We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tamara Deane McElhannon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tamara Deane, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Co-creating is a passion of mine, and the process of collaboration and inclusion inspires me. My latest work takes on an interactive flair.
By moving a series of disks, I invite the viewer to become part of the creative process and take over as the artist, creating something they can call their own. The compositions can change daily – if desired. The imagery applied to the movable pieces is abstract, using a layering technique of organic and geometric shapes to create something energetic and exciting.
Interactive fine art isn’t new. However, making beautiful, easy, accessible interactive paintings has been sparse. Also, AI is here. Not all of us want to consume art digitally. Tactile pieces you can touch and hold give us a physical experience that connects the viewer more intimately with the artwork.
There is plenty of room for this idea to evolve, and I look forward to lots of co-creating on future projects.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I recently moved from Atlanta to the suburbs to be closer to my family. I’ve enjoyed a long career in graphic design, commercial illustration, and fine arts.
Since childhood, I’ve played around with drawing and painting. Once I discovered that things looked different when the light changed or when objects were close or far away, I became obsessed with figuring out why and how to draw them. So, for a long time, my focus was on representational art and the technique behind making it come to life.
After years of painting realistically, I wanted to explore abstraction. However, I needed to figure out where to start. I painted a few unsuccessful pieces and would always revert to my comfort zone. Only after taking an airbrush workshop did I have a breakthrough.
The airbrush was fun and freeing. I was gifted a few wooden circles and encouraged to paint on them. The abstraction grew out of mixing and layering shapes and colors. I found myself in the state of “flow.”
I noticed how others wanted to pick their favorite disk and shift them around to make other arrangements. I loved that (!) and began crafting a way to create interactive 2D artwork.
This idea has evolved into a process where I curate collections of painted disks that can move around on a glass backboard covered with paper. I ask the viewer to patriciate in the creative process by shifting these disks into new arrangements.
I want this assemblage of art taken away to a new home, engaged with, and reimagined into unique creations the viewer can call their own.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
What a question! I was interested in exploring NTFs, but less so since the crypto crash.
New ideas, especially off-beat quirky ones, fascinate me. They come on the scene like a clunky hurricane, and if they survive, there are so many shifts and changes before evolving into a relevant, sound, or fulfilling part of society.
NFTs are partially entertainment, adventure, and innovation.
I have some digital animation skills and might try it, but that’s on the back burner for now.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The exploration of my imagination.
IMAGINATION – there’s a wild and beautiful word in my head – and everyone else’s too – and I love digging in there and watching what comes out.
Contact Info:
- Website: tamaradeane.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/tamaradeanemce
- Other: Email correction – Please use: tamara@tamaradeane.com
Image Credits
1-TamaraDeaneMc-studio 2-TamaraDeaneMc-working By photographer Jennifer Boxley Website: jenniferboxley.com