Red Cortez "Mistakes you need to get there"

Red Cortez is a band from East Los Angeles, band members are Harley Prechtel-Cortez, Ryan Kirkpatrick, Diego Guerrero and Calvin J. Love. With trade your talent Harley Cortez speaks about recording their debut album, idiosyncratic choices and studying phone books. 

You recently released your debut album. Has the path leading up to it been hard?

Harley: We've recorded our debut record but haven't released it. The path leading up to making the record wasn't so hard, but choosing which songs to put on it was a little tricky--we had written so many songs at that point. It's been said you know you have your whole life to make your first record a just a short time to make your second. I supposed there are pressures with both as one makes a statement and the other reaffirms that

statement.

What inspires you to your songs?

Harley: Our songs are filled with odd characters, idiosyncratic choices, the average outsider, influenced by bizarre films, adversity, writers, pirates, and about 100 years of varying musical styles. I used to write a lot about taking down kings, then it became a little more about taking down walls, now it's more about taking down blame --as long as it doesn't lead to taking out the trash.

Which other bands influenced you to your music?

Harley: Influences are probably so innate that we wouldn't even know. We're all so different from each other and at the same time very the same in our music palette. One day Philip Glass or Charlie Parker and the next day Link Wray or Suicide. Stax records or Trojan records or Creation records. Just got a great Alan Lomax record 'Saints and Sinners' . We're like sponges. Everything influences us.

When we go into our rehearsal space we never try to make anything that

sounds like a specific thing -- we just make what comes out...

If you had a meeting with young talented artists, what advice would you give them in order to follow their dream?

Harley: I wouldn't give any advice, I would listen but not try and aside in any way - if you have a dream then that's all you need right there, everything else are just the mistakes you need to get you there.

Do you have a favorite song on your new album?

Harley: They are all pretty special in their own way - however cute or scary.

If your band has time off (do you ever?) what is it you do?

Harley: Build cabinets, draw, travel, see alot of music, spend time with girlfriends, friends, pub crawl (ive been nick named the pub philosopher, sadly), make films, read phone books and cook vegetarian food.

More on Red Cortez and free songs: 

redcortez.com

Pauline Adair "Every person is so unique"

Pauline Adair is an artist from Queensland, Australia. With tradeyourtalent she speaks about being an artist in Australia, working together with young talents and the creative state she likes most. 

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair/index.htm

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair/index.htm

When did you know you wanted to become an artist? 

Since I was about 5 or 6 I think..... I used to make picture story books for my brothers and sisters - looking back now they were hilarious - I wanted to become an artist then, and I still do...!!!

 Your work is about Body Art. What inspires you?

My 4-year-old grandaughter asked me once why I mostly paint people with no clothes on. I answered that it was because I haven't learned to paint the clothes yet.   She looked down her nose at me and said '"Well...... I can paint clothes, and people."Seriously though, I like best of all to paint faces and hands. They, in themselves are so expressive.  The body is just a necessary extra to hold the parts together!  Every person is so unique that I can still name my subjects in my drawings from years ago just by looking at the hands I drew or painted.  

What is it like being an artist in Australia?

Wonderful.... there is so much support for the arts here.  For those who paint the Australian landscape it's a fabulously rich continent of exciting colour, texture and inspiration.

Do you work together with young talents.  What do you learn from them?

I do love to work with young artists.... I sometimes teach workshops for beginners to intermediate, and I love to impart the secrets I've learned over the years. Well, they're not secrets any more....... I do share all the tricks and tips I've learned over the years. On the other hand I always come away having gained a whole lot more knowledge from them as well.  They share back to me!

When are you most creative? 

When I have done all my housework and have nothing on my mind I can then slip into my studio and go into my meditational state of creative conciousness and sometimes unconciousness....where things just happen!  That's the art I like best, and somedays it works, some days it doesn't.... but it's my passion.  I  paint and/or draw every single day if I possibly can... I mean to use up all my paints and I don't want to go to my grave with my paintings still inside me!

