— This is the first in a series of interviews I’ll be conducting with the brilliantly talented artists and photographers constituting my “KAIZEN Team” of elite creatives, who produce content each month for my “KAIZEN Group” (an exclusive sub-set of the AWAKE Group). We lead off the series with Cheryl Tarrant, the immensely skilled photographer, artist, designer (Distressed Textures), and iPhone app co-developer (DistressedFX). Joining Cheryl in her Tennessee country home, we begin by exploring where her artistic life commenced . . .
Q: Your artistry is so expansive. (I mean, you do all sorts of stuff.) But where did it all begin?
A: Like a lot of artists, I always had burning desire to have art in my life. I got a Nikon at age 14 and (odd as it might sound) right away found myself drawn to photographing tragedy. I would have my Mom drive me to animal shelters and I’d photograph the lost or abandoned animals there. I was also drawn to portraits of the homeless, although I was too shy to do too much portrait work. I was also a huge fan of expressive landscapes, cloudscapes, sunsets, and sunrises. When I moved to Tennessee I was on sensory overload with all the old barns, houses, and landscapes. I would often drive in my car for hours with no destination in mind. And since I was having a hard time personally in my early Tennessee years, I found this aimless driving to be very settling and peaceful.
I loved to sneak in old barns and houses. In the houses I’d find lingering memories, letters, photos, some strange things and sad things. I had to retire from sneaking in abandoned places as I got scared one day. I found and old house covered in ivy with the most beautiful green house. I carefully went through a back door, touching nothing. Snapping photos every few seconds. When I found my way out through the front door I saw a hand-written note posted to the door. It said, “If I catch you in my house I will kill you and bury you in the corn field out back.” The sign worked. I left in a hurry and have not snuck into an abandoned house since!
Q: What led you to turn your interest in photography and art into a business?
A: My business was born out of slight desperation. I moved to Tennessee with very few resources and had to get creative fast. I knew no one, had very little. I happened to read a newspaper article about Second Life, a virtual community. Through the friendships I made in that “world” I was able to use my camera and computer to start making textures. I already had previous graphic design experience and the flow into textures was quite simple and felt natural, and going on to create a business selling them simply followed.
I have always been drawn to old paintings and found that applying a texture over a photograph allowed a quick fix for those with the desire to create something artistic without having the means to paint. I still feel this way about textures. They’re magical.
Q: Your work is so “painterly.” Do any particular influences stand out?
A: There are so many artists that inspire me artistically, although the list has changed quite a bit over the years. A few photographers and artists who immediately come to mind would be: John Constable, Henry Singlewood Bisbing, Andrew Wyeth, Sally Mann, and and current day texture artist Jamie Heiden. The combination of those influences … When I look at all their work as a whole I can see who I am and how I arrived here.
Q: Apart from other painters and photographers, what inspires you most?
A: I’m satisfied with simplicity and things of the past. A single cloud on a cyan day, a child feeling carefree and unguarded. Yet when I sit down to create I do need some initial inspiration. Normally … could be a trip, a song, a movie, or even a mood of my own that I find myself reflecting upon.
Over the past few years I’ve found it’s become a little more difficult to stay focused and motivated. In fact, there are some days my lack of interest is worrisome. But then something “clicks” and I find my way back. I will usually grab a cup of tea, turn on some music, and make sure there is some good light to hold me up. My husband made me an art room in our guest house, however there is not a lot of light to work by in there, so quite often I end up taking over our dining room. The light in that room is beautiful and warm. I am lucky he is patient with me because we basically lose that room to canvas, paper, paints, brushes . . .
Q: What with your iPhone app and your serious digital photo artistry, it’s easy to forget just how rooted you are in physical media (paints and canvas and all that). But your textures are clearly “painterly” . . .
A: The last year or so I have not spent as much time on my digital art. I have been making mixed media art out of torn paper and acrylics. I am also dabbling more in abstracts, which seems natural enough, given my love of textures. I have a burning desire to take up oil paints and create portraits like the old masters. There are so many ways I want to go with art that at times it stops me in my tracks. Too many road signs leave me unsure of the exact direction. But oil paints are sure to be my next step.
Q: Any tips for aspiring artists?
A: If I had any recommendations for other artists, the number one piece of advice would be to get involved in your local art community. I won “Best Digital Artist” a few years in a row at my favorite downtown gallery, and it was quite rewarding. It is easy for us all to get holed up in the online world (especially in places like Facebook or Instagram), but nothing can replace the feel of an actual gallery and the connection with people (real people) in your community, people who share your interests. Being a part of a local art community can also help on those days when motivation is hard to find or when you need to just get out there, clear your head, and break out of a rut.
Q: What do you love most about this amazing artistic life you’ve created for yourself?
A: My favorite part about being an artist is the ability to express myself emotionally through the arts. That sounds so cliche, I suppose, but it’s exactly how I feel. We are not always allowed to really be ourselves — for whatever reason — and art is the one area where we can get away with being more our true and authentic selves. I suppose I have such an over-awareness of the of the impermanence of life that I tackle the anxiety of this by making photographs and finding what I can bring to them that feels meaningful to me. Something about this settles me … whether it be the act itself (the photography itself, or the creative artistic work I bring in later) or the notion of leaving an imprint behind, it helps with my anxiety. There’s plenty of room for all of us in the art world, and each of us should be able to bring forth the sides of ourselves that are normally kept tucked away all safe and under lock and key. I still have a long way to go with putting myself totally out there, but for now even sharing a part of myself through the title of a piece can be enough … or what I feel adding birds to the sky of one of my compositions conveys or symbolizes of something going on in my life … even these small hints can be enough.