk about that a little bit?

GB: I have always thought that when two people get together what they come away with is always something more than the sum of their contributions.  But it can be difficult, sure.  I recognize that.  Locking yourself away eliminates distractions, but art should be a creative endeavor, right?  Many of history’s best creations have been accidents, interruptions, aberrations and collaborations. The POST-IT!  I have a post-it widget on my computer.

You lock three artists in three separate rooms and in the end you will get three separate bodies of work, informed by each artist individually, maybe a painting, a sculpture, and a video.  You might get some really good stuff, but all I can think of is this: what if you put those three artists in the SAME room. This was what my undergraduate program was like. My peers were musicians, dancers, actors, painters, sculptors, computer geeks, and so on.

Anyway, what do you get when you open that door? Maybe some dead artists, now that I think about it.  I don’t know!  But the idea of it all is so enticing I that I can’t resist it.

TSI: Can you identify, then, with the artist who feels that their art is a solitary journey?

GB: Sure, you need to define who you are before you can collaborate. And if they don’t want to collaborate… hmmm, well maybe their way is productive on many levels, but I would still urge them to try collaboration.

TSI: I know you have a couple of projects in the works right now and I’d like to discuss two of them.  First off, tell me about “Why We Smile.”  How did you come up with the idea?

GB: Well, I met this dentist. She mentioned outreach in Africa.  I contacted the CEO at this non-profit called, “A Hand In Health” to get more information on their upcoming outreach opportunities.  I found out there was room for a dentist and a new-media artist. So I asked my dentist friend if she still wanted to go. She said, “Yes.”

Instantly, this project was in my head. I thought about the child that couldn’t smile because it hurt too much. I thought, what if you could take away that pain? What would that smile look like?

Then I thought, Oh man, I can record that. I can show people that. And I could just imagine, once I showed them that, how moving that would be.

If I could “arrange” this record I could inspire more people to help than I could ever hope to help by myself. This is the idea behind “Why We Smile.”

TSI: I have heard you speak before about the importance of community and how you believe support from the community can help an idea give back ten-fold.  Does that come into play with “Why We Smile?”

GB: Absolutely. What if one day someone helps you, when you really need it, because they saw this project?  This project proves this can happen simply because it exists, simply because people are willing to support grassroots art-making. I chose to seek funding from the community for exactly this reason, to prove that people care. From what I am witnessing, people care a lot!

We are starting a chain reaction of support. Help-yielding-creation that inspires more people to reach out, and help, or create, and so it goes.

This project will generate momentum, providing a model for others to follow, and this is essential if we are to push beyond the many problems and troubles in this world.

Funding for “Why We Smile” comes primarily from my community through this great website called kickstarter.com. They have a really unique method of fundraising. You should definitely check it out.

TSI: What is your goal with the project?  Where do you see it going and how does it get there?

GB: Kind of like a stone thrown into a pond, if I can borrow that cliché. The ripples extend out and affect everything well after the initial splash. I hope everyone throws a rock! There are some folks who have already thrown theirs, some pretty big ones at that! If everyone “throws in,” this project becomes much bigger. Instead of ripples we can make waves. The more I can spend on production the more sensational this work will be, the more people will come to see it.  The more people that see it, the more people will be inspired to help others… you get the idea.

TSI: If people who are reading this want to become involved, want to donate to the project, where can they go to get more information?

GB: As I mentioned, “Why We Smile” is up on kickstarter.com and just finished as a successful project. That means it is funded and then some. 110% of the money needed was raised. The backing period is over, so you won’t be able to donate via Kickstarter. However, I will still be accepting contributions, inspirations and critiques throughout the production process. If anyone wishes to contribute in ANY way please contact me directly, or through my website, or via the project page on Facebook.

I sincerely hope people do support this endeavor. This is what it is all about, after all.

TSI: What is the most effective way for people to help support “Why We Smile” right now?

GB: Continued funding means more freedom for me in the production studio. Other support such as feedback and critique and comment really help as well. Really this is a community-based project. Everyone can be involved.

