Artist Interview: Todd Purse

Interview by Kati Driscoll

Let's talk about DELAWARE. Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here?
I have always lived in Delaware, Born and raised! 
 
How long have you been making art?
I guess a long time now. I've been making art I wanted people to see for a lot less of that time, but I've always been fascinated with the weird feeling of satisfaction you get from making stuff. I was a product of the suburbs and had no one my age around so I went through the classic finding anything I can do to escape the boredom, and mainly it was drawing! 
 
What medium(s) do you work in?
I'm kinda all over the place. For my personal work, that sounds funny and just means the stuff I don't get paid for, I mainly use acrylic paint, spray paint, and a crap load of markers/brushes. For my illustration/comic work I do a lot of brush inking on velum and a lot of digital inking/painting.

What would you say are some of the main themes of your artwork?
Cats, The Simpsons and Pete and Pete count do they count as themes?

You are known for your illustration work for independent musicians, organizations and businesses. How has the DIY ethic and scene influenced your work?
The whole reason I can do what i do is because of the things I've learned in the DIY Punk scene. I can't tell you what I'd be doing with out the people I've met in this community. the exposure to this attitude and way or making things happen is what gave me the confidence to attempt to be a full time freelance Illustrator. I'm very thankful to be a part of it and that I can give back to it. I could talk about this for hours, but don't want to ramble to much so I'll stop here. haha 

You're new to Delaware Fun-A-Day. What interested you in the event?
I've seen a buncha rad people doing this, and really awesome art come from it. I recently made the move to full time freelance illustrator, so I finally felt I had time to do it right. 
 
Tell us about your project "Pistachio in Space" and the idea behind it:
Pistachio is  a Kitty Character I've been drawing for a long time now, but mainly in comic stories, or larger panel paintings. I wanted to take this opportunity to play with a looser style of story telling only using one image a day. 

Are there any other projects or events that you are working on this year?
The main project I'm gearing up for is with my good friend JP Flexner. He is the most talented Illustrator, screen printer, & drummer I know, and I'm so psyched for our upcoming show at Jinxed gallery in Philly. It's called "No Empty Spaces" Jp & Todd make prints to help support DIY shows/spaces. 

The names sums it up. We are doing a bunch of small affordable 2-3 color silk screen prints. All the money we make will go to local DIY promoters/spaces to help cover costs of operation and all that good stuff. The opening is on June 6th.
 
Thanks a bunch, Todd! For more of Todd's work, check out his online shop or his portfolio site!

Congratulations on a Month of Making Art!

You Made It!
Thirty-one days of inspiration, creativity and hard work - y'all should be proud of yourselves! We're hard at work behind the scenes getting the show set up right now, and we could use a little extra support with the following:

• Promotion // The show is June 20th and we'd love to see the same incredible turn out that we had last year, so please invite your friends, family, coworkers and (of course) your fans! Also! If you have photos of your project we can use in our own promotional pieces, please send them to Kati Driscoll.
• Donations // We only have 12 more days to raise funds! Fundraising is crucial for the success of the event and, while we are over goal, we only receive about 85% of the funds due to fees. The coming weeks will be the most expensive for us so if you have not made a donation, now is the time to do so!
• Volunteering // We are presently looking for volunteers to help with PR, design, hanging, serving, photography, filming and clean up. If that sounds like something you can help with, please email Sheila Master. If you signed up to get more information on volunteering when you registered, you will receive an email on the subject next week.
• Thanks again to everyone who has been a part of our largest year yet! We can't wait to see all the amazing artwork you've created for this year's show!

Couldn't make it this year? There's always 2015! If you were unable to complete your project in time for the show, please email us so we can plan accordingly for space, marketing materials, etc.
 
IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT HANGING
Hanging is taking place over two days:

• June 19th from 10 am - 4 pm
• June 20th from 10 am - 2 pm

DCCA requires us to hang the show at these times, therefore, if you are unable to come to hang your work on the dates and times listed above you MUST email Sarah Houghton to make separate arrangements for drop off.    

Artist Interview: David Norbut

Interview by Kati Driscoll

Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here?
No, I was born and raised in New Jersey. There's some sense of pride in being from New Jersey, I'm sure that's true for most folks about the places they grew up, but Jersey is alright... I lived in Florida for a while then ended up in Delaware when I was about 17. I met my wife Charise only a few days after moving to Delaware. That was about 15 years ago now...

You're a photographer known for experimenting with a variety of formats. Which is your favorite and why?
I'm not quite sure yet, there are still a few things I have yet to try. I've been making preparations to start making wet plate tintypes, I'll be starting up as soon as I finish the work for Fun-A-Day. I love 35mm film photography and I really enjoy large format photography, I recently purchased a 4x5 camera, it's a really peaceful process for me. It slows me down, I like that.

What is your favorite subject to photograph? What draws you to said subject?
Hands down, portraits.
I really enjoy the interaction with my subjects. It's a great challenge for me to try and reach the soul of a person and freeze that moment in time forever. It's another reason I really would rather shoot film, it's something you can hold in your hands, it's real.

Do you have any other creative pursuits, aside from photography?
I play music a bit, I was in bands when I was younger, but singing and playing guitar is more of a hobby nowadays. I also write a bit, nothing serious, but I contribute to a mobile photo blog wearejuxt.com.

How does music influence your work?
I consider Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen my biggest influences.
Might not make sense, as I am a photographer, but the songs influence my style, at least in my mind. Especially when I'm shooting street photography. I want my photos to look how a Springsteen song sounds.

You were also responsible for the ALIVE art show last year. What made you want to take the reins of such a large project?
I get theses grand, romantic ideas, and before I know it, it's in motion.
None of ALIVE would have been possible without the other artists, in fact I encourage anyone reading this to go and find these folks and look at what they are doing, true inspiration!
Joe Breitenbach, Bonaia Rosado, Danielle Quigley, Dave Mele and Grant Cox.

Any plans for similar shows in the future?
We'll see, I'm entertaining the idea of a permanent space to do events like ALIVE on a more regular basis. But the city of Wilmington isn't making it easy.

Can you tell us a little bit about this year's Fun-A-Day project?
It involves raw, unguarded portraits. The folks that I'm working with are amazing and beautiful and have given me more than I could have imagined.

You are someone who always seems to have something in the works. Any other grand things for 2014 that we should expect from you?
Tintypes, lots of tintypes.

Thanks so much, Dave! For more of Dave's work check out his website or follow him on instagram @dnorphoto.

Portrait of Dave by Nichole Fusca.

Artist Interview: Kati Driscoll

Interview by Amanda Thiel

We are here today with Kati Driscoll, Organizer and the driving force behind Delaware Fun-A-Day over the past two years. 

First things first - the first state. Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here? 
I am a lifelong Delawarean with an obnoxious amount of hometown pride.

What is your preferred medium?
I'm most comfortable working with textiles and metals - despite being new to the latter. Working with three dimensional objects feels a lot more natural to me than drawing or painting, though my true ambition is to be a better illustrator.

What spurred your interest in undertaking the enormous task of organizing Delaware Fun-A-Day?  
Leanne Pedante brought the event to Delaware in 2012 and I signed on as a participant and volunteer. In an elaborate full moon ceremony, I entered into a blood oath with Leanne to take over the event in 2013 (she was leaving for LA and asked me very nicely if I would). Ever since, I've been running Fun-A-Day with the support of my friends and volunteers. This year my focus is mainly on registration and marketing (email, social, website).

What do you feel the impact on the Delaware art community has been?
I'd like to think that Fun-A-Day has had a positive impact on a small part of the art community. We provide an opportunity for artists of all ages and abilities to exhibit their work which is hard to come by in this state. I would love to make a much larger impact - especially with artists outside of New Castle County - but that sort of growth is difficult to realize without greater community investment. 

You were recently approached to license one of your prints.  How does it feel to receive interest and recognition from a corporation wanting to reproduce your image on a larger scale?
It was overwhelming to have an established brand come knocking on my door. I haven't been painting long and have little confidence in my work. Because I was approached via TWAMIES, which I run with my partner Alan, I was dismissive - immediately assuming they were interested in his work. When they explained the piece was mine, I cried non-stop for hours and then sporadically over the next few days, much to the bewilderment/irritation of my friends. I'm one of the few people who sort of bumbles into great opportunities only to end up distressed over it.