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair/index.htm

http://www.sybizcare.com.au/adair

Sara Christian "Femininity"

Sara Christian is an artist working in San Francisco. Sara observes femininity, nature and she likes to play with colours and textures. With tradeyourtalent she speaks about expression and why trends rule. 

Sara Christian, http://saracdraws.blogspot.com/

What does creativity mean to you?

Expression, through any tool or object or sound that can be an outlet. To play in the world, let your voice be heard, or seen, or imprint left somehow. Imagination and letting go of thought, ones that hinder. 

Which role does art play in your life?

By day I'm a designer at an awesome book publisher. Then squeeze the rest of the day being creative and free in anyway feels good. What I really enjoy is drawing and playing with color and textures. If that means I just stay in the studio moving scraps of paper around 'til it forms beautiful and unexpected colors and shapes, it makes for a relaxing, fun evening. 

How difficult or easy is it being an artist today?

I try to make life challenging on purpose at times for fun, or a competition in my head. But art is something I try to keep in mind as a tranquil experience, not forced or worried about getting reimbursed financially. I keep making pieces because I can be lost in enjoying the process. Yet, sometimes the hesitant blank thoughts and insecurities creep in, or wanting to experiment because you dont know a technique or how-to hang a show and time is running out. Inspiration can usually handle that problem.

Today I think art (performance, visual) is appreciated as any other time in history, too. As long as there are these creations in the world, people will be motivated. It is cool: illustration and outsider art are still strong and loved. And then lovers of the traditionally taught painters and fine-art craftmenship. Art is accepted in any shape or form, so we can get away with about any thing we want as an artist. Pretty easy.

Your favorite themes?

Clearly I love girly. Since I was a kid, I'd draw rows of women lined in a catwalk. Trends rule. And it's the female's perspective of expression or society's influence on them that intrigues me. The reoccuring theme is big adornment right now. Life themes at the moment: fashion magazines and then a walk admiring the trees and birds. 

Sara Christian, http://saracdraws.blogspot.com/

Sara Christian, http://saracdraws.blogspot.com/

Sara Christian, http://saracdraws.blogspot.com/

For more on Sara Christian visit: 

http://sarachristian.com

http://saracdraws.blogspot.com/

Art Exhibition: Paola Gonzalez M. / Contemporary Fine Artist/ Mexico/Dreams and The Enchanted Garden

Dreams Series

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: The Open Cage 

Size: 110 cm X 140 cm

Technique: Mixed media, Acrylic, Silver Leaf and Genuine 12 K white gold

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: The Blue Wizard

Size: 120 cm X 180 cm

Technique: Mixed media, Acrylic, Silver Leaf and Green Tea

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: The Wishing Tree

Size: 110 cm X 140 cm

Technique: Mixed media, Acrylic, Genuine 12 K white gold and Green tea

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: Zafir

Size: 100 cm X 170 cm

Technique: Mixed media, Acrylic and Silver Leaf

The Enchanted Garden Series

Paola Gonzalez M.
Title: The Joy of Gaia

Size: 130 cm X 130 cm

Téchnique: Acrylic, Precious Metals: Genuine 24k Gold.

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: Blue Mist

Size: 150 cm X 180 cm

Téchnique: Acrylic, Precious Metals: Genuine 24k Gold.

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: Golden Memories

Size: 155 cm X 185 cm

Téchnique: Acrylic, Precious Metals: Genuine 24k Gold and 12 k White Gold.

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: Lost in my Blue Garden

Size: 150 cm X 180 cm

Téchnique: Acrylic, Precious Metals: Genuine 24k Gold and 24 K White Gold.

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: The Golden Seed

Size: 100 cm X 170 cm

Téchnique: Acrylic, Silver Leaf and Precious Metals: Genuine 24k Gold.

Paola Gonzalez M. 

Title: The Blue King

Size: 100 cm X 100 cm

Technique: Acrilic with silver leaf

Interview

Paola Gonzalez M. was born in Monterrey, Mexico. She is a self-taught artist, currently Paola is working on the dream series: " This is one of the most difficult paintings (emotionally speaking), that I´ve ever done so far", she says. With tradeyourtalent she speaks about her emotions while painting and what it is like being an artist in Mexico. 

