Artist Q&A with AyalaArt + Giveaway(Closed)!

Good Morning!  It's nice to be back on the blog after a short break....I recently moved from Texas to Georgia and I'm finally getting settled in my new place.  I can't wait to share a new monthly series on my blog called Artist Q&A. The series is a way to get to know visual artists on a deeper level.

Today, I would like to introduce you to Martha.  I've been a follower of her blog for about 2 years now and I fell in love with her whimsical style.  I admire the way she has grown an online artist community with art challenges through social media.  So, now lets get to know her....

1.  Please, introduce yourself.

Hello everyone, I'm Martha, aka AyalaArt, pronounced: (ah-YAh-lah). I love all styles of art and mediums. I also love art challenges! I am a mom of 2 teens, wife to a wonderful man, and an important member of my cat's entourage. 

2.  How long have you been an artist?

Art has been part of my life as long as I can remember. Even before I knew the name for it. I have always been involved in one artistic expression or another. From scribbles on the wall, to singing, performing, sculpting.... later on my studies took the graphic design direction, I had my own business but my heart was still in acting and ceramics for a long time. Later on I packed away all my art stuff for a while, while my children were little, except for my pencil. I never stopped sketching and doodling. As soon as it was possible, around the year 2000 I took my painting more seriously: oils, acrylics, watercolors... you name it, and went online. In 2006 I decided to learn about doll making, to try to make my illustrations of little girls into 3D figures, so to speak. That took all my attention  until I learned different techniques to create art dolls, and by adding color to their faces I closed the circle back to painting. One will always take me back to the other.

3.  What kind of art do you create and why?

I haven't been able to settle on only one style, or one kind of art.... I like and love too many things and I love learning, so I am constantly testing new things and falling in love with new materials or ways to do something, but mostly I paint faces. They are fascinating to me! I love painting whimsical girl portraits, small animals, things that are cute to me. Things that would make people smile.

4.  What are your go-to art supplies?

I would say definitely acrylics, because they are more flexible, but I do love my charcoal pencil! I am a bit of a hoarder, I like all kinds of art supplies! But some I keep around mostly to look at because they make me feel happy lol. Some I use depending on the season: I like to play a little with wax mediums, but only in winter.

5.  What is your favorite color?

This is a tough one... I love all colors, depending on the mood! I tend to favor jewel tones, but ochre is a favorite too. And neon pink. And aqua. And Viridian green but in small doses, because it tends to take over the world.

6.  If you could live in a famous painting or photograph what would it be?

This reminds me when I was little, and I used to ask my friends if they could live in a song, which one they would pick! Well, a painting.... I suppose it would be something peaceful and dreamy. Maybe Van Gogh's starry night, or one of his sunflower paintings. I love Kahlo, but I would not like to live there! Maybe a Matisse painting, chillaxing in a colorful room playing music.

7.  How do you connect with your audience and sell your work?

I am a blogger, I have met wonderful people that way. Unfortunately I do not live in an artsy community, so most of my art connections and sales are via an online shop. I also make videos and share them in my channel. It keeps the connection with the viewers fluid.

8.  If you could be an animal which would it be?

I think a hippo. They are able to live underwater, and on the ground as well. They are peaceful and they swim so cute! I would like to fly too, so maybe a flying hippo! 

9.  What helps you to be productive in the studio?

Depends on the muses. Some days all it takes is sitting at my art table, or looking at my supplies. Other times it requires a good challenge to push me to try something new. I love running art challenges, my favorite is 29 faces; I can see what it brings up in people's minds and it can be a wonderful trigger of inspiration, like a room full of mouse traps and bouncing ping pong balls, one idea can set the whole room in motion.

Sometimes I have tons of ideas... Other times I am totally blank and blocked. After a while, you learn to accept those days as well, and take a break, so a new wave of creativity will come when the mind is ready.

10. Have you had any struggles in your art journey?

Oh yes.... in every area imagined! To the point of frustration. From the lack of muse, to the times when my kids were little and there was no time for a complicated project. Also my health. There were some years of my life where I could not walk, due to an accident, and you simply cannot think of creativity when you don't feel so good. I admire Kahlo and anyone that went through a difficult time and kept creating. I had to close myself and focus my energy in a different way. I believe if we don't struggle at times, we are not growing. It could be a monetary struggle, or available time, or even a learning curb type. But it is refreshing actually, to struggle and then manage. To go from a tiny size to a large format; To change from realistic portraits into abstract, or change mediums and have to adapt to a different performance of it. What we do about our struggles is what determines our path as artists.  

You can find AyalaArt here:

https://www.facebook.com/AyalaArt

https://www.youtube.com/user/AyalaArt

http://29faces.blogspot.com/

http://ilove2paint.blogspot.com/

I hope you gained inspiration from AyalaArt and learned a bit more about her artistic journey.  I want to thank Martha for sharing her time and art with us!   

Now time for the GIVEAWAY details!  All you have to do is follow this blog and hop over to one of AyalaArt's social media sites and follow her.  Comment down below letting us know that you are a follower and would like to enter!  The giveaway is open internationally and will stay open until Saturday, Aug 15, 2015 (12pm EST).  Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

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