Inspiration

This week a college student majoring in graphic design wrote to me asking if I would assist with a project for her Rastor Image class. She was researching "artists that inspire something in us" and came across my photographic art website searlstudio.com. She mentioned that she was inspired by my work and asked If I would answer some questions for her project. This is certainly one of the biggest compliments that any artist could receive. Here are the questions and answers from this interview:

1. On your website you specify that you got into photography through photojournalism. A lot of your work, however, is far from photojournalism. How did you get into the more digital art aspect?

[Stephan] Photojournalism was my introduction to the camera and taught me the craft of photography. From the beginning I used the camera as a tool to express my creativity. Working in Bosnia on NATOs public affairs team, I was introduced to Photoshop 4 (I'm dating myself here). I thought it was the coolest thing and much better and easier than working in the darkroom. When I got home from Bosnia, I immediately purchased Photoshop and began to play around with it and read books about it.

2. What is your creation process like? Where do you begin (sketches, computer and photography)? How do you work? etc. (please give as much detail as possible)

[Stephan] I have two or three approaches. Most of my photographic art work is conceived in my head. I'll have an idea or a vision of what I want. Mostly I’ll have an idea of which images from my archived photographs I'll use to create the final piece. Sometimes I don't have a particular image I need and I'll try to go out and photograph it (like a person or natural element), or find a plug-in that could create it synthetically (like a moon or celestial object). As time went on I would travel and photograph my own "stock" images that I knew I may want to use. I catalogued them and this made it easier when I needed additional water or sky elements for example.

Other works were inspired by images that I've photographed. I'd see the photograph and imagine it a certain way. Then I'd play around with it until it's like I imagined it to be.

Lastly, a few were the product of me learning new software like Corel Painter. I was intrigued by Painter and I added a drawing tablet to my arsenal. I can't paint naturally so being able to repaint my photographs was nice.

3. As an artist it is sometimes hard to feel that a work of art is ever "complete". How do you know when a particular work is finished?

[Stephan] I'm also a musician and experience that more with my music compositions than with my photographic work. I'll sit on unfinished music for years and build a vault worth of uncompleted songs. With my photographic art I naturally want to put in the time to make sure the edits are neat and perfect, but once the image looks pleasing and neat... it's done. A few times I was simply unable to achieve what I envisioned and those projects would get scrapped. If I ever get frustrated with something not coming together correctly I put it down and move on. I'll revisit it another day and if it's still not happening it gets scrapped. With my music nothing ever gets scrapped. Even the simplest idea will be saved. Sometimes it only takes a single phrase or motif to inspire a complete work.

4. What is your biggest inspiration to create such gorgeous works of art? (General)

[Stephan] Thank you for the compliment. I love to admire the work of other artists. Some of my inspirations use similar computer techniques as I do, but most use traditional media. I'm a huge Dali and Picasso fan. I also love the work of Van Gogh and Michelangelo. It’s interesting that the periods those artists are from also generated some of my favorite composers such as Bach and John Coltrane and Debussy.

5. Of your work, what is a particular piece that captures you (your beliefs, thoughts, feelings, etc) best?

[Stephan] “The Muse”. I carried that image in my head for a while and wanted to create a piece that embodied how I felt during my early years as a single man and a musician. On my site I have a description which sums it up. It reads:

"The lonely musician is inspired by the muse whom he sees clearly, but cannot touch imprisoned by his own encapsulation. The muse, covered in the notes of his composition, listens to the musician and breathes new inspiration into the air. With her breath filling the air, the artist continues to be inspired and create."

I wrote that five years ago and reading it now, it still embodies what I feel for the piece.

6. Talk to me about "Sunflower". . .

Why, more specifically, did you replace the sunflower with a butterfly? How did you begin this process in particular? Did you start from a photo and then move to the computer? What was your inspiration here? I LOVE this piece and this is going to be a big focus on my project.

[Stephan] “Sunflower” the image (I also have a song named Sunflower which was inspired by the image) was inspired by its subject. She is bi-racial and has a beige and sometimes golden complexion. She loves the color yellow and would always make me think of a Sunflower. One hot Miami Sunday morning I decided I was going to create this image. I invited her over and took the photo outside on my patio to get the golden morning sunlight. I originally thought of using a sunflower, but thought the butterfly better reflected her feminine essence and flighty spirit.

7. Anything else you would like to add. . .

[Stephan] I love art, music and anything creative. Inspiration is one of those things that you wish you could bottle and package either for mass distribution, or for that rainy day when the well is dry. I try to create and maintain an environment of peace around me as I’ve learned that my inspiration often hides during times of duress and chaos. But inspiration must be accompanied by discipline, because an artist can’t always wait for inspiration as a catalyst to honing one’s craft.