|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Carol Ochs (<-like "Oaks") sees paintbrushes as magic wands! When discussing something with Carol that perhaps makes no sense to YOU, it's fairly expected that you'll hear her say "Well, in MY world this is how it is!" And so is it is with her fantasy art...."as SHE sees it in her world". Carol's magic-of-choice is watercolor, pen & ink, and acrylics. Self-taught in art, she's dabbled in several genres since childhood and is enamored with many Old World forms of crafting...including soap and potion making. With a lifelong fascination with legend, myth, nature, and the whimsical, when asked "Why fantasy art?", she responds, "I just instinctually connect with all things enchanted, the bond between animals, and deep forest-y places...I've also never really grown up! So it's my compulsion to paint enchanted realms & creatures, and if it happens to charm you too, then I've shared a bit of magic that I hope puts a sparkle in your eye!" An early childhood memory of Carol's, is glimpsing a faery, crrrazy as it sounds! She spied it near a blossoming cherry tree ...proof positive (to her)--tHeY DO eXiSt! Never to give up the hunt, she returned to that tree, pickle jar in-hand, hell-bent on recapturing that meeting. And she DID.....at least in drawings! This cherished memory would later re-visit... Anne Sudworth, Brian Froud, and Alan Lee are major artistic influences on Carol. The fantasy art-bug reawakened in her while reading Anne's beautiful book "Enchanted World", ...and Brian and Alan's much-loved book collaboration, "Faeries", with her own children. Carol's faery-sighting memory returned with striking clarity conjuring up all the magical feelings that carried her through childhood and continue to touch her! Drawing a subsequent sketch of her daughter, it became *POOF!* a faery portrait! A spell bewitched her and she's been painting fantasy ever since with a focus on the faery realm--fairies as you'd catch them in their own natural, wild habitats!
"Enchanted art for me, is about more than painting a figure and slapping on a pair of wings. It's a way of seeing with enchanted eyes, the magic in creatures, ordinary things, and natural surroundings and expressing, illuminating that sense of mystical possibility into your art," she says. Another favorite influence is the art of John William Waterhouse, pre-Raphaelite master. "His blending of natural settings with female beauty leaves me in awe; I could stare at his art endlessly." Another significant influence is Chris Van Allsburg, children's book author and illustrator, best known for Polar Express. "Everything he creates is pure magic! I aspire to attain even a fraction of his vision and story-telling gifts!" Carol's resume history includes a love of writing, animals, the great outdoors, and a 13-year career in plastic and reconstructive surgery nursing. She traveled the US and South America via this work, which opened her eyes to many cultures and landscapes. She later met, fell instantly in love with, and married her prince--an accomplished jazz guitarist and business owner. Free-lance writing and other home-based businesses followed to focus around home and raising their family. They have three children and a bevy of pets in San Diego, California. Carol owns Simply Soap - A California Handcrafted Soap Co. (est. 1994), where she concocts natural ingredients into the sorcery of Old World artisan soaps. Still, art always calls! A home-based WORKSHOP/STUDIO (<--click for a virtual tour) is the center of her art and soapmaking businesses. Most of Carol's painting occurs in the cool quiet of late night, or wee hours of the morning when the magic of midnight surrounds!
Art Studio I've always been personally fascinated with people's "creative spaces", where they go to unleash their imaginings! And apparently I'm not alone, because many have asked me what my studio looks like....so here it is below! Art space truly is sacred space! For me, although it's nothing fancy-schmancy, it's one of my favorite rooms to be in...just for the solitude & possibilities! One certainly doesn't need an art studio to create art....I'm just as likely to be found on my back patio, curled up in an old rocker, or at the picnic table sketching ideas. But if you are able to make a studio out of an otherwise unused room, it surely is wonderful to have dedicated space for yourself to be inspired, work late and not disturb anyone, and make big messes in freedom (And a lot warmer in winter! Yes, even San Diego gets cold in winter!) All of my actual painting gets done in here.... I crank up the music or plug in fav movies...which I intermittently watch via the mirror above my art table which reflects the TV directly behind it on the opposite wall.....um, I guess I'm a bit backwards at times.
