DPW Spotlight Interview: Jennifer Krentz

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

From Jennifer's DPW Page:

Having grown up in an artistic household, art has always been a part of my life. I've studied, taught, sold, bought, etc, etc. Not a day goes by that I don't think about painting or making something.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I grew up in an artistic family so was always around it and had access to materials. It has just been a part of life for as long as I’ve known. I don’t ever recall a decision to paint… artistic urges were always present.

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

Oh, gosh, yes. Other things in life would take the forefront. Other life paths called to me, but I always came back to art in one way or another, whether selling my own, or selling others, or teaching, or just making things for myself. Creativity was often the loyal friend I probably took for granted and didn’t always appreciate as much as I should have.

Starlight
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I love anything that comes in colors. Watercolor, gouache, oil, colored pencil, ink, crayons, ceramic paint, paper, fabric, clay… I’ve experimented with a lot. Back when I was in college some 30+ years ago, I started painting on cookies with food coloring. I still do them to this day. If something could be painted, I’ve probably tried it… even if it was using the wrong paint on the wrong surface. I suppose I would say I love to do both “serious” and fun. I love a good still life, but I also love drawing/painting characters.

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

The main mediums that have stuck are oil and gouache. I rediscovered gouache a few years ago when I was invited to participate in the Giant Robot Post-It Show. I hadn’t really used it much since college but rediscovered something special about it. It works with how I work.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I inherited my mother’s kiln and am hoping to get it hooked up one day. I have fond memories of working with clay.

Who or what inspires you most?

Everything. Everything can be looked at from a different angle and seen a different way. Everything talks to us in some way.

The Aftermath
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Argh… procrastination for me comes when I think there is only one way forward and someone is waiting at the end to bust my chops for not getting it right. It stops me cold… and then I need to remind myself that this is fun, and that there are many roads that take you to the end, and all roads are valid, just as all ends are valid.

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

It used to be scheduling time and sticking to it, but that’s not a problem anymore now that I don’t have school-age kids. Now, it’s just telling the art demons to be quiet when they’re being particularly loud and want me to stop. Sometimes I encourage them to paint with me.

Spring Ahead
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I see something that is intriguing and feel I need to paint it. I like riddles, so sometimes I’ll see something that looks challenging and I have to figure out how to do it. I’m always painting in my mind. A lot of the time, the ideas are just dropped into my head. I’m very appreciative of that.

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

Taking a break helps, long and short. If one painting isn’t working, work on another. Using different mediums helps, as well as changing up the genres. I just keep doing stuff and the ideas and excitement will generally come.

Lychees
(click to view)

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

I’d say the biggest thing I’ve realized in my later years was that what I viewed as my mistakes were really my style. I’ve also realized I’m nowhere near finished, thank goodness.

What makes you happiest about your art?

What makes me happiest is that I still love doing it, and I’m still improving every day. There are still wonderful surprises around the corner. I wish I could go back and tell my younger self a lot of this, but I’m glad I’ve realized now. Better late than never!

Thanks, Jennifer!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Jeff Strzelczyk

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

From Jeff's DPW Page:

Hello Car Lovers. I am an amateur automotive artist using 100% acrylics on canvas. I love car design and found my calling with my Car Portraits and other Automotive art designs. I started out when I bought a Mustang early in 2018 and decided to paint it. From there it just took off and within 8 months have created over 100 individual paintings of all sizes. Most working off pictures from online but I do commission work for personal automobiles. I also have dabbling with movie cars and car chases to expand my portfolio. Thank you for viewing my works.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I'm a little different than a lot of artists on the site as I had only been painting for about six or seven years when I met my girlfriend who is also an artist. Before that I mainly did craft projects with paper and decorating old coffee tables using spray paint and stencils. I didn't realize that I could paint because I was never one to enjoy drawing. I started painting cars about a year and a half ago when I did my own car, then I just kept going.

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

For me painting is strictly a hobby. I'm a physical therapist by trade and still work full time, painting in the evenings and on weekends. There hasn't been any major stops along the way unless I need to step away for a few days. As long as people enjoy the cars I will keep painting.

Green Bug
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

As far as mediums I have only used acrylics. Oils are too messy and water colors don't allow me to get the straight lines I need for the cars. I started with just painting "car portraits" but have branched into painting race scenes, movie car chases, movie cars, etc. All my paintings with the exception of a few have some sort of automobile in them.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I do want to experiment with pours at some point and incorporate them into the car portraits. I think that would be fun.

Dream Road Trip
(click to view)

Who or what inspires you most?

