Thursday, October 27, 2016

DPW Spotlight Interview: Natasha Ramras

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

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

From Natasha's DPW Gallery:

Natasha Ramras has been interested in art since she was a little child. She has a formal art education, but for a number of years was more focused on raising a family and her career. After learning to draw, sculpt and paint using a variety of mediums, she has chosen oil as her most favorite material. She loves painting water: any water, just about, and is fascinated by reflections. She is trying to paint every day.

Natasha has exhibited her paintings in Delaware and Wisconsin. Now she lives in Portland and paints the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She loves to travel and finds inspiration everywhere she goes. (click to view gallery)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I finished a four-year art school when I was in high school. We learned the basics of drawing, painting, art history and sculpture among other things. I enjoy the creative process, but did not think this was my life’s calling. I have been working full time in a fairly technical job, mostly with numbers, and over the course of my work career have been drawn to the creative process to keep myself balanced. I painted when my kids were little, and off and on for years. Reading Carol’s book on daily painting, her own success and that of the fellow artists that she has watched over the years have spurred my interest in art again. I was not looking at art as something requiring long periods of “down time coupled with a lot of inspiration”, so I decided to give it a try and it certainly is working for me.

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

Yes, multiple ones over the years. I was lucky enough to get represented by a gallery twenty years ago, but could not keep up with the production requirements. At that time, I truly believed in “getting into the zone and finding inspiration” during my paining sessions. Unfortunately, those moments were rare and far between.

A Dog
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I love all of the mediums with color – watercolor, pastel, oil. I have done a lot of drawing too and like charcoal for its softness, but mostly I enjoy color in my work.

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

I am still trying to decide! I enjoy all three – oils for my ability to control the medium and correct mistakes, watercolor for being uncontrollable and for its transparency and pastel for its brilliant colors. I find my paintings being the brightest in pastel. Each medium has its challenges and rewards and the differences between them keep my interest up.

Cold!
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I feel like there is still quite a bit to learn in each of the mediums. Eventually, I would like to learn how to control the watercolor and make it look effortless and uncontrolled at the same time.

Who or what inspires you most?

I absolutely love the work of Alvaro Castagnet, Joseph Zbukvic and Mary Whyte in watercolor. I am inspired by all of the great landscape painters, Charles Palmer, a local northwest artist, Clyde Aspevig, Scott Christensen, Sorolla and great Russian painters, like Repin, Levitan and Aivasovsky.

Horses
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Waiting until 6-7PM to start painting daily, even if I had had the time earlier in the day would be an example. Also, sometimes I take breaks when the work is especially stressful and I feel drained in the evening. I have observed that if I force myself to paint on those days, I love every second of it, get a good product at the end and feel much more refreshed after I paint. Sometimes, making an excuse and not painting is just too easy.

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

I set an expectation that I have to finish the painting before my family can watch TV in the evenings on work days, so I have roped my family to be my “nagging support system” to get me going and not procrastinate.

Lavender Field
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I love painting everything I see. Ideas have never been an issue – I get fascinated with the simplest things and have more ideas than I can put on paper. One of the recent examples includes a painting of a leaf on concrete – I saw it on my way from the office to the car after work that day. The shadow pattern was so interesting that I had to paint it. My challenge to myself was to make that painting glow to represent the low autumn sun.

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

For me, switching between mediums helps to keep me engaged and interested. This is a great way for me to deal with failed paintings too – I just walk away and switch the medium and do something entirely different. I also love painting water—in any medium, of any kind, except brackish. It is very meditative for me to paint water. I am also lucky to live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, with waterfalls, rivers, lakes, mountains and easy access to the Great Pacific. I think the Pacific Northwest is a landscaper’s heaven! Finding endless water subjects is not very difficult.

Fascination with the Smallest Wonders
(click to view)

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

I am taking classes at the local art college in drawing—both a classical approach to drawing and figure drawing. I really like getting the refresher course in the basics and learning new, sharper skills. I believe solid drawing skills make the foundation for the work with paint that I love so much and sharpen my observation skills. The biggest challenges for myself I set is to try representing the light to make the paintings glow.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I really enjoy the process itself and what it does to my perception of the world. Painting process is very calming and meditative for me. When I paint, I forget about the rest of the world and get to play with colors, what better activity could one ask for? It brings out the child in me. Painting helps me see the world differently, brighter, more rose-colored and beautiful. I look around and am in awe of the beauty I am surrounded with. I want to paint it all, catch the fleeting moment and let everyone else see how beautiful the world is!

