DPW Spotlight Interview: Heather Martin

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

From Heather's DPW Gallery Page:

Heather Ihn Martin, a fine artist raised in rural Michigan, has been creating artwork since she could hold a pencil. Her passion for art was so clear and unwavering, that after graduating high school she found herself leaving her hometown in Michigan to earn her BFA in Illustration at the Ringling School of Art and Design (now named the Ringling College of Art and Design) in Florida.

Once receiving her degree, she spent years working as an illustrator, followed by nearly a decade as a game artist in the mobile gaming industry. In 2016, Heather was reintroduced to traditional media, and fell head over heels in love with painting from life and plein air painting. Despite working a full time job, having a long commute, and a ridiculously large family of animals, Heather spent every spare minute towards building a fine art career and working to be a better artist.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting. 

I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil, but painting didn't really happen until I was in middle school art classes. My first oil painting was actually a Bob Ross piece that I painted with my grandma's husband. It was so fun, and eye-opening to see what could be done with oils.

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

Oh yes. I went to school at the Ringling College of Art and Design for Illustration. Back then it was 95% traditional mediums, and I focused most on oil painting. Once I got a job in the tech industry around 2008, I drifted away from traditional art, and primarily worked digitally. Traditional painting became an interest again around 2016 for me, and I wish I never took that break!

Pink and Peach
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with? 

Experimentation is so crucial, and I've tried several mediums along the way. Some of those include transparent watercolors, oils, acrylics, pen and ink, and charcoal.

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

Gouache has been the clear winner so far as for what's "stuck". It's so easy to clean! (cleanliness is not my forte). Gouache has such a nice smooth feel to it, similar to oils, it's very satisfying! I'd love to get back into oil painting though; I miss the smell, textures, and rich colors.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring? 

After attending several transparent watercolor demos at our local watercolor association, I've been interested in exploring that more, but first would love to get back into oil painting and working on some large scale work.

Favorite Spot
(click to view)

Who or what inspires you most? 

Every day scenes and the way light shines on and through objects. It's fascinating to see how everything works in harmony with each other, and creates the most beautiful colors and patterns.

What does procrastination look like for you? 

Oh boy, when I procrastinate I tend to drag my feet quite literally around the house looking for things that inspire me. It's getting tougher since I've painted nearly every angle of the house. I try to keep myself busy even if it doesn't feel productive to me, like uploading new art to the site, responding to comments on social media, or taking a moment to write a blog post.

Transparent
(click to view)

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

Be sure to always have your palette clean and ready to go! I set up fresh water jars so I can just sit down at the drop of a hat, and start a painting. Sometimes I have to settle for a less ambitious piece, and just do a small 30 minute to 1 hour study to keep myself from getting rusty.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings? 

Most of the things I've painted have been just unexpected moments of beauty. However, I've started a project with Chris Greco (A fellow Daily Paintworks artist) called the "Double Take Project" where we take turns coming up with prompts to paint, and then show our own takes of it. It's been keeping us both on our toes.

Eucalyptus Shadows
(click to view)

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

Challenge yourself! Even if it may not look like a challenge to an outsider, I guarantee there was an aspect of the work that had me actively problem solving and trying new things. It could be by pushing the composition to be a little more daring, or trying to paint a subject that just seems impossible! By setting these challenges up for myself, it hopefully makes for more interesting and engaging work.

Queen of the House
(click to view)

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

Being a full time artist is new to me, and I'm learning so much about the art world. It's just as tough as they say, if not, tougher! So I'm trying to navigate the waters, and learn to balance both the marketing aspects, trying to make a decent income, and also stay true to my artwork.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Capturing special moments that have an emotional impact to me, whether it be a family portrait, or a favorite spot in a park. It's so wonderful to be able to translate your feelings on paper, and share them
with others.

Thanks, Heather!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Bernie Wisniewski

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings. To enter to win Bernie's painting "Poppy Landscape 2" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Bernie's DPW Gallery Page:

I live and paint in the north east of England - it's an area with a beautiful coastline and lots of history. In my work I try to convey an emotion that the subject conveys, rather than trying to achieve technical correctness. Colour is important and I admire the work of the Scottish Colourists and the Fauves. The finished piece must be pleasant to look at, and if it stimulates the "feeling" of the subject so much the better.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I enjoyed painting when I was at school – we were lucky to have an art teacher who was passionate about art and gave great encouragement to us all. I developed my own style early on and would paint using a broken knife I’d found in the kitchen. The paintings weren’t gentle laborious pieces but were worked on with speed and enthusiasm. One of the teachers asked me to paint his favourite chess set (I suppose you could say it was my first commission) and I was rewarded with a smart new set of oil paints.