I mostly work on art at night, faerie lights aglow, after my busy days in the workshop making soap.
I use different mediums: watercolor, acrylics, pastels, colored pencils, ink.....whatever it takes to achieve a "look" I'm going for. An ugly old "dab towel" lies beneath each art piece as I work, to dry off my paintbrush on. I'm also an avid Amazon-junkie art book collector. Some books I get, just for the pure pleasure of looking at, others for tutorial & reference examples. All have been part of my "Art School". I love my old flip-top apothecary style art table to sit and swing my legs at while I work! One of those pieces of furniture I saw and immediately said "THAT'S my art table--it feels like ME!" It can open up as big as I need and has lots of drawer space. Many have asked where I got it...it was a limited time table offered through Staples. They supposedly discontinued them, but you may get lucky and nab a remaining display model at a store near you. PERFECT fold-out project workspace!
A constant breeze blows in my art studio window, flutters the curtains, and sets my imagination in-motion. Lots of natural light shines in. A giant lavender bush grows just outside, so the wind carries the heavenly, sweet herbal aroma! The bed makes a perfect napping or daydreaming spot for coming up with new art ideas, and is usually occupied by my near constant-companion, Miss Sophie Bella. When the sun shines in just right, my sun-catchers and mirrored wind chimes send spews of dancing light orbs all over the room and gives the effect of faeries EVERYWHERE! Magical! Sophie goes crazy trying to pounce on them, hurling herself at the fast-moving lights upon the walls, silly kitty!
The other "regular" art studio resident is Newman, a ball python snake we inherited from son Nick when he moved out. Newman lives in the tank next to my computer, where I answer email and work on digital art. Sophie and Newman amuse themselves carrying on endless games of tag-between-the-glass, each striking the glass trying to *tag* the other.
So, THAT'S my Art Studio!
When I need more inspiration, I usually find it in my backyard gardens....where enchanted inhabitants often lurk & whisper!
A lot of sketching and creative thinking takes place in my favorite rocker, in my favorite garden, WITH my favorite creative thinking partners.....Codie and Baylie, female Golden Retrievers. Are they the most adorable partners or WHAT? --->
I also enjoy creating fiber arts and usually have a shawl or other project going.....
Something I haven't really
shared widely is, I LOVE fiber arts and usually have some project going.
I particularly like to make shawls! Shawls are such wonderful comfort
items, ya know? Like a hug you can wrap around you any time,
without the sloppy kiss from Aunt Bessie attached. I have a
variety of them laying all over my house, in all kinds of colors to go
with anything...for use on simple walks, to dew dancing in the morning
garden, to head covers as you dash in the rain...when is a shawl not
necessary? I have ALWAYS had them in my wardrobe, as standard as jean,
T-shirts, and that little black dress.
If you are interested in having one made especially for you, let me know! faescribbles@aol.com My method is.... I like to call them Intention Shawls....if I know a bit about you (or your shawl recipient) before beginning, I think of you the whole time I'm making it, so your shawl is not only made especially for you, but infused with good thoughts and intentions directed especially toward you and perhaps any special needs you may have!
