- Lacey McKinney Self Portrait
- Lacey McKinney Self Portrait
Continuing with my Featured Artist Series, I’m interviewing figure painter and graphic designer Lacey McKinney, who TA’d my History of Graphic Design class. Which I got an A in by the way. Her work is an expressive blast of color and fantastic rendering of the human form.
How did you get into art in general?
I started to do art because of my mom. She used to inspire me to be creative as a child by doing things like surprising me with a “Cat in the Hat” drawing on my bedroom chalkboard when I came home from school.
What is your art about? What has it been about?
I think my art is about what it means to alive and be human.
Who are some inspiring figures in art for you?
Right now, I really dig Marilyn Minter. She’s badass in the best way.
What are your favorite mediums to work in?
At the moment, I’m having a passionate love affair with Oil paint because it has a direct impact on the senses. It’s richness evokes sensations of taste, touch and even smell. It’s probably the most alluring media for me right now.
What would be your ideal workspace?
Dark by Lacey McKinney
Dark by Lacey McKinney
My ideal workspace would be a giant barn studio in the country that I build myself.
What effect do you want your art to have on the world?
I hope my art would affect the world by making people feel immediate and strong emotions, just as
any other important event in their lives would.
Do you make money doing art? If so, how did you do it!?
I make little money on paintings, right now, and I hope to change that. I make more money doing
freelance graphic design work, which I enjoy thoroughly as well for slightly different reasons.
Do you make mistakes creating art? What mistakes have you made?
Every artwork that I make is a mistake in the sense that I move on quickly from each painting with plans to make the next one better than the last. My best yesterday is not good enough for today.
Going by Lacey McKinney
Going by Lacey McKinney
Do you think art can teach people anything?
Art can teach people how to be human, how to understand others, and how to cope with life.
Do you listen to music while you work or do you demand total silence?
I listen to music every time I create art. My favorite song for a long time has been “Konstantine” by
Something Corporate.
Where do you see your art taking you in five years?
Within fve years, I hope to see my art taking me around the world, to places where I can teach
others, and to places where I can show people my work.
Where do you see your art taking you in fifty years?
In fifty years, I hope to find that my art always takes me back to my studio.
Void by Lacey McKinney
