DPW Spotlight Interview: Felicia Marshall

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

To enter to win Felicia's painting, "Blue Caboose" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Felicia's DPW Gallery page: 

I am an artist, mom, wife, and teacher. Since 2008, I have undertaken the challenge of being a daily painter. I continue to be rewarded by the process. I live in Texas and enjoy being able to spend my life surrounded by art.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have always known I was an artist. I was lucky to be able to attend a high school that focused on visual arts. There I was introduced to many different art materials which included acrylic paint. In college, I had a little bit more freedom to choose the materials that I wanted to work with. I found myself naturally drawn to the versatility of acrylic paint. I have considered myself a painter ever since.

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

No, I create paintings regularly and always have. Sometimes I create them for publishing houses in the form of children's books. When I'm not working on a book, I get to paint whatever I want, which is a treat. Luckily, other people enjoy my work enough to purchase some of my paintings.

Blue Caboose
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have experimented with many mediums, that's what I actually enjoyed about being a student in high school and college. I got a chance to try everything. Some of my favorites were printmaking, photography, and of course painting.

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

I love acrylic paint because of its versatility. You just can't beat them. They clean up easily, they dry quickly, and best of all they don't smell. You can layer it, you can thin it out and use it like watercolor. In my earlier children's book illustrations people thought my paintings were watercolors. As for genres, I'm still trying different genres, though I always go back to portraits. I find people interesting. Everyone has their own story and surprisingly you can tell so much of it in a simple portrait.

Little Mermaid
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I'm looking forward to exploring collage again in some of my portraits. I've always admired collage artists, but when I attempted it I got lost in the possibilities. I think I'll start out simple by collaging a single word or image onto one of my painted portraits. Then slowly work my way up from there. I am also committing myself to working on larger paintings. The portraits of children's faces cropped extremely close are so fun, colorful, and playful already. I think they would be even more extraordinary if they were larger.

Who or what inspires you most?

My children inspire me most. They are a constant source of images for my paintings.

A Study in Orange
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

It looks like me cleaning. It also looks like me sitting alone in my comfortable chair staring off into space. I'm thinking and enjoying the silence. Whenever I am doing this, it means I am avoiding making decisions large and small.

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

I found my own little space and completely took it over. This way I am able to come back to whatever I was painting and pick up instantly where I left off. I also make the most of my weekends and late nights painting.

Stripes
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I take a lot of photographs, so it becomes a matter of looking at images until something catches my eye. Sometimes I'll come across an object that I fall in love with, like the glasses in the painting "Glasses What Glasses" or the goggles in the painting "Turtle Eyes". I'll use these as props in my portraits.

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 taking more photographs and pushing myself to make them in a different way or from a different perspective. I don't have any techniques for burnout. I wish I did. I get burnout often. It's mostly about issues concerning time. I get overly ambitious about what I can accomplish in the time that I have.

Bold & Bright
(click to see original image)

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

How to make things more exciting using light. I'm still learning this!

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I have painted something and look at it and think, "I don't believe I painted that!" This happens to me a lot. I'm also greatly moved by people who e-mail or comment on a painting that they have made a personal connection with.

Thanks, Felicia!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine Cruse