How do you stay motivated in your creative process?
I don't really have a problem with staying motivated because there are so many amazing things that I want to make that it seems really unfair that I don't get to live forever! There are times when I get burned out on a project but I just move on to something else for a moment. If I'm tired of sewing I'll jump to metalworking or drawing or painting or try something totally new like weaving or cyanotypes. If anything, I have a hard time staying FOCUSED.

You are an Adjunct Instructor at Delaware College of Art and Design, teaching Social Media. How do you think Social Media has changed the Art world? What drew you to teaching this this type of program?
It's hard for me to be concise on this topic because Social Media is what I do for a living, but I'll try! I think Social Media has had a positive impact on the art world in that it has enabled discovery of / ease of promotion for artists. You don't need to be invited to participate in a show at a renown gallery in a large art market to find some measure of success. You can turn on your phone and snap a few images and wake up to requests from private collectors, galleries and businesses. You can ask for and receive financial support from a global community (just like we're doing for Fun-A-Day this year - ahemhemhem). 

Of course, that doesn't mean the issue of accessibility is solved. If you're an artist without the income to afford technology or someone who isn't interested in plugging into the matrix, you face the same, maybe even greater issues than in the past. There's also the threat of plagiarism, which happens pretty regularly.

I was drawn to teaching Social Media - and also the Etsy workshop - at DCAD because I really wanted to help people understand how to manipulate the system to work in their favor. In my experience, if you're just OK at art but great at writing for the web and marketing, you can get surprisingly far!

You are also a vocalist and have been very involved in volunteering for Girls Rock Philly. How does it feel to inspire young women on their journey of self-expression?
It feels incredible! I came home after Girls Rock Camp and told everyone that if I died here & now, I would've lived a full life. Girls Rock seriously changed my life! Working with young people who identify with the female experience is awesome & helping to shape their identities in positive ways via music is the coolest thing I have ever done. 

What do you think it means to be a successful artist?
The ability to consistently and flawlessly transition something from an idea to finished object is my idea of being a successful artist. That's something that takes a lot of patience & practice - which is really hard for me, but I feel is essential if I want to be a better maker. Every truly gifted artist or musician I know is someone who practices all the time and I don't believe that to be coincidence.

Finally, what do you hope Delaware Fun-A-Day will be able to do for the future of the art community five years from now?
I don't know that Fun-A-Day the event can influence the future of the Delaware art community, but I have a very firm belief that the people of Fun-A-Day will play a large part in the future of the scene. Wilmington, for example, is making major investments in the arts community and I definitely see some of the organizers and artists involved in Fun-A-Day playing a large role in that. I think the only way Fun-A-Day could really be a part of that would be as a more formal entity. If we exceed our fundraising goal [shameless plug: readers, participants, Facebook fans, community members and friends - please take the time to donate to Fun-A-Day today!], I'd love to use the remainder to formalize the collective as a non-profit. This would enable us to apply for grants so that we can perhaps focus on a dedicated space in addition to running Fun-A-Day. OR, I can see Fun-A-Day rolling into an existing non-profit, gallery or organization. 

For more of Kati's work, visit her Etsy shops TWAMIES & Cloverhunter.

[Editor's note: Special thanks to Amanda Thiel for the interview and David Norbut for the lead photo. -KD]

Artist Interview: Valerie Thiel

Interview by Kati Driscoll

As some of our organizers are also participating artists, we decided to switch things up and turn the lens on ourselves a bit. This week we're talking with Valerie Thiel, who handles Operations (like hooking us up with this year's sweet, sweet location).

Are you a Delaware artist? Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here?
I'm originally from Chicago.  My mother relocated here for work when I was a teenager.  And I would definitely consider myself a Delaware artist.  I mean, I really love scrapple so...

What is your preferred medium?
I would have to say photography is my preferred medium, but not the one I've been dabbling in most these days.  (I'm trying to psyche myself up enough to draw a comic!)

