Tiki Art: Why Do You Do What You Do? - General Tiki

S Sophista-tiki Tiki Socialite Seattle WA Joined: Sep 13, 2005 Posts: 1899	S Sophista-tiki Posted posted on Thu, Jun 12, 2008 6:57 AM I am editing to add the information intended in this thread. Why I make my tiki art and what influences me> Apparently "tiki" has always been an influence ever since I was little. Growing up in Montana I did not have really anything to draw from. Yet for an entire year in high school I did nothing but draw palm trees. Eventually the tikis started to reveal themselves to me. In '89 I did an entire tiki show before I even considered myself a tiki artist, still without the vast resources of Oceanic art that I have today. Then I moved to Fiji and completely dedicated my art to Fijian tapa. I spent a couple of years just interpreting tapa designs and dissecting the patterns and documenting the processes. From there i started to make actual tikis and incorporated tikis and tapa design. So, Im coming at it from a more traditional point of view, however my personality is very cartoon and mid-century. The best way i can describe it is mid century travel agency waiting room meets grade school pull down maps. Its someting that i cant quite put my finger on but Im going to keep trying to get there. My own art is different than everyone else. I can only make what I make, its beyond my control. I'm sure there are plenty of tiki purists who don't think what i do is tiki enough. I fall somewhere in the middle, not super traditional and not super kitchy. But I have always considered it to be tiki and will continue to do so with or without the approval of the masses. I have struggled for yrs trying to be respected in the bigger tiki scene not only for my interpretation of tiki, but also for the fact that Ive been at it for so long. Unfortunately I do think its all about whats popular and what sells. and that's what perpetuates the look that defines tiki art for so many. I see time and time again that people will pay hundreds of dollars for a print from an artist that they consider popular just because everyone else says so. and not be willing to pay $50.00 or $60.00 for an original painting from someone who has not been accepted as popular. So around and around we go! [ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2008-06-12 08:23 ] [ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2008-06-12 08:25 ]

I am editing to add the information intended in this thread. Why I make my tiki art and what influences me> Apparently "tiki" has always been an influence ever since I was little. Growing up in Montana I did not have really anything to draw from. Yet for an entire year in high school I did nothing but draw palm trees. Eventually the tikis started to reveal themselves to me. In '89 I did an entire tiki show before I even considered myself a tiki artist, still without the vast resources of Oceanic art that I have today. Then I moved to Fiji and completely dedicated my art to Fijian tapa. I spent a couple of years just interpreting tapa designs and dissecting the patterns and documenting the processes. From there i started to make actual tikis and incorporated tikis and tapa design. So, Im coming at it from a more traditional point of view, however my personality is very cartoon and mid-century. The best way i can describe it is mid century travel agency waiting room meets grade school pull down maps. Its someting that i cant quite put my finger on but Im going to keep trying to get there. My own art is different than everyone else. I can only make what I make, its beyond my control. I'm sure there are plenty of tiki purists who don't think what i do is tiki enough. I fall somewhere in the middle, not super traditional and not super kitchy. But I have always considered it to be tiki and will continue to do so with or without the approval of the masses.
I have struggled for yrs trying to be respected in the bigger tiki scene not only for my interpretation of tiki, but also for the fact that Ive been at it for so long. Unfortunately I do think its all about whats popular and what sells. and that's what perpetuates the look that defines tiki art for so many. I see time and time again that people will pay hundreds of dollars for a print from an artist that they consider popular just because everyone else says so. and not be willing to pay $50.00 or $60.00 for an original painting from someone who has not been accepted as popular. So around and around we go!

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2008-06-12 08:23 ]

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2008-06-12 08:25 ]

Post #386579 by Sophista-tiki on Thu, Jun 12, 2008 6:57 AM