greenbeanbaby art

Ramel Joins the internet!!!

After many years of Ellia telling me to do something with my art or writings online this weekend it finally happened!  I am the husband of the infamous greenbean and yes I am an artist too!  My art has been on the back burner for the past 3 or so years with the addition of the kids, and I have had ideas, but no time to accomplish anything.  The duties of a husband...  Being married has taught me a lot about being patient and sacrificing for each other.  I have had to work ALOT since we purchased our home in 2005.  First it started out first and third shifts (10-6pm and 10-6am) back to back at one job.  Then it became one shift at 13 hours a day...now finally i have a job that is a normal 8 hours a day...and yes I have the time and energy to get back into some art! 

Ellia asked me to do some pages for her ABC book and I was totally flattered to be included on a fun project.

These are the first pieces of art I finished in 2008.

The Letter D: Watercolor and inks
The Letter M: Watercolor and inks

The Letter Q: Watercolor and inks
After finishing these three paintings for Greenbean, I couldn't wait until I actually did some work for myself.  I think every artist understands the joy of creating something that you have total control of.  Well a hobby of mine is gaming.  I have been a gamer since about the age of 6 or 7.  I have always been good at it and I loved the challenge of some of those old school games like contra, or ninja gaiden, even the original metal gear!  It made perfect sense for me to mix my art, with another passion of mine: Video Games! 

My love of games has carried over to wife as she plays Halo 3 more than me now...  I just launched a beta version of my site.  On my site I will dislay some of my work, but I hope to showcase artwork of gamers all over the world.  It could be from anyone, any age and from any game. 

Gamersdigart.com is the site.  I will be having contest monthly (for now) that will give away a brand new game for a lucky artist.  I hope the site can bring some gamers and artist together and have a good time.
The site is not just for guys as many women play games now a days, but ladies do tell your husbands/boyfriends if they have any interest in art and games to check it out. 

I will be starting a blog soon to discuss being a father/gamer/artist and the challenges of juggling all three.  And I just started a Flickr account as well: gamersdigart(I will be adding more images soon.)

Here is a sample: This a character from BIOSHOCK.


This a character from Halo 3.

Please stop by my site Gamersdigart.com, my blog Gamersdigart.wordpress.com  well as my Flickr .  (All three are in early stages this moment but I am looking forward to feedback!  I hope to have full color illustrations up soon, as well as works from other gamers who dig art and artist who dig games!  

Thank you Greenbean for sharing your wonderful blog audience with me!

interview with Digital Snowmen

Welcome to the world of Eric Hancock, himself. He is a colleague friend of Ramel and I, who has also become the adopted uncle of our two kids... He is one talented guy who's creations deserve to be seen... his portfolio is filled with intricate illustrations, full of detail and care... And so, here is an interview by Ramel with and the Digital Snowmen...

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is this Eric Hancock?

I'm 27 years old and an illustration graduate from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Currently, I'm living in Chicago with my ladies (Karen, my girlfriend, and Sheila, my pug) and working as a bartender at a restaurant called North Pond. Its located in Lincoln Park (the park) and focuses on using sustainable, organic food sources and eating locally. This helped me understand the importance of eating fresh products that aren't over processed and aided in a more balanced diet (though I still enjoy the cracker 4 for $10 frozen pizzas). I consider myself fortunate that I have a full time job that provides me with the room during the week for all of the necessary creativity that I need. Before work that is. Not as the bartender.

Digital Snowmen started as a business venture into the design and production of stuffed animals and t-shirts. The stuffeds™ were hand crafted and based on a series of illustrations for a comedy troupe logo that didn't progress beyond the initial, "Hey, let's do these performances featuring comedy ...."  I had the ideas in my hand and wanted to create a three dimensional representation of them, so I did, and people wanted them. I've since created more that 300 stuffeds™ based around 4 central designs. Since moving to Chicago, however, that aspect of my interests have been put on hold. Its been more of a focus on the illustration.

Another aspect of the Digital Snowmen revolves around some basic design incorporating my illustrations. Working in conjunction with NoKarma music group, I've designed and illustrated 6 or so albums and have done a series of t-shirts with local Milwaukee apparel guru, Jim Phillips. Lately, its been a series of pet portraits commissioned from some local Chicago folks.

