FEATURED ARTIST: Interview with Los Angeles Artist, Crystal Schrader

How long have you been an artist? What is your specialty? Where do u find inspiration?
I’ve always been “artistic” and I took art classes in high school and college and a few years ago I did a series of composite photographs but I only really started to feel like an artist in the summer of 2017 when I started painting and creating and experimenting every day. I work with mixed media like alcohol inks and acrylics on Yupo paper (mostly). I find inspiration in interesting color combinations and that could come from the interior design in a place I visit, looking at other artwork, fashion, etc. Any time there’s a good use of color I feel inspired to create.

Do you have a job in the art industry? If So, what’s one thing you don’t like about it? If no, where would your dream job be?
I have a job in a creative industry but not THE art industry (although I do consider filmmaking an art form). I work as an art department coordinator on television shows which means I’m part of the team that designs the sets. I don’t like the paperwork involved but this job is a stepping stone to the creative positions that I’ll hopefully move up to soon. Eventually I want to be a production designer for highly stylized films such as those by Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, and Baz Luhrmann. I love spatial design because it’s like a painting you can walk into. Some artwork I’ve made has been used in the sets of the shows I’ve worked on so that’s been a neat crossover between the fine art world and film design.

Do you have a favorite Artist?
I have too many favorite artists. I think my current favorite is Salvador Dali after a visit to his museum in Spain last year. I’ve bought so many books on his life and I think he’s fascinating, as is his work. I also love Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Toulouse Lautrec, and I’ve recently discovered the work of Roberto Matta. There are also many fantastic artists working today that I follow on Instagram. Kim West, Angela Miller, and Gray Malin (photography) are my current favorites.

What is one accomplishment you’ve had in your life? Does not need to be art related.
I feel like it’s getting outdated and I need something new to be proud of but I managed to graduate college with honors in 3 years. I was meticulous about my course schedule and made it happen! I still can’t believe I did it. I went to the University of Southern California and earned a B.A. in Cinema Television Production with a focus on production design and fine art.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?
5 years: I hope to be an art director in television but ideally features. I also want to finish that book I’ve been working on for four years. On the fine art side, I’d love to be in a few galleries and have my own art studio to make a big mess in.

10 years: I want to be production designing. If it can be the right type of films I want to design, even better! (Maybe I design or even direct the movie based on the book I will have finished writing?) Aside from all that, I still want to be creating art. I’d love some big commissions! I currently license my art patterns to Deny Designs but I would love to have my own line of home decor and accessories someday. If I could be Kate Spade but with my own style that would be phenomenal.

20 years: I can’t even think that far down the line. I see how much my goals have shifted even in the last year and it’s hard to pinpoint what I would like to be doing. Would an Oscar for Production Design be asking too much? I do know that I want to still be creating art both in tradition fine art methods and in whatever form of art is created then. Maybe a virtual reality painting you can walk around in? Oh the possibilities.

If you could meet and talk to any person in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?
It’s a solid tie between Salvador Dali, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Tina Fey. In another life where I’m a funny person, I would want Tina Fey’s career.

How is one way you make money with your art?
I sell my paintings online on my website and I create patterns from my art for use in home decor and accessories on a couple of different sites. That’s two ways, I know. I don’t think that you should make money just one way until you find out what works and is consistent for you. There are so many great ways of making money with your art like licensing and print on demand sites. Everyone’s art is different and maybe your art would sell crazy amounts of t-shirts or make for some cool wallpaper or maybe it would sell out at art fairs and craft markets. I think you have to try it all and the market will suggest if your art is the right fit for it.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
My answer had always been Paris but I finally went last year! I think next on my list is India. All of those colors!

What is your favorite brand of art supply? Whether it’s a brand of pencils or brand of camera or software
I love Golden and Liquitex products and my work wouldn’t be possible without Yupo paper. I’m also still madly in love with my Canon DSLR and Adobe Photoshop even though I don’t practice photography as much as I used to.

Any advice for young artists?
Make a lot of art in a lot of different styles and mediums. Experiment with whatever art forms you like and figure out what interests you. You’ll eventually find the medium and style that inspires you to create in any spare moment you can. I didn’t know I was a painter until I tried fluid mediums. Before that I’d only tried oils and thought I was bad at painting. Turns out I’m just not naturally good at oil painting. The better part of experimenting is that things you learn in one method will inevitably transfer over and inform your work in another medium, giving you a unique style. Also, study other artists. Read about famous artists and look at their paintings together so you could see what makes their art unique to them. Go to museums and then go home and create something. Most of all, don’t do it to become rich and famous. Do it because you like it.