Her love of art is only matched by her drive to educate others about painting and right-brained thinking.. Her love of art is only matched by her drive to educate others about painting
Trang 1Issue Eleven Vol Two | November 2012
Trang 3We’d love to hear from you! If you would like to be featured in the Magazine, have any idea or suggestion, please send emails to: info@artflowmagazine.com
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became her best
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us on tw M
hree different artists from different part of the world sharing same platform on Artflow, showcasing their creative abilities to the world It
is always my pleasure to welcome you to another edition of this Magazine We are here to show our support
T
November 2012 www.artflowmagazine.com 1
Leisa O’Brien was born in a small town of Bundaberg, Australia and working predominantly in acrylics now Her love of art is only matched by her drive to educate others about painting and right-brained thinking She runs workshops and teaching art to both adults
Sonja Hesslow grew up with six siblings with encouragement that she can do anything she sets out to do and more reasons she decided to become a photographer, even though it’s hard work Sonja wants to make pictures that concern people; she bought a Camera and Photoshop
Meet Jaiyeola Adeboye who made the switch from Agricultural Extension to Textile Design He grew up to like drawing and music He never had
a formal training on the softwares he uses but first came across CorelDraw in the 2005 and Photoshop after Since then, he has being exploring creative art With his story in mind, I shared some tips on how to enjoy the career
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content
GBENGA MOGAJI
ENJOY THE SWITCH
Born in a small town of Bundaberg, Australia and working predominantly in acrylicsnow Her love of art is only matched
by her drive to educate others about painting and right-brained thinking She runs
workshops and teaching art to both adults and children for over 15 years.
training on the softwares he uses but first came across CorelDraw in the 2005 and Photoshop after Since then, he has being exploring creative art
18
Jaiyeola Adeboye
Sonja Hesslow
She grew up with sencouragement that she can
do anything she sets out to do and more reasons she decided to become a photographer, even though it’s hard work Sonja wants to make pictures that concern people; she bought a Camera and Photoshop became her best friend
Trang 5Leisa was born in 1967 in a small town of Bundaberg, Australia Working
predominantly in acrylics now, sometimes oils, she came from a watercolour
background and is renowned for her sun-drenched seascapes and capturing Australia’s beach culture Featuring in several of her own Exhibitions as well as Group Exhibitions, Leisa’s work is
permanently showing at D’Bar Gallery and Kingscliff Arts locally and Sydney Galleries interstate Leisa was recently invited to take part in an International Exhibition by
Michael Caine in New York
With a passion for capturing a slice of time, her love of art is only matched by her drive
to educate others about painting and right-brained thinking Leisa has been running workshops and teaching art to both adults and children for over 15 years Her work has recently been featured on an International Television series showcasing Australia’s top emerging artists and she currently has her work in a group exhibition
of the artist’s who have been part of the Put Some Colour in Your Life Television Series
at C Gallery in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
Leisa’s lifetime dream of being a full time artist is close to realization as she is
spending more and more time painting commissions in her beachside art studio as well as several sales in her current C Gallery Exhibition with one piece selling within an hour on opening night
I ADORE THIS COUNTRY A ND I DO
Trang 7Who is Leisa? Can we meet you
I’m an easy-going Aussie country girl I
grew up in a small, beautiful town of
Bundaberg in Queensland I had
visions of travelling the world, hated
cooking and had no intentions of ever
having children Well I still hate
cooking but had conquered the other
two! I moved to the Gold Coast and
learnt to surf in my thirties and just
love my life here The ocean is crystal
clear and beaches aren’t crowded or
polluted I’ve had my heart broken
more than once and I’ve had fearful
life lessons to learn but I’m happy to
claim each scar as it has made me a
I’ve also felt pure bliss and joy many
times and live my life in gratitude
almost every day I’m one of the
happiest people I know – and I think
it’s because of the people I surround
myself with and my belief in making
the most of everything If I were to
describe the very essence of me – this
How is life down under in Australia?
