1. Janelle McKain Interview by Daniel Watson
We met up with amazing artist Janelle McKain to ask
her a bit about her work and inspirations.
What would others call your art when it comes to genre?
Those who speak of my work often mention surrealism. However, my intent
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category. I may fall in and out of several genres before it is all over, who knows?
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have nurtured many artist friends within that circle.
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work.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
In my life, making art and breathing are equally
important. Drawing is a spiritual experience for me,
and it is this purging of my soul that I am
addicted to.
I draw because my soul yearns to breathe and
inspiration is forcing me to gasp for air.
-Janelle McKain, 2010
What are your inspirations?
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other… I listen to music constantly. Old, new, jazz, orchestral, doesn’t matter.
I am also inspired by emotions. If I am sad, I draw. If I am bored, I draw. If I am
anxious, I draw. The eclectic range of human emotion is endless and therefore, I
never really lack for inspiration. To be alive is to feel. My mind runs on overload
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way I could EASILY self actuate locked in a room with pencils and paper.
2. But presently, I have a full time teaching job and I force
myself to function in reality most of the time, because if
left alone, my mind would probably overcome me.
When did you start painting? Tell us a bit more
about your background...
I was born and raised in a rural railroad and farming
community, North Platte, Nebraska. I had one brother
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in more ways than just birth order.
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mother stayed home and raised us kids. It was a great
childhood. We were allowed to ride our bikes freely up
and down the streets and stay out late until the street?
lights came on. It was a carefree existence of bliss and
imagination.
I suppose my parents would have said I was musically
inclined at an early age. I recorded and released a re?
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into my college days. I loved to sing and still have the
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14, one of my most cherished possessions. Music re?
mains an extremely powerful sedative and is a platform
for ideas and inspiration.
At the same time growing up, I was tormented by
graphic dreams, (nightmares really). Most vivid were
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into early adulthood, age 21 or so. These ghost like/
spirits had no real identity, but pressed their faces and
hands in and out of the layer of reality that separated
their world from mine. They DID appear and they DID
exist in my little blue bedroom each and every night.
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I frequently called out to my mother who would come
to me in the middle of the night and sit on the edge of
my bed until I could fall sleep. My mother’s presence
offered protection, but unfortunately as soon as she left
the room, the night stalkers reappeared.
I went off to college torn between art making and music
making. I took a music theory class and quickly realized
3. it was not for me. I sang in the show choirs and participated Who would be your own favorites in art? and acceptance for their work, it vali?
in all the music I could absorb without studying it. 8) +91%$) $>+$) 8) 6#9) "#;0) "#') +-$%($) 8) +1) !"14;'$'? dates my creative expression, and in?
I chose art, and never looked back. I engulfed myself in the ly fascinated with, that being Zdzislaw Beksinski spires me to carry on.
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<"	)10(';<)+)#%!>'N)8)!"&;9)O"&-%(>)%#A)@0)!";;'3')'9&!+? utter fascination time and time again, no matter
tion equipped me to be the artist/teacher I am today. It is how many times I see his work. T"1'$>%#3)8)+1)4'-4;'['9)+*"&$)?
crucial to never stops learning if one intends to grow as an This Polish artist grew up in the violence and chaos S"11'-!%+;) .'#&'() +#9) 3+;;'-%'() $'#9)
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woman and as an artist/teacher. illuminated with a light source that is elegant and work of art. I hear some artists say that
beautiful, and at the same time, mysterious and drawing is the beginning step to a later
Tell us about the techniques you use. foreboding. There is an inherent mystery to Beksin? 4+%#$%#3:)$>')54-';%1%#+-07)-'('+-!>)$")
I feel the need to draw, ski’s work some creation yet to be revealed. These
8)(%$)9"=#)+#9)!"11'#!')9-+=%#3PA)$>'-')%$)%()?)10)$'!>? I relate to Beksinski in that his work is not easily words diminish the drawing as a wor?
nique. interpreted and I strive for this quality in my own thy work in and of itself. I understand
I wish I had a long list of beautiful and inspiring insight to work. I dislike the fact that works of art are often the concept, I do, but for me, drawing
share, unfortunately I like to keep things simple. viewed as some sort of puzzle and must be dissected is the beginning and the end. It is my
to unlock their answers upon the viewing public. true form of expression and the one I
Tell us more about the collaborations you have been Like Beksinski, I want my own work to afford mys? am most comfortable with… black and
doing. teries that bear no trite answers within. white and all the values in between….
Most of the collaborations I do are considered “exquisite X)<+1"&(),&"$')*0)+-$%($:)D'#')@+3-%$$')!"1'()$") monochrome is beautiful to me.
!"-4('7)!";;+*"-+$%"#(A)Q#')+-$%($)($+-$()+)9-+=%#3)"#)>+;<) mind here – “People who look for symbolic mean?
a piece of paper and then covers it all but a tiny strip that is ings fail to grasp the inherent poetry and mystery
left revealed. He/she mails to the partnered collaborator who "<) $>') %1+3'A7) 8) (>+-') $>%() *';%'<:) +#9) 8) !>""(') $")
6#%(>'()$>')-'1+%#%#3)>+;<)*+('9)"#)"#;0)$>')$%#0)($-%4)$>+$) believe, Beksinski did as well.
is revealed. Both discuss what the title should be (usually)
and then post the work online for others to see and com? Any exciting projects/exhibitions coming up
ment, always giving credit to their collaborator. The second in 2010?
collaborator starts his/her work, in the same manner and I sure hope so! Opportunities seem to randomly
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I have enjoyed this process very much. There are twp clubs I feel very fortunate to have exhibited this past year
on Deviant Art that post only artist collaborations such as in Berlin, Germany at The Abnormal Gallery and
$>'(':)8)+1)!"?1"9'-+$"-)"<)"#')(&!>)!;&*)!+;;'9)5S";;+*"-+? was recently asked to participate in the opening of
$%.')S"-4('7A their new gallery in Poland. I was featured in “Po?
The exquisite corpse technique (also known as “exquisite '$()+#9)X-$%($(7)@+3+L%#':)Y+#&+-0)GMEMA
!+9+.'-7) "-) 5-"$+$%#3) !"-4('7K) =+() %#.'#$'9) *0) $>') '+-;0) I continue to participate in group shows at The
T&--'+;%($()+#9)%()(%1%;+-)$")+#)";9)4+-;"-)3+1')!+;;'9)5S"#? Hive Gallery in Los Angeles and had my drawing
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per, fold it to conceal part of the writing, and then pass it on #+$%"#7) 4&*;%(>'9) *0) #U"3%($:) -';'+('9) Z'*-&+-0)
to the next player for a further contribution. GMEMA) I>') *""2) <'+$&-'() !"#$'14"-+-0) (&--'+;) +-$)
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product is not entirely seamless and/or masterful, there is a be among these great artists is something I had pre?
connection made with a fellow artist that cannot be ignored. viously only aspired to.
It is, after all, a game. I am not unlike every artist who enjoys recognition
