Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Debs Mitchell

Hello lovelies,

 I cannot believe it's Tuesday again, seriously I cannot believe it!

This year I just cannot get a grip on, at all. I have plans for blogposts, lots of them, but as you can see lately all I've been posting is artist interviews because...I just cannot get a grip on this year. It's going so quick! but least I am still remembering to turn up here as I watch the weeks whizzing past me, giving a solitary wave as they go lol I will make a conscious effort to post more on here this month, till then though here's this weeks Tell All Tuesday.

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are. 

I am Debs..... I am the wrong side of 40 and fighting it every step of the way! I am lucky enough to be a housewife, so I can more or less please myself each day in between the school runs ... which means I get to play with paint and pencils! I describe myself as an Enthusiastic Experimenter when it comes to my art..... no rules are safe from being broken... I am very much into Mixed Media and altering... and I love to try out stuff... no matter how bizarre, as you never really know what the outcome will be...... Only last week I discovered a WOW.... I had spray inked and watered a canvas (which I love doing as you never know which way the water will travel when applied to the upright canvas) then gone over areas in heavy black marker, which I knew worked... but hated the finished piece... so I painted over the black with silver acrylic...... did you know that activates the ink again and you get discs of metallic colour shine through? It was a WOW moment... stunning effect, sadly not the one I was after, but I have filed it for future use! I am also Positively Passionate about Pencils..... have a...few.... Ok 550 odd.... and all Derwent... Love them to bits!

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it? 

My biggest challenge is to accept what I do and that is is OK and accept other people like it! I was told at school many years ago I was useless at art... and they refused to let me on the CSE course (remember them for people not smart enough to do an O level! LOL) So I had to drop it... and with it my confidence dropped. I only picked up a paint brush around two years ago... all that time wasted! I have now after a very stern personal talking to, and with the help of my wonderful friends, accepted that my art is actually great! It is not fine art, or detailed landscapes, or even reality sometimes, but it is My Art... and I am Unique, my art is unique and I am proud of it....... Being brave enough to enter an exhibition with my art group helped too..as that was strangers commenting on my work.... Yayyy Me! The biggest confidence boost though,
was a sale! :-) 

Do you think you have achieved a uniquely recognisable style as an artist, or do you find it a struggle to find your own style?

This is a very good question......Finding your own style is a very difficult thing to do as there is so much adorable and envyable influence out there! Over the last year and a half... I have taken courses by the fabulous Effy Wild... and I am very much drawn to her style of face..... I am also a YouTube fanatic for inspiration.. and it is easy to fall into the trap of copying (as is totally acceptable in a class where you are learning) It has been very hard to try to pull away and make the differences needed to be unique...... I am slowly getting there with my faces... but I still have a way to go before I stop calling them Effy-esque!

What advice would you offer to any perspective new artist? 

Go For It! Seriously.. pick up the brush, pencil, marker whatever and Do It! As I said above it is easy to be lead, and it is just as easy to compare.... I think the hardest bit is being able to put your work out there to show others..... once you have overcome that hurdle.. and read the fabulous comments... you are on a wonderful emotional high..... Go on.. paint something.. draw something... join a group (Facebook have some fabulous ones for starting out) show people and let the praise wash over you! Go on.. double dare you with a cherry on top! If you are really nervous .. look for the Mixed Media Chicken Coop on FB.... it is a group for beginners and those who lack confidence... shout and I will open the door... no negativity allowed... and lots and lots of encouragement and help! maybe see you there! 

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?

If you want to come looking for me, and see more of my art... I am on Facebook daily (I blame Candy Crush!) I have a page there for my art or you can follow my blog.

Thank you so much for sharing your art and outlook for us Debs, after reading your interview Enthusiastic is definitely the word that I feel is oozing out of your words. It's really nice as it reminds me of the enthusiasm I had when I first re-discovered art, which I've talked about plenty of times of here before, and now kinda want back a little...I'm internally laughing at the irony that most of us can't wait for that time to come when we are more skilled and I'm sat here reminiscing about the times I first picked up a paintbrush again and learnt about the simple joy of discovering. But the wonderful thing about art is that, the joy of discovery and learning, is always available but as Debs mentioned in the very beginning with silver acrylic discovery, sometimes it just might not come to you exactly as originally expected.

Want to be a TATer??

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)