DPW Spotlight Interview: Kristy Tracy

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Kristy's painting, "Pumpkin Patch" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Kristy's DPW Gallery page:

My mother used to say I was born with a box of crayons in my hand. I've been an artist all my life, quickly graduating from crayons to finger paints, then watercolor, acrylics, and oils. I was born in Memphis, Tennessee (with that box of crayons clutched tightly in my wee little fist), received my Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Colorado in Boulder, lived and worked as an artist for the past 22 years in Palmer, Alaska, and recently transplanted to the delightful town of Prescott, Arizona. Wherever I live, I find inspiration for my art in the scenery, wildlife, history, and culture of my surroundings.

I'm a recent convert to daily painting. After many years of laboring over large, detailed paintings, trying to create what I thought others might like (with little success), I find painting smaller and quicker a very freeing way to paint. Now I paint for the sheer joy of the creative experience... kinda like back when crayons were my preferred medium.

I love color. I love movement. I love light. If I can combine those three things in a painting, I'm a happy painter.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

My earliest memories include coloring books and finger painting. My parents recognized I had some talent, so when I was a teenager they enrolled me in classes with an internationally known Memphis artist, Paul Penczner, who taught me the old world approach to painting. I went on to earn a BFA from the University of Colorado. My art took a detour when I became a craft designer for several years. After moving to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of Alaska in 1989, I continued to do freelance design work while raising my family.

I was inspired to return to painting by the story books I read my little children before bedtime. I began creating whimsical watercolors of Alaskan animals doing Alaskan things. This morphed into a commissioned series of acrylic murals for a pediatric dentist office and, voila! I had found a niche I was comfortable with. After moving to Arizona in 2011, I had the opportunity to take a workshop with Dreama Tolle Perry and Leslie Saeta in Pasadena. That experience brought about a paradigm shift in my art. I switched to oils and began practicing a more painterly approach to my work. This is the vortex in which I now reside.

Pumpkin Patch
(click to see original image)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the home page announcing Kristy's interview.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

Sure. During one season of my life I got so burned out on large, intricate paintings that I didn't paint anything unless I had a commission for it. Now I paint almost every day, but life gets in the way sometimes, and a week or two (or three) will go by without a brush stroke. It's hard, because I tend to let painting take a back seat to family. And housework. And sleeping. And the dog.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've used oils, watercolor, pen and ink, acrylics, pastels and graphite. I've done everything from large, realistic wall murals to spot illustration. I had some fun with abstract art in college, along with printmaking, jewelry making, and mosaics. I've done graphic design and illustration. Recently I've been experimenting with a more painterly, impressionistic style.

Pink Towel
(click to see original image)

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

As far as mediums go, my all-time favorite go-to's are oils, acrylics and watercolors. My early mentor, Paul Penczner, thought it important an artist should be able to draw and paint any subject the way it actually looked. Having served in the Hungarian army alongside the Nazis, he didn't seem to care that it was "The Seventies" and art was supposed to be open to interpretation. He rallied past my creative sensitivities to lay a solid foundation of Realism for me to build upon. To tell you the truth, I will always be grateful for that.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Actually, I'm helping organize the Great Alaska Plein Air Retreat in June 2014. I'm not really a plein air painter, so I'm basically jumping in with both feet. It's going to be a week-long event with a great group of featured artists and guest instructors. We're traveling from Vancouver, BC to Whittier, Alaska aboard the Island Princess with Princess Cruises, stopping along the way to paint. There is no sign-up limit, and it's open to non-artists, too, so it should be a wonderful chance to meet and paint and learn with other artists from all over the country. Here's a couple of links with more information: http://pleinairalaska.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GreatAlaskanPleinAirRetreat

Tally in the Snow
(click to see original image)

Who or what inspires you most?

I like whimsical fantasy, such as the artists of the Golden Age of Illustration, especially N. C. Wyeth, Arthur Rackham and Charles Robinson. My favorite subject matter is animals. And people. And animals acting like people. I 'm also enjoying exploring all things Arizona.