This is cliche, but what motivates you as an artist?  What inspires you? (Other artist/television/film/ etc.)  What makes you want to create?

Since I was young, I've always got into some sort of trouble for not paying attention in school. The teachers considered me sort of a problem especially when they talked with my mom during parent-teacher conferences. Apparently, I was always drawing and never paid any mind to what we were learning. She asked about my test scores, which they were astonished at how high they were. It was obvious to her that I wasn't being challenged enough. Personally, I just was bored.

So, to answer your question, 27 years of boredom is the initial motivation. I watch a tremendous amount of movies. My DVD collection is becoming annoying in its sprawling size and shape. Karen is always saying things like,"Can't you just borrow that from so and so? Don't they have season 5 of the X-Files?" I know, I understand where that's going, but its like owning the Lord of the Rings trilogy without the Two Towers. We try to make it to a film at least every other week. This has been a good year for that! Other than movies, books. Fairy tales, folklore, mythology, science fiction and even just plain life has so many aspects of wonderment that its hard to gather it all in one place. Through my drawings, I find that the subtle beauty in the world can find a place. Magical realism applied to paper sharing the tales and stories with multi-generational works.

My newest website was designed, renovated and relaunched in dynamic glory by Justin Edwards and the Defective Theatre in conjunction with the Digital Snowmen. It is beautifully done. Justin has been a friend since fifth grade and a great influence on my dedication to working towards my goals. He works out in New York City as an art director and always does wonderful multimedia work. Thank you again, Justin.

Currently, I find the work of James Jean very inspirational in the sense that its all very common place with that subtle twist of surreality. Craftsmanship is key to producing fine works. Make it or break it with shoddy materials and applications.

When did it set in for you personally that you were going to earn a living creating art?

I would like to earn a living creating art but what's the fun in that? Its like having your cake and eating it too! I'm never sure what that actually means...

What are you currently working on?  What future projects would you like to pursue?

There is a children's book that I'm currently developing titled,"The Deliciousness." Its all written and being edited with most of the preliminary design set in motion. What's cool about it is that there are to corresponding stories that connect in one timeline throughout the course of the story. Things happen in one that directly affect the other. It may be a bit fancy in the chronological regards, but what's the use in writing something standard and linear? I hope to have it set to go by Spring. A few other stories are simmering on the stove in the mean time with a potential collaboration with some old friends of mine.

Besides art, what are some of your other passions in your life?

Everything that I've tried to do in my life has somehow turned into business. I think the only one that didn't thus far is photography. That I seem to get away with time and time again without selling. Capturing things that I see that no one around me notices is pretty fun. That and cooking. We've been cooking a lot at home trying new things that seem to taste good and are less expensive than dining out. Chicago is a GREAT city for dining and we've experience a whole lot of that especially after working in such a highly esteemed establishment, but it catches up to you. Grab a bottle of wine, some derivative recipe concepts with ingredients you'd like to use, buckle down and apply those creative juices to you're stomach.

Its all good fun.

Be sure to check out his several sites, including his wonderful sketches and blog...
eric hancock's portfolio site
digital snowmen's original site
eric's blog
eric's flickr page 
eric's etsy shop [with clearanced items]

Art vs Craft: Part 1178

image by Ed McGuinniss

Hello all.  Greenbeanbaby and Isabella are under the weather so Diego and I are blogging in their absence.  This is her husband, Ramel checking in.  Diego is on our other mac playing some PBS kids games, but he told me he is working too, so he can get some credit on this post.

The topic of the today is one many have discussed, and argued about.  (Hence the part 1178)  I know Ellia and myself have engaged in some pretty heavy debates over this topic as well.

My stance on the issue has been swayed some since marrying a craft person who is also an artist.  I will be honest, in the beginning I was one sided.  As an artist I viewed craft work as a option for people who couldn't create things themselves.  I viewed crafters as second class artist.  You could imagine how this would infuriate Ellia.  My arguments were based on what I knew about craft.  Which was very little.  Craft in my mind was macoroni necklaces and cut out googly eyes.   

For me...this was craft:

Created by Miss Susan from www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/YS/crafts/GRDHOGPT.HTM

Honest and truly that was craft in my eyes.  The even mention of the word craft brought up images of hot glue guns and yarn.  Now greenbean fought hard to convince me that craft was just as important as traditional art, and that people who craft are just as talented as artist.  Seeing my wife work first hand has helped me personally shake some of the negative views attached to the word crafter.  However every artist doesn't have the luxury to be married to and artist and craft-person. 

