Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Artist Profile: Pipyr

by Cyndi on April 26th, 2007

Artist: Pipyr
Website: Pipyr Art Glass

Pipyr, how do you describe your work, and why did you chose the business name that you did?
“Pipyr” has been the name I have used as my artistic pseudonym since I was at least 12. Even at that age, I have always felt a duality in my life as an artist. In one way, I am a laid-back, happy-go-lucky kind of person who loves to laugh have fun. My artistic side, though, is a bit darker and has more of a surrealist nature. I wouldn’t describe my work as dark in a brooding sense. Rather, I think it’s more of a dark whimsy. I enjoy combining beauty with unexpected, surreal shapes and industrial materials. I guess I want my work to surprise people. I want them to be surprised by the unexpected combinations of forms and materials and then I want them to be surprised that they like it.

What is your creative process like?
Well, most of the time I start out with a new idea by sketching it in my journal. Sometimes a sketch will sit there for months before I get to it. My work is pretty sporadic…some days I work all day long and late into the night, while others I work in small doses. Once the sketch is done, I will try the piece on the torch. I normally call this stage my “glass sketch”. Something always goes wrong and it never looks quite right. I have come to expect that now and will move past it. It used to be very hard not to get frustrated, though. Once that is out of the way, I make adjustments as needed and re-create it (hopefully better this time!). The piece then goes into the kiln to anneal and the next day I am able to add all the mixed media elements to it. I normally have a bunch of pieces going at the same time, which is a necessity for me because I get bored working on just one. I will generally create series of pieces using the same shapes and ideas, but change them enough so that each piece has its own unique look.

What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?
I have had no formal training at all. The last art class I had was in 8th grade. I think the most important things I have done to get my art going is to study the works and lives of my favorite painters…Kandinsky, Miro, Klee, Dali, etc. I have found that understanding the way they lived and saw things was really influential to me. I also keep a journal…actively. I have all kinds of things in there and also put all my sketches in there. It is what drives me forward and keeps me creating new things, because it allows me to look at what I have pasted on the pages and learn about why I like what I like. I think that’s really, really important.

Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?
LOL! That’s really easy…glass!! I love mixed media, but glass is the basis for every one of my pieces. I love working it, I love the way it feels, and I love the endless possibilities it provides!

What inspires you to create?
There is no easy answer to that. I have a lot of passion in me and from keeping a journal, I know a lot about what draws me to specific things. Anything can be inspiring to me at the right moment. I have always had an inner need to create things…I think that’s just who I am.

What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?
I think it’s just the love of the process and the NEED to create. I go crazy if I’m not working on something. It’s not pretty! I almost quit about a year ago before I really found my “niche” but I couldn’t. I missed the glass too much.

What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?
Keep a journal!!!!!! I know I have mentioned my journal a lot, but I see a lot of artists not keeping one and for a while I didn’t keep one either. Now that I have one, I can’t imagine not keeping one! I have learned so my about myself and grown so much as an artist. I have discovered ideas I didn’t know I had! Also, display every piece with pride. Presentation is so very important for art. It really can make or break you. Don’t cut corners with presentation. If you do 3-D work, really learn how to take pictures! If you are sending photos to galleries or shows or trying to sell your pieces on-line, photos are the only way people will know if they want to purchase from you or display your work. I’m not saying to pump up your pictures to make them look better than the actual piece; I’m only saying to make sure your pictures look as good as the real thing. Oh! Ok, one more…don’t under-price your art. Everything has a perceived value. If you under-price your work, people generally aren’t thinking they are getting a deal…they are thinking that this piece isn’t worthy of a higher price-tag, even if it is! Price your pieces at what they are actually worth. You aren’t doing yourself any favors at all by under-pricing. ;)

What takes up the majority of your time besides your art?
The business side of art takes up a lot of my time when I’m not working on a piece. I enjoy on-line forums, too. I’m not one to really watch TV or movies. My life is pretty much filled to the brim with some aspect of art, which is exactly how I like it!

OK, so what are your favorite things outside of the art world?
I’ll confess…I eat pizza (almost) every day. Those little Celeste-brand frozen pizzas that you can put in the oven to make them all crispy…yummmmmmm. I just finished eating one, actually. :D I also love the Harry Potter books and movies…I know the movies by heart and I know some of the books by heart, too. Oh! And Buffy The Vampire Slayer…lol. If I’m having a really rough day it’s either Buffy or Harry Potter that I will put in the DVD player. :D

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POSTED IN: Artist Profiles, Business tips, Creativity, Lampwork, Mixed Media