Thanks, Natasha!

© 2016 Sophie Marine

Thursday, October 20, 2016

DPW Spotlight Interview: Cory Proulx

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

To enter to win Cory's painting, "The Receding Five" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Cory's DPW Gallery:

Cory Proulx is a local artist living in Oakville, Ontario. After realizing art was his true passion, Cory led on to achieve a higher education in the arts studying at Sheridan College facility of Animation, Arts and Design, graduating with a Diploma in Visual and Creative Arts. He is currently pursuing a BAA in Illustration at Sheridan College. Cory's objective is to create beautiful oil paintings primarily working with "wet into wet" techniques. He explores not only with his brush but also with a wide variety of materials to create interesting and intricate marks for the viewer to interpret.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting?

I tended to lean towards drawing as a kid and this followed through high school. I would say I didn’t actually start painting until my first year at Art College, which would be roughly about five years ago. Once I began taking classes and learning the fundamentals of painting, I simply got hooked and began to get more and more involved in the process. After two years, I graduated with a diploma in Visual and Creative arts and realized quickly that I wanted to continue to progress as an artist and take it more seriously. From that day forward, I decided that I would pursue my dream of way day becoming a professional artist. I am now currently in my third year studying Illustration for my bachelors degree at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario Canada.

The Receding Five
(click to view)

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

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

Yes of course, painting can definitely be seen as a love hate relationship but in the end I always come back to it for more. I would have to say the fine art side of my work tends to slow down during the school year for that a lot of my attention and focus weighs heavily on producing illustrative content. Although that slows down, drawing and painting never stops for me for that I’m always applying it towards some type of work.

Still Life
(click to view)

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

This is a hard question to answer for that I have experimented so much over the years and never stop experimenting with new materials. I find it very important as an artist to experiment for that's how you continue to progress, grow and find new means towards your work and mark-making. To list a few traditional mediums and genres I’ve experimented with: gouache, gouache resist, acrylic, oil, ink, watercolor, charcoal, pastels, gesso, gold leaf, lino, print making, screen printing, sculpture, film, animation, wood working and the list could go on. Then on the digital side of things, I’m constantly learning and working in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After effects and Cinema 4D.

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

I wouldn’t say any of them have actually “fallen away” for that they all have their place and purpose and I indeed to continue to use them where they are needed. I could say that I tend to use gouache, acrylic, watercolor, oil, charcoal or digital tools on a daily basis.

Steeped Tea
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Any medium that I cross paths with.

Who or what inspires you most?

I highly enjoy getting out when I can and going to museums, galleries and independent shows to look at artwork in person. A painting or piece of art viewed in person rather than over the computer can truly be a life changing experience and I would encourage more people to do this as well. I also get really inspired when being out in the wilderness, camping or at a cottage, exploring the land and lakes by hiking and canoeing. To end on a high note, being in school surrounded by friends, students, and instructors that are constantly pushing themselves to work harder, produce amazing work and content is truly one of the best forms of inspiration I can find.

What does procrastination look like for you?

During the school year, to be honest, there isn’t much time to procrastinate for that the work load and deadlines are very overwhelming so you're constantly working on things. I am, though, a huge believer in try, try and then try again if something isn’t working, but if all falls apart I’ve learned to simply take a break. When it does come around, it really helps having a dog to distract you and pull you away from work; I also just really enjoy hanging out with my dog haha.

Loose Pumpkin
(click to view)

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

I’m not sure if I actually have a technique for this; I just feel the need to be constantly working on something. If there was something I could say, it’s simply developing better time management for everyday activities so that you are able to produce work at some point in the day.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

It’s honestly always different, it could be the mood I’m in or the mood I want to portray in the painting. For still life paintings, a lot of the time I enjoy coming up with themes so that I can attach or create a story for the viewer to interpret.