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

Although given the chance to attend further education at Art College I decided that “getting a job” was what I wanted. Marriage and children followed and for the next thirty-something years I appreciated art as an observer rather than a participant. With the Family now grown and the financial responsibilities for them decreased (only slightly!) I’m able to spend time indulging my passion.

Poppy Landscape 2
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I got back into painting with a good set of soft pastels and conte crayons. I found that the immediacy achieved using these suited my style – the medium effectively became an extension of my hand straight to the paper. Acrylics came next as I wanted to give more depth, more solidity, to the colours. I like this medium – it again allows speed of working (I like the fast drying times) and there are excellent products with differing characteristics to choose from.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I’m starting to experiment more using translucent paints and overlaying some areas with this. I think the effects of this contrast well with the block colours of the opaque paint. I often put my acrylics away and get the oils out – it’s a totally different way of working – I love the texture and feel (and smell of the oils). It’s great fun - exciting – and I almost always paint these using a palette knife. Again it allows fast working (easier to clean than a brush) and allows for a lot of different effects.

Geisha
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I’d be interested to try screen printing and linocuts – I’ve seen some lovely work using both these mediums. The only medium I wouldn’t try is watercolour – again I’ve seen some excellent work in this, but I don’t think it would suit my way of working.

Who or what inspires you most?

There’s so much good artwork around that I’m constantly finding new artists whose artwork excites. My core favourites however would be the French Impressionists, the Scottish Colourists and the Fauves. I recommend having a look at the work of Joan Eardley – particularly the Glasgow “street kids” – she was a brilliant Scottish artist and I saw an exhibition of her work in Edinburgh. I’ve got no doubt that red wine and good music can also be inspirational in producing a pleasing piece of art!

Flowers Still Life
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I admit that by nature I’m impulsive – it’s generally served me well – and it’s the same with my work. When I get the excitement – the idea of an image – I have to work on it immediately. If I were to procrastinate it would be lost.

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

I think everyone’s life just gets busier all the time. It’s not particularly beneficial to the person or society. Nature will always fill a vacuum so it’s important (I think) to allocate periods which are sacrosanct.

Built on the Tyne
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

There’s no set pattern for ideas – I don’t look for them but let them come to me. If there’s an image – an idea – which will make an exciting painting, it usually registers. It’s important to keep an open mind so as not to miss these opportunities.

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

I think in order to keep work fresh the artist has to routinely set themselves new challenges. It’s easy to slip into a rut of doing work which isn’t difficult. Every now and then I think about what would be a hard subject to paint. I then give it a go and in most cases it’s worked out well. This keeps the excitement, which is important, avoids burnout, and extends the artist’s abilities.

Croft Sunset
(click to view)

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

We’re all learning every day (or should be) and it’s the same with art. There’s so much to learn, so many new techniques – time is the limiting factor rather than ideas. Keep on experimenting and enjoying the work.

What makes you happiest about your art?

To me, there’s nothing beats the buzz of working fast on a piece, great music in the background, and knowing that it’s all coming together. Not every day is like this however and it’s self defeating to try to force it – it has to be enjoyable and this will show through in the finished work.

Thanks, Bernie!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Marjorie Landrin

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

From Marjorie's DPW Gallery Page:

I have been making art since I could hold a crayon. Growing up in the time of "abstract art" being taught in schools. I went for something more practical. I studied architectural design and technical illustration which gave me income producing jobs. I picked up art workshops at places such as Scottsdale Artist's School as finances permitted. I've had the usual "stops and starts" with painting that come with life events such as becoming a cardiac RN, caretaker for parents, marrying for the first time at fifty-four to my best friend who like me cannot stand city life. We have built our own house and forged a unique outdoor life in the past eight years. Now is the time for me to get back to my "sweet spot" which is painting. The idea of small Daily Paintings caught my attention and I'm enjoying it. No guilt over wasting a lot of time and money on large paintings the average person can't afford. We'll see where this new journey takes me...

Tell us a bit about how your first started painting.

I don't remember a time when I didn't paint and draw. My first “lessons” came when my Mom decided I should do something other than school at age eight. I was easily bored. The only thing we could find was ballet at the time. That only lasted about two weeks. Then she found an artist that gave lessons to kids and I got to start oil painting. I was in heaven. I loved the smells and the mess and everything about it. I did that when I could in between school and camping with my family.

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

I had continual stops and starts in my painting. It was never my career since I hated doing commercial art and supporting yourself as a fine artist is not always practical. I first went into technical illustration and architectural design and I even worked in aircraft designing ground support equipment. Then I became an RN. Reality often pushes art to the back for a time. Then you realize that you can't quit painting or your brain stops working as well.

Reel Time
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've tried almost all the mediums and my art closet can attest to that. I needed to be able to use most of them competently since I also taught local college classes for a time. I also like to paint any subject that catches my eye.

Which ones have stuck and which ones have fallen away?