TSI: In the midst of all of this, you also illustrated the new book by Eliza Locke, which is set to hit stores in early September.  Congratulations!  What first drew you to the project?

GB: Thanks!  I am super stoked about it.  I bought her book “Kissing in Iceland” and when I read the poems I instantly wanted to draw alongside them.  When we spoke, I told Eliza, “I want to draw with your words.” She responded, “I have a story.” And she did.

TSI: What was the experience like?

GB: Perfect. A great example of what comes from collaboration. She hit me with a story.  I painted some pictures.  She said, “The pictures are really great, but I’m not happy with certain elements.  I need to ‘fix’ the story.”  It’s funny because I thought there could be no better story. I loved what she had written, but I was wrong. Whatever she did inspired me to more drawings and the project simply exceeded all my expectations. I look forward to future projects with Ms. Eliza.  It was a really fantastic process.

TSI:  Can you tell us a bit about the story or is that off limits?

GB: Not sure if anything is “off limits,” but I want to keep some mystery. I will tell you this, though, it is a story you are going to want to read to your kids and that your kids are going to want to read after you have read it to them. Why? Because it will make you feel all warm and good inside. As for my part, I will let my paintings do any further “talking.”

TSI: I know that you are leaving pretty soon for Africa.  How do you hope that this experience will change you, both personally and professionally?

GB: I am open to any possibility, really.  I always seek to grow and to learn, wherever I go. While Africa represents a number of “firsts” for me, I think that it doesn’t matter so much WHERE we go, but more that we DO go.

TSI: We always ask our guests this next question because we think it’s a really important one:  What advice would you give to someone who is considering a career as an artist like yourself?

GB: DO. Though I think that right now it’s a difficult time for artists. I think now more than ever the world needs artists. People tend to give artists a hard time, like our jobs are not important, or that we would be better off doing something “useful.” It really throws me. I have been living in Europe for a while now and what are their biggest treasures? What do people value the most? ART! It was important then and is still important hundreds and even thousands of years later. Why would it not be just as important to create in today’s society? The problem is the value of art is hard to quantify. We use the term “priceless” even, but you can’t put that down and expect your account to balance or the IRS to accept it as a line entry on your taxes. And so art seems to be expendable when accessing budgets. When I was in school at the University of Madison we saw this trend coming, yet all of us were willing to fight for the art we believed in.

It took me a while to decide that art was to be my career.  I “took some time off” just to live and adventure. Now I am realizing that as an artist I can begin to share my adventure with others and as I said when I was little, I was always happiest when I was sharing. The same holds true today.

TSI: What’s the big, one-day-when-I-grow-up dream?

GB: When I grow up? That would mean I have to grow up… Not sure, really.  I plan on growing older, but I have no plans to grow up.

As for dreams, I hope one day that I can show others how to really SEE the world for the amazing and beautiful place that I know it is. Sometimes things get in the way and distract us. But when we truly SEE, not just with our eyes, but also with our hearts and souls… Yes, well, together we shall see.

For more information about Gabriel and his work, please visit his website at www.gabrielbishop.org.

You can also follow Gabriel on Twitter at gabriel_bishop or on Facebook.

For all press inquiries, please contact nicoleg@treadsoftlyink.com.

If you are a fine artist or filmmaker and would like to be considered for a print interview with Tread Softly Ink, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Kim Fay

Tread Softly Ink is so pleased to feature one of its own, internationally-renowned fine artist and muralist, Kim Fay, as part of this week’s Online Interview Series.

Kim Fay

At an early age, Kim developed a penchant for painting on the walls of her house, which caused reluctant amusement from her mother, and this soon developed into a precocious obsession with various mediums at hand.  Today, at her studio in Palm Beach, Florida, Kim continues to use painting, drawing, murals, and mixed media to create stunning images meant to reflect the beauty of nature, and the dark and light places of life.  Her work has been commissioned for a variety of spaces in recent years, including Delta Airlines, the Fairfax Women and Children’s Hospital, the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei, and the Regency Lounge at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong.  Her paintings and murals are presently in private collections and homes across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.  We sat down with Kim to discuss her career, her sources of inspiration, and her upcoming projects.