What does procrastination look like for you?

My dog.

What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

Having a place where I can leave out whatever I'm working on makes all the difference between painting or putting it off. I don't have a studio, so I use a space in our family room downstairs . I keep all my art supplies on shelves within easy reach. I have a long workspace/desk where my latest project is always waiting. A great technique for me is a goal or a deadline. Right now I'm doing Leslie Saeta's 30-Paintings-in-30-Days Challenge. Also, selling a painting always inspires me to make time to paint.

Arizona Cottontail
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I draw a lot of inspiration from the human and the animal world. It's just more fun for me to paint something with a personality. I like to anthropomorphize animals (Say that fast 5 times!). In my imagination, a dog isn't just hanging out the window in the car next to me. He's wearing a fighter pilot helmet, scarf and goggles, pretending he's a World War I flying ace. Holidays inspire me. And the magical, whimsical, pretend world of children is a wonderful place to find ideas.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I keep art "fresh" by trying new subjects, new techniques, or new products. Painting with other artists whose work I admire always challenges and stretches me. Taking a workshop from a professional artist I admire is advantageous, too. I actually experienced a huge burnout about 3 years ago. After many years laboring over large, detailed paintings, trying to paint what other people would like or buy, I was ready to quit. Then I discovered the Daily Paintworks concept of painting quicker and smaller. It changed my whole approach to painting. Now I really enjoy painting. I'm less attached to my work because I don't take it so seriously. And I learn as much painting small as I did painting large, with less investment. It's a very freeing thing for someone like me who had burnout.

Muleheaded
(click to see original image)

What do you feel you are learning about right now as an artist?

I'm trying to learn to control color and light better. And to loosen up and not be so tight. And how to market myself online.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Making other people happy.

Thanks, Kristy!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Jane Palmer

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Jane's painting, "Apple and Pear" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Jane's DPW Gallery page:

Hi, My name is Jane. I live in a small village near Ruthin, North Wales, UK. I bought my first set of oil paints in June 2010, and I haven't stopped painting since! I enjoy painting small still life subjects from life. Most of my daily paintings are 7x5 or 6x6 inches, but I have recently started painting larger works and hope to paint a lot more larger works in the future.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I started painting a few years ago, but it wasn't until 2011 that I would really class myself as a painter. I did a lot of artwork at high school to build up a portfolio that got me into art college where I spent three years studying Art/Design crafts specializing in glass. I then started my own business and worked as a stained glass artist for over 10 years.

Due to health problems in my early thirties, I had to give up my glass business. Having been diagnosed with a chronic pain condition and waiting for a second surgery on my hip I started painting with acrylics to pass the time. In June 2010, I bought my first set of oil paints and I loved them. I had my hip surgery in September 2010 and while recovering is when I really started painting a lot. By the following year, I was painting almost daily. My decision to become a full time painter came in early 2011 after I entered a competition as a professional artist rather than an amateur. My painting was selected for exhibition and I haven't looked back since.

Apple and Pear
(click to see original image)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the home page announcing Jane's interview.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

As my painting career only started a couple of years ago I haven't had any stops as of yet apart from the odd week off.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Before starting with oil, I did do quite a bit with acrylics. My acrylic paintings were mostly folk arty and a lot of mixed media was used on them including adding paper and cloth collage, stitching and buttons. I also did a few semi-abstract textured landscapes. Over the years I have used many mediums from pencil/coloured pencil, watercolour, pen and ink, and pastels. I hadn't painted a still life since art college until I started painting with oils.

Lemon Coke
(click to see original image)

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Oils and still life have definitely stuck. I loved using oils straight away and I like the simplicity of still life. I still do a few folk art paintings when I have the time. Watercolour is the one thing I have given up on totally. I have to admit I am hopeless at watercolour!

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I have recently started to drive again so I am looking forward to getting out and about more and doing some local landscapes around North Wales.

Who or what inspires you most?

Hmm that's a hard one, but I think I would have to say the colour of nature inspires me most at the moment. Before I started painting, a plum was just a plum. Now, I see all the fantastic colours in just one plum and it makes me want to paint it.

