As a fan, I couldn’t resist to interview Angie Crabtree. In case you don’t know her work, her current series is all about diamonds and she is known as being a #diamondpainter.
Her work is so realistic and simply damn good. They hypnotise you right away. If you love everything sparkles and diamonds, you will fall in love with her artwork for sure.
A portion of her sales are donated to The Greener Diamond Foundation, a charity that operates a 100 acre farm in Sierra Leone that houses and educates child soldiers who left the mining industry.
Love her work and this generous gesture. She is brilliant!
Here is a little Q&A with Angie:
A little introduction of you and your work:
My name is Angie Crabtree and I paint giant diamonds. I was born and raised on a ranch about 45 minutes North of San Francisco, and I currently live in Berkeley, California. I earned a BFA the San Francisco Art Institute and did study abroad at the Gerrit Reitveld Academie in Amsterdam. For the past few years my work has focused around American luxury trends, and recently on diamonds almost exclusively. I paint the gems with detailed faceting, very close up and large, in oils on canvas. My biggest painting so far has been 5 feet tall. Currently, I have paintings for sale at Roseark in West Hollywood, and am working on custom commissions of specific gems.
Where does your passion in painting come from?
I started painting consistently since I was 5 years old, and have never taken a break. My passion likely stems from my art teachers who were encouraging and taught me to be patient.
Your current artworks, why diamonds?
I’m now focusing on diamonds because of their power, controversy and beauty. I consider them precious collaborative sculptures made by the earth and man. I have no background in gemology and I am not a jeweler, so once I started researching diamonds I became obsessed with studying them both historically and visually.
Which is your favorite diamond shape/cut?
I keep changing my mind about a favorite, so right now I’ll say that I don’t have one. But up until this point I’ve been painting modern cut diamonds, and now I’m getting really into antique cut diamonds.
How long does it takes to make a painting?
Depending on size, they can range from 40 to 100+ hours and take anywhere from 3-5 months to dry. Although I love to paint with oils like like some of my favorite old masters, the only downside is that they take a long time to dry between layers. I can be impatient when I get inspired, but these force me to take a step back and dissect each layer for a week or two before I can add any more paint to it. I usually work on many paintings at a time so I can keep busy.
What are your plans for the future?
In between commissions, I’m working on a new series of both modern and antique cut diamonds for a larger show at Roseark summer 2016. Then, I am starting a series of colored gems! To see what I’m working on, follow me at @angie_crabtree.
[All images via Angie Crabtree]