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 Hey Gina, thanks for doing this with me. How's it goin? You mentioned that you were pretty busy right now. How is the illustration business these days?
Things seem to naturally ebb and flow in this business, I seem to be getting by a.o.k. at the moment.
Did you always know what you wanted to do when you grew up? Was/is your family supportive of your decision?
Yeah, I came to school knowing I wanted to illustrate. I went to a high school for the arts and they exposed us to a lot of options and influences that helped me to get directed early. I also have a bunch of younger siblings, so I was, and am, a bit of a children's book conneisseur. So early on I wanted to go that direction. Through the college experience, I was turned on to editrorial and it's potential to engage an illustrator on a variety of topics that change with the publication.
Oh, and yes, my family was very suportive. My father who also paints was always a big inspiration. My mom likes to tell the story of my makeshift diaper changing table that she had made out of one of my father’s paintings that she didn't particularly like. It contained the color of yellow ochre that she hated with a passion. Strangely, yellow ochre turns up in almost all of my artwork. Go figure.
What's your favorite medium to create your art with?
Acrylic and ink.
In my ramen noodle eating days of college when $ was extra sparse I happened across some inexpensive craft paint that worked out great and ever since then that's what I have been using.
What about when you’re doing work for a client, do you ever have to create something that you don't like?
Yeah, it's been known to happen. Sometimes the topic is a real doozy or the editor has a weird idea, in those cases I just try to pretty up the art as much as possible and hope for the best.
Gina, does your personal style - or art you do for yourself - vary much from client work? Do you have time to create just for fun?
 The root of the art is the same, line work and pattern. In my own work, these elements are just more free, and the images/symbols are closer to home rather than being dictated by the job content.
Lately I have been working on collaborative paintings with my husband. We both had a way of working that involved layering different manners of mark making, and have always influenced each other, so this current step is kind of a natural progression for us. We are working toward getting a portfolio site up, and have a few people who we are talking to about exhibition venues, so keep your eyes out.
Speaking of fun - are you having any? What do you do when you're not workin?
Sleep, garden, thrift shop, play with the puppy named Wesley, and pathetically watch all things on MTV (a guilty pleasure).
Well, I'll let you go Gina, again, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.... wait! One more thing. When you're long gone, how do you want people to remember you?
If I was Long Gone, I guess people would remember me by either my indie record label or perhaps by my extensive art collection.
Cool. Thanks again Gina!
Thank you Kitty!
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