Floral No. 2
(click to view)

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

Going back and forth from fine art to illustration really helps to create a balance in my artwork, although in some ways they can be linked together. I tend to work on one or the other for a long period of time, and then I switch it up so that I don’t get burnt out from either and then when new ideas come about they continue to stay clear and fresh. I would also like to say that getting a regular amount of sleep helps me stay in tune but unfortunately I’m not one to talk for that I don’t have much of a normal sleep schedule.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I simply love to draw, paint and tell stories.

Thanks, Cory!

© 2016 Sophie Marine

Thursday, October 13, 2016

DPW Spotlight Interview: Anja Berliner

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

To enter to win Anja's painting, "086 Mantelwetter" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Anja's DPW Gallery:

She was born in the sixties in Saarbruecken/Germany near the french border and graduated at the University of Arts Berlin.

With the daily paintings Anja Berliner just started in July 2016. She loves the unspectacular moments of the daily life in Berlin. And raspberry cake. (click to view gallery)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I can't remember when I began. As child I assume. Seriously, I started painting three months ago.

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

Yes and no. I painted about one picture in four years. Then this year in July, I began with daily painting. But drawing I practiced very much and continuously over the years.

086 Mantelwetter
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have drawn with graphite, colored pencils, fineliner, charcoal and have painted with watercolors, gouache, acrylics, oil painting, oil pastel. I printed with screen, linoleum, etching, stencils and experimented with machine embroidery.

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

Acrylics have stuck, as well as watercolors and oil painting. Charcoal and red chalk have definitely fallen away. I hate the noise they make on the paper and the dust and smear all over.

068 Mops
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I look forward to exploring oil painting.

Who or what inspires you most?

The interplay of sunlight and shadow, colors, every day things like the subway and the coffee, working people and pastries. And of course wonderful artists such as Wayne Thiebauld, Andy Warhol, Xenia Hausner, Carol Marine, David Shevlino and so many more.

082 Die schwarze Tasche
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Many works in progress and not finished.

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

Wanting to show my daily paintings on my blog forces me to paint.

064 Die blaue Tür
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I paint what I love or what touches my mind.

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

When painting, I think about how much I love the smell and the colors and the light and the noise. I try to be IN the situation like an actor who IS the person he plays in that moment. About the avoidance of burnout, I can't say anything yet. I just began the daily painting three months ago.

063 Himbeerkuchen No.5
(click to view)

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

Not to struggle with the whether and why at each new painting. Since I decided to do my daily paintings, I don't question it. I just do it. At least for one year. That saves a lot of energy.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The shining of the colors. The smell of the brush cleaner. And the miracle when I paint abstract strokes with the blind confidence of a sailor on the high seas and suddenly it turns indeed into a raspberry cake.

Thanks, Anja!

© 2016 Sophie Marine

Thursday, October 6, 2016

DPW Spotlight Interview: Cindy Gillett

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

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

From Cindy's DPW Gallery:

My medium of choice is soft pastels. I find the vibrant colors intoxicating and painting without paint brushes very freeing. I try to paint each and every day. Painting small pieces daily helps to keep me focused on composition, color harmony, and values while enjoying the application of soft pastels. (click to view gallery)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Two and a half years ago, I read an article in the Pastel Journal about how natural the progression is from drawing to painting with soft pastels.  I was intrigued!  I have always been a person who loved art and could draw but never really found the right painting medium for me.  So, I bought a few soft pastels and dove in.  I found that working with soft pastels was a perfect medium to compliment my drawing skills and (at long last) I had the time it would take to develop my artistic side.  Since then, I have been devouring books, blogs, YouTube videos, workshops and tutorials in an effort to unleash "The Artist Within" (which happens to be the name of my blog).  Looking at my drawer full of pastels makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! They’re just so gorgeous!  No matter how dead tired I am at night, when I first wake up in the morning, I can’t wait to get back into the studio and paint!

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

There have been many "starts and starts".  I’ve never really stopped being an artist… I don’t think anyone really can when art is so ingrained in a person.  But, I did have a tough time finding the time to paint while working and raising a family (which were my priorities).  Then, once I had the time, I struggled a bit to find the right painting medium.  Now that I have the right medium, I am consumed with painting and with the business side of selling my artwork as well.


