Noelle Giddings Talks Comics & the Art of Flowers

This week’s cover artist, Sag Harbor’s Noelle Giddings painted a lovely bouquet of flowers, but our conversation reveals her talents are many and her story is full of surprises, including works for film and television, commissioned pet and people portraits and a prolific career in the comic book business.

A Conversation with Noelle Giddings

Tell me about this painting. Where and what is it, and what inspired you to paint it?

It’s one of many paintings of flowers, both individual and bunches, that I created for a book called Great Grandmother Remembers that will be published just in time for Mother’s Day this May. The book serves as a gathering place for memories and I wanted to give it a soft, elegant, classic feel — not too old fashioned. I think the style I chose to work in feels reflective of that.

This is not your first painting of cut flowers. Do you surround yourself with flowers or have a special affinity for them?

I do! I just bought a beautiful multicolored bouquet of ranuculus for my birthday which is really inspiring me to paint them. I’m thinking a small watercolor would do them justice. Bright and colorful — a different style than the cover bouquet and other paintings in the book. Lady Bird Johnson said, “Where flowers bloom so does hope.” Maybe that’s what Monet was thinking when he said, “I must have flowers, always, and always.” Both thoughts make me smile.

What is your primary medium and process?

I can pretty much work in all the mediums and choose what feels best suited for the work. I have been creating custom cleared art for TV and film for years. The fact that everything in that world — from a large painting in The Hudson River School style to an anime or pop art style piece — needs to be done in short order necessitates acrylic paint because it dries super fast. For non-TV work, like comics, cartoons, editorial illustrations, portrait and still life work, I float between oil, acrylic, watercolor, pen and ink. Whatever feels appropriate to the project — I like all of it!

I was so excited to learn you have a background in comic books! How does this inform your more traditional work, like this week’s cover?

You were? Are you a comics fan? I worked in comics steadily for about 20 years — Marvel, DC, Batman, Superman, et cetera — still do from time to time. I recently painted a couple of covers for a vampire book and some interior pages for Milestone Media — which was the first comic book company dedicated to representing a multicultural comic book universe. I helped start the company as a creator and the color editor. Painting comics requires versatility, a challenge I enjoy, as Gotham (Batman, DC Universe) has a very different look and feel (art style and palette) than Nueva York (Spider-Man 2099, Marvel) or Dakota (Milestone), and so on. I can adapt and color everything on the computer — I just designed and illustrated a cover for a novel that way — but the old-days method of painting comics by hand still yields some of the most fun art I get to make. This connects to my more traditional pieces and projects like the series of  large-scale comics paintings I’m currently working on.

I see you have painted Sag Harbor and other local scenes. What is your connection to the East End and how does the region play a role in your art?

I have. I currently have a half-finished painting of The Candy Kitchen screaming to be finished from a shelf in my studio! I think it would be a great print. Anyway, as a freelance artist for the last 30 years, the fact that I work from home has enabled me to be anywhere, and I feel lucky and thrilled to have lived the last 23 of them on the East End. It’s a beautiful looking place in terms of nature and the towns are architecturally charming, and then adding the creativity and artistry of many of the locals — it’s easy to feel inspired here.

Are you working on any upcoming projects or shows?

I’ve been working on a children’s book and graphic novel of my own. I’ve never written anything so it’s a challenge that I’ve given myself. The first step was choosing styles for the art, now it’s finding time to work on them. I kind of wish I had an editor cracking the “deadline whip” (too much freedom can sometimes work against the finish line). I’m also working on a few commissions; a couple of portraits and a landscape; and those take priority over my personal projects. I love animals and really enjoy doing a pet portrait from time to time. I’m pursuing teaching too, as I would love to share all the experience I’ve had and things I’ve learned — making art is still so exciting. I feel like I have a lot to offer the next generation.

Where can people see your work online or in person?

There’s a pretty good representation of my work on my website, noellegiddings.com, and a smattering on IG (@noelle.giddings) as well. I am currently very excited about finishing another one of my large-scale paintings for my “Ode to Comics” series which has been represented by the fabulous RJD Gallery. A few have sold, so when I finish this one and the series will be back up to eight, I would love to show them somewhere. Meanwhile, they can be seen in a flattering four-page spread that American Art Collector recently did about the work (and me). Oh, and, almost forgot, there’s a large mural I’m quite proud of having painted at Provisions in Sag Harbor!

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Thank you for showing my art on the cover of Dan’s Papers! I’ve been enjoying the paper and the cover reveal each week for many years. Also, to anyone interested in commissioning a portrait or any kind of art  — or purchasing one of my existing pieces — please share your idea with me as I’d be happy to make it happen!

To learn more about Giddings and her illustrious career, join her or a special “Knowledge Friday” talk at The Church in Sag Harbor (48 Madison Street) on April 4 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 (free for members). thechurchsagharbor.org