Strawberry on Cloth
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Lol, Facebook and Twitter!

What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

As painting is now my job, I feel I have to make time for it. It's great being my own boss though, so I don't have strict painting times. With my pain condition and bad hips, I have had to learn to pace myself and take lots of breaks. I tend to deal with sales and packaging and other day to day jobs in the mornings, then I have the rest of the day to paint.

Egg #4
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

For my still life paintings my ideas really come from whatever is around me at the time. If I see a lovely looking pear in the shop or Mum is baking scones or at this time of year I go down to my Dads garden and see what fruit or vegetable is ready to be picked and painted.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

I think I have avoided burn out so far as a painter as I am still learning so much with each painting. I very rarely use reference photos, I prefer to paint from life so I spend quite a lot of time setting things up and changing things around. I have recently been trying out how different types of brushes add a different texture to my paintings' finish. Even though I have painted the same subjects many times, I haven't tired of them as each apple or pear or whatever is different. I like the imperfections on each fruit or vegetable that makes them unique, I even like the little stickers on them that most people take no notice of.

Glass Marbles
(click to see original image)

What do you feel you are learning about right now as an artist?

I am still learning a lot about colour mixing. I am learning to have more patience and not rush things.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The many people from all over the world who have purchased a painting and left fantastic feedback makes me very happy as without them, I would not be able to do what I do as a career. Also the great comments I receive via Daily Paintworks, my Facebook page, and my blog make me smile every day.

Thanks, Jane!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Fred Schollmeyer

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Fred's painting, "Ivory Iris" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing his interview.

From Fred's DPW Gallery page:

Fred Schollmeyer has been painting professionally since 1989. He holds a degree in Art Education from Lincoln University in Jefferson City and has studied art at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He recently retired from teaching Elementary and Middle School art after thirty years.

Fred has received numerous awards including “Best of Show,” People’s Choice Awards,” and “Purchase Awards”. His work has been featured in the “Top 50” juried exhibition at the Missouri State Fair. Airbrush Action magazine published his work in its April 1997 issue. In 2004, he became a “Signature Member’ of the Missouri Watercolor Society. From 2008 through 2012, his work has been featured in the prestigious Watercolor USA Exhibit in Springfield, Missouri. In 2008, he became a member of the Watercolor Honor Society. In 2012, his painting “Survivors” was featured in the National Oil and Acrylic Painter’s Best of America Exhibit in Bolivar, Missouri. His work is included in collections throughout the USA and Europe.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I’m one of those people that started producing art as a child. My parents would save grocery bags for me so I could produce craft projects. Drawing and coloring was always something important to me growing up. I attended a small rural high school which only offered one art class. My history notebooks in high school were covered in doodles. While in college I became very enthused about painting. My painting professor had been a student of Thomas Hart Benton.

Ivory Iris
(click to see original image)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the home page announcing Fred's interview.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

When my children were small in the 1980’s I painted very infrequently. With my teaching career and small kids at home there was very little extra time. As my kids grew older I became very careful about my free time. It sometimes meant working only a half hour per week on an artwork. One painting would take several months to complete.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I was first captivated by conventional oil representational art. I found the conventional brush to be somewhat limiting, however. I also produced some traditional watercolors. Once again I felt limited with the process. At one point I became enamored with abstract art.

Laid to Rust
(click to see original image)

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Today I almost exclusively paint acrylic using the airbrush for color application. I still paint occasionally with watercolors. However, the majority of paint in that medium is also applied with airbrush. I know the airbrush is a non-traditional tool in fine art. At one time it was a major instrument for commercial art processes. Chuck Close and the Photo Realists of the 1970’s were some of the first to use the airbrush in fine art processes.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to include non representational elements into my representational paintings. For example, a realistic figure with an abstract background. I would also like to continue my exploration of different subject matter. It seems for me a subject that works well and is commercially accepted becomes a series of paintings of the same subject. Sometimes artists tend to stay in their comfort zone because of this. I want to explore subjects that are uncommon for most artists.