Do you work in other areas, aside from photography?
Graduate Medical Education?  My day job is being a Residency Coordinator.

But really, I just want to dance.

Okay.  Not really.  I'm trying to get better at drawing.  It's depressing/rewarding.

What attracts you to photography?
The marriage of art and science is just really sexy to me.

Your pieces in previous Fun-A-Day shows always feature a creative display - whether it be a mobile of frowning faces or illuminated images of windows on glass tiles. Does your subject determine the display or do you develop the ideas separately? Can we expect more creative display work this year?
The subjects certainly indicate the direction of the display.  The decision to put the frowns in a mobile was so contradictory in it's whimsy, how could I not?  The images of windows on glass tiles was a little more literal but still driven by the initial idea.

This year I plan to display my work on the floor!  I hope everyone walks all over it.  Seriously though, tread on me!

What are your ideas for your project this year?
I'm doing a Floor-A-Day this year.  Heh.  Windows last year; floors this year.  It's organic dude.

SPEAKING of creative displays, you're one of the Fun-A-Day organizers. Can you tell us what brought you to FAD as an artist? What made you want to take your involvement to THE NEXT LEVEL?
I personally loved the challenge!  Making art everyday is such a daunting task for a single mom who volunteers and works full-time.  I'm pretty much interested in anything that will complicate my life.  And yeah man.  Art + Delaware Pride + A Really Groovy Sense of Community?  I had to.

You were also one of the rare participants to attempt TWO projects at once, tackling both Zine-A-Day and Window-A-Day. Tell us a little about that process.
Two projects on top of still having to live my everyday life equals the dumbest I have ever been.  Not a lot of sleep and needless to say, I don't plan on doing that again any time soon.  But it was rad working with some really cool creative folks on the zine.  Can I give a shout out to my Something Riottty buds??  Shelly von Blueberry, The Cat Lady, Ashley "The Cleave" Cleaver, Marbles Manchester, and of course Kiti von Strawberry; the weirdest and best group of creeps!

Also, zines are cool.  We need more of that around here.

This will be your third year participating in FAD as an artist. Any advice for the newcomers?
My advice is to be brave and don't over think it.  The past two years I had overwhelming moments of doubt, but committing to just do it no matter what is the greatest thing you can do for yourself.  And hell!  You can apply that advice to life in general while you are at it.

For more of Val's work, follow her on Instagram!

Fundraising Update: Halfway Home!

CONSIDER OUR FACES BLOWN TOTALLY OFF! 

Actually, that sounds kind of gross. Don't think about that. Think of us instead screaming and yelling and texting excitedly back and forth because that's a way more accurate description of what we did when we received a very, very generous late night donation from an anonymous donor! Thanks to them and all of our contributors we are now 55% of the way to our goal with 48 days remaining! 

Most importantly, this has helped us to pay 100% for the space (DCCA) this year and 100% of website related fees! That is TWO things that are now paid for because of the kindness of our amazing community! 

We still have some costs to cover from last year as well as for this year's event including:

• Hanging & display supplies - tables, additional hanging spots, plus nails, hooks, tacks, tape, that weird blue sticky stuff, etc.
• Paint and repair materials - to undo the damage from all of the above.
• A/V supplies - supplies for performance artists that we cannot source on our own for free.
• Event supplies - signage, lighting (this alone cost us over $300 in 2013), extension cords, decor, activities, misc. requirements.
• Food & beverage - appetizers, drinks, adult beverages & related supplies for the event.
• Administration - largely made up of fees for event listings, marketing, printing, and fundraising (it costs money to raise money).

Like all of our artists, supporters and volunteers, we are happy to donate our time and energy into making this event like nothing else in the area. We do not take a cut of any of the money we raise. Please, if you have not already done so, make a donation of any size to our campaign and help us continue to build Fun-A-Day into one of the best art events the state has to offer.

Image via Adam Fagen

Artist Interview - Sheila Master

Interview by Kati Driscoll

As some of our organizers are also participating artists, we decided to switch things up and turn the lens on ourselves a bit. To kick things off, we're talking with Sheila Master, who is in charge of Events.

Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here?
No, but my family moved to Bear, DE when I was six, so I definitely feel like Delaware is home.  Although I will admit that before we moved here, one of my mom's co-workers told me that there were a lot of farms in Delaware and I would have to become a farmer when I got here.  For whatever reason, this did not sit well with me at all and I was incredibly distraught over the move.  

What is your preferred medium?
Photo.  Photography stole my heart.

Do you work in other areas, aside from photography?
I occasionally incorporate other art forms, such as, printmaking or writing.  But this is always done in conjunction with some sort of photographic imagery. 

More than just a photographer, you're also a teacher. What attracted you to teaching and how does it influence your work?
What I absolutely love about teaching is that it provides me with a forum to completely nerd out over photo with other weirdos that love it as much as I do.  Photography has given me a way to filter the world around me and a means to communicate my perspective.  I predominantly teach high school aged kids and I love providing them with a way to discover their own viewpoint as well.  Also, I love eating swedish fish during the critiques.  

The way it influences my work is through sheer motivation to keep producing new work myself.  When a class is grooving with a project or learning a new photographic technique, I'm energized to do the same.

Your pieces in previous Fun-A-Day shows featured images that told some sort of exploratory narrative - either investigating familiar spaces or, as with last year's piece, examining personal fears. Do you anticipate your work this year will also be about discovery in some way?
I've never tried to make work that gives an answer, I'm so much more interested in the pursuit to gain understanding.  So I imagine a similar theme will be prevalent this year as well.  With my project last year, I skimmed the surface of facing fears and this year I plan to analyze just one much deeper.  Like many other photographers, I like to safely hide behind my camera.  It is incredibly uncomfortable for me to be in front of it.  So I plan to spend a month being uncomfortable in front of a camera.  We will all see how that goes...

What did you enjoy about last year's project? What challenged you?
The entire project challenged me.  I felt like it was a solid month of playing truth or dare with myself and never had truth as on option.  Every day I had to wake up and come up with another way I could put myself into an uncomfortable situation.  I thought there was a good chance I might end up having a nervous breakdown before it was finished.  By the time the month was over, it felt normal to search for personal boundaries of mine to attack.  It's been a year now and I continue to look for new ways to push myself outside of my comfort zone.  

In addition to being a participant, you're also one of the event organizers. Tell us about what your role in Fun-A-Day.
After participating as an artist during the inaugural Fun-A-Day event, I thought the whole thing was so awesome that I wanted to get more involved. This year my role is to focus on details like decoration, food and beverage, admission to the event and organizing volunteers.  

I've noticed that you tend to work within a square format (be it Polaroid or Hipstamatic). What draws you to this particular shape?
I like how compact it is as a shape.  Composing within a square forces me to be more aware and discerning, to keep what is inside the frame tight.  

You also specialize in experimental photography. Can you tell us a little bit more about what that entails and what drew you to certain processes?
Experimental photography is an all-encompassing term for doing photographic work that is less typical or in a not so straight forward practice.  This can mean manipulating negatives in camera or in the darkroom, boiling print emulsions, printing onto three dimensional objects, or delving into historical processes.  One of the techniques I use quite a bit is acrylic transfer onto wood.  It's actually kind of a tedious process, but I like that about it.  I find the monotony relaxing.  I'm also drawn to the way the image is transformed during the imperfect transfer.  Some details are lost during the process, so it's more like the way an event is remembered instead of how it actually occurred. 

You recently completed a tintype workshop. Are there any plans for a showcase of that work or new pieces done in that style?
I am currently working on a tintype series utilizing the wet plate collodion process I learned in that workshop.  That work will be displayed in the Continuing Studies Department at the University of the Arts from late May to July.  

Thanks so much, Sheila! For more of Sheila's work, please visit her website or follow her on Instagram!

Putting the FUN in Fundraising!

As some of you may (or may not) know, for the past two years, Fun-A-Day organizers have been paying the upfront costs for the event, with donations helping to alleviate some of the burden. The event has been growing larger every year and so, after much consideration,tThis year, we are asking our participants, family and friends, to help us make this year's Fun-A-Day AMAZING!