TSI: How did art first inspire you as a child or young adult?

K: It was the need for an outlet for expression.  I wanted to create a language for conveying all of the wonder of light and sound.  I don’t think I knew anything about the idea of art; I just knew that I needed a release of what was going on inside of me with everything new and profound.

I remember listening to my father’s Beethoven records, and being extremely moved, and that catapulted me into this realm of lines and color and syncopation.  My mother is very artistic and that initial understanding that you can draw or sing as another form of communication set the foundation for future things.  I started doing commissions rather early as a young adult, for cartoon strips, painting on found objects etc., so I learned about the relationship of making art and getting paid to do so.

TSI: What inspires you today?

K: Today I find inspiration in anything that affects me in some way.  It could be a feeling like love or despair, or it could be morning coffee, or the light coming through the leaves of a tree. From the seemingly most trivial of things to the deepest emotions.  Inspiration always seems to come my way.

TSI: Are the themes in your work the same that they were when you first started painting?  How are they the same or different?  What has changed?

K: I was thinking a short time ago of the first formal art lesson I had at age 8.  The teacher said to do a Picasso-like painting with the things you liked most in it.  I put into this painting a guitar, pizza, some blue things (she laughs), and whatever else that escapes me now.  But I have been thinking it would be fun to do that again at this point in my life, all of these years later.  I still remember the composition.

The themes have become much more extended as have my aforementioned life experiences. I think of Hokosai and his ruminations; that for many years we are basically drawing the structure of things and then, because of all of our experiences and practice, we can finally draw a line or a dot with meaning.

TSI: What mediums do you work in and how did you come to find your comfort and creativity there?

K: I work mostly in oils, but also with mixed media, found objects, materials, etc. Oils primarily for the color, but many things can be utilized to capture color and texture and so forth. Quite a few mediums make me comfortable and creative.

TSI: Tell us about your professional training.

K: I earned my BFA from Florida Atlantic, though, honestly, I found out quickly that academics and what I wanted to achieve didn’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. My painting professor, in fact, made it known to all of us!

The majority of my training has been practical. I started early, as I mentioned, doing illustrations and paintings, murals, all kinds of things to pay the bills.  I traveled quite a bit, lived in London, and approached galleries all over Europe.  I was able to conduct research for work at places like the Royal Academy, and the library at the Tate, which a friend who worked there would let me use. I did a lot of pleine aire painting. The gallery people gave me a lot of criticisms, as well as a lot of positive feedback. Yes, it was quite an informal education.

When I went back and forth to Hong Kong and Taipei that also was educational, foremost in Taipei, where many people did not even own TVs or have access to the Internet, so they weren’t as buffered visually as Americans. It was exciting to see people who still get very moved by a mural, for example, because they have the ability to look, and to absorb, and to be entertained by such imagery for extended periods of time. I think most of the world has become so used to such quick imagery that it becomes harder to find this quality in people.

I think another important aspect that has come from my continued informal training is, and was, that whether it is as an artist making art or marketing art, there is a Darwinian aspect to be aware of: the notion of “to eat or to be eaten.” It is continually survival of the fittest.

TSI: How does life experience lend itself to art?  Does it make for “better” work?

K: The artist is the mirror reflecting what goes on in every way, so the artist’s life experience is an imperative fuel for the creative process.  It can be internal – the subconscious thoughts and feelings we think of that spring up inside without anything to do with the way the day looks or the people one meets, etc.  It can also be external – the light bouncing off a loved one’s eyes, the rhythm and color of the waves of the ocean, etc.

I wouldn’t say the results are necessarily better, but perhaps they are more…truthful in some way.

TSI: How does your particular process work?

K: Sometimes it’s spontaneous and brief, sometimes it involves hours of preliminary sketches and a type of construction from the ground up with the sketches being the blueprints.  It varies.  For me, both approaches of execution have generally the same success rate, which, I have also come to believe, is usually determined by the universe.

