Feature Friday: Stacey Byer

Stacey Byer - Fragile, acrylic on canvas

Stacey Byer is a Grenadian painter and illustrator living and working in Grenada. She earned her B.F.A. at Ringling College of Art and Design, and her work reflects an abstract expressionistic influence. She has sold paintings in Barbados, Grenada, the US, Europe and Asia. Stacey was featured in the first issue of ARC magazine’s emerging artists line-up and was the co-curator of Grenada's first all female art exhibition -WOMA (along with me). Her illustration work includes textiles, illustrating books and painting murals for both private and commercial clients.
She recently completed an A Sketchbook Project with the theme of A Day in The Life. You can find her full sketchbook here: A Day in the Life of a Small Island Girl. I was happy to finally have the chance to do an interview and drill her the story behind the project and other aspects of her work.

Cover

TC: Tell us about the origins of this story and the process of getting it done.

SB: I stumbled across the Fiction Project on the internet and like most of the work I create, it tends to reflect a Caribbean influence. My personal life may not be THAT interesting :) but growing up in Grenada was, so I just drew on elements of Grenadian life and built a story around it. I also thought it would be a brilliant way to showcase Grenada.


TC: Do you have any future plans to build on it or is it a standalone project?
SB: This may be a stand alone project for now as I have other manuscripts I’m working on at different developmental stages. Like all things, this of course can change in the future.

Page 5-6

TC: You are an illustrator and storyteller. What are your favourite stories/books/movies?
SB: Wow, there isn’t enough space for that list! As a child I read all the Enid Blyton stories, I loved Ramona Quimby, aged 8. I'm a big fan of the Miyazaki films (Spirited Away is my favorite), works by Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, and I just finished reading a YA series called Chronicles of Ancient Darkness which I highly recommend.
TC: What kind of stories do you enjoy the most and why?
SB: Highly imaginative, so the fantasy and horror genres, with some humour thrown in. I gravitate towards stories that have created worlds and characters that I have never seen. I am also highly impressed by people who create things that scare you; a lot of thought and sensitivity have to go into the process to produce that universal “shudder”.

Back Cover

TC: Who and what fuel your creativity?
SB: My environment, literature and people’s creative energy.


TC: How does your environment affect your work?
SB: I remember a teacher saying to me once, “do what you know.” If you create work based on something that is already part of your make up, there is strength in your work. My current environment is where I grew up so I can use elements from my childhood and put my own spin on it. People think of the Caribbean as sunny and fun and friendly, which it is, but I grew up with stories that always had a hint of warning menace. This has influenced my own work and given it its dark edge.

Page 13-14

TC: What are your favourite tools for creating?

SB: Hmm, that would have to be paint: watercolor, acrylic and oils.

TC: Creative living is not always easy. What would you do if you weren’t an artist?

SB: I’m not sure if I would ever be out of the creative field; I admire musicians and love dance. I think if I did anything else it would still have to have a connection to art.

TC: What is your process like?

SB: I tend to always have a lot of ideas , so I make a list and if something jumps out at me I use it for a project. Process entails sketching, research for reference and then developing said work.

Illustration Friday : Bottled Sketch

TC: Where do you think your work may go next?
SB: I hope to branch off into the children’s book industry. I want to contribute to Caribbean illustration/literature AND show the rest of the world the new and evolving works of the contemporary Caribbean artist.

Reo's Shark Adventure

TC: If you could be a fictional character - cartoon etc, who would it be?
SB:The road runner - always on the move, unstoppable!


TC: What do you do when you’re taking a break from art?
SB: That thing that we artists tend to deprive ourselves of : SLEEP! And bake, so I can stuff my face, and movie marathons!

On Collaboration
Stacey is not only a friend, but my art buddy. We allow each other to moan and groan on an almost daily basis about our work, our creative life, and projects. We share a similar brand of quirky insanity and humour that, together with our varied talents, balances us as a team. With WOMA behind us, we continue to work together on other things. Our experience has somehow become so connected that many times it's actually a bit creepy that we are doing or thinking similarly.

This is a sample of one of our conversations. For real. (This is one of the fun ones and not an actual serious art conversation - we are stellar at both kinds).
A Conversation about Cake

SB: thin cakes are pathetic and should not be referred to as cake
TC: well they're sort of cake...slivers. they make no sense whatsoever. also, cream cheese frosting...ftw
SB: agreed. it's like they are trying to confuse you - it's icing , it's sweet and it's cow related
TC: mm cows. so cute. i want one. don't have a stuffed cow :(
SB: u would prob mistreat it anyways. what about a stuffed sheep ?
TC: :( i might. the monkey might eat it.
SB: lol shaun ! oh no what's the fat one's name ... i like that one

TC: sheep are nice... shirley? and shirley is a boy? I love him..her.. fluff.
SB: shirley !!! it is ? oh gad it will have gender issues. We will have to send it to oprah
TC: hahahha it's a trannie..or a shrannie. there was an episode with a costume party....
SB: ahahaha
SB: would you eat something called sheep cake ? is your love of cake so great that you would ?
TC: I don't know. those pretty cakes are so pretty. i think i might be far too emotional to eat it...well immediately. it might have to endure a photo shoot... then nomming. wait... sheep cake? as in.. a cake ..out of sheep innards? because that would make me unhappy
SB: lol! i actually don't get the whole character cake thing? why would i want to inhale eeyore or tinkerbell? am i angry at them ? do i need to inhale their essence to become .. them ?
SB: hahah sheep innards! the scots will eat them !
TC: i had a fairy cake for one of my random kid birthday parties. her skirt was the cake. sooooo awesome. by the way ... fairy cakes = cupcakes in english. i did not know this.
SB: yesss i found that out in england... but only after a while at first i just walked around cussin wondering why the hell ppl offerin me tinkerbell cake !
TC: but then, think of easter bunny chocolates...or peeps. sick sick.. so inevitably cute. does that mean we are truly just bastards?
SB: yes we are!! but i do LIKE peeps and i just realized i usually eat their heads first.... dam :(
TC: see? you have issues
TC: we must do a project on this.
SB: so that will make it project # 4025
TC: yes. noted.
SB: sigh
TC: ARGH. there is a BAT flying around the house. totally unimpressed.

Tracey Chan: but really i would make those cool cookie monster cakes
SB: lol blue frosting blue mouth tongue and teeth - score !
TC: that one looks better...with the crumbs

SB: oh gad I worsheep at thee oh baking tray! they look great !
TC: that's your mission..ms baker
SB: i will pass on your msg to SIS baker
TC: you're good at delegating (I swear she said she baked)
SB: i know right. you have to have a certain level of laze in your blood to be able to delegate properly
TC: yay. laze levels. i also need a nap.
SB: well you are two hours ahead of your normal nap announcement grandpa !
TC: yayyyy

As you would have guessed we are awesome. If you can't have conversations like this with your art buddies you should probably find a new one. 

Find Stacey at her main art site, illustration site and follow her on facebook.