Fun-A-Day is one of the largest, all-ages, non-curated art shows in the entire state of Delaware and it's totally FREE. Free to participate, free to attend. While charging a fee would certainly be the easiest way to raise money, it would also mean creating a barrier for low-income participants.  This is why we're kicking off a fundraiser and - with your help - we can continue to put on this amazing community event. 

If you loved being a part of such an epic art project and show last year, if you enjoyed attending the event, or if you're in support of accessible and affordable community art shows then please visit our fundraising page and make a donation - every bit of support counts! The fundraiser will go on for 2 months in hopes this will be enough time to raise the money we need to make Fun-A-Day a success in 2014 and beyond!

Of course, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge everyone who has supported us in the past! Thanks so much to everyone who has provided financial, moral or volunteer support! Without you, this event would not be possible!

Artist Interview: Steven Alawishus

Interview by Kati Driscoll

For our latest interview, we talked with Steven Alawishus about the movies, method and madness behind his 2013 Fun-A-Day project.

Are you a Delaware artist? Have you always lived in Delaware? If not, what brought you here?
I am a Delaware Artist. I currently live in Wilmington. I have lived in Delaware all of my life other than a few years in the city of Baltimore for college.
 
How long have you been making art?
I guess here and there I have been making art since I was around 10. My brother came home with a sticky note comic he made with characters that resembled the Simpsons. I guess in a way it started as a competition to draw better sticky note comics than him.
 
What medium and/or themes do you typically focus on with your work?
I tend to have medium ADD. I get excited from doing new things so I often I tend to switch things up. I have been pretty consistent with doing woodcuts but I also do vector art, photoshop work and the occasional painting.
As far as themes, the last few years I have been centering my artwork around music and movies. A far stretch from the conceptual work I did in college. After a long day at work I try and pretend I’m in middle school again. 1980’s and 90’s flicks are my favorite, even though most are just playing as background noise.
 
Do you work in other areas, aside from your preferred medium?
I do graphic design full time, both print and web. They give me a different sense of satisfaction. With the right project I’ll do a logo, print brochure, ect.
 
And now to delve more specifically into your Delaware Fun-A-Day feats: describe the project you submitted last year.
I had a project where I had to frame two hundred pieces of art in store bought frames. I kept the factory inserts. A week before I heard about the Delaware Fun-A-Day on DCAD’s twitter I started to do a sketch ever other day or so on my lunch break. So the Fun-A-Day show really just came in and fit perfectly with where I was in life. I have a bunch of old markers, pens, white-out so I decided to use them with the free paper from the frames. I would pick the movie the night before if I was lucky. Decide on the character. Get some reference photos from Google or Pinterest. Then the next day on my lunch I would watch part of the movie and sketch out basic proportions sometime throwing the white-out or pant maker down to create a base for the markers. Then go home and work from dinner 'til bed time. I watched that movie, or another movie with the same character, laying down colors and smearing them with my fingers. They were raw and colorful every morning. I got caught up in the anxiety of it all.
 
Your pieces in previous Fun-A-Day show(s) featured a lot of famous faces. How do movies influence your work? Will your work this year feature famous portraits again, in some way?
I find it is easier to connect to the audience with something they already know. A lot of people related to the movies they watched when they were kids. I watch them while I work because some of the emotion of the movie actively effects how I paint them. I found through my work that I often have to limit myself somehow. It can be through medium, subject matter, or time. When I locked down that I would: do characters from movies (80’s 90’s), I’m going to use markers pens white out, on old factory photo inserts. All that is left for me to do is pick a movie and create. This takes some of the stress out of the conceptual and lets me focus on the portrait.
 
What did you enjoy about last year's project? What challenged you?
I enjoyed all the people at the event and the social media aspect around it. I would take process photos while I worked and posted the results. The amount of daily feedback was awesome. Some of the other people and I on instagram used a #DEfunAday so I was able to keep up on other artists projects.
I think perhaps I set an unrealistic bar when it came to the quality of these portraits. I stayed up most nights till 12 or 1 to get them done. I stopped going to the gym and had to give up some Friday and Saturday nights. Through pushing myself over those 30 days I really got threw what I would call a creative slump. Taking my time getting one piece done a month. It got me refocused so I am grateful.