Do you sometimes feel out of this
I have to say a big YES to this! I adore
this country and I do think it is the
most fortunate and beautiful country
in the world but after travelling
through Europe, Canada and the
United States, I have felt how isolated
we are being down under and how
young we are as a Nation Thank
goodness for the Internet! It has
made us closer to the rest of the world
and the rest of the world more
I am still amazed at getting comments
on my paintings from people in
Russia, Japan and Brazil This little
country town girl never dreamed
when she was 5 that one day my art
would be on walls around the world
and yet I have sold works to Egypt,
I had quite an unusual childhood as I
grew up at a Tourist Attraction park
called “The Mystery Craters.” It was a
How easy is it to combine your full time work with the creative demands
It is the most difficult thing I have ever done I am constantly in the mode of Mother and Wife but first and foremost I have the soul of an artist so that’s all I want to do It’s very hard to sit down and spend a day colouring a site plan to an architect’s deadline, in between loads of washing and grocery shopping then
hoping I can get to the Art Studio for an hour or two before collecting Josh from
When my husband gets home from work,
I take off for night teaching Adult Learn to Paint classes – where I get so enthused to paint so my art teaching is a dream job but it’s at the end of a long day and sometimes I don’t start painting at 9:30pm I shouldn’t complain because
my problem is not finding my creativity – it’s always there, simmering away – my frustration is organising the rest of my life
so that I get more time to paint uninterrupted Josh is only 8 and we don’t have any family around so I know that
things will get easier as the years go by Also, due to the economy slowing down, our architectural illustration business has pretty much died so I’m not doing too much of that anymore Looks like my best
A huge inspiration for me is my husband, Matt’s, surf photography When I was pregnant and had to stop surfing I gave him a waterproof camera and asked if he’d take a few shots for me for reference This reignited his passion for
photography and since then he has exhibited with me and been featured on
TV for his surf photography Other than that – almost every part of my life I find inspiration….opening my eyes in the morning and seeing the kind of light that day brings, deciding what colours and patterns to wear that day as I get dressed, seeing the ocean and the sky on my way
to dropping my son to school Going for a walk on the beach or a surf Seeing other people’s artwork or going to a scenic
place ( I’ve just come home from doing an art workshop in Hobart, Tasmania and I took over 500 photos –so inspirational to see the different landscape and
buildings!) Everything inspires my creativity really – except cooking
sized rock craters of mixed sandstone, siltstone and red ochre… a geological mystery that no 2 geologists could agree on it’s formation but carbon dated to 25 million years old They looked like giant left footprints and we used to climb in them and swim in
some and we had 13 rock wallabies as pets (kangaroos smaller, cuter cousin)
Rolf Harris came to see the Craters one day and he is an idol of mine I used to love watching him create a huge
painting out of his imagination! He
Why decide to paint? How did you
I just started drawing anything and everything at age 4 or 5 and Mum began to buy me lovely cartridge paper art books to draw in By the age
of 9, I was designing and painting all the posters for my school’s Library It’s something I’ve just always done and I can explicitly remember telling people
at the age of 5 that I was going to be
an artist and I’ve never lost that love of
Even when I was working as an architectural illustrator for 12 years, I had my own little pet portrait business going on the side It was when I
became pregnant and had to stop surfing that I picked up the acrylics and started to paint the ocean and that
really hasn’t left me yet It’s not the only subject I paint but it’s what I’m most constantly captivated by these
How is your educational background? Did you have any
At High School I studied Technical Drawing and then did a Graphic Arts course after High School I was
employed by an architect right after completing the course and that
became a bit of an apprenticeship for
me – learning parts of buildings and technical architectural terms and also how to paint hundreds of cars in a shopping centre car park, wet bitumen roads and reflective glass I taught
myself to use acrylics and oils and have spent years studying brainwaves and the brain hemispheres and their effect
on creativity just in my own time
November 2012 www.artflowmagazine.com 5
Leisa O’Brien
Trang 8That’s easy – for me Art is the
creative process of your unique
expression Art is often pondered
about as what it actually IS and
what IT IS NOT but that, in my mind,
is one facet of Art being judged –
so it’s highly definitive in itself Art
is so much more than a finished
object or image Art is creating, Art
is putting yourself in that state of
pure creativity where time stands
still and energy flows into you and
through you For me, Art is a state
What makes your art different? How
I am passionate about sharing the
way I see the world in my paintings
as I see the world in layers of colour
and light I’m fascinated with
building something on a blank
canvas and creating a moment in
time Working as an architectural
illustrator and graphic artist for
years using watercolours, gouache
and airbrushing honed my ability to
portray things realistically- so
photorealism comes very easily but
my challenge is to loosen up and be
I use clever composition to invite
the viewer’s eye into my paintings
Iand hopefully my subject, colour and light keeps them there I think my work is interesting and a little
different because I usually start off being really detailed and then soften and loosen up as I go and usually it’s the opposite way around for many
I think just the fact that it is MY unique creative expression makes it different – as I teach many students and quite often we are painting the exact subject, the exact size and I’m even helping them mix the same colours but each person creates their own different interpretation of that piece I would describe my style as traditional but with a colourful twist
as I always work from a point of realism maybe we can invent a term
Please share your commercial experiences with us, how is the business
This is the difficult side for me as it is for many artists We love to create but don’t want to spend our time self
promoting and selling our work or trying to market work Many Galleries only want well-known established artists and many Galleries have closed down over the last few years Media
and we must adapt so I have my artwork on several online websites for networking and promotion and my own public Facebook page with my
I have been fortunate and sensible about getting my work out there I joined a local artist’s cooperative where we all run a Gallery together which is a brilliant way to go I then approached both the local Galleries and the Interstate Gallery that my artwork sells in now (not to mention