Samuele, Oil on Canvas, 2009, 6' x 6'

TSI: Can you talk a bit about the unique challenges for you, living life as a full-time artist?

K: Well, there’s the continuous challenge to survive, to have the presence of mind to create new images while foraging for related work to support the studio, and the required freedom to live this life. That’s a constant block that you chip away at. I don’t know if many realize that the number one challenge as an artist isn’t talent or being brilliant, but maintaining the tenacity to keep your art going.  So, when you see a painting or another form of art, you aren’t simply viewing that image.  You are experiencing all of the artist’s challenges and sacrifices to get them to where they were able to create the piece.  This is what most likely gives any image its true gravity and meaning.

TSI: Describe a “bad day” at the studio.

K: A bad day in the studio is the kind of day where the noise and distractions of the outside world override the positivity of creation before me to reap and the day is wasted. That is the worst.  When fear comes into creating, it stops.  As children, we didn’t think such things; we knew creation to be a simple action, free from over-thinking, and if we were scared, we promptly expressed it! It is good to be reminding myself of these things.

TSI: Can you talk about the fear that the artist has to combat in staring at the empty canvas?  What can it be compared to?

K: The empty canvas, or as I have called it on occasion, the “White Hole of Fear,” encompasses everything you know and do not know as an artist all at once.  It is best to have a strategy, so that it doesn’t swallow you up into that vacancy of redundancy and stagnation. At times the miracle of spontaneity gives you a gift and you overtake the the unknown and make it yours.

The first stroke of color is like throwing down the creative gauntlet and it is on!

TSI: What keeps you committed to your art, even when times get tough?

K: Inspiration, and the inherent, primal, need to create. I have no idea why some             of us are wired this way, but I definitely was.

TSI: How do you think your work differs from that of other artists, musicians, writers, etc.?

K: The only way it differs is the medium.  Otherwise, all involve composition, form, and fire.

TSI: If you were not a visual artist, what do you think you’d be doing every day?

K: I like to build and I like to plant and see what comes up. I would be doing             something relative to these things.

TSI: What defines an “artist” for you?  Is that someone who paints every day or more the mindset behind the creating?

K: The mindset is probably the most important part of creation.  You can accrue a thought, or an image, or even inspiration for years, days, hours, and spend very little time on the actual execution of the piece.  The visual has a tendency to “sprout” after dormancy or spontaneously.  Many do artistic things brilliantly without a disciplined schedule of painting or drawing every day, however, I also think that being a so-called artist does imply and entail continuity of the exercise of drawing, or painting, or whatever your medium is, to keep that inner muscle of knowing your materials, i.e. your visual vocabulary, finely tuned.  So, I think that a true artist will use their medium daily and will also keep the creative mindset as focused as possible. Some days it inevitably seems as if nothing is accomplished, but it is; you just might not see it at that time. Whenever this feeling of vacancy occurs, I have found that it is, ironically, the most important deposit into the artistic bank.

TSI: What advice would you give to a new artist, fresh out of school?

K: Learn how to see in your own way.  This is something that cannot be taught.  Recognize the truth in your work.  If you want to be an artist, that may be the only thing that can truly feed your hunger at times.

TSI: Which finished piece from your portfolio is the one that makes you feel most proud or satisfied and why?

K: “Chairs In Love.”  I find it to be a simple, expressive, and solid composition.

Chairs In Love, Oil on Canvas, 1991, 3' x 3', SOLD

TSI: What are you working on now?

K: Two paintings for the “Freedom From Bondage” exhibition coming up this summer.  I’m working on a series of stage set studies for a dance company in California based on the concepts of birth, growth, and rebirth. I’m also working on studies for the series “The Sound of Color.”

TSI: What was the inspiration behind “The Sound of Color?”

K: Elevation of the spirit.  The journey it takes to rise. The way you can hear a painting at times, the melody, aria, beat.  All these things are going through my head at the moment.

TSI:  It sounds like music is a real source of inspiration for you as well, going back, as you mentioned, to your childhood.

