CONVERSATION WITH VINCENT GIARRANO

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Lacee Yurtoglu

Illustrator / Art Curator / Model / Public Servant / Cat lover / cool chick

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OR MY THIRD INTERVIEW FOR FRANKINSENSE I AM PLEASED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ILLUSTRATOR LACEE YURTOGLU (PRONUCED LAY-SEE YUR-TAWL-OO). AND A PLACE TO SHOW IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. LACEE IS THE ART CURATOR AT THE VILLAGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS, THE ART CURATOR AT TONIO’S PANINO AND ALSO THE ART CURATOR FOR SWEET SPOT BAKERY ALL LOCATED IN THE HEART OF NEW MILFORD. LACEE ALSO OFFERS CUSTOM FRAMING AS PART OF HER SERVICES. THIS ALL COMING FROM A NATIVE LONG ISLANDER WHO ONLY JUST MOVED TO NEW MILFORD FROM MASTIC BEACH A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO. WHEN LACEE ISN’T PUTTING TOGETHER ART PARITIES, CURATING THIS MONTH’S SHOW OR SPEAKING TO BUSINESSES ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THE ARTS FOR THE UPCOMING ART CRAWL, LACEE FINDS HER CENTER IN HER OWN ARTWORK. AS A SELF TAUGHT ILLUSTRATOR, LACEE SPECIALIZES IN WATERCOLOR AND INK WORKS. SHE OFTEN WORKS BY COMMISSION FOR TATTOO ART, GREETING CARDS, CUSTOM PAINTINGS AND MORE.

LACEE IS A GEM IN THE NEW MILFORD CREATIVE COMMUNITY, WHO HAILS FROM THE ISLAND OF LONG BUT LANDED HERSELF IN SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD COUNTY ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. LACEE IS AN ACTIVE SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS WHOSE MAIN FOCUS HAS BEEN HELPING LOCAL ARTIST’S FIND THEIR VOICE ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD.COM Copyright © Francesca Siano 2016

LACEE HAS MANAGED TO SHOW HER WORK IN QUITE A FEW VENUES IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. FOR INSTANCE ART LAB IN MANCHESTER, NEW MILFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY, THE VILLAGE CENTER OF THE ARTS, AND SALONS BY JC IN WEST HARTFORD. 1

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I FIRST MET LACEE LAST WINTER WHEN ONE OF OUR MUTAL FRIENDS VINCENT GIARRANO WAS HAVING A LITTLE GET TOGTHER AT HIS HOME, I DISTINCTIVELY REMEMBER LACEE ENTERTERING THE ROOM. SHE HAD THESE BLUNT CUT BANGS AND A LOOK THAT STRUCK ME IN A WAY WHERE I FELT I WAS LOOKING AT FAMILY. SHE HAD THIS CONFIDENCE ABOUT HER, THE TYPE OF CONFIDENCE THAT ALLOWED HER TO REALLY HOLD HER OWN IN A ROOM FULL OF ARTISTS SOME TWICE HER AGE. HER CONFIDENCE SAID PLEASE TELL ME ALL ABOUT YOU, I’D LIKE TO HEAR IT. SHE HAD A GENUINENESS ABOUT HER. SHE WAS INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT OTHER ARTISTS. SHE HAD A GREAT ENERGY AND I GOT THE VIBE THAT IT FED HER SOUL TO SIT DOWN AND CONNECT. WE TALKED FOR A BIT THAT NIGHT AND THEN THE NEXT TIME I SAW HER SHE WAS COMPLETELY IN THE BUFF MODELING FOR ARTIST TIMOTHY WILSON. YOU SEE THE WHOLE SHINDIG AT VINCENT’S HOME WAS WELCOMING TIMOTHY TO THE WASHINGTON ART COMMUNITY. LACEE JUST HAPPENED TO BE MODELING FOR HIM. DURING MODELING BREAKS VINCENT CAME OVER TO CHAT AND MADE A COMMENT THAT LACEE AND I HAD REALLY HIT IT OFF. WE SMILED IN AGREEMENT.