a few rejections in the interim by other Galleries!) and I have found that networking by being part of
something bigger like Global Art and Put Some Colour in Your Life has
given me a broad exposure that I cannot get as a stand alone artist
They provide you with a huge window of opportunity and exposure that would take a single artist an
entire career to build for themselves
I have approached many local businesses to display my art and sell them on consignment and sell
greetings cards I make from my paintings This shouldn’t be
understated as many artists think to have any credit you must have Gallery
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Leisa O’Brien
Trang 9representation At the end of the
day, for me it’s about being able
to continue to create and not run
out of space so sales at local cafes
and Gelato shops are fantastic
and have led to many great
I have found that private
commissions are wonderful
because they challenge me to
paint things I normally would
never try (I’ve painted the Eiffel
Tower at night and am currently
painting Sydney Harbour with
the Sydney Opera House!) Also I
make a point to donate a
painting for fundraising and
At the moment, I’m donating 2
artworks to raise money for
research into Crohns Disease and
Collitis I have raised thousands
of dollars for local and
international causes and it is a
great way to feel worthy about
your art and getting exposure for
Have you received any recommendations or nice words that
Yes- I’ve had one lady in particular who is from England She once sent
me an email saying the weather was awful – she was snowed in and she didn’t care at all because the sun was shining in her living room! I’ve also had people comment that my
painting brings back beloved memories of childhood beach
This is the most wonderful feedback and it gives me the greatest sense of achievement because I know
someone else has truly connected with my art I think having someone hug you and burst into tears when you’ve handed them a portrait of their dearly departed pet is hard to beat ( I always end up crying with them) I have to say as an artist who is
passionate about teaching others to paint, I have had some tear jerking emails from strangers saying watching
my TV episode has inspired them to
You hired an art studio and dedicated more time to your art and was featured
on a TV show in Australia, Tell us more
I decided this was my year and was fortunate enough to find a wonderful location to use as an art studio and within two months was approached to
be filmed in my studio doing a painting An amazing man and brilliant artist Graeme Stevenson, who is doing wonderful things to promote artists here in Australia, runs an amazing television series and website called
“Put Some Colour in Your Life.” The show is about building a library of the minds of artists and it showcases
emerging artists while they do a painting, demonstrate their techniques and give an in depth interview He
contacted me after he saw some artworks I uploaded onto the Colour in Your Life website It was a brilliant
experience and I sold the painting I did
on the show the day after it aired to a man down in South Australia after
I’ve had enquiries about doing workshops from all over the country
Actually the TV series has gone International now and several stations
in London are in talks with Graeme It also runs on Virgin Airlines I’m
expecting to be mobbed when I do the grocery shopping any day now It has been great exposure and also great to
be part of something that is educating people about art as well as entertaining
How has your works improved over
I think my works have improved with
my increased ability to see with my eyes and not just with my mind
(particularly with the left side of the brain) I know this sounds silly, but as adults, what we “see” when we look at something is heavily influenced by what information our brain has stored about that thing For instance – with the ocean –people will generally look
at water and their knowledge from the analytical left-side of the brain tells
them “Oh yes That’s water – it’s blue in the ocean.” But when you discard that pre-learnt description you can start to see things just as they are- with your
November 2012 www.artflowmagazine.com 7
Leisa O’Brien
Trang 10eyes, your emotions and then with
your palette and paintbrush I
remember doing my first oil painting
of a close-up, tiny beach-break wave
and being shocked at the khaki
green colour I had mixed – thinking
“That can’t be right- there’s no khaki
green in the ocean” But there was…
so my best advice to anyone is listen
to that inner voice of analysis and
explanation (left brain)- thank it and
then tell it to shutup… and then
continue on by listening to your soul
Any of your works you want to talk
“Wave Close-up” is the one I
mentioned above where I had my
colour revelation Another painting
that really helps me to explain the
way I see colour and light in layers is
“Kirra Classic Wave” which is the
painting I did for the TV show It is
quite simple to paint as the light hits
the water and forms these random
little blobs and dots and just by
replicating the funny shapes in
white – you create the illusion of
strong sunlight playing on the
surface of the water It’s not until
you’ve painted many “dots” of white
that you can start to see them
working I’m most proud of a
painting I did of one of my idols the
great surfer “Kelly Slater” because I
really captured how he looks to me
I only had half of his face as a black and white photo to go from so that was a challenge Unfortunately that original was stolen from it’s owner in Paris Two paintings that I love of
mine are giving me the promise of things to come Silhouette 1 and 2 – show me that my realism is there (I lectured fashion illustration for 10 years) but I have that ability to free
up and use colour to be more suggestive in my art This is where I
What is the best advice you have
To paint from your heart – and paint
to please yourself, because when you start to sell some art, you can get a little careful about what you paint and hope that it will sell but in
If you are not painting, what else would you be doing? What do you
SURFING !!! I love to surf I still ride a short board so it keeps me fit and strong and whenever I’m out there
on my board I’m surrounded by inspiration to paint! I also design, paint and sew my own clothes and
do Karate I also write and illustrate children’s books – and have a
passion for making greeting cards – funny ones from little watercolours I
do as well as from my paintings
I have painted a series of cards, bookmarks, activity books that I want to publish one day as well- it’s especially aimed at children who have long stays in Hospital as my best friend’s son often does I will -one day- have the time and money
to hold art workshops for children
I’m just really passionate about people opening themselves up to their creativity Get creative and into the right side of your brain and you’ll discover what you’re missing!
