Dark Artist Interviews: Other Artists in the Dark

Secrets of a Passionate Moon:
An Interview with Donna Veal of Moonchilds Primitives

What association do you have with the word 'moon'? Would some of them be passionate, romantic, vampires and werewolves? If they are, then you have also just described Donna Veal owner of Moonchilds Primitives and her art.

Donna is also passionate about:

"Going GREEN, recycling, and learning new ways to use less of the Earth's resources. Gardening. Growing organic foods at home as much as possible to help be more self-sufficient and to make our family more sustainable. I like to reuse items in my artwork. Recycle something to keep it out of the land fills."

"I'm also passionate about equal rights for everyone! I'm a member of HRC, the Human Rights Campaign and the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, who advocates and lobbies for the rights of GLBT in KY. Equal rights in beliefs. Freedom of religion, should mean ALL religions. Open-minded, free-thinking, and tolerance. So, that freedom of religious thought should also include equal standing for those who are Atheist or Agnostic....or Alien."

At 45 and married for twenty five years, Donna is now a full time artist. Like many of us, she also began creating at a young age and was surrounded and influenced by other creative family members as well as stories and movies about dark myths and legends.

" I've drawn for as long as I can remember. Vampires and monsters were high of my lists of interests; Halloween, Vlad Temps-the Impaler, Witches, fairies, etc. I've always painted, sketched and doodled. I started taking art classes in high school and home economics, where I learned to sew. I also took some Toile painting classes and ceramics classes. I think that human beings are designed to create and express him/herself in one way or another, depending on one's interests and accessibility to certain supplies. All art is an expression of a persons inner-being; an extension of him or herself. When viewed with an open-mind and an open-heart, you can see what that person is portraying via the art."

Tell me about how spirituality affects your art and how art affects your spirituality?
"I am Spiritual, yes. Religious, no. And both of those aspects effect different parts of my work. I like to study different faiths and thus I've become fond of making VooDoo Dolls and Day of the Dead dolls, for example. To me, those are spiritual works for me. Being tolerant of all religions gives me enlightenment to open up and explore realms that others consider taboo. When I work on a painting or doll, a part of myself goes into that work. Depending on your frame of thought as to what is absorbed into the piece. I really like to invoked my work with feelings of happiness, love, peace and balance. A harmony that hopefully brings beauty to my pieces. Yes, dark art CAN be beautiful!"

"I hope that my open-mindedness shows thru. My love for what I'm doing and my intense feelings for the topic. When I make Voodoo dolls, I actually do work on infusing them with the intent of the doll as I work. For example, I made a 'Peace' themed doll and while I make it, I played soothing music and placed my mind and soul in a state that I wished only peace, harmony and happiness to be within each fiber of the doll. When I made a 'Protection' doll, I did the same in thinking of safety, love, well being, etc. When I make a doll like the Baron Samedi, I think on his positive aspects. Reading and researching on each doll that I make."
　
Tell us about your art and how you work:
"Mostly, it's hit and miss. However, I do make patterns for my primitives. So, I keep track of how I make each item if I'm going to make it into a pattern so I can easily explain that to the buyer and they can get the same results. Naturally, no two people are going to make something to be exactly alike. I also make e-classes to help people so they can 'see' how I do things. Visuals are wonderful tools."

"The only technique I can say I use is making a doll look primitive. That is, making it look old and aged like it just came from your grandmothers attic. I use coffee staining, painting, sanding, distressing fabric in much the same way you'd distress wood. I use dry cinnamon in combination with coffee stain to make the dolls appear old and dirty. It's really fun!"

"My main mediums are fabric for dolls, acrylic paints on canvas. My Voodoo dolls are created from various items sticks, moss, fabric, clay, beads, feathers, etc. My primitive dolls are embellished with buttons, dried herbs, rusty bells and rusty wire. Recycling 'found' objects and reusing old clothing and trim is always on my mind. "

"I guess my Halloween dolls...The Grim Reaper and Jack the Ripper are my favorites.. or perhaps my Voodoo Painting or Gypsy painting, for their loud vibrant colors! I do love color!
I listen to books on CD mostly when I create. I listen to movies on DVD that I've seen many times over, that way, I don’t have to be 'watching' them while I work. I know what's happening just by the dialog. "
　

How do you deal with mistakes? Do you start over, leave them in, or work around it?
"All of the above. Depending on the mistake. Sometimes, a mistake will work into something else and make the piece even better. Other times, I'll start over, or paint over and begin anew."

Are there any other kinds of art you are or have ever been interested or involved in?
"I like clay sculpting, painting, cloth doll making, sketching, cooking, gardening, sewing, primitives, folk art, outsider art, raw art, mixed-media art, scrap-art books, reading, writing...that covers it I think. I might learn to knit."

Struggle as an Artists?
"Time management is sometimes hard for me. That's my weakness."


Secrets in the Dark...
For Donna, dark art is gothic, horror, tragic, scary, unsettling and/or unnerving. Serial killers ARE unnerving, but she has a fascination about what makes them tick. She loves discovery and understanding, which is also why mental illnesses interest her. She has paintings of Poe and Charles Manson. However, Donna also believes movies have played a large part in defining dark art: ghosts, vampires, and monsters…. These characters are scary and thrilling, unexplained and mystical.

But there is another side to Donna; a side you cannot detect in her art work or website. This side of Donna is truly surprising and unexpected. It is a secret not many people know. Donna’s favorite most influential artist for her is Bob Ross!!!! Yes, the fluffy bunny, happy trees, PBS painting show Bob Ross!! Who would have though that this dark artist would identify Bob Ross most influential!

“I get stuck sometimes, but what I find myself getting stuck in is pleasing the market. When I decide to go with my heart and create something that interests ME… something I really love… I get unstuck!”

“Create what makes You happy.”

http://www.moonchildsprimitives.com/

http://www.moonchildsprimitives.blogspot.com/