You are currently working on the "Dream Series". What inspired you to this theme? 

Paola: This series represents the dreams and  hopes we all carry: that dream could be something or someone, it could be anything we desire... In the middle of every painting in this series there is this forbidden chaos full of color and movement, right in the middle of the painting hope appears - and everything changes, so many emotions are mixed represented by color and signs. I really enjoyed working on this painting and also I had the opportunity to experiment a little bit more, applying only my feelings on the canvas- trying not to worry so much about the final composition or esthetic value.  The painting starts talking by itself... and the most important thing for me at the end is, what it represents to you, what emotions do you feel when you look at it, what it reminds you of? How does it make you feel? 

Why did you decide to become a painter? 

Paola: Well it's something that I was born with, since I was a little girl I enjoyed  painting and drawing everywhere so much, in my books, notebooks I remember “decorating” some brand sofas my parents just brought painting them all with colorful crayons... Since then I knew that art was a part of my life, I consider myself a self taught painter, everything is spontaneous and I love to improvise.

What is it like being an artist in Mexico? 

Paola: It is great, we have so many young and  great artists in the country, I think that we have this special mexican “spice” in art, rich in color and textures, that makes mexican art so unique, full of color, stories and beautiful traditions...

What kind of stories do you want to tell with your work? 

Paola: I love telling stories about what am I feeling or living at the moment, for example the last series called Enchanted Garden, it is dedicated to the child we all carry inside, so this is a very special series for me, since my principal muse is my baby Pao, every single painting has a story hidden in it, I just love to express myself with color and forms it is so much fun working and experimenting with different materials and techniques.

If you could choose an old master to work with, who would it be? 

Paola: I would choose lots of them! but I think it would be Marc Chagall. 

Paoloa's website with  curriculum and photos:

www.paolagonzalez.com.mx

Facebook page: Paola Gonzalez M.  Contemporary Fine Art

The Paper Raincoat "Curiosity is the key"

Brooklyn songwriters Amber Rubarth and Alex Wong are behind the band The Paper Raincoat. Even though they are a young band, their debut EP was released in July 2008, Alex and  Amber  already have many supportive fans. Their music was even placed on the film "The Last Song", based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. With tradeyourtalent Amber and Alex speak about curiosity and discovery.

On your website you write that your are an imaginative collaboration. What do you mean by that? 

ALEX: The idea of exploration and imagination is central to the concept of this band.  The whole idea for the project was born out of a creative improv exercise we decided to try one day.  We started describing a world filled with certain characters and the beginnings of a storyline, and let those elements guide a lot of the song ideas.

Has it been a difficult path? 

ALEX: We started the project at the beginning of 2008 and played our first band show June 2008.  Honestly I think we've been really lucky with people wanting to help us and opportunities coming our way.  All independent music is "difficult" at any level but I've definitely had it rougher in other projects, than we have with this project - so thanks everyone!!!  

What was the best thing a fan ever said about your music? 

ALEX: There was a couple in Colorado that told me they got engaged to our song "sympathetic vibrations" in their kitchen - which i thought was pretty awesome... but i think the time i remember the most was a lady in Kansas who said "your music makes me want to like myself more."

What does creativity and inspiration mean to you? What inspires your music? 

ALEX: i'm sure Amber has her own take on this, but for me, it means asking questions. Curiosity is the key to creativity for me.  It's much less about needing to supply an answer than just asking good questions.  As far as song ideas, i think they always come from things i'm wondering, things i don't know.

AMBER: I feel like in this project especially, the inspiration has come a little differently - it's not as much self-reflection or coming up with an idea and playing it out, but more exploration into stream-of-consciousness activities of writing our story-line and then feeding that into the music.  It's a lot of fun and feels like a discovery more so than a creation in many ways.

You are still a young band, but you've got many fans already. Are you sometimes overwhelmed by that? 

AMBER: We've been really fortunate to be able to tour with artists we really love who've introduced us to their fans. We opened early on for Vienna Teng quite a bit and that's been amazing, she has really helped us be able to do a lot of the live shows in front of fantastic audiences.  

