Sydney DeJong
I find myself inspired by the mundanely ordinary world around me. A few years ago I came across a book in my grandmother's house filled with her drawings of simple folk flower arrangements and I was struck by their ability to depict simple ideas with complex visual storytelling. I was specifically drawn towards many of the early traditional folk painting designs found in Norway and Holland, such as the intricate tradition of rosemaling. I became interested in seeing how people with no artistic training could create such mystical stories on their walls and common objects through undemanding paintings and repeated patterns. Folk painting is mainly decorative and traditional artistic rules are often broken in proportion and perspective. I like to explore the boundaries of what is classified as “high art” and have studied the rules of art in order to correctly break them.
A modern-day folk illustrator, Dinara Mirtalipova, significantly influences my work and artistic practice. Her work combines key components of folk art such as simplification to tell stories and I have found that as a graphic design student straightforwardness and simple go a long way in many aspects of design. If the viewer or consumer doesn’t understand the story you are trying to tell about a particular thing, it loses meaning and impact. Folk painting is also a beautiful reflection of the natural world, something that Mirtalipova specifically focuses on and I try to emulate. I like to explore organic shapes and bright colors characteristic of the style. While it is a simple form of art, it is often accompanied by a deep embrasure of patterns and ornamentation. When in doubt, add more foliage I like to think. I connect deeply with her ideas of doing much of her work by hand. I often consult Mirtalipova’s book “Imagine a Forest” to drum up inspiration and emulate as practice. In the book, she often speaks of practicing on the drawings before getting down the final product and her words have helped me become more familiar with what I want to accomplish. Starting on paper allows the artist to filter through ideas in a way that creates stronger and better art in the long run. I am always adapting my practice but in my heart, I still love the tradition and style of European folk painting.