DPW Spotlight Interview: Katie Wilson

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings. To enter to win Katie' painting "Red Cap" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Katie's DPW Gallery Page:

I'm an artist living in Rockport, ME. The inspiration for my portraits and figures originally came from old family photographs - mostly of my grandmother as a girl and her childhood friends. Not long after, I began using my kids and friends as models. I have since dug further into the old trunk and have pulled out ancestors' photos one and two generations before my grandmother.

I received my art degree from the University of NH. My favorite instructor introduced me to collage way back when and it continues to "work" for me. The paper helps me establish color, especially when my reference material is a black and white photo. Oil is my paint of choice, but I work with a variety of medium. I love pastel, but oh so messy.

I believe strongly in the importance of the arts, and the more people that create or appreciate the arts the happier and healthier we all will be. I am enthusiastic about sharing my own creative process with others through discussion, workshops and tutorials.

You can find Katie's YouTube channel here, as well as her Fine Art American page here where she sells prints, gift cards, totes and other fun stuff! You can also find her Patreon page here.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I’ve always made things. I’ll spare you the details. I never took an art class in high school. I had to take Drawing 101 when I went off to college because it was a prerequisite for all the other classes I took like jewelry, weaving, intro to architecture. Then I ducked out of school. Life was calling and it wasn’t classes. Years later purpose and responsibility came calling, and for me that meant finishing my degree which meant I needed to declare a major… at this point it was pretty much a no brainer. It was going to be art and I ended up concentrating on painting. This seemed a likely choice since I planned on going into graphic design down the road. Consequently, I fell in love with painting. Paint and also charcoal. And also the smell of turpentine. The entire art building smelled of turpentine and chemicals. I loved it.

Red Cap
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

If you’re familiar with my work you know I use oil, acrylic, pastel and paper on a somewhat regular basis. I lean more towards the oil paint because I get frustrated with how quickly the acrylics dry on the palette. Also I’ve used up the last of my favorite color pastels and have no idea what color they were to order more.  I have dabbled in watercolor and monotypes. I wish there was more time to dabble deep. Alas.

I enjoy painting the woods. I like to try to make sense of all the chaos. But more than that, I enjoy painting the face - an emotion or interesting features. And if all goes well, make up some kind of a story. I’d like to think one painting leads me into the next. As I work, ideas come to me for my next painting. If I stay in my true creative flow my work has no choice but to be fresh and engaging. If it starts to become stale I need to put down the brush and meditate ;) take a walk in the woods, throw a stick for my dog. You know what I mean.

The Party
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Looking through my sample wallpaper book to find pieces for collage, wondering how that wallpaper would look on my living room wall, googling upholstery fabric for my sofa that would work with that wallpaper, believing the best wallpaper to be found is going to be on ebay, searching ebay, never buying, making a cup of tea and never drinking it.

Extraneous Flowers
(click to view)

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

Winter in New England isn’t really a technique, but it sure is easier to find your way to the studio on a dreary, gray day.

Oranges and Mangos
(click to view)

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

Time waits for no one! I have to spend a lot more time and energy in my studio. I have to look at other artists’ work. I have to stop looking at other artists’ work.  The more I let go of the outcome, the better the painting.

The Puppy
(click to view)

What makes you happiest about your art?

Art is by far one of the best things this world has going for it, and I’m happy to play a small part in that.

Thanks, Katie!

© 2018 Sophie Marine