Horse Artist Interview – Melody Lea Lamb

Name
Melody Lea Lamb

Website & Places you can find my work online
Website: www.melodylealamb.com
Gift Shop: www.miniatureanimalart.com
My Blog: (I sell my originals directly from my blog as well as give a daily progress of new work) melodylamb.blogspot.com
Etsy: Melody Lea Lamb
Bonanzle: mllamb46
ArtFire: Melody’s Mini Art
eBay: Melody Lea Lamb’s Original Art
Follow Melody on twitter: @MelodyLeaLamb

The easiest way to find all my sites is to put “Melody Lea Lamb” in your internet search.

Where I am
New England, USA

Tell us a little about you, what is your background and where do you
come from?
I am one of six kids and was a twin until age sixeen. I grew up in Bakersfield California and went to college at Sonoma State University. I moved to the East Coast and after a bit of struggle, continued my art training at Portland School of Art.

I spent about six years as a graphic designer at an advertising firm as well as in a company called Weargaurd where my job was to translate customer’s ideas into a digitizable format for embroidered work clothes. At that point I took a ten year “baby sabbatical” during which time I focused my energy on raising my two beautiful children.

About five years ago, as I was contemplating how to find my way back into the art market, I discovered ACEOs (Art Card, Editions, and Originals) Here is a good explanation of ACEOs. I’ve been painting and selling ACEOs for five years now, and at the risk of sounding too corny, this little art niche has been life changing.

I’ve actually built a business that includes seven different selling venues, 10 different sites, a children’s book contract, and over 4000 art items all based on my ACEOs!

When did you first start drawing and painting?
I can remember being passionate about drawing as early as five and had my first little show at fifteen, (a booth at a Renaissance fair)

You paint more than just horses, what is your favorite subject?
My favorite subject has evolved form my most popular sellers. That would be cute little critters like bunnies, mice, squirrels, and chipmunks.

Your pieces convey lots of personality. Do you see the personality in each subject before you paint or does it come to life as you work?
A little of both actually. I am first inspired by the animal and then let his personality evolve as I paint him.

Who are your main influences?
I am most inspired by the artists Andrew Wyeth, Robert Bateman, Beatrix Potter, and Claude Monet.

Do you (or did you) have an animal that is the muse behind your work?
The animal that brings me my greatest joy, is my horse Little Bit, but the little gentle creatures like mice and bunnies also inspire my creations.

Do you have any secret rituals you do to help you get in the zone for
your art?
Hmmm, a secret ritual? Well, I do have a pattern of steps I take when I create a miniature.

First I browse through a collection of reference photographs until I find an image that inspires me. Then I try to envision how to make the image more unique and interesting.

Lately I have been giving little animals a human quality by putting hats on them and placing them in unusual environments.

Is there a particular place that brings you inspiration?
There are two places that give me great inspiration. One is while I am jogging with my dog and I reach the top of the mountain on a crisp sunny morning. The other is when I am out riding my horse Little Bit on the trail at any time of the year!

What effect do you think the Internet will have on art in general?
I believe the Internet has changed the art world tremendously. It has allowed artists to reach viewers around the world in real time and also allows artists to connect with each other for support and inspiration.

Has it had an effect on yours?
To be honest, the Internet has changed my experience as an artist dramatically! In fact, I am not sure what level of success I would have had getting back into the art selling world if it were not for the Internet. I actually have been surprised with the delight I find in “tending my garden” of my online art business. I think this is because I am not completely comfortable promoting myself in the “brick and mortar” arena of galleries, etc. but find it a pleasure on the net.

Which one is your personal favorite piece?
I have a little watercolor I did of my children when they were very young, I believe that may be my favorite piece. My favorite because, of course, the subject and that it is 100% watercolor. I have always found watercolor very challenging. The painting also has a bit of looseness, which I rarely keep in my work.

Would you ever sell it?
Nope!

What else are you passionate about?
I am passionate about my children, my family, my animals, my horse and being co-leader for the group Art For Critters.

Working on anything new?
I just finished illustrating a children’s book, Moonlight Memoirs due out in a few weeks.

I complete at least a new miniature painting every week and right now I’m working on a new style that is more anthropomorphic that in the past.

The new pieces have a very fanciful, fantasy feel. Additionally I began another children’s book with the character being a black bunny.

More to Come

Thanks to Melody for answering the interview and sharing her work. Be sure to check out her art website periodically for updates about her latest works.

Also stay tuned for more interviews with horse artists and photographers.
Are you a horse artist or do you know an equine artist you’d like to see featured? Add your name and website in the comments below or drop me a note to get involved.