The Many Faces of Ennyman.

I had the good fortune to meet Ed Newman via twitter, then email. I Like his art, and I like his interesting blog. (Check it out) Ed happily agreed to a blog-interview, so here it is:

SpOOk's-art: What are the three most important things/events or people in your life?

Ed Newman: Too many significant events, but I will narrow it to art related.

1. My parents enrolled me in classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art when I was about four years old. I had some natural inclinations and they were wise enough to encourage me along that line. I give credit to my mom, dad and grandmother who each played a part in the decision.
2. My father was a chemist with Air Products, in the division that made house paints. When I was an art student he gave me unlimited quantities of emulsion and pigments so I could mix my own colors and make my own paints from scratch. You may recall how expensive paint can be so I was able to produce large canvases and discover new and unique effects without worrying about supplies.
3. I married someone who is also exceptionally creative. Susie supports what I do and doesn’t think me eccentric when I do work that is out there and over the edge. She’s always exploring new things herself and sometimes I get ideas from her without her even knowing it.

S-a: What motivates you to maintain your blog?

EN: I initially started the blog to see what blogging was about. I believed that I would learn something by doing it. Based on what I’d read, I got the idea that you had to stay with it to make it worthwhile, so I made an internal pact with myself to stick with it for four years, and then evaluate. Within a month or so I knew it would have value in my job. I also started a blog for our church later that summer.

I enjoy the personal discipline involved of creating new content on a daily basis before I head to the office each day. I feel like a journalist on a tight deadline. Each morning it helps me get jazzed for the new day.

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S-a: Can you describe what was the most creative moment of your childhood?

EN: Impossible to narrow it down to one, but when age 8 I came up with the idea of being The Blob for a Halloween event in Cub Scouts. I won Best Costume. My mom dyed a pair of sheets mottled grey and sewed them together for me. During the costume parade I rolled around the room. Twenty years later I met someone who remembered that night!

S-a: I enjoy your loose artistic style. What has lead up to this? Has your style changed over the years?

EN: What you call a “loose style” has probably been evolving. For literally decades my drawing has been very precise, using technical drawing pens, clean edges and all. A few years ago I started “drawing” with brushes which soon because brush drawings over a wash background. I have experimented with inks and other ways of creating the background over which I draw or paint.

This past year I have become very into using Photoshop to manipulate photos which I then paint. I have been using digital photography and Photoshop to create effects but do not believe I can ever divorce myself from the actually hands on application of color to surfaces, whether paints, inks, crayons, whatever.

S-a: Tell me about 'Dogs of War' and why you painted it? It's a moving work. How does this affect you personally?

ED: I watched a documentary about the use of dogs in WW2, the Korean conflict and in Viet Nam. If you’re a dog lover, the film is actually quite heartbreaking and very powerful. This image which I captured in my painting was a momentary scene in the film. Not the background, but the G.I. with his dog. I happened to have an abstract painting that I didn’t think was finished, so I painted this image there. Initially the silouhettes were lighter and I wasn’t really happy with the piece, but was scared to risk messing with it. While reading a book about how contrasts strengthen a piece, I mixed some color and brought them out a little more. It has gotten a lot of very positive reactions. Just this week I decided to have it scanned to sell limited edition giclees. The original is 24” x 24” but I think the prints will be 18” x 18” and may 12” x 12”.

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S-a: If you could live the life of any known artist in history, who would that be and why?

EN: Picasso. First, I think to be so perpetually creative for such a full lifetime is impressive. Second, one day I had an experience in college where I felt the spirit of Picasso had entered my body. I found out the next day Picasso had passed away about that same time the previous day. As a young artist, it was probably was wishful thinking…

S-a: And to finish, If you were talking to a promising pre-teen artist, what would be your advice?

EN: First off, have fun being creative. Don’t compare to anyone or anything... have fun... But keep trying and learning new things. Learn how to create depth using perspective, shading and dimensions, and you will get accolades at an early age that keep you going. It is a bit like learning magic tricks. When I was a teen, the maxim that I found most helpful was this:

it takes a thousand bad drawings to make a good one.

This really fired me up to do as many drawings as I could as quickly as possible so I could draw a good one. I found this improved my eye hand coordination and helped develop technique so you start to do what you plan rather than always relying on “happy accidents.”

S-a: Thank you Ed, for a very insightful contribution.

EN:
Thank you
    Ed / ennyman

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Post Script

The first question was hardest because so many influences, both people and events. The item where I mention that my dad supplied paints when I was in art school... that was in college, not age 4 (lest there be confusion) ... He also painted when we were kids, but not art,.. rather our toy box and lots of practical, functional things. He was talented but dismissed it a little. Modest, etc. My grandmother's influence is understated here, too. Very amazing woman, ahead of her time.

ed / ennymann
Link: www.ennyman.com and others