Instagram: @marnegrahlman
1. What's your story? Where are you from?Hey! I'm from a few pretty small towns in Ontario. I live in Toronto now - in Parkdale - and have for the past 7-ish years, which is almost as long as I've lived anywhere.2. Tell us about your aesthetic.I think my work tends to be more conceptual. Usually there's a big, clunky awkward character somewhere. Usually there's some foliage around them. I like clouds. And trees. I try to use a couple exciting colours next to some subdued ones.3. What is your favourite medium and why?I paint everything with acrylic gouache and watercolour. Never been good at digital art and hope to spend as little time as possible on the computer editing a painting once it's finished, but it is a necessary step.4. What is your artistic process like?I make a lot of jot notes/scribble down thoughts in my sketchbook where I then make thumbnails and draw out some ideas. I have a lot of things I find I need to write down before I can start working on the visuals with almost every piece I do. Sometimes I'll start writing things down in my notes on my phone if I'm not at my desk. Then from the thumbnails I'll make a really messy linear on a scrap piece of paper to get the proportions of everything right. I do some colour studies on my iPad next. I don't know why. It's just quick. Then I draw it out on my surface and paint with all the rough work in front of me so I don't forget where I'm going. When it's done I scan it and edit it so the digital version looks as close to the painting as possible, unless I need to change a colour or fix up a blobby mistake.5. Who and/or what inspires your work?I can get inspiration from pretty much anything and everything. My work is people-heavy and I make a lot of art about sadness, loneliness, shyness... but I like those topics! Once an art director gave me a particular assignment because she said I was "good at handling the grim stuff". I loved that. I also really love music and often times get a whole painting out of a lyric I like.6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?It's basically like another limb. I don't even think about it, it's just such a constant presence. It's my work and my hobby and my interest and my pass-time. I don't think I realize how it changes my view of the world.7. Where did you study?OCAD University.8. Where do you see yourself in five years?I hope to be doing even more of what I am now, regularly!9. What about in ten?..Same!10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?I just want to make a lot of art, I never want to stop being inspired by things. I really enjoy editorial illustration and I think there's an interesting way to create an image for any topic. It's magic when people connect to your personal take on something.11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?Momos!12. Favourite book?I don't think I've ever read a book twice but I recently read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and loved it.13. Favourite genre of music?I like very different genres depending on the time of day, or week, or year.14. What are your hobbies?I sit and think too much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?When I applied for universities I sent out to one art school and to four wildlife biology programs, so maybe that? Or maybe just a drop-out? I think I chose the best path for me.Comments are closed.
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