An Interview with Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
http://www.shadowscapes.com
Fantasy Is Love: How do you describe your art work to people you've just met who have never seen it?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: I paint fantasy subject matter, a lot of imagery that is drawn from fairytales and mythology. I mostly work with watercolors, and my compositions are filled with motion much of which is inspired by my own dance background.
Fantasy Is Love: What draws you to fantasy in particular?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law:I have always been drawn to the fantastic and otherworldy creatures. I like to delve into imagery that is on the border of the real world and the imaginary; possibilities of what could be with an altered mentality or perception or desire. It has been something that has fascinated me from when I first remember picking up a pencil and drawing. When I was ten years old and my dad introduced me to the fantasy/sci-fi section of the library, I was in heaven.
Fantasy Is Love: I see that you use a lot of watercolors; what draws you to watercolors?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law:I worked a bit with digital for a while, but then I started to miss having a physical finished piece after I was done. I turned back to acrylics, which was what I worked with before digital; but then I learned that the techniques I enjoyed using most in acrylics were actually perfectly suited to watercolors. I like using many thin glazed layers of color to build up intensity. Working this way gives you many subtle shades caused by the layering. When I visited a gallery in San Francisco featuring the beautifully vibrant watercolor work of Daniel Merriam, I decided that night to pull out the watercolor sets that I had not touched since I was in elementary school. I whipped out "Dreamcatchers" that night, and fell in love with painting with watercolors.
Fantasy Is Love: When did you decide to pursue an art career, and what did others think of your decision?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law:When I was asked as a kid, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always thought, "An artist!" But people tried to discourage that for a long time. The "starving artist" concern was always tossed at me, right up through high school even when the career counselor at school told me to pick a more practical path; so after a while I pushed it to the back of my mind and went to college to study computer science. I ended up with a double major for art as well (though it was abstract and conceptual art, and absolutely nothing like what you see my art is today). My last year at college while attending career fairs, I came home from one of them very depressed. After a while I realized that while I enjoyed programming quite a bit, I didn't want that to be my career forever. I decided after that to pursue art one way or another, whether it was to go to art school for a masters, or to take a programming job and work up to doing art full time. I ended up setting a goal for myself of working as a programmer with art on the side. The plan was that in two years time to be able to quit the programming. I ended up taking three years.
Fantasy Is Love: How do you stay motivated?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law:I love drawing and painting. I can't imagine not doing it!
Fantasy Is Love: I know you mention this on your website, but for those who haven't had the pleasure, what made you pick the name Shadowscapes for your website?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: I do a lot of high fantasy art with the jobs I take on, but when I sit down to paint something for myself, I prefer things that are more subtle. Perception, a way of viewing something with a different mindset. Shadows of reality that are almost grasped, but at the same time dancing in a dream-world made of light and absence of light. Shadowscapes is the name I put to this painted reality.
Fantasy Is Love: What is your favorite part of what you do?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law:Being able to paint every day, and sharing that with people who enjoy my work.
Fantasy Is Love: Your least favorite? Dealing with the business aspects of being a freelance artist. When you are a freelancer, you are administration, customer service, fulfillment, and tech support all in one, AND you have to find time to do the painting.
Fantasy Is Love: You have such an extensive resume it's hard to pick things to ask you about! I see that you have been working on a Tarot deck. When did you start working on this, and what made you decide to tackle this project?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: I started in June 2004, so it's been a long term project that I work on between commissions. I began doing it because much of the imagery deals with archetypes -- the basis of mythology and fairytales.
Fantasy Is Love: I also know that you've done a number of CCGs. Do you play CCGs yourself?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: No, I do not.
Fantasy Is Love: How did you originally get involved doing artwork for CCGs?
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: If you paint fantasy art, you have print and licensing market; and the fantasy gaming market, and more competitively books and magazines. CCGs are a relatively easy entry point for fantasy artists who are just starting to get their work out there.
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law is busy at work on her beautiful tarot card deck and other projects. You can find Stephanie Pui-Mun Law's artwork at her website shadowscapes.com
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