Deborah McMillion’s iPhone art-show coming up
Deborah McMillion, aka Hotel Midnight, will be showing her fingerpainted artwork at the Arizona Museum for Youth in April.
“I call my style of work retro-surreal.”
she told us in an interview.
“I made that up. It comforts galleries since I don’t fit classic Surrealism or pop-surrealism.”
By what other artists are you inspired?
“Probably the Post-Surrealists from California begun by Lorser Feitelson and Helen Lundeberg. Also early Dorothea Tanning, but only her figurative surrealism period when she lived in Sedona.”
How has the iphone changed or enhanced the way you do and see art?
“It completely freed me to do all the things I wanted to explore in oils. These began as throwaways for fun I’d email to friends; then they began asking to buy them. Now I’m showing them. I’m amazed at how that happened!”
What statement are you making about iphone art in this exhibition?
“This is a youth museum exhibition on music. They do amazing immersive shows. I get to take this opportunity to teach them about iPhone art, the medium of the future. My wall statement will include a short description of method and I’ll stand around at opening and demonstrate.”
Cindy Lauper or Madonna?
“Cindy Lauper. d-uh!”
February 19th, 2010 at 16:26
this is awesome! Congratulations Deborah! What really excites me about this one is the fact that HM will be sharing the medium with kids. I think kids will be particularly intrigued by it (you know, most kids dont’ get this sort of exposure to digital art–its usually far more technical and even with that, it can be far less accessible). I will be very interested to hear how it all goes!
Arizona is on FIRE this month! With both the Deb’s show and Mike Ives speaking engagements– it is clearly the place to be this month! 🙂
And Yes yes yes, on Cindy Lauper–that’s just a given! 🙂
February 19th, 2010 at 16:56
oops…for the next 2 1/2 months! sorry! Very active place! 🙂
February 20th, 2010 at 18:49
Thanks, Mia. This is my 5th show with youth museum + two times getting to do workshops. They go all out on the displays creating whole environments so the learning part is really emphasized but FUN! The curator just got an iPhone so yeah–digital art rules! Ha!
February 21st, 2010 at 23:51
Bravo, bravo, and I love that this is a continuing effort by you Deborah. And I hope this show is a raging success… I’ll be waiting for your take after the opening. ^Up^
March 6th, 2010 at 04:06
Hi Deborah,
Fantastic that this is an ongoing workshop for you. I look forward to reading all about it and seeing some of the creations they make!
From down the road in Tucson,
Michael
March 12th, 2010 at 02:08
Congratulations, Deborah! Love it, love it, love it!
April 23rd, 2010 at 02:54
Just a small follow-up. The show was terrific. Curator Jeffory Morris did an imaginative and immersive display. My work was the opener, The Surreal Corner, placed in a huge glass box. First time was having a cell phone dial up to listen to each artist talk about their work. The iArt intrigued several of the teachers and as I had an afternoon to show Jeffory how to use his own iPhone art APPs there will be plenty of input. Fun!