K: Music is absolutely inherent to my creative process.  Sometimes, when I have no preconceived idea as to what I will paint, I let the music drive me, and it does.  It literally pushes the brush or pencil, and I let it.  The results can be quite wonderful.  The concept of ‘The Sound of Color” is an extension of this, with both premeditated and spontaneous compositions, to extend what I hear as an artist to the sounds I can create visually, so that others can hear the painting through color, composition, and form.

TSI: What are some of your long-term goals?

K: Love and happiness are my primary long-term goals.

As an artist, as I mentioned earlier, I am working on a grant proposal that explores “The Sound of Color.”  In my work, I have always felt a strong affinity to music, as I think  you can hear a good painting as clearly as you can visualize a good piece of music.  I look forward to exploring this concept for a long time.

Other goals include major installations creating environments that contribute to healing in places like hospitals and medical centers.  To use the power of art in this way is a beautiful process and something I long to be a part of more often moving forward.

TSI: Let’s hear about a favorite time you worked in open air.

K: There have been many adventures doing pleine aire painting.  One that comes to mind readily was an afternoon in Kensington Gardens in London.  Everything was in bloom in this magnificent garden and I was soaking it up like a sponge.  It was a time when I was living primarily on faith and the need to create; there wasn’t much else at the end of each day.  So, I would take my papers and paints and feel like a great master to be in such a place doing, to my mind, great things. I started a few watercolors, and over the course of a few hours, the crowd grew from a single person who had stopped to watch me work, to maybe 35 people just looking on quietly.  I swear, I felt like I was conducting the London symphony, not living on a string from day to day.

When I got back to where I was staying I looked at the renderings, and they were full of light, and I remember feeling satiated and happy.

TSI: If you could sum up what your art is meant to convey in three words, what would those three words be?

K: Look and see.

Kim is presently accepting requests for private and corporate commissions.   For more information, please contact chloe@treadsoftlyink.com.

For all press inquiries, please contact nicoleg@treadsoftlyink.com.

If you are a fine artist or filmmaker and would like to be considered for a print interview with Tread Softly Ink, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Chris Engles

Don't Miss "Homage to the Pin Up Girl" This Month In NYC!

Over the last two decades, Chris Engles has had the good fortune to be involved in some pretty cool stuff.  A 20-year veteran of public radio, Chris has worked on such NPR favorites as Cartalk, The World, Morning Edition, The Connection and Living on Earth.  He also wrote, directed, edited, and produced his own feature film, “This Town,” which premiered at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, and was an official selection of the New York International Independent Film Festival. Along the way, Chris started exploring still photography as an extension of his work as a filmmaker.  We sat down with Chris to discuss his latest project, “Homage To The Pin Up Girl.”

TSI: How did art first inspire you as a child or young adult?

C: I was raised in a musical household – my father was a pianist.  He and my mother are of the World War II Generation, so I grew up hearing a lot of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Bill Evans, Kurt Weill, all of the American musicals – the entire American Songbook. Then I heard The Beatles, and I was absolutely intrigued by what I was hearing.  The icing on the cake was having the Beatles’ Producer George Martin speak at my graduation.

TSI: What mediums do you work in and how did you come to find your comfort and creativity there?

C: Music is my first love – or I suppose you could say “sound” (I worked in public radio for 15 years as a Technical Director for most of the shows that are produced in the Boston area).  But I also love visuals.  I drew a lot as a kid and at one point wanted to be an architect.

When I listen to music I always have movies running in my head – not entire films, but scenes, driven by the music.   Once the desktop revolution arrived and one was able to cut video on the computer I was in heaven and went about making my short films, getting them out of my head and onto a screen. The experience was so satisfying I subsequently wrote, directed and produced a feature film, which I had no business doing since I was essentially untrained.  Despite that fact it was a fantastic experience (I have good people).  In an effort to learn more about the craft I took up still photography, hoping to hone my “eye” and it quickly surpassed the film work in terms of its scale and immediacy.  Now I’m marrying all 3 – sound, story, and image – in a series of photo/audio portraits.

