The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This week’s Featured Artist is Tayler Buchanan.

 

What is your favourite medium to paint or create art on?

When I was younger I pretty much painted on every wall in my room. Now I just try and stick to canvases.

What is your favourite thing to paint or draw? 

I’m always drawing eyes. I don’t really have a reason, I just think they’re really hard to get right because of all the detail. All my notes for class have eyes in the margins.

 Who got you into art? Was it anyone specific or were you drawn to it?

No one really got me into it. I just started drawing at a really young age. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing, but I got into it by myself.

 When did you start taking it seriously?

Never really, it’s something I do for myself. It wasn’t until the end of high school that I started having people ask me to draw or paint something for them. I only do that occasionally though. I like the freedom of being able to create whatever I want.

What inspires you to make art? 

It’s always changing. Sometimes it’s other artists or that I simply want to try a new technique. I’m never not listening to music when I’m creating something. So music is a big inspiration. Some of my paintings try a mimic the emotion of a song, if that makes sense.

Have your inspirations changed since you’ve started painting?

Well I started painting since I was three so 100% yes!

How so? Can you give an example?

I don’t really talk about it often but art is a really big outlet for me. It’s one of those things that if I’m having a bad day, I start drawing and it calms me down. Most of my inspiration now comes from just simply trying to create something as opposed to doing nothing.

Have you ever been on a “dry spell” with your art?

All. The. Time.

What are they like and how did you overcome them? 

I’m actually having one right now, it’s hard. It feels like I’ve forgotten how to draw since nothing is turning out! It’s just a phase though, I think it happens to artists when they haven’t been inspired or challenged in a while. I just wait for it to pass and keep trying.

How do you feel when you’ve completed a project?

It feels pretty good. I’m very critical though so I usually see a mistake or something I could’ve done differently. Then I show it to my boyfriend and I feel like Van Gough.

Is art purely a hobby for you or do you see yourself making a career out of it in the future? 

I see myself definitely doing something creative. I chose not to go to an art school though because I was never saw myself strictly drawing for a living. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Have you ever sold any of your art?

Yes, you were my first customer! People have offered in the past but I’m not doing it to make a profit.

Is there anywhere that people can check your art out? 

I have an Instagram account but there’s not many art posts (yet). I’m trying, I just need to get back into it. Otherwise my bedroom, but that’s strictly invite only.

Art is a very time consuming process, have you ever found that school gets in the way of your art or vice versa? 

I don’t let art get in the way of school, however school always gets in the way of art. That’s why I like school assignments that involve arts and crafts!

How do you make time to make art?

I work during the school year too so weekends are kind of out for me as well. I’m a night person though so it’s generally at midnight that I’m starting a project.

 I’ve noticed from looking at some older paintings you work with a lot of water colours. Why do you like them so much? 

I had never used water colours until first year and now I love them! They’re just so easy to manipulate and work with, whereas acrylic is very precise and I’m not a fan of how it dries. Water colours just look so much smoother.

If Laurier Brantford held an exhibition/gallery for its student’s art, would you want to showcase your work? 

First of all, Laurier should definitely hold and exhibition because even just by working with Blueprint Magazine, I know there are some seriously talented people on this campus. I can’t imagine how many other people’s artwork I haven’t had a chance to see.

How do you feel the students on campus would react?

One reason I like this campus is because I do feel like it has an artsy vibe. I think the students would be into it – it’s definitely something that needs to happen soon. I’ll be the first to sign up!