I mean to say someone is a crafts-person....is that a cut?  Would you rather be viewed as an artist or a person who crafts.  Does it really matter when it comes down to the end product being created?  I believe there are craftsmen and women who take their work very serious who can crank out beautiful jewelery, handbags, greeting cards, etc...that make some so called artist looked "second-hand."  However...as much as I would love their work, it would be hard for me to call jewelry, art. 

example:

from www.orientaltrading.com/products/C342843.jsp

This is beautiful...plain and simple...in my opinion at least...but I would still not call this art. 
The person who created this is very talented, and has a skill above the average person, otherwise they wouldn't be selling these items.  The act of making an item such as this is very artistic, but I wouldn't say the person is an artist based on this item alone.

image by  Alex Ross

  Is there anything wrong with being a crafter?  Craftswomen and men need to stand tall, unite and celebrate the work they create.  There shouldn't be a rush to defend the word craft.

A person who goes out and purchases items such as beads, wire, and other trinkets, and fashions them together in my mind maybe creative but not an artist...once again just my opinion.  Now a person who creates things from scratch, burns and pours the metals, burns and shapes the wire....that person is definitely an artist. 

But wait...what about the artist who buys canvas, and purchases paint???  That person still creates, mixes, blends themselves, and there is nothing you can buy, that will paint, sculpt, or draw for you.  Sure there are tools that will enhance artist ability, but not change what they can create.

So who wins? 

image by Alex Ross

The two categories really cannot be compared. 

I think the debate will rage on forever...but I think new arguments need to arise.  Why can't crafts be crafts and art be art.  Why is there such a need to merge the two different realms in which people  create.  Why can't we all just get along?  (Had to throw that one in there)  One main topic in the discussion should be artist having a greater respect for the word crafts.  I know many artist and craftswomen and craftsmen  read this  blog, so give  me your opinions on this topic.

teeny's time off

            

    Hello all.   Green bean a.k.a Ellia is taking some much deserved time off tonite, and she asked dear sweet husband (Me  of course) to fill in for her.  When she asked me, I first thought she was joking, but she was serious and so here I am.   

    You guys know so much about my wife, and see a lot of the amazing art she creates, which is great.  I want to say thank you all for supporting her in viewing and or purchasing items from flickr and etc.  I have seen first-hand the many struggles and steps she has gone through to get to where she is today. 

    I will dedicate this blog to the people who live in the green bean household to further enrich you, the audience, on who Ellia is.  Lets start with me.  The Husband she mentions from time to time.  My name is Ramel Hill.  Born and raised in Milwaukee.  I met Ellia in a Children's Book class back in 2001.   She worked in her now perfected cut paper illustration style, while I worked in more traditional media like watercolor, colored pencil, and ink washes.  I was interested in her from the beginning.  You guys see how beautiful she is!!!  We dated for two years before we were wed in July of 2003.   Come to think of  it, I can't believe it is almost 2008... that would make 7 years together!

       

Here is sample of my college work...

I really try my best to support her in her art career, by giving her the time she needs to create.  I grab the kids when I get home from work and she hits it to her studio....well she used to.. Recently she has been playing a lot of halo 3 with me....

    My wife is a true blessing in my life.  In 2004 (yeah we work fast!!!) Diego was introduced to the world and our lives haven't been the same since. Diego is the best son anyone could have.  He is full of energy and demands love, care, and attention.  Best of all he loves all the things I loved as  a child which are comics, cartoons, video games, and movies....wait a minute... I still like all those things....

         

New lady of the house.....
         

Isabella...born April 2007
This little princess is a total daddy's girl and I love it.  The minute I come home from work and she hears my voice she comes crawling to see her daddy!!!  She wants to be held as much as possible and I oblige.   These two kids are a lot of work, but well worth it.

That is the green bean household... We try to spend family time together as much as we can, but we understand that each needs his/her own time.  As much as I sacrifice my time in order for her to do her work she does the same for me as well.  I couldn't live without her.  She is my sweetheart, my fellow artist, my wife  Well that's it for me right now...I will handing the green bean baby back to my beautiful wife now.