July Artist of the Month

Meet our July Artist of the Month, Aaron Keen! His work is now hanging up at Rivertown Coffee Co. through the end of August. Be sure to stop by sometime and check it out!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Raised by two old hippies and loving the life they have shown me. It’s about making a life, not a living.

What materials do you use in your art? (and why?)

Mainly I use spray paint and acrylics. I feel that the unforgiving aerosol makes my work more natural and how it was supposed to be rather than how I wanted it to be.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.
I really appreciate Brazilian graffiti. The "who gives a hell" approach really appeals to me. I don't try to make work that other people will enjoy as much as I try to make paintings that I can confidently talk about to the viewer.

What influences your art?
Dreams are the main influence in my art. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I try to make sense of what I was dreaming and then paint it the next day. I feel that the sub-consciousness is the most honest a person can get.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art? 

I want the viewer to enjoy the colors, the strokes, the contrast, and the story that goes with the piece. They are all simple enough but surreal enough to make a general thought turn into a conversation for a group of viewers

What do you do when you're not making art?

Bartending and sleeping.

How can people contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?
205-478-3581 or aaron_keen2002@yahoo.com or 512 Hermitage Dr. come on by.

March Artist of the Month

Meet our March artist of the month (as well as one of our founding members), Maggie Crisler.

Tell us a little about yourself (name, affiliations, etc.)

My name is Maggie Crisler and I am a photographer & graphic designer. I graduated from the University of Alabama last May with a degree in graphic design & advertising. I moved back to Florence after 4 years in Tuscaloosa to marry my sweetheart. I'm also a barista at Rivertown Coffee Co.

What materials do you commonly use in your art (and why)?

As far as photography goes, I work mostly with my Canon 30D and Photoshop. I have an old 35mm Minolta that I still play around with from time to time. For design work, I like to stick with Adobe Illustrator. I also like to hand-print some of my design work and prefer either linoleum blocks or screenprinting. I love the slight variations and imperfections that result from hand-printing things.

Describe your artistic style and/or approach.

People are most definitely my favorite subjects. I tend to talk a lot when I'm shooting...I feel it makes my subjects more comfortable. The more comfortable they are, the more natural the photos...and the closer I can get (which works well for my composites). I love shooting close so I can capture every detail possible. When designing, I spend most of my time manipulating type. I took a typography class when I was a junior in college and it ruined me. I'm a type freak now. I love design that is clean, simple & straight-forward. I suppose I feel the same about photography as well.

What influences your art?

People. The way they move, look, act, dress...everything. People fascinate me.

What do you want the viewer to take away from your art?

I want them to see the beauty in the subject the same way that I do. I want them to notice all the little details that I do, and even some that I may have missed.

What do you do when you're not making art?

A fairly sizable part of my time is spent doing things for the Art Hive. I can usually be found at Rivertown - working or not working. I enjoy spending time with my husband and our Scottish Terrier, Simon...we're pretty hooked on The Office and Arrested Development. I love sewing and cooking. I spend a good deal of time with friends as well.

How can someone contact you if they are interested in purchasing your art?

My website has contact info on it...please visit. www.magpie-photo.com or you can follow my blog: magpiephoto.tumblr.com