Mustangs, Corvettes, GTOs, Challengers, VWs, etc. My girlfriend is my best inspiration and my best critic. Without her I wouldn't be painting.

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

Like I mentioned this is a hobby for me so when I feel like painting I paint. When I don't feel like it I do some of the other things I like to do like cycling, reading, puzzles. Of course there's the whole day job thing that keeps me busy as well.

Vintage Speed
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I paint the cars I would love to drive someday. I'm also a huge movie buff so anything car related in the movies is fair game. Lately I have been finding ways to incorporate a car into whatever "Call to Artist" events come around in my area such as a Hippy Bus for a Woodstock theme or cars named after animals for a zoo animal event. I'm always up for a challenge and for the most part have no fear when I paint.

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

The nice thing about cars is that there are plenty of gearheads out there that love their four wheeled babies. I don't think that will ever change.

Let's Keep Going
(click to view)

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

Windshield wipers, headlights and tire treads are hard.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Seeing a classic car come to life on the canvas. Seeing people enjoy what I do. Enjoying that I have this ability.

Winter Sting
(click to view)

Thanks, Jeff!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Barbie Smith

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

From Barbie's DPW Page:

A native of California, Barbie Smith is an oil painter whose love of color and beauty is reflected in her work. She finds inspiration in the endless wonder of God's creation and tries to reflect that beauty in her paintings. She looks for any subject with a strong design element including patterns of light and shadow or bold contrast of color or value. Her work is often described as that which evokes a sense of peacefulness and tranquility for the viewer. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Art has always been an important part of my life. Drawing was my favorite activity as a child and when I began college I had the opportunity to pursue an education in art. At that time we were encouraged to paint with Acrylics. I learned some of the fundamentals of painting and even painted some murals but eventually I decided to get my degree in nursing.

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

Raising my three children became my focus for many years. I served as art docent in their school and designed the sets for musical productions at our church but the desire to paint never left. I would wander through galleries and think to myself, “I could do this” but I really needed someone to get me started. I was actually wandering through a gallery when I met someone who would do just that. She was painting a demo and I was captivated by her beautiful work. I began to take lessons in oil painting and since then I have pursued art with a passion.

Still Standing
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I was introduced to acrylics in my college years and they were great for mural painting. I took a few lessons in watercolor but fell in love with oils after my first lesson. I have tried water soluble oils for traveling but I prefer traditional oils. I have painted landscape, cityscape, coastal, animals and recently have begun to devote more time to still life. It is quite a challenge to choose and arrange the objects, decide on a color scheme and lighting and then paint from life. I also belong to several plein air groups.

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

Today I only paint with oils and still enjoy the many genres that I mentioned above. There are so many subjects that excite me and I like the freedom to explore and paint anything that inspires me.

Last Light at Point Lobos
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

The medium that I really want to explore next is gouache. From what I understand it is similar to both watercolor and acrylic having some of the characteristics of both. I have a brand new set of gouache and I’m looking forward to learning the techniques so I can have another option for plein air painting.

Who or what inspires you most?

The beauty of God’s creation is my inspiration and since I have become a painter my appreciation for nature and my surroundings has grown immensely. I especially love peaceful countryside landscapes, vineyards, and gardens, as well as the architecture of houses, buildings, fountains and statues. I am also inspired by the work of other artists and especially those who paint in an expressive, painterly style.

Together
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination is something I struggle with every day as I watch precious hours slip away while repeatedly checking my phone or doing another google search. Having high expectations for my paintings keeps me from getting right to work but I am learning not to expect perfection. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

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

Approaching each new painting as practice rather than performance helps me to relax and enjoy the process. Getting to the easel as early as possible helps me to make time for painting. That way I don’t let other things steal my time and leave me feeling frustrated and defeated. If I paint early then I feel I have accomplished my purpose for the day and I like to set my finished painting in the kitchen so I can look at it while I am cooking or cleaning and feel a sense of satisfaction.

Victorian Charm
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

There is nothing more frustrating than to have the time to paint but no idea what to paint. Choosing what to paint the day before keeps me from wasting precious time. Keeping a photo file of my most inspirational photos can help me to avoid endless scrolling through years of images. Most of my ideas come from places that I have visited or sightseeing trips with my husband. I am very intentional when I visit an area about keeping my eyes open and my camera ready. Fortunately, my husband doesn’t mind pulling over or turning the car around so I can take pictures of the cows by the roadside or the light on the vineyards. I also like to paint on location as often as possible so I will scout the area and take photos before I begin. Painting isn’t always about finding the perfect scene or subject but about bringing out the hidden beauty that may not be obvious.