TSI: Can you talk about your formal training, if any?

C: The requisite music lessons as a child (piano, trumpet, guitar), Berklee School of Music and various internships & workshops with world class  photographers such as Karin Rosenthal and Michel Tcherevkoff.

TSI: How about your informal training?

I’m pretty good under fire – I “show up” really well.  Put me in a situation, give me the basics, and I deliver consistently enough that I am allowed to stick around and build on the experience.

TSI: What is your process or does it vary?

C: In terms of the most recent photo project – Homage to the Pin Up Girl – I had no process when I started, I just was interested in shooting a single image for the sake of the experience.  But once the image got out and it was clear that there was enough interest to warrant an entire series I had to decide on a process that would yield consistent results.  But each time we shot I learned a bit more and the process evolved over time.  Despite that fact the pictures work well as a series, as I had a great crew with me  – several sets of eyes always help – not to mention fantastic talent in front of the camera.

TSI: What are some of the stumbling blocks you have faced as an artist?

C: At this moment I feel as though I’m at the most fertile, creative point in my life.  I have multiple projects running through my head at any given moment – my one stumbling block is lack of cash to execute them all.

TSI: How do you think the work of a visual artist differs from the work of other artists, such as musicians/writers, etc.?

C: I recently had a conversation with a Choreographer friend who described her process of creating dance.  I had no idea what a painstaking process it was in terms of how long it takes for the final product to coalesce – as opposed to say, the possibility of a week or 2 to come up with a theme for an image, gather your crew and talent, shoot and post in Photoshop.  On the other hand, making a feature film can easily eat 10 years of your life.  I’m curious as to what painters think about – particularly abstract painters.  That would be an interesting universe to explore.

TSI: Which finished piece from your portfolio is the one that makes you feel most proud or satisfied and why?

C: My current series, “Homage to the Pin Up Girl,” is generating a lot of positive response from people so I’m pretty happy about that.

TSI: What was the inspiration behind “Homage to the Pin Up Girl?”

C: I was dating a woman who collected vintage pin up art – she had it all over the house.  Over time I gained an appreciation of it and subsequently had an idea for an image that I thought she would be perfect for.  She was a bit shy about it, but like the movies in my mind from 20 years ago, I wanted to get it out of my head.  So I approached a  dancer acquaintance about posing for the image and we were off to the races.

TSI: What are you working on now?

C: I’m thinking about another series of pin up images – possibly a 70’s car theme.  I have a series of black & white nudes in landscapes, which I would like publish as a book.  I’m producing a series of photo/audio portraits that are available to PBS stations, and I’m collaborating with a former NPR colleague on a pilot for a radio show.  I also have a feature-length script that needs some attention.  Speaking of film – the movie I worked on last year (which won the Boston 48 Hour Film Festival) has been selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival this month.  We’re all pretty buzzed about that one!

TSI: Can you talk a bit about what keeps you committed to your art, even when times get tough?

C: Being creative is the only thing I get lost in – that has moments of effortlessness.  That’s what makes life worth living.

TSI: If you were not a visual artist, what would you be doing?

C: Good question… I like building things.  My mother’s father was a cabinetmaker.  My relatives in Italy design and build organs.  Perhaps I could get an apprenticeship over there.  That would be a tough life…  (He smiles.)

TSI: What advice would you give to a new artist, fresh out of school?

C: I’m not sure I’m qualified to be handing out professional advice, except to say that working with others – as opposed to working alone – usually yields better results than you could imagine – so keep an open mind.

TSI: If you could sum up what your art is meant to convey in three words, what would those three words be?

C: I Like Girls

Honestly, I don’t feel that it’s meant to convey anything specific.  What I can tell you is that I derive an immense amount of pleasure from creating these images, and the only thing that eclipses that pleasure is when a connection is made with the audience.

Due to popular demand, “Homage to the Pin Up Girl,” will be held over at its present exhibition space at the Karma Lounge for the entire month of MAY!  The Karma Lounge is located at 51 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003-9414.  Be sure to check it out and please spread the word.