What have you planned for your spring tour? 

AMBER: Not exactly sure yet, we're mostly writing right now and working a bit on individual solo projects as well.... we want to have some new recordings to share before hitting the road again, so finishing that up first.  We do have a NYC show Feb. 25th @ Highline Ballroom, and a show in Ann Arbor on April 22nd @ The Ark.

                                                            For more on Amber and Alex

                                                         www.thepaperraincoat.com

Behind the scenes...

I’ve decided it’s time for me to make a small appearance on my blog and write a bit about my own inspiration and why I started this blog in the first place.

Strangely enough, I’m not an illustrator or painter myself (my friends always had a hard time guessing what my “drawings” were supposed to be in art class), but this is probably why I’ve always admired people that were able to create something with just a pencil and paper.  And this is why I  want to know more about how creative people work.

Once I started searching for artists on the web, I was so amazed (and still am) how many talented artists have beautiful blogs or websites filled with their inspiring work. I wish I could pick each and every one of them, wanting to know more about their life, work, inspiration and why they love art.  Some are really hard to get a hold of (I’ve spent lots of time just searching for contact details) but it’s always worth it in the end, I’ve had so many great responses!  

Many people think art is just about museums and galleries, but now I discovered it's much more. Art can be a career, a dream and it's most certainly a vision - and it has become global. What I enjoy most is discovering unique works in places I wouldn't expect to find something - surfers sharing their experiences through surf art just to name one example.

Sometimes (if I had more time and a VERY generous sponsor) I would love to have a meeting of artists that are active in the blog world, I think it would be an interesting experience. Even better would be to have a small competition or event once in a while, maybe something along the lines of  Illustration Friday, but at the moment I can’t really decide yet. I would love to know if other artists had the urge to interact more with other bloggers on an artistic level, so please leave your own ideas below!

The last reason is a bit of a secret, but maybe one day I’ll write about it…

Alina Chau "Daring creativity and passion"

Alina Chau, http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

Alina Chau is a 3D story artist at LucasFilm. Alina's blog "Ice-Cream Monster Toon Cafe"  is a really nice place to visit, here you can see how she works on her sketches and develops her ideas. Alina's art is also shown in galleries, exhibitions and children picture books in California. 

Did you always know you were going to be an artist?

No.  I wanted to be a rocket scientist as a little kid, but I always loved art.  I didn't figure out my life time career until I went to college.  

If you could choose an old master to work with, who would it be?

I have a long list of old masters, who I admire and often seek inspiration ... that would be a difficult choice.  But, if I have to pick one, I would say Pablo Picasso for his daring creativity and passion in art.

What is the hardest part of art?

Developing new ideas that are unique and challenging myself each time I create a new piece.

Do you have special ways or a routine to get inspired?

I tend to get inspiration from everyday life and personal experience.  But with that being said, like many artists, I get inspired by other artists' wonderful work, music, books, photos ... pretty much anything that intrigues me and invokes my emotion.

                                          
                                                             Alina Chau, http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

Alina Chau, http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

Alina Chau, http://alinanimation.blogspot.com/

Anna Raff: "Birds and Words"

Anna Raff, www.annaraff.com

Her birds are just wonderful: illustrator Anna Raff, based in New York, works on a blog all about bird-imagery (http://www.ornithoblogical.blogspot.com). Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and many others. In 2010 she was recognized as one of the "Top 100 New Creatives"by CMYK Magazine.  With tradeyourtalent she speaks about bird imagery, word-play and why she wishes to be a big broadway bombshell. 

Why 365 days of birds?

I wanted to create an illustration project that would force me to draw everyday (or nearly everyday). I have followed other creatives who have started similar projects, and while it requires a great deal of discipline and commitment, the payoff is a showcase of your sensibility in the form of a very large body of work, and a great self-promotion tool. Before tackling an illustration, I like to warm up with a quick drawing or painting the subject of which is not important but I found myself drawing a lot of birds. 

Where do you get your inspiration?

