What is your name: Teya Smith
Do you have a formal art education or are you a self taught artist: I am self taught or you can say I learned from the artists around me. I grew up admiring street art or more popularly named graffiti.
What is the style of your pieces: I call them urban abstracts because of their soulful, hip hop and R&B influence. That is also open for translation by the viewer.
What is the medium in which you work: I work with oil and acrylics
What started you on your path as an artist: I have always drawn as a child and in order to keep me out of trouble my Mom just kept my hands busy with doing crafts and puzzles. So as an adult I just felt the natural path was painting puzzles and crafting with canvas.
What is one of the most important things that art has brought to your life: Peace. The peace comes from when I am painting its on my time, the outcome is purely based on the feeling I have at that moment and I’m not doing it to please anyone but me.
What is your favorite genre of art besides the one you work in: I love sculptors. You can see exactly what the artist was feeling.
Do you have art showings, and if so what are they typically like: I am doing art showings in the San Antonio and Austin area. I am fortunate to always been with bands and in really fun atmospheres. The setting is full of talented artists and the crowds are awesome.
Do you have a certain set of clothes you make art in: I usually just paint in what I have on and try not to ruin it.
What has been the most frustrating part of being an artist? The most frustrating part is not knowing if my work will be liked my anyone else. Even though I make my paintings to my liking at the time, I am so proud of my work that I want others to feel the same about it as I do.
What is your favorite sandwich of all time: well I grew up in Long Island , New York and I love, love, love Jason’s Deli’s turkey and cheese with mayo on a sesame seed hero. At Jason’s Deli they would put like a pound of turkey on one hero. Yummy.
Has this year brought about any changes in your work, and if so what are they: I have learned to be more confident and take more creative chances this year with my art. So I feel my work shows that.
Who is your favorite artist alive or dead: Justin Bua one of the best graffiti artists to come out of New York and go international with his very detailed work. His work just puts me in that moment he creates. Very talented man and happy to report he is alive and painting.
What is the most moving piece of artwork that you have seen in person: I was maybe in the 5th grade and my class went to the African American museum in Hempstead, New York and there was a painting of a line of slaves that seems like the ar tist had made thousands of slaves that just snaked through the length of the canvas filling all open spots. But the one detailed front and center slave, though shackled and obviously beaten had the most beautiful smile of you can’t take my pride from me look on his face.
Do you have any animals, and what do they think of your work: I have a 10 year old handsome, fat, Halloween cat (black cat) that just loves to sit and purr as I paint. As soon as he hears the music go on and I pull out my brushes, he knows exactly what I’m up to and he just finds a spot in the room and chills until he falls asleep. Not sure how he feels about my work but I do know he loves to spend that time with me.
Do you have any upcoming exhibitions you would like to share with us: I have shows coming up in Austin and San Antonio all the time, I keep my info posted on my website and also through twitter.
www.teyabeya.mosaicglobe.com , www.twitter.com/teyabeya
artbyteya@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment