I am so, so excited to feature one of my favorite Etsy artists this week. Seth, from AugustEve, has a whimsical style of painting that makes me want to live in the world he’s created! Take a look at some of his work…
I really enjoyed his interview. Read on below!
Me: I think the logical place to start would be to ask, who is this beautiful August creature? Is she inspired by someone real in your life?
Seth: Actually, a lot of the characters in my shop are inspired by real people. The shop name August Eve is inspired by my first daughter Evangeline August. Andrew is a former art student of mine. Em is my youngest daughter. You will see them and others making appearances in my Etsy shop from time to time.
*painting of August*
Me: You have a definite style, storybook-ish, and some signature colors, deep browns, maroons and reds. Is this the style you’ve always painted in or have you tried a variety? Whose work influences your own?
Seth: Painting these characters has really re-connected me to my childhood and the way that I would paint growing up. I used to paint large icons on wood panels for churches (Still do once in a while). I liked doing it, but the style was much more realistic and didn’t allow me be as creative as I would have liked. Now I feel totally free to create new work in whatever way suits me. I love it!
As far as influences go, I think I am more inspired by writers than artists. I read something. It bounces around in my head for a while, then comes out as art. Sometimes something that I read will hit me in just such a way that I know it will be part of a painting, and I am usually surprised by the way it comes out on the canvas.
“Leaves of Grass,” By Walt Whitman is a part of a lot of the paintings in my shop. Edgar Allan Poe and some others are in there too.
Me: A really fun theme you have is the masks that your characters often wear! It’s fantastic that they represent weather and animals and objects. Tell me a bit about what drives you to paint them.
Seth: I guess in the same way that I get inspired by things that I read, I imagine that these kids are so anxious to be part of these other worlds that they resort to disguise.
*sun and clock masks*
Me: It seems like you produce a lot of work! How do stay inspired? Do you have a day job or are you a full time artist?
Seth: No day job. Most recently, I managed a bookstore. It was a 45 min. drive (Oakland), so I wasn’t that sad when we had to close it. Tough times for bookstores that aren’t called Barnes & Nobel.
I wouldn’t say that art is the most stress free way to support a family, but so far so good.
I do produce a lot of work. When I am in the working mode I will paint for six or eight hours a day. When there is an idea in my head I usually can’t sleep until it’s a finished painting. If I am out of canvas I will paint on old books because the texture is very similar. That pattern usually lasts a couple of weeks. Then I spend a week walking around like a zombie.
Me: Where else can we find your work?
Seth: Etsy is where I post all the paintings, and just recently I started a blog where I post ink illustrations. It is www.artofaugust.blogspot.com.
Me: Anything else you’d like to add?
Seth: I’m heading up to Point Reyes this weekend for a family reunion. So look for ocean related paintings in the next week or so. It is such a beautiful place and I’m sure something will stick with me. Maybe Sir Francis Drake will have his portrait painted as he lays anchor in the bay.
Sounds good to me! Thanks Seth!