For more information on “Homage to the Pin Up Girl,” please visit www.karmanyc.com and www.chrisenglesphoto.com.

For press, please contact Chris Engles directly via his website at www.chrisenglesphoto.com.

For more information on Tread Softly Ink and its featured artists, or to be considered for a print interview with Tread Softly Ink, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Fethi Bendida

Fethi Bendida

Tread Softly Ink is proud to kick off its Online Interview Series with Algerian filmmaker, Fethi Bendida, whose first film, “The Green Card,” recently won Best Short Film (Rising Star Award) at the 2010 Canada International Film Festival.

TSI: What is your earliest memory of film and the cinematic experience?

F: My earliest memory of film is of being a nine-year-old kid watching the American western film, “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” starring Clint Eastwood. From that day on, film got my attention, and I became a big fan of American movies.

TSI: What was it like growing up in your country?  What kinds of art and cinema were you exposed to?

F: There was nothing better than growing up in Algeria because it’s my homeland, and it’s a very simple way of life. They also have amazing art and cinema. I never got the chance to work on anything in Algeria, but my dream is to do some projects there in the future, God willing.

TSI: Was the access the same?  Did people “go to the movies?”

F: Yes, back in the time of the French colony, and even when I was seven years old or so, I remember going to the movie theatre with my older brother, Amine.  However, back in the 90′s civil war broke out in Algeria, and we were facing difficult times then. I seem to remember the government closing down public theatres at that time.

TSI: How did you first come to be involved in film?

F: It took me little while to find myself in terms of what I wanted to do with my life. At first I wanted to become an Arabic interpreter for the hospitals, but things didn’t work out for me in that regard, so I had to change plans. A few months later, upon arriving in the United States, I realized what it was I wanted to do. I was sitting on my couch, watching “Three Kings,” starring Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, and Ice Cube. Mark Wahlberg inspired me with that performance to become an actor. I was so moved by his character, and by a story that all Arabs can easily relate to.

TSI: Can you talk about your formal training, if any?

F: My first on-camera acting class was at the Boston Actors Workshop, where I began taking classes with Tim O’Conner, who was a really good instructor. Later I started another class with Boston Casting under Michael Fennimore, who was also amazing. In Los Angeles, I am looking forward to studying with Ivana Chubbuck. She is one of the top acting coaches in L.A. and it will be an honor to attend her classes.

TSI: Can you talk about your informal training?

F: I need more training, to more deeply explore my talent, and I have never said to myself, “All set, good to go!” I am hungry to learn and to improve upon whatever skills I have acquired.

TSI: You are both an actor and a director.  Can you talk about your passion for both and how they differ?

F: Yes, my first passion is acting, but I have loved the process of becoming a filmmaker as well.

The knowledge that I gain while directing is invaluable to me as an actor.  It gives me such a different and more complete perspective.

TSI: What is your approach to acting?

F: As an actor, I frequently call upon my own experiences when developing a character, so in this way, every character is a slice of me, and hopefully that provides a more authentic performance.

TSI: What is your process as a director?

F: When I am directing, I visualize myself as an umbrella covering and sheltering the production from A to Z. There is such a responsibility in filmmaking and I take that very seriously. I enjoy being involved in the entire process, from start to finish.

A director has to be a determined visionary with a lot of patience and individual style.  It’s tough work.  I love it.

TSI: Who are some of the filmmakers who have served as an inspiration to you?

F: I would have to say my number one inspiration is Vin Diesel, just watching his determination while making Multi-Facial (1994), a short about a struggling actor that wound up screening at Cannes in 1995. He eventually got Steven Spielberg’s attention, who then cast him in Saving Private Ryan (1998) and, just like that, Vin’s career was launched. He inspires me big time and he motivated me to go to film school. That’s how I came to make my first short film, “THE GREEN CARD,” which has already won the award for Best Short Film at the 2010 Canada International Film Festival. The film just got distribution through Indeflix and I am really grateful.

TSI: What are some of the stumbling blocks you have faced as an artist?