F: Hi Lacee, thank you so much for taking the time to meet up with me today. I think it’s great all that you have been doing here in New Milford. L: Thank you. I am especially excited for the work I will be doing for the Commission of the Arts. They are really driven to get more events happening in the area for The Visual Arts and Artists. F: Explain to me what this Art Walk is all about. L :.The Art Walk has a similar feel to the “Sip and stroll”event New Milford hosted last December(2015) . The idea is to get all of the businesses in town involved by showing a local artist in their space. The artist will be welcome ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD.COM Copyright © Francesca Siano 2016

A FEW MONTHS LATER I DECIDED TO GO TO ONE OF LACEES’S CURATED SHOWS IN NEW MILFORD AT TONIO’S. THAT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR WAS THE OPENING FOR PHOTOGRAPHER MORGAN PURCELL WHOSE WORK I REALLY ADMIRED. I’D NEVER BEEN TO TONIO’S BEFORE, AND I WAS CURIOUS HOW THESE SHOWS WENT DOWN. FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE SIZE OF THE SPACE. It WAS SMALL. LACEE HOWEVER MANAGED THE SPACE SHE HAD TO WORK WITH WELL. IT FELT INTIMATE, NOT CRAMMED. GUESTS WERE WELCOMED UPON ARRIVAL, INTRODUCED TO THE ARTIST AND THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD AND DRINK TO KEEP COMPANY HAPPY. OVERALL It WAS A GOOD TIME, I CAUGHT UP WITH LACEE, SAW BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ENJOYED SOME FREE WINE AND CHEESE. I MEAN WHATS NOT TO LOVE. I KNEW I WANTED TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LACEE. SO A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE SHOW I SENT HER A FB MESSAGE ASKING IF SHE’D BE INTERESTED IN DOING A FRANKINSENSE INTERVIEW FOR MY BLOG. SHE TOLD ME HOW SHE HAD READ ALL THE OTHER INTERVIEWS (THERE ARE ONLY TWO, SO ITS BELIEVABLE) AND SHE LIKED THE WAY THE INTERVIEWS SEEMED SO NATURAL. WE DECIDED TO MEET FOR COFFEE AT BANK STREET IN NEW MILFORD TO CATCH UP.

to paint live, sell their work or simply display their work. A map will be given to all who attend which will list all business involved and the artists inside these businesses. F: Are all of participating?

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L: Yes, everyone is really into it. I started doing shows in the Sweet Spot Bakery and then I thought why not ask the other businesses to see what they think. I went across the street to Tonio’s, and then the Village Center of the Arts approached me.

F: When will this be? L: I believe in August or September this year. F: The Village Center of the Arts is a really nice looking building, but I have never been inside. What do they exactly do, classes? L: They do a lot of classes, mainly geared towards children. They have a supply store in there. F: Oh really? For less money? L: I say its about the same, I just feel better supporting local. F:Wait so it’s an Art Store that you can

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go in and buy supplies? L: A lot of people have no idea of this. F: This is great to know! I follow the Village Center of the Arts on Facebook and they had a Couple’s Sculpting Class that looked so awesome that I was thinking of doing. L: Yes its called Dirty Date Night and I was thinking about doing it too! F: Would your boyfriend do it? L: I think he would. You go in for three dates. Two classes where you go in to spin and learn how to make something and then the third time you can go in at your own leisure and glaze. They offer this every few weeks. I think I might do the next one when it comes around. F: Its definitely different for a date night idea. And I would love to start sculpting again. Do you sculpt? L: I haven’t had a lot of experience doing that, although for Christmas I made my friends magnets and pins out of Sculpey. Sculpey is so easy to use, so forgiving. F: I remember when I use to Sculpey!! Do you bake it? L: You bake it. (both kind of look off into the distance wondering where our Sculpey days have gone....)

F: So what are you working on now? L: Lately I have been cutting out these illustrations I have been making. So I have three more pieces that I am going to put together with this one. Its my submission for the themed show at the Bakery called “All Matter’s of the Heart.” F: It reminds me of a woodcut

ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD.COM Copyright © Francesca Siano 2016

L: It’s really focusing on clean line work, trying to simplifying the color and shading as much as possible F: Is that marker? L: Yes it is an alcohol based blend-able marker F: That is not a forgiving medium. If you screw up your done! L: I am attracted to mediums like that because they are so unforgiving and once you put it down you can’t take it up. I love that challenge. F: Is it Prismacolor? L: No, Prismacolor do not make a blend-able one, these are a random brand my mom got me for Christmas. I want to next get Copic markers F: What does that mean? L: Copic is the brand name, they have more of a brush tip. They are also re-loadable.

