Soto Surreal
Faculty Mentor Name
Monika Meler
Abstract/Artist Statement
At the age of five when I was first learning to hold a pencil, my kindergarten teacher asked the class to draw a tree log. I was the only kid to correctly draw the log in the 3 dimensional. It might seem insignificant, but it was a huge moment in my life and the reason I was destined to be an artist. The first time I saw Roger Dean’s, Tales of the Topographic Oceans, was when I first knew what kind of art I would aspire to create from then on. The artists that have inspired me are Roger Dean for his surrealism, Norman Rockwell for his attention to detail and humor, Tom Hattan from the Family Film Festival every Saturday morning for his cartooning, and many artist from the Renaissance for their dedication. The surreal is the most fascinating type of art for me. I love the “dream state” where everything looks real but doesn’t necessarily make sense, yet is part of a narrative nonetheless. Surrealism lends itself to spontaneity. I often times document my dreams before they are forgotten as they are surreal in nature and a great source for inspiration and ideas. I enjoy creating art that doesn’t give away its secrets all at once. I might insert a hidden date, add a touch of color where it doesn’t belong but seems to works, or add a certain detail that only gets noticed much later. Nothing is more gratifying than someone appreciating everything that I put into a piece. My aim is to reward and keep the viewer’s eye entertained for as long as possible. Without the viewer, creating art would not be gratifying nor worth producing. To be an artist, the ultimate payoff is to share.
Location
Studio Art Building
Start Date
25-4-2016 6:00 PM
End Date
14-5-2016 6:00 PM
Soto Surreal
Studio Art Building
At the age of five when I was first learning to hold a pencil, my kindergarten teacher asked the class to draw a tree log. I was the only kid to correctly draw the log in the 3 dimensional. It might seem insignificant, but it was a huge moment in my life and the reason I was destined to be an artist. The first time I saw Roger Dean’s, Tales of the Topographic Oceans, was when I first knew what kind of art I would aspire to create from then on. The artists that have inspired me are Roger Dean for his surrealism, Norman Rockwell for his attention to detail and humor, Tom Hattan from the Family Film Festival every Saturday morning for his cartooning, and many artist from the Renaissance for their dedication. The surreal is the most fascinating type of art for me. I love the “dream state” where everything looks real but doesn’t necessarily make sense, yet is part of a narrative nonetheless. Surrealism lends itself to spontaneity. I often times document my dreams before they are forgotten as they are surreal in nature and a great source for inspiration and ideas. I enjoy creating art that doesn’t give away its secrets all at once. I might insert a hidden date, add a touch of color where it doesn’t belong but seems to works, or add a certain detail that only gets noticed much later. Nothing is more gratifying than someone appreciating everything that I put into a piece. My aim is to reward and keep the viewer’s eye entertained for as long as possible. Without the viewer, creating art would not be gratifying nor worth producing. To be an artist, the ultimate payoff is to share.