The Sookie Chronicles.

Currently we are working on a series of exciting artworks. These paintings have brought up some questions that we have always faced as artists, but for the first time we have answered them in a creative way...
The question that we are talking about is, “As artists, how do we create our work?” It seems that there are two general categories that artists fall into when creating – The planned and thought out artist. This type of artist has a strategy, a plan in what they hope to achieve as their end result. The other is the organic, “just go with it” artist. This artist creates of a feeling, an instinct that starts with a small seed and unfolds through the creative journey. Nothing foretold except the seed that started the journey.

In previous experiences, both Jen and I have had to ponder the answer to that question, where we stand on how we create? Luckily, both of us fell in the same creating area – the organic artist. This theory was proven in a major way with this new series of artworks.

The starting point - ornate borders

The “Sookie Chronicles” is a story of IMOK’s main character Sookie and her alter ego in a Comic Book world. This all came about from a need to paint for no reason at all. To paint with no real outcome except the pure joy of painting with our hands again. The seed in this particular tale of organic creativity was a story book feel - Ornate boarders that frame a scene of something beautiful from on older time.

We are huge fans of the incredible artist Jeremy Fish and after devouring his book we were left with lingering thoughts of his amazing hand carved wooden frames that were custom made for one of his exhibitions. So that was a starting point, creating a boarder in wood style tones to frame some sort of scene. After that was achieved we had no idea of what to put into the frame? All we knew is that we wanted to have sepia tones to capture the antique feeling. Since this was to have no real destination for the end result, all the pressure was lifted, we could just paint! Sookie was the first to emerge, peeking out from behind the edge of the frame. But this time we gave her wings and an exciting energy! Adding familiar friends and a backdrop of a forest, we watched this story begin to take shape.

Once the first artwork was completed, we stood back to take it all in. The immediate thought that dawned on us was this felt like a door way into another world….This doorway needed shutters to frame it. Our infamous gum nuts were a perfect addition to add to the existing frame work.

The first work - Sookie

The first of the Chronicles complete

So here we were with a story that was quite literally speaking to us. The next canvas only came to concept once the first canvas was completed. Again a frame work was created and then the exact same question resulted – what do we put in there?? A villain, but of course!! In every adventure the hero must face a villain to prevail in the face of evil… Sookie would have to fight against our monster of the sea, Crostosti the Lockness monster… And once that artwork is completed we are faced with the next question, what happens next?

Crostosti the Lockness monster

As you can see from the process of this series that we are not at all planned in our process! When creating from a very pure and free place, we are organic all the way! These arethe works that have that hint of magic, a sparkle of something really special that comes from a place that we didn’t even know existed ourselves. A place deep within our souls, this is where IMOK lives J

“The Sookie Chronicles” are currently still being produced. Stay tuned to see the final story and where the exhibition will be held!

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