F: I’d like to go to this opening if I can, I see how Tonio’s was and I enjoyed that. L: Shows at The Sweet Spot have a completely different atmosphere because it is a bakery. It is really fun because we have after parties there. Artists bring their supplies and we all create. Its been so good to see other Artists working on their own as well as brainstorming together. F: So how long have your been curating shows at Sweet Spot? L: The Sweet Spot has been about two and a half years. Tonio’s has been about 8 months and VCA has been about 3 months. F: The opening I attended at Tonio’s featured the photographs of Morgen Purcell. I absolutely love her work. F: What work is up now? L: Denise Trach is there now. She is an English teacher, in Brewster. She makes mandalas with her poetry on them. They are very sell-able. She also did well at the Sweet Spot. F: Are they on paper?

F: Ok, I’ve seen those before. I believe they are made by the Japanese. F: So tell me about this Matter’s of the Heart Show? How many people do you have in the show? L: I have 16 now. And I have a few stranglers. F: When is the show? L: The show will be the 11th of February, and we are going to have a bazaar as well. Artist’s will be there with extra work they can sell.

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L: On Canvas. She uses Acrylic. They are very simple. F: Now you also had another opening too, I can’t think of the Artist’s name. L: (laughs) I know I’ve had so many openings lately! Andrew Kramer maybe or Emily Strait? Emily Strait was my last Artist that I showed. F: Yes , Emily is the one I was thinking of L: She does these very surreal, whimsical works featuring humanoids and animals. . FEB

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F: This was at the VCA, do they have a gallery space there? L: They have a decent size space so that during the opening houses we can do demonstrations as well. So the last time Emily painted and showed a technique and everyone could sit around in different mediums doing the same things that she was doing. It was good, I learned something new. And then for about an hour we all just created together, which is always really nice. I love drawing with other people F: I know I do as well, I haven’t in a little while, but it is always nice to collaborate with other artists. L: It’s really inspiring. F: You learn from it, Even if you just pick up one thing along the way. F: For you, Illustration, is your main way of depiction, are you self taught completely? L: Yes. F: You’ve been into this always? You were always making stuff since you were a little girl? L: I never thought I would do anything else. I never had another plan for myself. F: It was just a knowing for you. L: In the past three years I decided to live my life through goals and have really gone for this, I’ve seen a lot of progress. I am putting myself out there. That’s been the best thing, just showing work, because when I started submitted to shows than I started producing finished pieces. F: Sure because you are making a time-line for yourself. It is so easy if you don’t have a date to adhere to then,


things just don’t get done. F: So tell me this, because I think it is a good one to ask, how come you didn’t go to school? Art School. L: When I first came over to New Milford from Long Island I did not have any debt at all. I started looking into school options, like FIT, Parsons and others who gave me positive feedback from National Portfolio Day but when it came down to it the thought of the debt seemed so overwhelming. And I didn’t have the option of parents helping me, so I just continued on making my own work. F: Have you found that it hindered you at all? instance, when you showing, and people see do not have a Art Degree.

has For are you

L: I do have a Gallery in Manchester called Art Lab, who have been showing a bunch of my work. The Owner Bri Dill wasn’t turned off by that. F: It wasn’t a criteria. L: I do think about that, because it is a documentation that says you were practicing at this time, your skill has been Mastered. I think maybe I should go now because I am more established. I don’t know it’s a possibility for the future.

Molten Java in Bethel CT as well as Art Lab in Manchester CT and this venue called Salons by JC . It used to be a large factory where Jack Griffey and Cecil Miller transformed it into a high end salon. F: Where is that? L: Salons by JC has 53 locations in over 20 states and Canada My work is hanging in West Hartford. F: It never seems that you are ever short on showing your work, your always moving and shaking. L: Yes, but lately I feel really focused on other people and I’ve come to this realization that I need to focus on my self. I have been helping a lot of people and it feels good. But I think I am loosing track of my own work. That’s my biggest challenge right now. I want to make a new body pretty much. That is my next goal. F: Do you have a website to showcase your work ? L: I have a Facebook page. F: It seems like a lot of artists really hone in on Facebook and Instagram because that is where everyone is these days. Many Artist’s I speak to seemed burdened by having to update their website. L: I think I will want one so I could have my work in one place, but it won’t be the destination place. Honestly my biggest source of revenue comes from Instagram.

F: So where are you showing, or where have you shown?

F: Really? And you do commissions too, which is really great!

