Putrid Press is proud to announce Saralene Tapley as the first artist of the month. Tapley is an Irish american artist who has been working in the Houston area for the past nine years. She is a respected member of the Galveston art community and well known for her stunning portraits of people of all ages and backgrounds.
What was your original inspiration to start doing artwork?
I first started doing artwork when I was 4 years old and my mother was doing commissions in Venezuela, I would steal her photo's and try to copy the images. I remember drawing of a boy and his Teddy Bear and a women in a wicker chair. I tried hard to shad like my mother. We my mother had a show at a local gallery I set my room up like a gallery and had my own show in my house. I was so proud of the shading I did. And i wrote prices on all of my pictures.
How has your art evolved since then?
I have experimented in all medias including oil, acrylic, collage and photography. The root of my work however has always been drawing. My drawing has changed the least. It is constant and distinct like handwriting.
What role does personal narrative play in your work?
Personal narrative is not something I think about. I usually pick a theme that interests me and the visuals are related. As far as the autobiographical elements go, they are all done subconsciously.
Is it different to paint a person that you know very well and someone who is a stranger?
It is easier to paint someone you know very well because you know what they look like and what they feel like. If you have not met the person then you do not know what they act like. It is the equivalent of cooking without tasting.
Why have people been the main focus of your work?
I like to tell the story of our human experiences. I think of it as documentation of who we where. I like do paint people at moments in there life when they are involved in different activities. That go's back to to idea of the narrative. so i guess narrative is important in my work.
I first started doing artwork when I was 4 years old and my mother was doing commissions in Venezuela, I would steal her photo's and try to copy the images. I remember drawing of a boy and his Teddy Bear and a women in a wicker chair. I tried hard to shad like my mother. We my mother had a show at a local gallery I set my room up like a gallery and had my own show in my house. I was so proud of the shading I did. And i wrote prices on all of my pictures.
How has your art evolved since then?
I have experimented in all medias including oil, acrylic, collage and photography. The root of my work however has always been drawing. My drawing has changed the least. It is constant and distinct like handwriting.
What role does personal narrative play in your work?
Personal narrative is not something I think about. I usually pick a theme that interests me and the visuals are related. As far as the autobiographical elements go, they are all done subconsciously.
Is it different to paint a person that you know very well and someone who is a stranger?
It is easier to paint someone you know very well because you know what they look like and what they feel like. If you have not met the person then you do not know what they act like. It is the equivalent of cooking without tasting.
Why have people been the main focus of your work?
I like to tell the story of our human experiences. I think of it as documentation of who we where. I like do paint people at moments in there life when they are involved in different activities. That go's back to to idea of the narrative. so i guess narrative is important in my work.