Madeline Neuls

Year of birth: 2003.

Where do you live: Houston, TX.

Your education: I have an Associates of Arts from Houston Community College, a high school diploma from Houston Academy for International Studies, currently pursuing a  Bachelors in Fine Arts in Animation from Sam Houston State University, and plan to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from University of Houston.

Describe your art in three words: Black Woman Surrealism.

Your discipline: I am a Mix-Media artist who works both traditionally and digitally.

Website | Instagram

Can you share how your early interest in drawing has evolved into your current pursuit of a BFA in Animation?

I have been making art since I was almost two years old. I was drawing for fun up until the sixth grade. In middle school, I decided I wanted to see how far I could go with my art, and in high school, I decided to pursue art and animation as a full-time career. For the most part, I was nervous about going for a degree in art because I wouldn’t be on the same level as my classmates, but I was also excited to learn as much as I can about something I was super passionate about. I wanted to pursue animation specifically because I love animation. I grew up on cartoons, animated tv and films are my favorite media to consume, and enjoyed watching the behind the scenes videos on how my favorite shows and movies were made. I wanted to be apart of a big animation project one day, so I decided to switch my degree. And sure, the animation industry is pretty up in the air at the moment, but I still have hope I can do it one day.

What drew you to animation, and how do you see it complementing your skills in painting, drawing, and illustration?

I grew up watching my favorite animated shows on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. It was always to see the worlds created, how far cartoon physics can be pushed for story telling or comedic effect. It was some of my greatest memories as a child. I wanted to give another child that feeling  by pursuing a career in animation.  With my time in school, I found that I have a niche in 3D texturing and rendering, FX animation, and a small bit in video editing. Learning animation has caused my work to be more fluid and detailed than before. Also, when I create a body of work since starting my degree, the stories and meanings behind them are more  thoughtful and true to my character rather than just a couple of works that just so happens to go together.

How do you integrate your cultural background and experiences as a black woman into your artwork?

One of my main missions in my career is to see through that black women and other women of color see themselves in surrealist spaces in art. I rarely paint someone who is white passing. If I choose to draw inspiration from a group of people, I research their culture as much as I can , and apply it to a piece. With my experiences as a black woman,  I try  to incorporate different parts of my experience: battling negative stereotypes, how intersectionality affects my  daily life and interests, and how I see myself and others around me in my mind. I want to take things I can’t describe in words and make them into artwork that someone else can see and understand without explanation.

How has your education at Sam Houston State University influenced your artistic style and technique?

Being at Sam Houston State University, it’s influenced my craft and my approach so much. I got to experience traditional art projects and critiques for the first time. I noticed that my artwork has grown tremendously since I started university. My creativity has become more refined than it was before starting school. I’ve grown so much as an artist overall, and while there was some bad that has happened with it, the good definitely outweighs it.

What role do your self-assigned projects play in your artistic growth compared to your university assignments?

With assignments from class, while they do feel restrictive, I know they are meant to teach me certain skills to make me a better artist. With my personal projects, I flex my creativity, and I also apply the critiques from my assignments to my other works. Even though they aren’t always the most fun, my assignments for my classes are meant to make me better at my craft. I give my best to both my personal projects and projects for classes because I end up having some incredible artwork coming from both places.

What advice would you give to young artists who are self-taught and considering formal education in art?

The best advice I could give to self-taught  artists pursuing a formal education is to learn as much as you can, and remain confident in who you are and your work. Going into university without a formal art class previously, it was intimidating because there were people in my classes who have taken AP Studio Art twice and some animation classes before. While it was intimidating, I had to remain confident in myself and my work. I got into the school on a self-taught portfolio, so I had to be doing something right. Keep going. Keeping making new art, keep coming up with new ideas, learn as much as you possibly can, and never stop. You only give up when you stop trying or putting in the effort. Never stop. Never give up.