L: Pretty much everywhere in New Milford that you can. The New Milford Public Library, Village Center for the arts, Bank Street Coffee House,

L: The Majority of my work is all commissions, and that's another reason why I haven't been showing lately because I have been doing all this commission work, I make it and then I

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send it off, and I don’t have it anymore. Also I don’t do any prints. I try and stay away from that. F: So if you sold on Etsy, you would sell Originals only? L: Yes. All my work that I have ever sold are all Originals and I have had people ask for work that has already been sold and I just made them a new one. So it may not be exactly like the one they see but its original. F: Etsy is great, but the only thing with that is it is so saturated now. Not that that should be the determent . I have a few friends, like Jillian Lyons that are on there and they do well because they got in early on and they have a nice following, but then I have other girlfriends that can’t seem to get going. L: My step mom has a business solely based on Etsy. She knits custom shawls for weddings. F: : It’s a niche! L: It’s a specific kind of look, they are shawls, bonnets, handmade fabric flowers. F: You know knitting and crocheting is really having its come back. Even when I went down to Art Basel, I saw a lot of sewed needlepoint work in galleries. Very cool how the Art World and the Craft World are being merged a little bit more now. L: I know an Artist from around here who does amazing needlepoint, and I am trying to get her to make more so I can show her work. F: It all crosses over. Our definition of Art has broadened. What we consider Art is more encompassing all around. There are so many ways of expression. L: The contrasts in techniques are also really inspiring. I am so excited by Ink ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD.COM Copyright © Francesca Siano 2016

and Watercolor because they are so challenging and unforgiving. For the past year I have been really trying to make things clean, perfect and super fluid, but now I am thinking I should get a little more messy, on purpose breaking things down a little bit. F:Its good to do that sometimes, because it forces you to do something that you are not comfortable with, and then it may strengthen your clean work even more or maybe it will bring something new into your work. F: Your work seems to come from your imagination and your subconscious. Can you tell me how your process works? L: Usually I will start in pencil and do sketches and then I will go over it with different inks and I will use a light box and make multiple layers. Right now my work is very symmetrical. After I ink everything than I go over with watercolor after. Recently I have been using markers but not very much. F: You do not use the computer for any illustration work?

L: Sure. BTW I tag everything #LaceeArt, so if you want to look up that handle on instagram you’ll only see my work. LOOKING THROUGH LACEE’S INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, STARTING WITH ONE OF HER LADIES. L: They were extremely simple, all with lines. F: It reminds me of cells in the body, like Mitochondria almost L: Haha, yeah what is coming out of her hair. L: I love drawing ladies, and I’ll use my favorites features from my friends and then I think I subconsciously use myself. A lot of people say you draw yourself, and I don’t mean to. F: I totally know what you mean. Sometimes I will be doing a painting and I step back and say how did I just paint me? But I think a lot of people do that because when I modeled for a drawing class and I looked at everyone's work there was this one woman who drew herself. I think she was trying to draw me , that was her intention but she ended up drawing herself. Because we look at ourselves the most. So even if we are not focused on that, it is just a subconscious motion. L: Its a comfort thing. I think its a security blanket that we use to fill in the blank.

L: No F: Is there a reason for that? L: I don’t have any interest. I like the challenge of watercolor, no going back. I don’t think it is as personal.(using a computer) F: If you don’t mind can we scroll through your instagram account? I want to look at your work and have it in front of me

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F: (Scrolling through #LaceeArt) This is creepy. Where do you think this stuff comes from? L: (Laughs) that is a really challenging question. F: It is. I don’t know if it can be answered.

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L: I feel like I am asked that very often. I am expressing myself, maybe letting myself go. My frustrations. I have been really into drawing mouths lately. Especially an open mouth. I don't know why. Teeth, mouths, and lots of eyes.

L: That whale I have painted 4 times! F: Really? L: Yes, every-time I post that whale people want it. It started out as a commission, and then others wanted it. F: You have so much work. You are constantly creating, you are constantly making work. Do you think there is a day that goes by that you don’t do something.

L: That was a commission for someone in Nebraska who I don't know but they asked for a bee. F: You have certain symbols, iconography that comes back - hands, Eyes.... L: I think that's inspired by Tarot cards, and natural stones, making good intentions. F: Do you do Tarot Cards? L: I dabble with them. F: I sense an Eastern influence. Did you ever study Chinese Brush painting? L: No, but I was raised Muslim so Arabic is similar that way. I think that may be where I get my love for lines from. F: Can you write in Arabic? L: I can’t now because I lost it over the years. I do have a big appreciate it. You can construe letters to make them look like objects or animals. It is a beautiful language.

