DPW Spotlight Interview: Elaine Hahn

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


From Elaine's DPW Page:

Elaine Hahn, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, holds a BA and MA in Art from the University of Missouri, and has studied with noted artists throughout the United States, England and Mexico. Her early career was influenced by her experience at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. She is a Signature member of the Paint America Association Signature Society, the Florida Plein Air Society, a member of the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, and is a Signature member of the American Watercolor and the National Watercolor Societies. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I loved drawing at a very young age. My mother would put me in classes at the Kansas City Art Museum for kids in the summer. I went on from there to study art and get my degrees in art.

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

I was a Marine Corps wife and moved every three years. That made many starts and stops for twenty years.

River View
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you worked with and which have stuck and which have fallen away?

In school I tried most every medium from print making to encaustic wax painting. This was good because I knew I favored drawing and painting. I chose oil painting at first. A group of artists in Virginia, where I lived then, started an Art Co-Op where we taught classes and on the main floor had a gallery. That group still exists in Occaquan, Va. I was teaching print making and pastels at the time. The Watercolor artist left, and my students asked me to teach Watercolors. I had just seen a watercolor demo by the famous artist, John Pike, while attending a pastel workshop and he made it look so easy. I said I would try!! That started my twenty year journey with Watercolors.

Bushels of Crabs
(click to view)

Who inspired you the most?

I’ve taken workshops from many artists and was inspired by them all. Albert Handel and Kevin MacPherson were two of my favorites. I also really admire Richard Schmid and have learned a lot from just reading his books.

Feeding Time
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I’m great at this!! I read the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and had to laugh. I fit right in!  A great book on how to deal with procrastination for artists.

Hull Reflections
(click to view)

How have you dealt with burn out in your career?

After spending my twenty years in Watercolors, I felt I needed a change, as I was getting burned out. It was a big one!! - back to Oils and painting Plein Air. At that point, I needed to get out of the studio, experiment and also try a different medium while painting outdoors. I loved it and did many Plein Air events and saw a lot of beautiful places where I painted.

Then after several years, I came full circle back to the studio, still working in oils but, doing Still Lifes instead of landscapes. It was at this time I found Daily Paintworks. This really helped motivate me to do a painting a day for many months. I really know that this challenge was a big help for me. Often times now when I feel stuck I go back to that challenge of a painting a day. All artists should all be very thankful for this Daily Paintworks site.

Sparkle
(click to view)

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

Now I am motivated by doing paintings that I feel are worthy of entering into national shows. Subject matter is usually coastal oriented (we live on the water in Florida) or Still Lifes.

Sunset Glow
(click to view)

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I paint for hours and time flies and everything goes amazingly right. I wish more moments like this happened. Also, when someone appreciates my paintings or loves them enough to buy it.

Thanks, Elaine!

© 2019 Sophie Marine