I like oil and pastel the best. I've never gotten watercolor to do what I want it to do. I don't have the patience to “leave the whites” but I really admire a good watercolor.

Flaming Desert
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to explore a water-based paint that would act like oil but dry in a day for traveling. I haven't found one that suits me yet.

Who or what inspires you most? 

Nature inspires me the most. I love the effects of light and shadow and the different colors of light.

Young Woman in Denim
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

The longer I go without painting the harder it is to start again. The blank canvas seems to tell me I can't do it. It seems to be some kind of fear of failure reaction. So I either have to paint every few days or it's a major struggle after that.

What techniques work to ensure you make time for your art.

I avoid phones and the computer as much as possible. That's not hard for me to do since I don't like them that much anyway. I try to use my best time for painting and save the chores for when I'm brain dead. I can't have a set schedule because the mini-farm/logging life (www.jdsbirds.com) has to be done dependent on things that can't be controlled or predicted.

Hidden Valley
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I'm usually excited by the light and dark pattern or colors that I see.

How do you keep art “fresh”. What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant & engaging?

I find that I have to switch subjects and techniques frequently or I get bored to death and it shows in my paintings. I admire people that can keep painting similar things over and over to perfect their skill but I don't seem to be capable of that. I tend to want to paint whatever catches my eye.

Saguaro Kings
(click to view)

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

I'm trying to teach myself to remember everything I already learned over the years and to quit making the same silly mistakes over and over again such as: Not using enough paint! Cleaning my brush with turps and then using it again before it's totally dry (pulls the paint off the canvas). Not simplifying enough. Too much brushing and not enough looking.

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I get into the zone of painting, everything else in the world goes away and I don't have to think about anything. I just get to be Marge.

Thanks, Marjorie!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Marita Hines

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

From Marita's DPW Gallery Page:

I worked for over forty years in non-art related fields, moving from one job assignment to another in an effort to grow and stay engaged. It was both tedious and challenging. When I got the opportunity to retire and pursue painting full-time -- there were doubts that I would be able to maintain a level of engagement without constantly shifting direction. Then I was re-introduced to Plein Air painting! Capturing and translating a fleeting moment in time challenges me in ways my "day job" never could. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I was into drawing from an early age, using my skills to create paper dolls and doll houses. Arts and crafts have been part of my life as long as I can remember. As a teen, I was lucky to have participated in a Saturday art class sponsored by Carnegie University. Although I did not pursue a degree in art, I have taken many workshops and classes over the years.

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

After working in a non-art related field most of my adult life, I got the chance to retire and pursue painting full time. Until my retirement in 2015, painting was something I did on occasion to relax or while on holiday. Now that I have time to paint full-time, I still don't know that I'd call it a career.  I sell my work in order to paint more. Nothing makes my day like someone who has fallen in love with one of my paintings and wants to take it home with them.

The Cabana
(click to view)

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

Who or what inspires you most?

Early on, a mentor introduced me to Plein Air painting. Plein Air is a French term referring to painting in the "open air" or outdoors.  Although my first experience with Plein Air was not a good one, it was memorable. It was a cold, snowy day and my fingers would not cooperate. Yet, there was something so inspiring and challenging about painting outdoors. Van Gogh painted the same haystacks repeatedly -- was he inspired by the changing seasons and time of day? Those things just add to the allure. Today, I belong to two Plein Air groups, including one that I manage.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have experimented with sculpture, oils, pen and ink, charcoal, gouache and watercolor. There was a period when my work was abstract in nature. My only regret is that it took me so long to figure out it wasn't my thing. Today's paintings are loose and representational. 

Potted Pretties at Longwood Gardens
(click to view)

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

My favorite medium by far is watercolor.  It's perfect for Plein Air painting because it dries quickly, cleans up easily, uses no chemicals or solvents, and is very portable. 

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

I start early in the day, because that is when my energy level is at its peak. I try to schedule the less creative work like sending emails and doing paperwork in the evening hours.

Docked
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I take pictures everywhere I go. Most people take photos of loved ones during special events. I take pictures of strangers and beautiful landscapes and architecture. It's not just my vacation photos that are potential paintings. It's the ones I take of everyday life -- the back alleys, old buildings, beautiful gardens, an old man sleeping on a bench.

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

It's in my nature to get bored with a regular routine. But there are so many ways to change it up -- learning a new technique, using a new color palette, watching a video, reading a book, checking out a new location to paint.

Afternoon at Landis Valley
(click to view)

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

I'm currently working with a limited palette, trying to improve the harmony and innovation of my color combinations.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I enjoy when people make a connection with my art. Sometimes I make a connection with the work of other artists. I'm an artist and an art collector.  In fact, I won a painting from the Daily Paintworks Artist Spotlight.

Thanks, Marita!

© 2019 Sophie Marine