Friday, November 15, 2013

Feature Friday: Ginably

I have a history with sewing machines. My mom taught me how to sew when I was little, and I remember eagerly watching her as she made some of my Halloween costumes. I didn't grow up knowing I wanted to design and make children's clothes, but I had the basic knowledge. This could also be said about art. I took two art classes in school, and while I had a passion for it, I was no brilliant artist. I never seemed capable of fully expressing myself no matter which medium I chose, but I still love seeing something created out of someone's imagination that didn't exist before.

With that said, I will always have an interest in people who are more than capable of expressing themselves through painting, illustration, and such mediums. One such person is Gina Su, the talented artist behind Ginably. Her incredibly feminine and imaginative artwork pulls you into this whimsical world that reminds me of garden parties and the innocence of Spring. Her charming animal silhouettes are so soft and sweet, I can practically smell the flowers wafting from the them!


1. How do you define art?
For me, the definition of art is something that is always changing. Art is more of an expression. It is the expression of how an individual perceives the world. It is how I express what inspires me. Maybe I'll see something walking down the street that makes me want to pull out a pencil and some paper. Or maybe today, it is simply my emotions that drive my art.

2. How would you describe your art?
Definitely whimsical and simplistic. I love lines and floral, and it comes across pretty loudly in my art.

3. Name three adjectives that describe your artistic point of view.
Minimalistic, playful, abstract

4. Who has most personally influenced and inspired you as an artist?
I don't think I can say any one person has influenced or inspired my as an artist. My immediate family has always been more math and science oriented. My sister inspires me not as an artist, but rather as an individual. She is such a great role model, and her success motivates me to become the best that I can be.

5. Has your artistic sensibility changed since you first began?
Oh, for sure. I began very much in the realism realm and pastel was my go to medium. Since then, I have moved more abstract and more... fun. I think my art from before was beautiful, and now it is still beautiful. Just in a different way.

6. What inspires your art?
The simple answer? The pretty things in life. I love flowers. I love animals. What better way then to combine them (as seen in many of my pieces). Sometimes I will see a stunning photograph of flowers, and I cannot wait to start drawing it from my perspective. And sometimes, I just let my imagination drive my paintbrush.


7. Do you have a favorite artist from another field?
There is this television show on the SciFi channel called "Face Off". I am so inspired by all those special effects makeup artists; the way they sculpt, paint, and fabricate characters is just so amazing.

8. Who is your favorite competitor from your field?
I have a few competitors from my field who are my favorite. There are many great artists and the thing though is that we are all so different. We all have different styles. Maybe two of us are whimsical, but we are whimsical in different ways. I admire them for what they have accomplished.

9. Do you have any occupation hazards or mishaps?
Sometimes I get paint on the floor or other places that wish I hadn't...


10. What did you wish you would have known when starting out?
I would not be where I am today without having made the mistakes that I did. But I would've liked to known how much work I needed to put into this craft from the start. And I wish I invested in my printer sooner!

11. What is your favorite item currently for sale in your shop?
I love my bear silhouette print in black and white. I find it really cute and just fitting for my personality. Is it cheating if I say I also love the floral stationery set I have in my shop? My friend did stunning photography work. It looks so beautiful to me.

12. Who is your favorite author? What was your favorite book as a child?
Favorite author is another question I have a hard time answering. I do have a guilty sweet spot for mystery/crime/romance novels. As a child, I loved reading "The Night I Followed the Dog". It is this cute adventure story about a boy who follows his dog. His dog is actually a swanky boss dog of some club, haha.


13. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
The better question is what didn't I want to be. I wanted to be a teacher, a doctor, and a mom. Then for the longest time I dreamed of being an architect.

14. Where is the farthest you have traveled? Where did you dream about visiting as a child?
The farthest I have traveled is overseas to China and Taiwan. As a child, I am not sure if I had a dream vacation. We got to explore many different states in the U.S. and I remember my mom collecting a magnet from each of these places.

15. Which musician or musical group inspires you the most? What was your favorite childhood song?
Right now I have an affinity for electronic music. Especially something with a great beat and bass. But otherwise, who can ever forget the great pop songs of the 90's and early 2000's. Those were my favorite growing up and I still love them.


16. Where can people find you and your art online?
www.etsy.com/shop/ginably

3 comments:

  1. such a beautiful artist! ...no doubt that it is all inspired by pretty things in life!...lovely feature!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great job on the interview! Thank you for introducing us to another fellow artist!

    ReplyDelete