F: There are always people out there who try to discourage me from a career in film and filmmaking. There’s just a lot of negativity to combat, but I always do my best to ignore that instead of wasting my time. I just try to be a humble person, and a hard worker, and I focus on being confident with what I do.

TSI: How do you think the work of a visual artist differs from the work of other artists, such as musicians/writers, etc.?

F: A musician has a slight advantage over the film or television actor, to my mind, because if you sing, you can act, to a certain extent. You are always in front of the audience and performing becomes second nature. Stage actors have a similar advantage, I think. I think everyone should begin by performing in front of the audience. I think it goes a long way towards building confidence and fighting off fear.

TSI: Can you talk a bit about what keeps you committed to your art, even when times get tough?

F: I try to be patient and strong, because if you give up when you face difficult circumstances you will trick yourself into thinking you have lost interest. No matter how good you are at what you do, you will always face difficult times and you need to be creative to solve the issues you are facing.

TSI: If you were not an actor and director, what would you be doing?

F: I would own a car dealership. I love cars!

TSI: What advice would you give to a new artist, fresh out of school?

F: My advice to them would be: Don’t ever listen to anyone who tells you can’t make it. I would say you can, but it will require a lot of work, and patience, and confidence, despite the odds.

TSI: What are you working on now?

F: As of now I am working on developing a horror film that’s going to be a very interesting project. I can’t give out too much information. Also, I am working on remaking “The Green Card” as a feature-length motion picture.  I’d love to shoot it in Algeria and Boston, God willing.

TSI: What was the inspiration behind “The Green Card”?

F: I always wanted to direct a story based on true events. “The Green Card” for me was an amazing story that I can relate to and that millions of others who have come before me can relate to.  The film is really dedicated to them and to their struggles, as well as to those who are coming to this country even as we speak.

TSI: What do you want to tell people with this film?

F: “The Green Card” is my first film, which originated as part of a thesis project through the film program at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University, in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Having emigrated to the United States with my family as a teenager, I understood on an intimate level some of the challenges and nuanced situations that face individuals coming to the United States from another country.  With so many prejudices and stereotypes out there, I wanted to make a film that portrayed immigrants in a positive light.  I wanted to demonstrate that there are those who come to this country with the hope of a better life in their hearts and with pure intentions to build a better future in an honest and responsible way.  Also, I wanted to show that some individuals want nothing more than to be able to assimilate into a society where they are afforded the opportunities and freedoms that developed countries can provide to those who use legal channels to achieve these goals.

TSI: What are your goals for the near future?

F: My goal is to become a well-known actor, and a good actor, a good storyteller, and a good director.

TSI: Why do you love film?

F: When I’m sad, I watch a comedy and it turns my mood from bad to good in a flash. Film is so much more than entertainment. It’s medicinal and it has the power to teach and to inspire.  There’s nothing more powerful than that.

For more information on “The Green Card” and Fethi’s upcoming projects, please visit his website at http://www.fethibendida.com.

To view a trailer of  “The Green Card,” or to purchase a copy of the film, please visit http://www.indieflix.com/film/the-green-card-30699/.

To be considered for a print interview with Tread Softly Ink, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

Announcing Our Online Interview Series

Beginning in April, we will be conducting interviews with Tread Softly Ink artists and friends.  If you would like to be considered for a print interview, please contact us at info@treadsoftlyink.com.

Please stay tuned for upcoming interviews with Fethi Bendida, Chris Engles, and Kim Fay.

Thanks for your support!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the Official Blog of Tread Softly Ink, a dynamic new company dedicated to helping artists and other creative entrepreneurs succeed at doing what they love.  We believe in the creative power of art, in all of its many forms of expression. Its presence in our daily lives brings about opportunities for enrichment, healing, empowerment, change, understanding, freedom of expression, and social justice.

This blog will focus on emerging and established artists, writers, and creative business owners and items of interest to them.

We invite you to explore and to visit often.  Thank you for stopping by.

For more information on what we do, please visit our website @ http://www.treadsoftlyink.com.