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| this picture found on the web from soucherayart.com |
I am so excited to present to those that read my blog and those that happen to chance upon it this great artist I discovered off of Tumblr she has some amazing talent as you can see from the new amazing artwork my blog is sporting Ms. Salamone drew my artwork up for me just off of me telling her what I wanted and what I envisioned and she captured it perfectly plus she was super patient and super nice never flipping out on me even when I asked her to revise something or add something she stayed patient the whole entire time. So without further ado I present the interview I did with Ms. Salamone and if you guys want to commission any artwork from her, her information will be below.
So give us a little background into the artist that is Salana Salamone:
Okie doke, Well there isn't much about me. My names Salana Salamone, 22, and im from Brooklyn New York. ( ill attach a picture of myself for you guys )
Did you have formal training? If so what schools did you attend and what courses did you take?
I did not, i would have loved to have gone to art school though.
Where does your love of art stem from?
Im not sure really, maybe my dad. Ive been scribbling ever since i was about 3 and my dad would sketch often so it might have sort of stemmed from that.
How did you get started with art?
As far back as i can remember i think it was when i was in pre-k. During naptime i had sneaked over to where the paints and markers were and had " decorated " the wall behind the cubbies. It was apparently so bad they called my dad in to the school later that day to see what happened and probably give me a proper scolding. First he said it was beautiful, then he asked what the teachers were doing while i was at this , lol. Ever since then my parents supported and pushed my interest in art.
Your artwork has an edge to it, it’s raw and urgent and it also isn’t traditional, can you tell us what makes you do the images you do and why these particular images are a recurring theme in your work? How does the particular style of rockabilly, and pin-up girl scenes inspire your artwork?
Ive always loved cartoons and comics, i like the bold imagery and color, and especially with comics you have a confined space to tell a story. Which spills over into my love for pinups, i like the more humorous ones, they're still naughty but they still convey a little bit of a story to the image and i like that. I have loved rockabilly ever sine the movie Crybaby, the whole style reminds me of really great cheesy pulp comics and the funkier side to 50's glamor.
Your artwork is primarily female images do you think that feminism greatly influences your work?
Definitely, in everything i do! Feminism is a huge thing for me , but with art i think it just sort of happens by accident. I don't really sit there and say ok im going to draw a woman, it just rarely occurs to me to draw anything else. I love gender swapping art as well.
Do you have artist that you love, that have inspired you and your work if so who are they?
Oh boy, so many , too many to name. I will mention Mitch O'Connell, Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, Megan Besmirched, XNO, Lisa Petrucci, Anthony Ausgang. Just lots and lots of great artists.
Do you see yourself opening an art gallery of your work anytime soon? What other things are in the works for you and your artwork?
I would love to be in a show sometime in the future, i want to branch beyond pinup but still include it as a theme in my work. Down the line id like to maybe start my own web comic or get more involved with something more crafty like sewing or sculpting.For the young artist out there struggling trying to make a name for themselves what advice would you give them?
Id have to say that i think that some artists that are trying to put their foot in the door worry about doing whats mainstream or commercially appealing, and at its root that's not what art's about. It's great to experiment and try new things but always do what you love and work at perfecting your own style, that's what will gain you the most recognition.
As a female artist do you feel like you have any pressure to be better than your male contemporaries? Do you feel like you get the respect for your work that you deserve?
I think with artists the field is fairly even, ive seen so many women acclaimed for what they do and have rarely seen a woman, ( or man )'s work, snubbed for another artists. Unfortunately there are some people who see this as a career of one upping the next guy. And to them id have to say that i see this more as a community. It shouldn't be cut throat. I like to think that we are all inspired by each other in some ways and should support one another and grow from this.
As an artist who is still not quite mainstream yet do you think that you would like to do bigger venues and have more recognition or are you happy that you are growing slowly and gaining recognition with your talent?
Definitely growing slowly. Rome wasn't built in a day, i have a long way to go and lots of room to grow. But thats a attitude i always want to have with this, that its a career where you are always learning, always improving.
What are some things about your artwork that sets you apart from all other artist?
I think my tattoo flash, ive been told here and there that its pretty quirky.
What mediums do you incorporate into your works?
At the moment not much, im not trained in any traditional mediums. Still getting the hang of photoshop. Sharpie is about as exotic as it gets right now.
For those that want to commission some artwork from you how can they get in contact with you, and what kinds of artwork can be commissioned from you? If they want to see some of your artwork beforehand where can your digital art portfolio be found?
For those interested in commissioning work from me can contact me preferably via email, SalanaSalamone@hotmail.com. My forte is pinup but im open to new ideas and pretty flexible. My work can be found on Facebook ( under Salana Salamone ), Deviantart.com ( under GothicFeverDream ) and Tumblr ( Salanasalamoneart.tumblr.com )