Who or what inspires you most?

I live in a rural area known as the “Foothills of the Ozarks”. The landscape for the most part is unchanged. Rural homes and barns that have weathered the elements for years are very inspiring to me. I also look for inspiration in such diverse mediums as comic books, vinyl album covers and art magazines. As I mentioned earlier the Photo Realism movement continues to influence my work.

In the Eye of the Cat
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

For me, I tend to avoid working if I can’t develop a concept for a painting. Sometimes this can keep me from my studio for some time. I’ve recently developed the philosophy that as long as you’ve conceived the idea in your mind then you should go with it. If it fails then at least you’ve been painting. The only thing wasted is time and a few drops of paint. The business end of the profession is always time consuming and can cause one to delay painting. I try to limit the business processes to a certain amount per day. It might seem difficult to believe but sometimes while I wait for the paint to dry I do small business related activities like apply for shows & sign prints.

What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

I try to develop the concept for a piece the night before or in the morning. This includes taking photos and doing rough sketches. I usually finalize the drawing around noon. I then mix paint and start painting. My favorite time to paint is mid afternoon to late evening. I try to keep this schedule as regimented as possible. If I follow this schedule I am usually productive.

A Couple of Snowbirds
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

My ideas come in different ways. I might see a freshly baled hay field at dusk. I usually grab my camera and set off to take reference photos. I might find a unique 1960’s toy at a flea market. Soon I’m setting up the toy in a still life. I’ve developed as an artist to the point that I am continually thinking of possible painting ideas.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

Seeing the finished painting keeps me going. After the completion of a piece I start conceiving the next one. I’m also continually looking for new sources of inspiration. Viewing art websites and browsing my library of artist books keeps me continually striving to keep my work interesting. I feel it’s my responsibility to keep my artwork developing to new heights. I’m perfectly aware that painting an inferior piece is part of the game plan. If unsatisfied with a painting I stick it in the archives and forget it. It is then time to move on.

Keep Your Eye On the Ball
(click to see original image)

What do you feel you are learning about right now as an artist?

I still feel I am continuing to develop as an artist in numerous ways. Composition and color theory are foremost in my mind at the present time. I am constantly looking at improving these two elements. It might involve mixing colors in a different way or pushing the focal point in a composition to a different location.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Seeing the actual finished artwork is one of the most enjoyable experiences associated with the painting process. A customer with a happy expression after purchasing a piece of art at an art fair is always satisfying. Reading a positive comment from a DPW viewer is another thing that excites me about my work.

Thanks, Fred!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Pat Fiorello

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Pat's painting, "Beyond the Poppies" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Pat's DPW Gallery page:

Pat Fiorello is a professional artist who especially enjoys capturing the beauty and energy of nature in her paintings. She is known for her romantic paintings of landscapes, gardens and florals and paints in both oils and watercolor.

Pat shares,"as an artist, I have 3 primary intentions: to continue the lifelong process of developing and growing as an artist, to create paintings that are exquisite, elegant and luscious, and to inspire others."

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

It’s probably not your typical artist’s story. I had given up on art in the 3rd grade. My teacher was always yelling at me to clean up the paints. I didn’t like being yelled at, so every Monday I would pretend to be sick so I did not have to go to school. After a few weeks my mother and homeroom teacher figured out that I was avoiding on Monday was art class.

Fast forward many years later to age 35, I was a corporate Marketing VP. On one particular day, which was a real low point, I had a talk with my boss about my frustrations. He gave me some great advice, “you can’t control work or men, so you need something else in your life - something that replenishes you no matter what’s going on at work or with your relationships." Basically he was telling me to “get a life." I had no idea what that would look like but was open to discovering what that would be for me.

