Artist Study: Rebecca Green

As almost all the artists before her, Rebecca Green explains that to find a “good” media for you is to try different things and experiment. She adds that you also have to evolve and not lock into a certain style or media for the rest of your career. The same goes for developing your skills: “Keep working. Keep drawing. Keep trying new things.” Stay active in the art world by going to openings, galleries, lectures, any kind of art you can take in. Another important part is to send work to galleries and keep making new work. On the topic of financial difficulty, Rebecca replies that it is feast or famine. The financial instability is the hardest part of the job and she has had some close experiences. It is important not to give up even at the worst of times and that you have to tough it out as long as you can.

After high school, Rebecca went to community college for several years before she switched to Kendall College so that she could get more rigorous and fulfilling classes. when she started she assumed that the best fit would be an illustrator for greeting cards or something along those lines. Never expecting that the majority of her work would be in galleries. Rebecca notes that traveling and other artists are the two best sources of inspiration. Traveling because it opens you up to fresh views and experiences, and other artists who can give you a new perspective or provide new ideas, themes, and styles. Ms. Green says that without a structured schedule, work can be very frustrating. She likes to put in a full days work but also makes time “off the job” to sketch and get caught up on her website and other things like that. As far as college classes go, she recommends to take classes that you’re interested in and not to restrain yourself from interesting classes that aren’t just the “basics.” I think what she means is that if you’re an art major, don’t just take the generic classes that are required: branch out and take ones that you will find interesting and classes that you think will help you grow. She also says that the most important thing about her studio is simply that it exists and that she has a place designated for work and only work. Rebecca goes down the line of the next important things; “ It has to have a wall where I can hang inspiring things, a shelf for all the things that i love, and the ability to get super messy, which I do. Good lighting is nice. Windows are very nice.” A studio away from home is important to her when she can work around and with other artists, although the one she is in now she is using solo. Art supply needs not being met? Rebecca depends on local art stores (if they have what you need,nothing wrong with Michaels folks!) and Blick, which is apparently awesome.

And for the final responses, Rebecca will be the first artist so far to say that she infact would’ve changed something on her path to becoming an artist. She declares that she sometimes wishes she went to school for stop motion animation and “skipped painting”(skip painting!?gasp!!). Rebecca’s final advice is to “make the work you want to get.” I’m pretty sure this means that the work you make should be the same quality as the work you expect from other artists. “Let go of expectations and really make the work that makes you happy.”

I like that Rebecca Green has made a point of creating her own style of work and seems to do what she loves. Her work also has an interesting texture (is that the right word?) or technique to it when you see some of the closer more detailed pictures. Although Rebecca’s work sports a very interesting color schemes, and a freeing, summer-y style, I would only give her work  three stars. Much of the work I have found is somewhat “girlish” and as that is not a bad thing for all the feminists out there, I mean that her work seems more light hearted and sheltered of you will. Like a child, much of it uses easy colors and is simple in its own way.