— The featured artist of the 70th issue of Living the Photo Artistic Life magazine is Australian AWAKE artist Rosa Perry. I’m excited to share my interview with Rosa here on Quill and Camera . . .

Q: What was it that got you started in digital photo artistry?

I’ve always been creative since childhood but it took me many years to listen to my creative soul and do something about it.  It was when I became disillusioned by my career path that I finally listened to my intuition . . . and art rushed back into my life. As much out of sheer frustration and exhaustion with my “adult” life as anything!

My passion was photography but my poor DSLR camera mostly sat in my cupboard at home. Work was so time consuming, I hardly used my camera at all. So I eventually decided to simply use the camera that was always on me: my iPhone. I started capturing images on the go with my iPhone, and those were fun, but I wanted to combine my other artistic skills with my photographs and the only way I could do that was with a scanner and a software editing program.

It was then I discovered Photoshop. And what a learning curve that was! I did it though. I worked and worked at it, and eventually I could weave some magic in Photoshop, combining my photos with various scanned images — usually bits and pieces of old books, magazines, my calligraphy and sketches.

I loved the outcome of textured photos but wanted to take what I learned to the next level. And that’s when I came across Sebastian Michaels’s Creative Black & White Photo Artistry course, which was my first serious editing and artistry training course. That then led to Photoshop Artistry and the wonderful AWAKE Group.

Q: What is it that most inspires your work?

I am predominantly inspired by nature.

Nature has a way of creating unique colour combinations which are just beautiful and amazing.  I love the colours of the sky, the light of the sun, the glow of the moon and stars, the colours of the earth, all living nature – it’s a never-ending harmonious spectrum.  

Animals also mean a great deal to my creativity and hold a special place in my heart, so they’re often depicted in my work.

Q: What does living a photo artistic life mean to you?

For me, living a photo artistic life means that I can connect all my senses and freely follow my creative impulses … with the freedom to express myself in my work and create art that speaks to others.

It’s all about tapping deeply into my imagination and finding my individual style, and that’s what makes it so interesting.

As an artist, I’ve learned to follow the soft voice of my inner guide. When I create my art, I know who I am.

Q: How do you approach creating your compositions?

My approach differs from one piece to the next. Sometimes I see an image in my mind, which I quickly capture as a note or sketch. And I’ll end up planning out a composition from there and begin collecting my materials.

Other times I simply start with a blank layer in Photoshop and experiment with creating a background to get things started. And then, so often it seems … the magic just happens. I begin combining images, and almost always the magic turns up all on its own.
 
As for my process after I’ve begun — it’s pretty orderly: I always work in layers, and then move related sets of layers into groups, labeling everything along the way.

Smart Objects, Layer Masks, and Curves are my best friends. And along the way I do love experimenting with different blend modes and love how (when combined) they react in unexpected ways.

That mostly feels like play.

I think overall, the most important thing in my creative process comes near the beginning, where I’m working out the idea for each composition, hoping to convey a story.

Q: Where has your artwork taken you so far?

Apart from being featured in Living the Photo Artistic Life magazine and enjoying so many friendships in the AWAKE Group . . .

I’ve been fortunate in getting some commission work and that’s been quite exciting. I hope to do more of that.

I also do some graphic design work as a donation for causes and charities important to me, and that’s not only been fulfilling but has brought me some wonderful exposure.

Q: Any advice or tips for aspiring digital artists?

Follow your passion — especially those things you love most — it will show in your work.

Don’t worry about finding ‘your style’ too much, particularly early on. I find that even my style is ever evolving.

Whatever you create is a part of you. So let your work flow and just create . . . and enjoy the process, making the most of the journey you are on, every single day.