Morning Calm
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I am a soft pastel artist and consider myself still experimenting with those.  I have also drawn with graphite, colored pencils, charcoal, pastel pencils, and have painted with watercolors, acrylics and one oil painting (many years ago).   I cover all genres never allowing myself to settle on one genre (just yet anyway).  I still consider myself a student so I force myself to paint all genres especially those out of my comfort zone until I’m satisfied I can do them all… at least reasonably well.

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

Right now pastels have stuck… everything else is taking a backseat.


Fly 30 - The Lady Amherst
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I look forward to exploring oil painting. The methodology in painting with oils is similar to pastels so it will be a natural compliment to pastels.  However, I’m in no hurry because I’m not sure I want to mess with the cleanup involved (brushes and palette) and the need to mix colors.  The reason pastels are great right now is that I can look at my pastel box/drawer and chose the colors I want to paint with and get started immediately.

Who or what inspires you most?

All artists are inspirational to me in one way or another.  I admire anyone willing to put their art "out there" for the world to see.  It can be very intimidating, especially at first.

I also love the old masters and I have to say given the physical limitations Van Gogh had, I admire his persistence in the face of such a conflicted life.  I recently read Van Gogh’s Letters, edited by H. Anna Suh.  Those letters really opened my eyes!  Most of Vincent’s letters were written to his brother Theo and included many of his sketches and paintings.  I was blown away by how elementary his first drawings were.  In my humble opinion… they weren’t very good but, he had a passion to persist.  He drew and drew then added charcoal and finally added color via paint.  One quote that struck me was: "Not only did I start drawing at a late stage, but added to that it may be that I may not be able to count on so very many years of life".   He wrote that seven years before he died.  It was what fueled his obsession to draw and paint so much and to progress so greatly in such a limited timeframe.  And, it reminded me that I too have a finite time on this earth… so I too am passionate to paint and progress as much as possible before I leave this earth.

Sisters
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination for me looks like dust build up and piles of laundry.  Because art is such a passion now, I have a hard time breaking away to do the mundane things around the house.  I am (or was) an extremely good housekeeper (probably too much so)… now, things don’t have to be "perfect".  Good enough, is good enough for me.  I think a Roomba vacuum is in my future!

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

I am usually up very early (5am or so) because that’s when I have the most creative energy.  My motto is: "if I’m not painting by 10am, then I’m probably not painting".  We also had a very large master bedroom (15x30) that I converted into an art studio (aka woman cave).  I have a lovely fireplace, TV and seating area as well as my desk and easel area… it is my artistic haven!  I believe making an inspirational space in your home (no matter how big or small) helps keep a person motivated.

Chasing Shadows
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I have mountains of photos taken over the years that give me inspiration.  I also like to set up still life settings at home and of course look at the artworks of other artists past and present.

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

Because I paint all genres, I hop from one to another to change things up.  That helps a lot.  I also paint in series or themes now and then.  It’s always a challenge to come up with something "fresh"!  I just concentrate on painting what I like and then hope others might like it too.

Poppies Down Under
(click to view)

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

Perseverance!  And, in two and a half years, I’ve finally gained confidence.  At first, I was consumed with self doubt.  In my head I was saying "what the heck are you doing", "you don’t know how to do this", "this looks TERRIBLE" etc. etc. etc.  Then I read "Art and Fear" by David Bayles and Ted Orland and I realized this self doubt was typical.  It’s no different than someone musically inclined learning to play the guitar or piano… practice, practice, and more practice.  Then, finally, I began to improve and see some paintings that didn’t look too bad.  Then I actually started to like most of them… but it did take a lot of work!  And, once in a while (I will admit), I don’t like a painting… and it doesn’t like me!

I heard it takes two hundred paintings before you find your "style"… then I heard three hundred to five hundred.  When you’re first starting out, these numbers are daunting!  That’s why Daily Paintworks and completing several 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenges have helped me stick with it and therefore grow as an artist.  Yep, perseverance!

What makes you happiest about your art?

Well, I finally learned to control color.  When I started, I used every color I could get my hands on… I had absolutely no self control.  All those colors were intoxicating!  Now, I’m finally disciplined enough to pick a color palette first and stick with it throughout the painting. My paintings therefore have more color harmony.  I’m very happy that I finally like my own work… and especially happy when someone else does too!

Thanks, Cindy!

© 2016 Sophie Marine