Art Stories: Artist Charmagne Coe
What is your preferred medium?
My first passion is and has always been ink, specifically India ink and Micron pens. Both are immediate and portable, requiring very little set-up. My mixed media paintings incorporate my love of ink with the colors and textures of watercolor and pastel. The three together are wild.
How did you get started? (we'd love to know if there are any generational influences, family history etc.)
From my earliest memory, I always had some sort of drawing tool in hand. I grew up in a very creative environment. My father, who is a jeweler, worked out of our home. I was surrounded by turquoise, opals, coral, lapis lazuli… all of those intoxicating colors still move me. My mother had a natural talent for drawing caricatures in all their various poses and expressions. I love to draw characters too, tho many are certainly not representational and the forms can be quite surreal. I was always drawing. I still am!
Who or what inspires you?
Love, nature, my family and mystery. And all the relationships between those forces. I am very moved by the works of Klee and Miro. Musically, Sigur Ros and Jonsi are my heroes.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into this medium?
Draw, draw, draw. Be open to what you are feeling and what you want to draw. Keep that hand loose. Also, attend school because you will use every bit of your education and it will open more doors to you. Exposing oneself to art in all forms is very nourishing.
Does vintage play a role in your art or life? If so, how?
Yes. My feeling about the word vintage is something that exudes classical or timeless qualities. Vintage may even link to old traditions and mythologies. I am drawn to artwork and everyday objects that are vintage and are also 'now'. In my painting and drawings, the characters, clothing, settings, etc. are a melding of olden times and modern. For example, if you look at my painting, "The little journey", you might get a sense that the characters are plucked out of the 1940s, but it still feels current. I am a huge fan of big band music. Right now the song "I'll Never Smile Again", by Ruth Lowe is sitting on my piano. I like things that endure time.
What is important for your customer to know about your work?
What I create is work that I believe in. I'm not always fond of telling a detailed, specific story behind a painting, because it boxes in the work itself. The point of what I portray is to continue an open dialogue. Then, whoever stands in front of it can participate. The tale is still unfolding.
Where can we find your artwork?
You can find it at my website:
http://charmagnecoe.com. I will also have a two-person show in Flagstaff, AZ on August 6th, 2010 at Holland Studio.
A special thank you to Charmagne Coe for a special look into her beautiful artwork and what she's passionate about.