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

Keeping my art fresh means keeping it simple and not overworking it or adding more detail than it needs. It means putting the paint down intentionally and not second guessing my myself. Trying new techniques, studying other artists, taking workshops and visiting museums all help to bring new life to my art.

On Your Toes
(click to view)

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

Recently I have been learning to put more paint down and manipulate it as if I were sculpting with paint. This allows me to play with the paint and see what it can do instead of being fearful of making a mistake.

What makes you happiest about your art?

My art gives me something to look forward to every day. It takes my mind to a peaceful place where my focus is on beauty. There is never ending potential for growth and learning and great satisfaction when someone tells me how much they enjoy having my art in their home.

Thanks, Barbie!

© 2019 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Donna Theresa

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

From Donna's DPW Page:


As an emerging artist, I am choosing to see my surroundings differently. Whereas before, I glimpsed at the face of my loved one or a stranger on the street, an everyday apple or pear, or the hazy hills in the distance; today I see shape, value, texture, movement, and thus emotion and narrative. I imagine how I might render these observations and then I practice... I do not surrender to the voice of comparison. I carry on in a spirit of curiosity and gratitude that I may find my way. On that journey, I ultimately find a part of myself undiscovered. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

My passion for pastels started in a community college drawing class about three years ago. The instructor was introducing color using the pastel medium. I took one swipe of a chromatic orange stick and I remember thinking... "Now THIS is fun!" From there, I obsessively began learning online through Youtube tutorials from the best and most generous artists in our medium. I began entering exhibitions and getting accepted and it grew from there!

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

I paint daily... hence my membership in DPW! The only stops and starts in my budding painting career are a result of travel or other obligations.

Nuthatch
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have taken figure drawing classes using graphite and charcoal. I experiment with underpainting mediums like watercolor, acrylic inks, and clear gesso for creating texture. I started with landscape paintings, dabbled in some still life, and recently moved into figurative genre painting birds... I challenged myself to a personal "painting a day" in January 2019 and produced quite a collection of lovely little birds!

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

Of those mediums, I am still passionate about pastels. I exclusively paint in pastel. My genre passion is landscape depicting seasons and I am particularly fond of marshlands. Along with that, I am still painting birds.

At Peace
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to stretch myself into mixed media using collage and pastel someday. I am a representational artist with an impressionistic style... I would like to explore taking that into the expressionistic and abstract.

Who or what inspires you most?

Nature inspires me most. I am an avid bird watcher... an activity I share with my husband. I am constantly looking at the natural world around me and thinking to myself, "How could I render that?'

Joy
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

So I am one of the most industrious persons I know. Procrastination is not in my vocabulary! I have always been this way.

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

Staying organized in my personal life, managing the household (I have two adult children who live here while on break from college, and four cats!!) early in the day, practicing my piano before noon, eating a good lunch and then spending the afternoon in my studio with a good cup of coffee, listening to a book on tape or to classical music... That is my perfect day.

Poppy Abstract
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

My ideas come from my observations of the natural world.  I study other artists that I admire and glean ideas from them. I participate in a small private art group where we have a weekly painting challenge on a particular subject or genre. I also love to look back at photos from our family travels around the world.

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

How do I keep my art fresh... I experiment with various underpainting techniques. I paint small and often. I often paint alla prima (all at once)... I have yet to burn out. You see, I am a retired nurse by profession, a mom of two adult college children, and this new passion is just that... NEW! I play piano, dance ballet, study french and have been known to perform improv comedy... nothing holds my attention like painting with pastels. At the easel or out in the field, I never think about anything except my next mark.

Evening Time
(click to view)

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

Right now I am learning to do only what I want to do... I am letting go of trying to make a business out of art making because I really don't enjoy that aspect of being an artist. I will promote my work and share my work in the manner that suits me, like posting to DPW, participating in national and international exhibitions, and being an Open Studio artist once a year here in lovely Santa Cruz, California. I am letting go of comparison and staying in the spirit of curiosity... which ultimately leads to my joy.

What makes you happiest about your art?

What makes me happiest about my art is the vibrant color that the pastel medium affords me!!! There is nothing more exciting than taking a stick of a luscious soft pastel stick and making a big bold mark on a fresh piece of sanded paper! Makes me giddy. :) I also, love to share my work with others because I want to share the joy of art making with everyone.

Thanks, Donna!

© 2019 Sophie Marine