In Memory of Weaver Knight
Leisa O’Brien
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Trang 11“You’ve got to find what you love And that is as true for your work as it is for
your lovers Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only
way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work And the only
way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs
November 2012 www.artflowmagazine.com 9
ack in Architectural School, I had a friend who was destined for Radio, his voice was unique and I remember always telling him to speak to
me in that voice He was more into entertainment than Architecture I wonder why he did not study mass communication, media or journalism He later went on to become a movie producer and director
ward In most cases it is about the hidden passion Things you love
to do but not in main stream educational system but how do you
No longer a big deal to admit that I also made such career move and always willing to share my experience With a first degree in Architecture, I am more involved in brand design and publishing, I was able to use my creative abilities in some other area and same for some of my friends in Architecture School who went on to
become TV presenters, Fashion Designers and even Model Makers
Trang 12GIVE FREELY: This is a very important point I will like you
to take note if you have not being doing it When I started
with Website design in 2003, I did a community website for my Estate and my Church It was more of an avenue to develop myself and a corporate social responsibility but it opened opportunities for me Those who have seen my free service
where they one who paid for it
Yours could be sample designs of what you do, painting a family member or making a handmade card for your Boss It goes a long way to show what you can offer
Some actually give tutorials on design software It is not
MANAGE YOUR TIME: And finally, you don’t have to use
24 hours of your day to do what you like before you enjoy yourself Sitting in front of the computer for 24 hours is not good for your eyes; you will need to take some
breaks Spend time with your families and friend Manage your time appropriately to accommodate for some other important things of life It wouldn’t be nice if your dirty appearance overshadows the beautiful work you did
Your happiness in life is very important The euphoria of achievement doing what you love to cannot be
explained Make sure you live life to the fullest on your career path Your first degree in a University is to prepare you for the challenges a head Your interest and passion will keep you going Wish you all the best
The lessons learnt from my sister actually prompted me to
share this with you With her love for Chemistry and other
sciences, we all thought she will end up in a medical
school but she chose to do Medicinal/Industrial
Chemistry It was not all about the pride or monetary
reward attached to being a medical doctor; it is about
doing what you enjoy and most importantly if you can
She loves to read, do research and wants to work in GSK
The motivation here is not the salary but something in
line with your passion and interest With these tips, I hope
you will think more positive and enjoy the switch
IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY:
Have you tried to answer this
question by the philosopher
Alan Watts, “What would you like
to do if money were no object?”
He went on to say that it is better
to live a short life doing what
you like than a long life doing
what you don’t like To enjoy
yourself, don’t make Money the
IDENTIFY YOUR TALENT EARLY: As early as possible,
identify what you love and are passionate about Identify
your interest and make it align with your career goal You
will start to enjoy yourself from a very early time and you
can grow into it You wouldn’t waste your time moving
around in a cycle doing what you don’t like You need to
remember that your talent is unique to you You just have
DEVELOP YOUR SELF: Once you have identified what you
like to do, your interest and passion, see how well you can
develop it and sharpen your skills No doubt it may not be
available in your school curriculum but information about
all around From the internet, asking questions and
networking with others You can attend specialist schools
NETWORK: As you develop yourself, network with others
within your industry, with those who are more
experienced with whom you can learn and newbie whom
you can influence and share your own experiences with
them You get access to information about new trends,
job openings and even a shoulder to lean on when thing
seems to be going wrong Attend conferences, ask
DEVELOP YOUR PLATFORM: When you meet like minded
people, you should have a place of knowledge to call your
own, your website, your portfolio or an album to
showcase what you do The internet has made life easier
Gbenga resides and works in London Creative by
default, directing editorial affairs of Artflow Magazine A branding enthusiast with interest in
photography and a social media handyman
Follow him on Twitter: @mogajigbenga
accommodate some other important things of life It wouldn’t be nice if your dirty appearance overshadows the beautiful work you did over the
night ,,
10 www.artflowmagazine.com November 2012