Shortly after that, I was on vacation at Canyon Ranch Spa and took a one-hour painting class, just to do something different. My first painting looked like what I call “refrigerator art” - it could very well have been on someone’s refrigerator door under a magnet since it looked like a 3rd grader had done it. But painting was fun and magical and I was hooked. I came home and started taking classes on weekends and at night after work and within a couple of months, still not knowing what I was doing, I signed up to go on a workshop in Provence. That immersion into painting really ignited my passion for painting. That was about 18 years ago. I still continued working, and studying whenever I could with excellent artists and teachers. About 11 years ago, I left the corporate world to pursue my passion for painting full time and I’ve been painting and teaching others to paint ever since.

Beyond the Poppies
(click to see original image)

Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the home page announcing Pat's interview.

Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

Once I started painting, my involvement only deepened with each passing year.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Initially, I started out with watercolor and kept with that exclusively for about 10 or so years. Then I expanded into oils. I continue to do both and have worked to develop my skills in both areas with a goal of being equally facile and confident in either medium. Occasionally, I do both on the same day, which can be a challenge switching my painting process from dark to light and light to dark in the same day.

Hydrangeas & Silver
(click to see original image)

Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away?

Oil and watercolor are the only two mediums I actively use. I have tried pastels and acrylic and really didn’t enjoy either as much as I do oils and watercolor. I definitely prefer handling a brush to pastel sticks or pencils.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

At this point, I am interested in developing mastery in painting in my chosen mediums. I do not anticipate expanding into other mediums. I like to focus. Not to mention the practical issue of no more room in the studio for supplies required by another medium.

Who or what inspires you most?

Beauty. My favorite subjects are flowers and landscapes that contain a bit of architecture. I love looking for dramatic light and shadow.

Lake Como View
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Getting distracted by the computer and the list of things on my to do list. Sometimes I feel the need to get a few things off my plate and off my mind before I can have a clear head to concentrate fully on painting.

What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

I block days on my calendar for painting. Just like making an appointment for a doctor or haircut, I make appointments to paint on my calendar. Usually, on Mondays I do marketing and other activities related to my art business. Tuesdays I teach and prepare for upcoming classes. Then I have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays painting and maybe one day of the weekend. I average 4 days painting/week. It’s not as rigid as it sounds, but I shoot for this and then when travel or other activities conflict, I reevaluate and see where I can swap out days so that painting time is not compromised.

Daffodil Days
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Visual inspiration that I see in the places I go. Whether it’s travel to Italy or France where I teach workshops or the local botanical garden or my own garden, I am always on the lookout for a good composition and great light and shadow.

I work both en plein air and in my studio.

Sometimes I do set up still lifes in my studio and will start with one particular type of flower or ceramic piece and build from there.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

From time to time, I will start work on a new series. I go thru all my photos for that subject, select maybe the top 20 that would make great paintings, print them out 8 x 10 and put them in plastic sleeves in a loose-leaf binder. This way when I’m ready to paint, I have pre-screened possible subjects that I know I love and can happily choose from that group without having to reinvent the wheel everyday in search of what to paint. Sometimes, I’ll pick something out the night before so I am excited to get up the next day and get started.

Also, taking an occasional workshop helps re-energize me.

I even have taken workshop in related areas - like flower arranging - to open my mind to the possibilities of new sources of inspiration.

Tuscan Corner
(click to see original image)

What do you feel you are learning about right now as an artist?

I have been working on color and brushstrokes in oils. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to study with Russian Impressionist Ovanes Berberian in France. I am interested in learning more about depicting light and shadow thru color temperature.

Also, this year, I have been working on a book which has just been printed entitled “Bella Italia, Italy through the Eyes of an Artist” which contains over 80 of my paintings of Italy. How to go about putting together a book and the technical issues involved in preparing art to be printed was a big learning curve for me. A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go to the printer to color proof the book on press and got to see how books are printed and assembled which was very interesting. You can see more about the book on patfiorello.com/bella-italia.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The magic of painting - it blows me away to think that you can basically put down shapes of color and value in such a way that it communicates something to someone else.

I also love doing commissions that are a special gift for someone. It is very satisfying to be part of the process of creating something meaningful for someone to give to someone they love.

Thanks, Pat!

© 2013 Sophie Marine