Artist Interview: Ellen Greene

Contributed by Vana Glory

For those of you who love the art of traditional tattoo, you should check out Chicago-based artist Ellen Greene.  Known mostly for her hand painted gloves, Ellen juxtaposes two images from the first half of the 20th century – soft feminine vintage leather gloves with hard and often crass american traditional tattoo art.

I was fortunate enough to interview this beauty (inside and out) herself and have been so excited to share it with all of you, followed by a small gallery of course.

Ellen’s entire body of work can be seen on her website and her tumblr.

I hope you enjoy her words as much as I did,
xo Vana

Vana : Describe yourself in three words.
Ellen : Red head, tattoo, mother

V : Are you a dog person or cat person?
E : I’m a snake and rabbit person

V : What art would I find on your walls/shelves?
E : You would find a lot of vintage paint by numbers, Mexican folk art, Kitschy religious status – lots of thrift store treasures….

V : When did you first know about your creative talents?
E : I knew I wanted to be an artist from as far back as I can remember. When I was a child it was the thing that was special about me and that defined me. I wasn’t the soccer player, the ballerina or the smart one. I was the best drawer.

V : Did you get any formal/informal training? How did that influence you?
E : I went to the Kansas City Art Institute. One caveat to that is that I don’t believe what school you go to makes you a good or bad artist. I don’t believe that where you go to school defines your abilities. Its not like a trade school where when you graduate with a skill you didn’t have before.  Its more like the friendships and peers you meet, the lectures that are given the art scene of the particular town is available to you, but you have to be savvy enough to use them to create your art.

V : How would you describe your style?
E : My style is a combination of traditional American tattoo mixed with ancient mystic symbols, personal narrative and decorative elements on vintage gloves, paper and canvas.

V : Where/who do you get your inspiration from?
E : My inspiration comes from a variety of sources. Some obscure and some popular. I love music so I listen to a lot of music. Hole, PJ Harvey and Two Ton Boa are some bands who’s music is very inspirational to my work. They each are all trying to find a strong female voice within a male rock n roll format. I can relate to that.

V : Do you do commission work? How about drawing a tattoo design for someone?
E : I do commission work on a very limited basis. I don’t draw tattoo designs for people; if they want some of my work tattooed on them I suggest they pull it from my website and take it to their friendly neighborhood tattoo artist. That is the skill of a tattoo artist to draw tattoos. I am more interested in the work I do as an image maker, and if an image I create speaks to you- then get it tattooed. I won’t draw you a koi fish- for example. There are many people who do that better than me. I just do me. So if you do want a commission its a fine arts commission- not a tattoo commission.

V : If I gave you a million dollars right now, what would you do?
E : I would set up two college funds for my kids, and travel. Go to India, Spain, Japan.

V : If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what would your costume look like?
E : I already am a superhero. Its called mom, wife, artist. I shape shift between them all-, keep two small human beings alive, make artwork and am a dedicated lover and companion to my husband of 10 years. Thats superhero work to me. So maybe I would have an “M” for mom or “W” for woman on my chest, be able to bring home the bacon AND fry it up in the pan and never never let you forget you are a man… ( 70’s kitsch song lyric reference there)

V : Do you enjoy cinema?
E : Yes

V : What genres are you into?
E : I like documentaries. Strange or informative. Some select fiction movies too- strange preferably. I like different movies for different reasons. If its to educated myself and enlighten my being- its the lecture films of Joseph Campbell. If its aesthetic it Wes Anderson ( the way he uses costumes, color and objects) or Sophia Copella ( for decadent femininity).

V : Do you collect? If so what?
E : I do not collect anything related to cinema but my girls are obsessed with Miyazaki films so we tend to collect those. I watch everything online so I don’t accumulate movies in a physical sense.

V : Who are your favourite director(s)/actor(s)?
E : For directors, I love John Waters, Wes Anderson, Sophia Copolla ( Virgin Suicides!), Jan Svankmajer who is a Czech animator of the 60‘s and 70‘s-does this amazing out of this world work. (His Alice in Wonderland beats Tim Burton’s any day) and Miyazaki films. For actors, it would have to be Divine, I had a soft spot for Parker Posey in the 90’s, Andy Warhol’s superstars ( esp. Edie Sedgwick, Holly Woodlawn and Joe Dallesandro) or something really old like Marlena Dietrich or Buster Keaton – who was an amazing actor – the stunts he pulled without computer or special effects are mind blowing.  And Marlena is so tough but beautiful in the way I don’t see much anymore. I sound like an old lady! But I am rediscovering movies of the 90’s that I really loved like Buffalo 66.  I recently watched Issac Mizrahi’s Unzipped and Madonna’s Truth or Dare – those were huge influences on me as a kid. Those documentaries that speak about the herculean efforts of the artist.  No need for characters – they were their own character or persona and that is interesting to me.

V : What is/are your favourite movie(s) of all time and right now?
E : John Water’s Polyester, Wes Anderson’s Rushmore, Ciao Manhattan, Grey Gardens, Andy Warhol’s Trash and Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. Thats a funny bunch!

V : What are your interests outside of creating art?
E : Everything I do is either about my children/family/house or art, or all combined. I don’t have time for hobbies. When my kids are in school I am making art or writing or thinking about making art. Then I am full time mom – feeding kids, taking them to their after school activities, dinner, homework etc. Then if there is time or energy left in the day I hang out and watch movies with my husband or paint walls. I’m kind of obsessed about house decorating lately.

V : What would you be doing if you weren’t creating art?
E : I would be dead if it weren’t for my art. I can’t live without it.

V : What is the best/worst thing(s) about being an artist?
E : The worst is that it is a lonely road and you’ve got to grapple with yourself and your demons on a daily basis to achieve something honest. I guess some people are very surface intellect artists but I am romantic in that I see the artistic journey as one of self actualization and spiritual growth. It’s not a cheesy thing – it can be heavy at times. The best is that I have the ability to make things that speak truthfully to myself and my experience and that it reaches others. I am a better person through my art, I am change and grow through it. Mysteries are revealed!

V : How do you feel about the current state of art culture?
E : I think we are living in Andy Warhol’s art culture where there are superstars and pop culture fascination and money and fame around the artist. I think via technology everyone does get their 15 minutes of fame. But I worry that it is moving at the speed of technology and not human speed. I like artwork that is human speed. I don’t like complete digitization of a gallery or the experience of seeing art.

V : What is your stance on technology and art (i.e.:tablets, scanning copies, sharing through the internet, etc)?
E : I like technology and it has afforded me exposure that without it I wouldn’t get- like the good people reading this blog! Its an amazing way to get connected and exposed. Its also a place to get lost within, so I try to keep a balance….

V : Whats the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
E : Make art – make it a priority and everything else will fall into place around it. You have to create your life.

V : What keeps you motivated?
E : I am motivated by death. I’ve got one short life. This is it folks its make or break time.

V : Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
E : Be fearless, the path of the artist is difficult get your priorities right and dig in. No one is going to give you a magic trophy and fame all in one fell swoop, its gruelling work, you’ve got to commit to it like your life depends on it. I sound so dramatic – but I mean it. Go big or go home.

V : Where do you see yourself in the next few years?
E : I will be showing in more galleries all over the world! I will also have a line of wearable fashion gloves available to those who want to wear my art as actual fashion!

V : Can you talk about what we’ll be seeing from you in the next little while? Shows coming up, etc?
E : I will be having a solo show here in Chicago at Packer-Schopf Gallery in the Fall (November). I post all the upcoming events to my website.