"HORSES FOR SALE" by CAROLINE CHANDLER

INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE THIS PIECE?

CAROLINE: Well, the prompt for the piece was “light and shadow,” so I decided to go to an antique mall in search of interesting compositions and lighting. I searched the entire mall and finally came across this bag of horses hanging on the wall, with a light source already placed directly above. The reflections and shadows of the bag, along with the interesting idea of horses being trapped in a bag to begin with, inspired me to draw it.

HOW DID YOUR ART TEACHER HELP YOU THROUGH THIS PROCESS?

CAROLINE: Mrs. Fletcher came up with the prompt and chose the type of media I used, which was colored pencil over top of a marker underpainting. We also had critiques throughout the process and in general she just helped me edit and improve my piece. 

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH SCHOLASTIC?

CAROLINE: This is my first time submitting to Scholastic in high school, but in middle school I submitted a watercolor painting and got a silver key. Also, this is my first time having my drawing on display at the Brooks, as well as going to the ceremony; it was a really cool experience meeting and seeing other artists and their works. 

WHY DID YOU SELECT COLORED PENCILS TO MAKE THIS PIECE? 

CAROLINE: Colored pencils allow for very tiny details, and in general I’m the most comfortable with layering and creating color and texture in this material. It was also very easy to fill such a huge paper because I drew with markers underneath for the basic colors and values.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR CRAFT PROCESS?

CAROLINE: This drawing was an exception to my usual process, since it was my first piece of the class and we had a prompt. For this piece I simply looked around the antique mall until I found the perfect image. Usually though, I take inspiration from the music I listen to, and from other artists that I follow. I also try to focus a lot on color, and sometimes just choose a random image I like for the color scheme.

HOW DID YOU MAKE IT SEEM REALISTIC? 

CAROLINE: Well, I guess I just took it one step at a time. I tried to exaggerate the colors even more than the original image to make the shadows really stand out, and I just worked very meticulously, with lots of practice behind me. 

HOW DO YOU HANDLE CREATIVE BLOCKS?

CAROLINE: I actually don’t think that I handle creative blocks too well. Sometimes I’ve gone months without drawing, but actually taking an art class and having a schedule that I have to follow has really helped. Otherwise, I usually have a long list of things I want to paint, so it just comes down to whether I’m motivated to begin or not, which is something I’m still working on.