East Meadow native Amanda Fisk is Glen Cove library's new artist in residence

here’s still a lot to learn about creating your own digital masterpieces before you put your stylus to any digital canvas. Getting started with digital art can be intimidating, given the wide variety of devices and software to take into consideration before you can even open your first blank canvas, but for those looking to explore the world of pixelated paints, the Glen Cove Public Library is offering a series of digital art workshops. Although future dates are yet to be determined, attendees can expect to have free access to iPads during their lessons, as well as tips on navigating Procreate, Apple’s digital art software. 

The workshops will be taught by Amanda Fisk, the library’s first artist in residence.  An East Meadow transplant to Glen Cove, Fisk’s graphic styles range from abstract visualizations to photo realistic illustrations. Fisk holds a Carnegie Mellon University Bachelor of Fine Arts from and a Master of Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute. She currently works full time as a visual arts teacher at Friends Academy, a kindergarten through 12th grade Quaker school in Locust Valley, making her the perfect choice to guide artists stepping into the digital medium for the first time. 

“Art has always been part of the fabric of my life,” Fisk said. “As I’ve gotten older, my passion has become less about the actual art making for myself and more about sharing the process with others and teaching others to do it. I get a lot of joy out of watching other people learn.”

In her first workshop with the library on July 14, Fisk went over the history of the digital medium, and discussed some of the challenges people face in creating digital art. 

Fisk notes that the digital world does require a higher entry cost than traditional materials, as well as a learning curve with the “host” technology, in addition to the art software. Since digital art is modeled after traditional materials it’s created with algorithms, and sometimes lacks the variety and subtlety that traditional art has in most cases.

Fisk also explained that the final product is just an intangible file, which can be easily duplicated, and it’s challenging to place a value on something that can be easily reproduced. Photography and video art have both worked through these challenges in the past.

Although some might argue that digital art isn’t “real” art because it’s not made by hand, Fisk argues that more traditional mediums pose a similar question. 

“Do you ‘make’ a painting, and do you paint your trees?” Fisk asked. “Or do you look for a brush that has a tree pattern that makes it easier? Would that be any different than cutting out a tree shape and a sponge and sponging it onto the canvas?”

Fisk explained that digital art can offer a vast array of tools and materials within a single device, giving a versatility and portability that traditional material doesn’t offer.

Fisk does highlight that one of the biggest advantages to digital medium is the decreased clutter and easy cleanup. 

“When I was in college and I was taking painting classes in my apartment, and I had to have a canvas, I remember, I always had plastic on the floor,” Fish said. “I hated it because I couldn’t get anything on the carpet because it wasn’t mine, and I love that digital art is just there.”

One of the first students to attend the digital workshops is Cathy Parsy, said she was attracted to the workshop because it wasn’t something she’d normally go to. After the workshop, Parsy said she would like to be more creative, and that her experience in front of an iPad helped to draw out her inner creative spirit.