FAQ'S Carol Receives Where did the name "Wild Oaks Art" come from? "My last name, Ochs ("Oaks") seems difficult for many to pronounce correctly....(we get versions of Ooch, Ouch, Ox....hehe), so to include an easier version of my surname, ...+ celebrate the magic of oak trees (legendary portals into the faery realm), ...+ share my personal credo that creativity is often born of "getting a little WILD now and then"...the name 'Wild Oaks Art' was hatched!" What inspires your art ideas? "Anything, really...the most unlikely occurrences or fly-by *things* spark my ideas. I'm especially inspired by nature, sunrise, gloaming (nightfall)--that thin veil between day and night when magic is most palpable, the glow of the moon. And music (ALL styles)--encourages my creativity. Also highly inspiring are memories, fantasies, horses, other animals, fantasy movies, books, children, a mood, my family, other art. Inspiration is everywhere...just grab-onto-an idea and translate it in a medium you enjoy. Whimsy and a sense of humor often creep into my paintings, probably due to my own whacky sense of humor." "I think we're ALL probably artists to some degree.....some are just more compelled than others to transfer what's in our heads, onto paper, canvas, clay, digital mediums, metal, wood, music... I'm not even convinced that doing art is some 'gift'...as you hear it referred to so often. Every artist I know has to work very hard at it and trying to master it can be maddening, a never-ending quest. Having the 'drive' to do art and become better-skilled is what 'makes an artist', in my opinion....not necessarily an inherent proclivity where what flows out of your hand onto paper looks good easily....many HAVE that inherent gift, but are not at all interested in being an artist! At least one of my children comes to mind in that regard...all that talent wasted on someone who doesn't even pursue it!-*wink*" You say you've always dabbled in art. What made you decide to start offering your art for sale? "I didn't think I'd ever 'sell' my art, I just did it for my own enjoyment, a way to exorcise silly visions trapped in my head. Painting is relaxing for me and I enjoy the escapism and open-ended creativity of fantasy art....you can draw faeries or creatures any way you like and no one can say 'No, that's not how faeries look!' "Well, that's how MY faeries look!" "I was moreless coaxed into offering my art 'for sale', and went along with the idea on a whim...sometimes the entrepreneurial spirit gets the best of me and I can't stop myself! I did some custom art labels for a soap client of mine who really liked what I made for her and she kept bugging me to sell my art. After several encouraging nudges like that from other people as well, it kind of snowballed and I decided to put up a website. There IS something validating and brave about taking 'that next step', being willing to sell art you create, ....even more validating if there are buyers! If what I draw or paint touches a viewer, then I've given shape to something tickling my imagination. But someone connecting with it, enjoying it, fully completes the circle of what makes art, 'art'." How do you manage running two businesses AND a family? " Industrial-strength multi-tasking. (laughs) Sometimes I have to break available time down into 15 minute chunks, if not a long stretch to do painting or any particular thing, which is very difficult for me, because I like to work on projects for long stretches uninterrupted, so that's been a tough skill to master...being satisfied with small blocks of time. Working from a home-based location allows a lot of flexibility I can't imagine NOT having! We purchased our house based specifically on it having a separate 800 sq. ft. custom workshop on the property. We said 'We'll take it!' before we even looked inside the house. I don't know what I'd do without a separate place for all the messes my projects lead to..." Preferred painting supplies and materials? "Fabriano 300 lb. hot press watercolor paper, Yarka St. Petersburg, Winsor & Newton, or Daniel Smith pan and tube watercolors and gouache, Derwent and Prismacolor watercolor pencils, Micron pens, old style nib pens and jar-ink. I occasionally dabble in acrylics and am liking them a LOT!" How can I contact Carol? If you'd like to leave a comment with Carol , please do so at WildOaksArt@aol.com! Carol welcomes your feedback and questions. Thank You!
Join our blogs for updates! E-mail feed Subscription available!
HOME - OPEN EDITION PRINTS - LIMITED EDITION PRINTS - SERIES GALLERY - GIFTS - PURCHASE, LICENSE, COPYRIGHT - COMMISSIONS AND PORTRAITURE - COMPANIES OUR ART IS LICENSED WITH - WHOLESALE - THE ARTIST - WHAT'S NEW - PUBLICATIONS - NEWSLETTER - CONTACT US - LINKS - (Our Sister Companies -->) ENCHANTASIES - SIMPLY SOAP - THE FANTASY ART GATHERING - BLOGS Come visit Carol's other businesses too, if you wish! Thanks for coming by...and watch as her art offerings grow!!
Copyright protected 2004-, Carol Ochs. All right reserved. |