L: This right here is a 3 line pass between Steve Bean and I. So I would make 3 lines and then give it to him. F: Three Lines pass. Three lines Pass. Three lines Pass. ( I stop but I could go on for awhile like this) L: Yes, back and forth until we made something. It was really fun and challenging. F: Looks like Picasso Meets Dr. Seuss L: It was really fun. F: I love working with other Artists like that. When I was living in the city, I would have artists over and we would bring these huge canvases up to my roof top and drink wine, talk not talk. You take this part, I’ll take this, and its amazing what comes out. CONTINUE TO SCROLL THROUGH INSTAGRAM F: Again, A lot of your work really reminds me of woodcut.

L: No. I draw a lot. Even if it is just small simple things. I like to always be working. Also I am in the process of making illustrations for a friend of mine’s book. Its for his poetry. Hopefully this year I am going to finish this project. F: How many illustrations? L: At least 10. Its hard when someone gives me a commission and says make this. With this Poet I read his poetry and maybe he has an idea but a lot of it is left up to me. I am reading them, thinking what do these key words mean, what do they make me feel? F:So it’s your perception of his poetic work. You’re Interpreting his words through your own illustrative line. L: There is a theme that he would like. A poet , not necessarily male or female but the rest is up to me. F: What is the style? Meaning I can look at your work and say okay Lacee did this, which is really great, but you do differentiate a little bit. L: I am looking for models for the poets. The cover to the chapter will be one image and possibly a similar one in the end but inverted. I am using Line work and pointillism. F: Have you started the project yet?


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L: Yes. It takes time. I produce a lot, and go and go and go. So I want to spend more time focusing on pieces longer. For instance, this devil commission I have spent over 2 months working on it and its so different from the other work that I have done because I have really spent time with it. I am lucky with it and this client.

F: Who are your influences? Do you like Escher? I know he is more graphite based.

F: Really?!

L: Yes I really admire his work. I have a lot of Escher books, I love graphic novels. I have a small library in my home. I am attracted to the ones made by individual artists. I do love DC and Marvel but I love these individual artists who are working on their own style making their own realty that seems so normal. The environments that they make are so relate-able. And I think that is one of my biggest goals in life is to make a graphic novel.

L: People ask me all the time if I will ever be a tattoo artist, and I think about it.

F: Maybe that’s why you are developing all these characters. I do love the line work.

F: I could picture that. You do have that alternative thing going on.

L: My main focus is my line work. That’s what I get the most pleasure from. I am really inspired by the style of Charles Burns. Some of his books are black and white, not gray tones at all. Just all lines. To be able to capture that level of detail just using black lines, that’s really inspiring

F: How did you get all these commissions, just from the internet and talking with people? L: Yes. I post my work and a lot of the time they will be for tattoos. Part of me doesn’t like it, like I wish I could tattoo it on them!!

L: I have a day job where I work for one of my dearest friends. F: Okay. I was wondering, does she have another source? “How does Lacee do this?” Both laugh L: Because I wouldn't be able to do it. I mean Art helps a lot, it does a lot of good for me, but I am not fully there yet. F: Okay, I wanted to ask that question because sometimes I feel like I wear 19 different hats. Which is fine. L: It is fine F: Thank you for being so honest.

L: Its really attractive to me because I love the culture and the artwork, but I don't think I want to do that right now. F: You never know it could be one of those things that comes back when the timing is right. L: I have done a bunch of tattoos. I dated a tattoo artist and I use to fill in his pieces. It is so challenging. When you have a pen to a paper you can feel the pen touching on the paper. But when you are tattooing on skin, well its-F: Intimidating

F: I can’t imagine now that you say you want to focus on really building up a body of work, what you are going to have, because you already have so much. I feel like you are really the type of person who sets a goal and makes it happen. I am excited to see what comes next.

L: Once you put it on there...

L: Thank you.

F: Maybe the work you do now is prepping you for that. It’s that finalization thing that attracts you.

F: Also, I think its pretty incredible that you can fully support yourself doing what you are doing.

NTERVIEW & WORDS BY FRANCESCA SIANO FOR FRANKINSENSE, AN ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD PRODUCTION.

For More information about the Artist, please visit: Lacee on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LaceeArt/ #LaceeArt on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laceeart/ Interested in showing your work in the future? Contact Lacee: [email protected]

L: Maybe. ARTGIRLLADYWOMANCHILD.COM Copyright © Francesca Siano 2016

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