From the Desk of an NYC Artist.
This portrait of my desk tells the story of me as an artist and a New Yorker. At the center is a simple, white cube. Like many artists before me, I have spent thousands of hours over the years practicing drawing and shading cubes (and other simple geometric shapes). So why do I do it? This understanding of basic forms allows me to convincingly draw and paint much more complex objects.
Strong technique is the foundation of my artwork.
How I became a New Yorker
I grew up at the feet of the Rocky Mountains. The stainless steel ruler on my desk was given to me during high school when I studied design at Warren Tech in Lakewood, Colorado. Although I have painted it in pristine condition, the years have carved many scrapes and scratches upon its surface. Nevertheless, I still use this tool often to help me analyze the proportions of objects that I’m trying to depict.
I moved to Brooklyn in 1985 to begin my formal art training at Pratt Institute. The Mets would win the World Series the following year (LGM!), and tokens were still being used to ride the subway. However, my penchant for adding my two cents to nearly any topic developed well before becoming a New Yorker.
My transition to a digital canvas
In 2014, I switched to drawing and painting with a digital pen when MTV commissioned me to illustrate the Teen Wolf Bestiary. Before that, I created artwork using traditional artist pencils and brushes. Oils were my preferred painting medium (despite all the setup, clean-up, and toxic fumes). I have adapted my traditional techniques to produce similar results with the modern digital medium (no setup, no clean-up, no toxic fumes!).
What guides my art
Thought clouds are constantly floating above my desk. Sometimes they drift in peacefully. Other times, they race about in clusters. I pluck the ones I want while leaving the others to continue upon their merry way.
Objects that influence and inspire me as an artist are found lurking in the background of my desk. I regularly study artworks by my favorite masters from the past. For example, the small print of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens (I often visit the original painting that hangs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art here in NYC). Dragons, as well as other imaginative subjects, also fascinate me.
Meanwhile, the glitzy, big apple sitting on my desk represents New York’s nickname. Depicting it required all of the artistic skills that I have amassed. You see, as far as I know, it only exists in my imagination. I designed it based on my admiration for the beauty and craftsmanship of Fabergé eggs. This ornate apple also adds a sense of wonder, which is a trait I always strive to include in my artwork.
wonder • n. 1 an emotion excited by what is unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable, esp. surprise mingled with admiration or curiosity etc. 2 a strange or remarkable person or thing, specimen, event, etc.…
The Concise Oxford Dictionary, Ninth Edition
A few of my personality quirks &
the path my art is taking
Creative minds and caffeine seem to go together. A glass of my preferred caffeine source, Coke Zero, regularly sits upon my desk from dawn till mid-afternoon (I’m also fond of tea, but not coffee). Somewhere nearby, there will also be some playing cards. This is because of my most peculiar habit: I constantly shuffle a deck of cards whenever my hands are not otherwise occupied. However, I rarely play cards. I don’t know any fancy shuffling tricks. I just shuffle cards until I have worn them down, and then I buy a new deck.
Creating artwork for a deck of playing cards is a future project I’m interested in doing.
I’m also interested in creating illustrations based on cherished literary classics. I envision the artwork focusing on portraits of characters in the books. But all my artwork will continue to scientifically explore form and light while aspiring to create beautiful, imaginative, and thought-provoking images.
How you can interact with my art
If my artwork resonates with you, please consider purchasing some from my shop.
Since I work digitally, all of the artwork that I offer for sale are reproductions. Whether you are a casual or serious art collector, I’m committed to providing options that fit many budgets. I currently make available open-edition prints as wall art and art tees.
In the future, I plan to expand the options with illustrated books and exclusive, limited-edition prints of my artwork.
I hope you will continue following me along my artistic journey.
Sincerely,
Swann Smith
NYC Artist