What made you want to participate in Delaware Fun-A-Day again?
It’s probably time I pushed myself again to see what happens. I had a great time last year. The show was awesome, too. I got to have a few drinks and, surprisingly, a lot of my friends came out that I didn’t expect. I saw some of DCAD staff I knew, and made new friends.
 
Any thoughts on what your Fun-A-Day project idea(s) is(are) for this year?
I’m not sure and my ADD for something different is kicking in. I am batting around some ideas, perhaps mono prints with the theme of musicians. Really I will decide last minute and hopefully I can clear my plate of other projects so I can have time to fail, adjust and still have some good work to show. You will have to wait and see and hopefully follow the social medias for my process.
 
As someone who has been through this experience before, how will you change your approach this year?
I think I am going to switch up scale and do thirty 24”x36” posters…kidding. I might have my 30 subjects picked before hand so I don't have to spend anytime researching and getting references.
 
Are there any other projects or events that you are working on in 2014?
I would like to have enough prints to do a craft/art sale but we will see. I might have to wait till it warms up a bit. I have a few places I am looking at displaying work but nothing concrete at the moment.
 
For more of Steven's work, visit him online at his website & facebook or follow him via instagram & twitter. 
 

Artist Interview: Andrew Howard

Interview by Kati Driscoll

As we prepare for our third year of Fun-A-Day, we wanted to share with you some inspiration and interviews from previous participants. We're pleased to introduce photographer Andrew Howard as our first interview of 2014!

You went to Delaware College of Art and Design. How did that experience shape you as an artist?
It shaped me in everyway, shape, and form. DCAD laid the foundation. Before I walked into DCAD I had just one photo class under my belt. I initially discovered my love of color photography at DCAD as well my love of portraits.

How would you describe your artistic style?
That’s a really hard question. I’ve never been asked that before. But if I really had to say my artistic style is candid street photography. On the other hand I’m also a portrait photographer. I really don’t know how to answer this question.

Do you work in other artistic areas, aside from photography?
Not really. I used to draw a lot when I was a kid. But when I got older and saw how much better everyone else was around me I lost a lot of confidence in my drawing skills and stopped. I drew a brain recently though. I really proud of it, I put it on my wall in my bedroom.

What attracted you to photography and how does it influence your work?
I totally became a photographer by accident. I was fresh out of high school and was really into film making so my mom and aunt signed me up for a photo class at the Delaware College of Art and Design. I totally loved it and I’ve been doing it ever since. I pretty much stumbled into photography.

Your pieces in the 2013 Fun-A-Day show were taken using the Hipstamatic app. What drew you to this format?
I had just taken a mobile photography workshop with David Norbut at Cab Calloway and I was drawn to the immediacy and intimacy that taking pictures with your iPhone can provide. Walking around with a DSLR or Hasselbald people tend to be more aware of you, and they avoid you or make weird comments. When I use my iPhone I tend to blend in. I’m just some guy with his phone like the hundreds of other people.

Do you expect to use mobile technologies for this year's show?
I thought about it but most likely not, while I still enjoy and use mobile photography for me it’s become something I use as photography exercise.

You capture a variety of images both private (like your portraits) and public (urban architecture, street photography) - which interests you about each? Which one interests you more?
Portraits always interest me more. I always consider myself a portrait photographer. With portraits I work from a sense of fear. I have always been a pretty shy person and taking portraits have always been a way to confront that. Even when it comes to people I have known for years that fear still lingers inside me. I can’t even tell you why but I always use photography as a way to explore it. As for street photography I just like taking pictures around the city.

What did you enjoy about last year's project? What challenged you?
One thing I enjoy was going out everyday and taking pictures it challenged me. I’m a very slow photographer. I may go out a few times a month to take pictures. I use mostly film and because of that I’ve gotten very selective about the images I decide to make.

What are your artistic plans for 2014?
Finish my book. I’ve been working on it for seven years now and it’s time to finish it. I hope to have it released by the summer.

Thank you so much, Andrew! To see more of Andrew's work, check out his website and store or follow him via twitter or instagram.