This month’s Featured Artist is…

Ed Paiva

Marketing Director, Mission: Renaissance, Inc.

Featured Artist Interview:

Interviewer:  How did you first hear about Mission: Renaissance and The Gluck Method?

Ed:  Through the web.  I ran across an ad.  It interested me because I have been involved in the arts for a long time and lo-and-behold there was this ad where Mission: Renaissance seemed to be the only company that was offering an ability to make a living in the arts and I said ‘oh wow!’  At the time I was considering teaching as well and it sounded like a perfect opportunity. 

Interviewer:  When did you first begin taking classes in The Gluck Method?

Ed:  I started almost immediately.  I went right into the training program. 

Interviewer:  Did you attend any art classes prior to that?

Ed:  Yes, I’ve had some training at Art Center – I actually graduated from there – for illustration.   It’s kind of funny because I’ve had some instructors that have really touched on my abilities.  But, none have more than Larry [Larry Gluck, Founder, Mission: Renaissance and The Gluck Method].  Some of them are impressive people, like Burne Hogarth, I took some drawing classes from him.  He was the original draftsman for the Tarzan comic strip in the New York Times.  A pretty renowned, very passionate old guy.   I learned a lot of anatomy from him.  I also studied under Bernice Polifka, a colorist.  She also studied with Georgia O’Keffe.  She taught me some things about color.

I have to say that, though I feel very honored that I’ve been taught by a lot of different people, Larry is the first one that has actually focused on teaching me what they don’t teach even in a high-end art school.  And that is the real basics.  They just don’t break it down for you like that at any other institution.  I guess that’s why they ask you for a portfolio when you walk in.  They want you to already know.  But, that’s why I went there.  I went there to learn and it seems like what they focus on is not on teaching you but rather on, I don’t know, trying to fluster your creativity.  Creativity is not going happen if I don’t have the skills.  

You can only go as far as you can go, but if you don’t have that real structure underneath you, you don’t really possess a whole lot.  You can learn from the greatest guy and you can mimic what he does but if you don’t really know the how and whys then your information has all these holes in it.  One of the things that I first picked up here was the fact that they filled everything in, right down to drawing.  It’s been constantly one revelation after another.  At the top of my list as far as someone who has influenced me the most, it’s Larry.  He broke it down perfectly.

Interviewer:  How would you summarize your artistic ability before attending classes in The Gluck Method and how would you summarize your ability now?

Ed:      Prior to coming here I was someone who could draw.  I could do a likeness of someone.  I could work with watercolor and oils.  But it was almost like I didn’t have the real foundation of why I was doing what I did.  So I experienced a lot of people who would say to me “oh your so talented” but nobody ever asked me how long I practiced to be able to do it.  So, I was functional.

After coming to Mission: Renaissance I feel a lot more complete – I feel like what I possess now is the correct steps of how to approach and achieve what I want to do.  For instance, in color, I have always had a feel for what colors I want to mix to get what I want but it was all just hunting and pecking.  The way it’s been broken down with The Gluck Method, I already know that I have to take some of this and some of that and these 2 colors will give me this effect – none of this existed with me before Mission: Renaissance.

Interviewer:  On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most difficult, how hard is it to learn how to draw and paint using The Gluck Method?

Ed:  It has been the easiest thing in the world.  I had so many bad habits – but they all went away as I went step-by-step.  For the first time I feel that I can draw anything with certainty and control.  Despite all the art classes I have taken before I could never have said that.  So as far as a number – for me, a 1 or 2.  It’s so easy.

Interviewer:  How long have you been the Marketing Director at Mission: Renaissance and can you give our readers an idea of what that entails?

Ed:  I’ve been the Marketing Director at Mission: Renaissance for about 2 years.  It entails keeping up with all of the marketing and promotional material needs for Mission: Renaissance – I create all of the print ads, brochures, signs, a lot of the web work and all of the graphics needed.

Interviewer:  What did you do before joining the Mission: Renaissance team?

Ed:      Before Mission: Renaissance I always pursued art and I’ve done various things. I started in advertising, print ads and that kind of thing, and moved into the entertainment industry where I designed movie titles, logos and posters, brochures – a lot of Photoshop stuff.  I began to do animation – doing titles for productions like Star Trek Generations – the movies The Mask with Jim Carey and Unforgiven with Clint Eastwood.  Those were some of the first titles that I did. 

Interviewer:   How has The Gluck Method influenced your graphics work?

Ed:      What you learn in The Gluck Method, you can apply to everything you do.  One of the first things that comes to mind is the principle of “Working from Large to Small” right out of The Basic Line Drawing Course – it applies to everything that I do.

Interviewer:  Final Question:  What is your personal goal as an artist, and can that be achieved with The Gluck Method?

Ed:  Absolutely – I think that my goal as an artist is that whatever I draw and paint, I want to do it so that it’s correct and so that it has an appeal, not that the entire world will like it, but that the majority who see it will like it.  And that has definitely already happened.  I’d like to paint, continue to create and maybe one day have a show.  I’m having a great time doing what I am doing now and know that I will do it for the rest of my life.  I’m contented.

Our first Featured Artist is…

Paula Paiewonsky

Administrative Director, Mission: Renaissance, Inc.

Website: www.finelightstudio.com