For the bird blog, I drew a lot of inspiration from the English language, current events, and riffs on bird breeds. At the beginning of the project, the imagery was rather straight-forward, but as the year evolved, I started incorporating more word-play. It's amazing how rich and ripe English is with bird-imagery. I'm still coming up with ideas, even though I'm not posting one everyday (now more like once a week), the subject seems to be inexhaustible!

What are your current projects about?

I have a number of children's book ideas I've been developing, and I'm working on an identity/mascot for a start-up non-profit here in New York. Other than that, I'm fleshing out my editorial illustration portfolio...Of course, there is the occasional bird.

Your work is highly recognised. Has the path leading up to this been hard? 

It has been a wonderful ride, but one that I feel is just beginning. I was a graphic designer for 20 years before I decided to devote myself to illustration, and just making that mental switch was probably the hardest part. Illustration is much like other creative disciplines, the more energy you put in, the more benefits you reap. So I just keep plugging away...

Do you have favorite artists?

A few of my favorite children's book artists are Tomi Ungerer, Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, Richard Scary, Fred Marcellino... I could go on. I have to acknowledge Paul Rand too, as a designer and illustrator. When I'm stuck on something, I usually turn to him  conceptually, he was incredible. As for contemporary artists, I love Jon Klassen, Heads of State, Shout, Guy Billout (one of my mentors) and Christoph Neimann. I grew up down the street from the New Yorker cartoonist Donald Reilly, and have only just begun to realize what an influence he was.

Did you ever want to do something else besides art?

Not really, but I wish I were a really great musician...or a big Broadway bombshell. I have a lot of the ham in me.

Anna Raff, www.annaraff.com/

Anna Raff, www.annaraff.com/

Anna Raff, www.annaraff.com/

Olivia Broadfield "Always about the melodies"

I recently discoverd Olivia Broadfield's music. British singer/songwriter Olivia combines electro-pop and smart lyrics, her new album is due out in Spring 2011.  The singer/songwriter from England started piano lessons at age six, some of Olivia's natural abilities might have come from her maternal grandfather who played guitar in the swing-era. With tradeyourtalent Olivia speaks about her new album, being faithful to what she loves and why she would like to record a duet with Shakira. 

You have been working on your second album. What is your new album going to sound like? 

It's going to sound different, quite different, which scares me! You can't stay the same as an artist but you have to make sure that when you evolve, you try and keep the fans you just made. It's much more organic, the songs feel more like ermmm songs and nothing is hidden, there are still some big beautiful sounds, but they come from harps and strings, whereas on the first album they came from synths and pads. While it sounds different, I still wanted to stay faithful to what I love about writing, which is melody, always about the melodies.

What inspires you to your songs? 

Everything, nothing. I am asked this question a lot and as yet I am still trying to find an answer that truly reflects how I feel about writing. Songs can come to me from nowhere or from the deepest parts of me, so that it feels like they came from nowhere until I sit and reflect and think uh oh, is that really how I feel!? I try not to analyse the process to much for fear of losing its simplicity.

 When are you most creative? 

You mean time of the day...time of the month!? I think it's an as and when rule with me, I can write a song if someone asks me to, I can write a song if I'm a bit bored, or sometimes it's like an itch I need to scratch. It's a total mixed bag really, sun makes me creative, as does snow, day...night, happiness...sadness. That's not to say I walk round being super creative 24/7, some days it's like getting blood out of a stone!

When did you know you wanted to become a musician? 

Hmmm, when I started getting good at it! I always loved music but I think I was a nervous beginner, I always thought I was just alright until people started telling me otherwise, until TV shows started using my music, until I got a manager, until Vagrant wanted to sign me. I had the faith that I could be good but it took a while, believe me, I have some bad albums from when I was 19 floating around out there, my sister keeps threatening to sell them on ebay...sisters are kind of mean...

If you could record a duet with another artist, who would you choose? 

Shakira, Shakira! God I love her, she is just so brilliant and also totally random, "I feel abused like a coffee machine in an office"..."lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains"...I'm not sure I've ever truly made it until I can write like that! Plus she has nice hair...

Olivia Broadfield "Daydreams"

first single from her Olivia's new album due out in Spring 2011

http://www.oliviabroadfield.com/