“Diamond” – Artist With a Cause

Rifflo presents, Yvan “Diamond” Strong…

Yvan Strong, or “Diamond” as she is known in the My MiddleEarth.com community, is an artist currently living in Portland. Yvan’s work includes many mediums including, painting, poetry, writing, jewelry, and knitting. Yvan’s passion for art and community led her to creating a charitable studio where she helps many cope with disadvantages with the help of her volunteer art instruction.

Rifflo: Can you tell me about yourself and how long you have been creating works of art?

Yvan: I’ve always been creating works of art. I remember a conscious decision to become ”an artist” at age nine. When my father bought me a ”How to Draw” book the following year, I began a life-long journey of learning and teaching art. That year in fourth grade, in fact, I got up in front of everyone and taught them how to draw the head of a dog. You would need to know me personally to understand the enormity of that event, as I was painfully shy. I have not stopped learning for the last 47 years. I’ve done a lot of teaching, mostly of children, and most recently as a facilitator of an art studio in the homeless shelter where my husband and I minister. My students are often mentally ill or challenged and hurting. Art is a way of helping to cope with the stresses of being homeless or poor. All the materials are provided at no cost. If you’d like to see some of our featured artists, visit our FaceBook albums here: FaithWalker Ministries.

Rifflo: Many wouldn’t view art as a helping people but as you have stated, art can be a valuable tool for outreach programs. You volunteer at an organization called, Anawim Christian Community. Can you please explain the function and history and how you got involved?

Yvan: Anawim Christian Community is where I minister to the poor and homeless by facilitating a full-service art studio. It started when my husband and I entered full-time ministry several years ago. My husband is a co-pastor of Anawim. We used to help run a ministry to the homeless in the basement of a church just a few blocks from where we live. I proposed that I could set up an art table during meetings that would be open to anyone who wanted to join in. I mentioned this to a friend of mine who helps support us and she convinced her church’s school to donate left-over art supplies. Thus was my ministry in art born. When the art ministry became too expensive to continue its operation ,we moved the art ministry to the church in Gresham, Oregon. We now have access to a whole room dedicated to art. I suddenly realized a long-held dream of having a real studio! I am certain that this studio is the only one of its kind in the Portland Metro area. Anyone can come in and use the materials, tools, and supplies for free.

*Donations can be made on the website or you can donate needed items in person from the list on the front page*

The Studio

Art as Therapy? “Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy which uses simple art materials allowing the individual to freely express, explore and resolve complex feelings and emotions. Art as Therapy’s strength based approach focuses on helping people to build the tools and capacity to cope and tolerate difficult feelings and circumstances.” – Wikipedia

Rifflo: What specific aspects of your approach to depicting the story of ”The Lord of the Rings”, make you unique and set you apart from other artists who have used Tolkien’s work as their inspiration.

Yvan: Focus. That has always been the hallmark of my work, regardless of the subject. I zero in on an object, a person, the intimate moment, or the emotional landscape. If you look at “Cirion’s Oath”, you can see huge mountains behind him, but it is only a glimpse of their majesty. Cirion is my focus.

Cirion’s Oath

Rifflo: Yes! Like a photo, the landscape is noticeable but pushed back behind the focus of the picture, Cirion.

Rifflo: Tolkien spent a great deal of time and effort in creating a rich cultural feel to the different races in ”The Lord of The Rings”, what are some of the specific historical styles of art and culture which you have used to influence your depiction of the story.

Yvan: There have been quite a few artists and styles that have influenced me. Celtic and Art Nouveau, medieval iconography, and many Tolkien illustrators. My earliest illustrations of Lord of the Rings were character pencil sketches at age 13. My most recent works are taken directly from the movie characters, as in the portrait of “Gandalf”. I am currently working on a series of character portraits based on the Valar, called ”Middle-heaven”, similar in composition to my Samwise portrait, but heavily influenced by iconography.

Rifflo: Your Gandalf is my favourite! How much influence to how people invision the characters of Tolkien do you think people like Peter Jackson, Alan Lee or John Howe have had?

Gandalf

Yvan: The greatest influence I’ve seen on new fan art is that of the movies. The casting, make-up, and costuming for these were so right, so fitting, that it is hard to even imagine anything better! The visual impact of the movies was heavily influenced by its main artists, Alan Lee and John Howe. I see their vision echoed in Lord of the Rings Online and many other subsequent efforts. For me, it is hard to completely let go of the face of Elijah Wood as Frodo! You can still see his influence, and the influence of the movie presentation of Gollum, in my sketches of non-movie scenes. One of the reasons I turned my attention to Silmarillion subjects was to escape the movie influence

Rifflo: Is there any one particular element of the books/lore which you found especially challenging to illustrate? If so, why?

Varda

Yvan: Depicting broad landscapes and architecture are probably the most difficult, and least interesting for me. I tend to hyper-focus on people rather than step back for the ”big picture”. For instance, I have never attempted to draw or paint the Misty Mountains or Meduseld.

Rifflo: I think, and I am sure many agree, you should try painting the Misty Mountains! Your work would be wonderful!

Yvan: I would love to ”expand my horizons” (pun intended!). I do try to stretch my skills in new directions all the time. I love to experiment, to learn, and to grow as an artist. I expect that will not change until I cease to be able to pick up a pencil any more!

Eowyn

Rifflo: What specifically attracted you to create works based on the Tolkien lore?

Yvan: Ever since the first time I read The Lord of the Rings in the summer of 1968, I have been in love with Middle-earth. I became focused on drawing the characters which had become so real to me. They fuelled my imagination! I have also created character portraits from other stories that captured my imagination, like Drizzt from R.A. Salvatore’s Dark Elf series,Warrows from Dennis L. McKeirnan’s Silver Call, and someday I’ll do Ransom from C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy and Lewis from Stephen R. Lawhead’s Song of Albion. I have a lot of favorite characters rattling around in my brain!

Rifflo: What advice would you give when creating works for a series of books/lore, such as the Tolkien stories?

Yvan: The obvious advice is to know your source. Read, and re-read the scene you want to illustrate. Make notes about anything that might pertain to the scene, including time of day, weather, clothing, tor any other details. Tolkien was very descriptive about the surroundings, including the precise phase of the moon, painting a picture with his words. Such a descriptive scene is what inspired Cirion’s Oath, with its particular lighting and colour. I choose people and scenes which have the most emotional impact on me.

Samwise the Brave

Rifflo: Finally, where can people find your work?

Yvan: The older works are on my personal website, and if you use the navigation to the general ”Art” page you can find all sorts of other artwork and crafts I’ve done. There is also a poetry section, and writings, and, well lots of stuff for the incurably curious to peruse. Newer works are in my public FaceBook albums, as well as my blog here on the network: Diamond Mine

Thank you, Yvan! Your dedication to art and the disadvantaged is inspiring.

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