Ty is a art admirer, beside being creative. He hesitates to use
artist as he thinks—to use the title artist there should
be some level of mastery, and believes he is yet to scratch the surface of
mastering any one thing artistically. He thinks creative person fits him the
best as he is always dreaming on something to draw, paint, film, or photograph.
He thinks art should be important in peoples’
lives. On a humorous note he tells: If we take our phones out of our
faces long enough, we can see that art is everywhere. He thinks the importance
of art varies from person to person, but on some level-He
thinks we all find something that is a work of art that we appreciate.
He cannot pick a favorite: as he has so many favorites for
different reasons. He really adores Loren Long: His Otis books definitely
speak of things he enjoys, and Otis style is wonderful. He says he’s
been really influenced by artists like Thomas Hart Benton, and Grant Wood. He
has seen American Gothic, but never knew who had painted it. He finds it
interesting to find a painting recognizable to him without knowing much about
it. The availability of virtually any piece of art on the Planet and its
history on the internet has really broadened his horizons as to discovering new
art and artists.
His favorite place to see art: local book store. He loves grabbing
children’s books and finding new illustrators. He doesn’t
have a set gallery routine, but he is always on the lookout for new things.
Always on the hunt for that piece, or drawing that he can fall in love, at a
glance. He admires Van Gogh and adds that he could stare at the Van Gogh that
is at the Honolulu Museum of Art all day.
He does own some art. He has purchased some prints from illustrators.
Karl Newson, and @lizling are two illustrators from England whose prints are on
his wall. He loves Diana Brady’s work :Diana Brady is a watercolorist
from Montana who paints fantastic watercolor landscapes and western and ranch
scenes. He feels lucky to have quite a few of Diana’s paintings.
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| Cowboy from Ty Legrade |
This is most likely his favorite. Mostly as he enjoys the color:
it was one of the first illustrations that really worked for him. By what he
imagined in his head, he was able to get to the canvas. It may not be the best
work compositionally, or even a technically good painting—but
it’s sure his favorite as he knows where he would have been
just a few short months ago trying to create it!
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| Cowboy1 from Ty Legrade |
He is working on a follow up painting to his cowboy. He’s
really taken on a life in his imagination, and He is trying to harness his
spirit a bit to help Ty create a story around him. His horse…his
horse has a lot to say to me, and he is a character He is enjoying fleshing out
ideas around. His personality he thinks—is a bit like Ty in that he can be a
bit feisty and a joker. He is not ready to give away too many details,
but this cowboy and his horse end up having quite an adventure in tracking down
a pretty wily and resourceful bull!
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Ty tries to sell his work! He has sold a few prints of a painting.
He did of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire. Like all cliches—there
is a grain of truth in it. He adds that he is not starving, but He is certainly
not sustaining himself as a creative person! He thinks if he had more technical
knowledge in website design, He could perhaps be a little more “out
there” and marketable, but as it stands:
website hosting/storefront isn’t in the pretty limited budget.
He doesn’t make his living solely depending on
his art. He is proud to say that he has a wonderful supporting cast in his
spouse and family that has allowed him to pursue his artistic endeavors.
He is from the United States, and He thinks we have an abundance
of organizations that are involved in supporting, and promoting artists.
Without getting way too soapboxy, or philosophical: He thinks that higher
education system is really broken. When colleges and universities are for
profit, he feels like it is far, far too easy for students to become sources of
income, instead of the other way around. The amount of debt a person needs
to incur to receive the most basic college education is ridiculous. In Short:
The government needs to do more to support artists, and the artistic community
in general.
He does his best to support local artists. He buys from Farmer’s
Markets. He visits shows and openings. He enjoys finding other peoples’
work and supporting them the best way he knows how: with his wallet.
If he is not drawing or painting you can find him near water. The
Pacific Ocean is so beautiful, and splendid that he loves spending time on, or
near it. He likes to paddleboard, and has been surfing a few times. There is no
chance you will find him on the big waves, but he believes can catch the little
ones and ride them in! He has never found anything as carefree, or exhilarating
as surfing. He just loves it.
He loves to sing! Badly—but still loves it! He sings in the car, to the
dog, sometimes to annoy his wife. He sings just about anytime and anywhere. But—if
there are too many people around, he sings pretty quietly. He also thinks himself
highly clever by making up his own lyrics to songs, much to the annoyance of
those around him.
He considers pieces of art to be everywhere. Nature makes art.
People make art. He thinks: art speaks to us in individual ways, and the truly
great art has meaning to a lot of people. This may be blasphemy, or just
further enhancement of his shortcomings: but there are master works that he doesn’t
like. He feels like: “Is that art?” It
must be to someone—but it isn’t to him. He
questions himself” "Can I appreciate the line, or the
mastery of the light and shadow? Of course—but those are
technical skills that a lot of people can harness, but rarely master.”
He thinks it’s the subtleties and nuance that push a piece from the
technical to the true art.
Inspiring words from Ty:” Find what burns the fire in your
belly. Whatever that is in life, learn from it. Protect it. Harness it, and act
on it”. He truly believes that every person has a fire in them—and
it’s the one who listen to it: who do great things.
He is on Twitter: @tylegarde, Instagram, and added recently on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tylegardeillustration. He loves to talk to
people, and find new art, artists, and ideas!
His greatest dream is to create stories and images that speak to
children, and engage them in their imaginations. The world can be a tough
place, and our time as kids is pretty fleeting in the grand scheme of things. He
thinks back to when he was a kid, and the comfort, joy, and fun he had looking
at picture books and imagining himself in them, or in their worlds. He tells
that that time was a safe and enjoyable place. He hopes that someday he will be
able to use his work to create those lovely feelings for children.
