From Amy's DPW Page:Art has always been my passion, and experimenting with all kinds of media is my favorite way to spend the day. Painting, collage, mixed media, art journaling, you name it, I'll try it. Raising my four children I've tried to instill in them a love for the visual arts and music. I'm so proud of their artistic abilities and contributions. Teaching painting classes to all ages provides me the privilege of helping others create their own original artwork. Joy! (click to view gallery)
Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.
I loved drawing as a young child and would take my drawings around to neighbors asking if they’d like to buy one. The price was five cents each. Fortunately, I had kind neighbors and usually made enough to buy a gingerbread man at the bakery.
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| May Flowers (click to view) Enter to win by clicking on the link at the top of the DPW home page announcing Amy's interview. |
Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?
I had the good fortune to attend painting classes at age 12 where I learned the basics of working with oil paint. I painted only a little in high school and college, and even less as a young adult. Raising four children seemed to take all my resources. I began again in earnest in my late forties, taking classes and workshops at the Scottsdale Artists School.
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| City Lights (click to view) |
What mediums and genres have you experimented with?
Oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media. Presently I’m painting primarily in oil or pastel. Someday I hope to investigate encasutics.
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| Arizona Spring (click to view) |
Who or what inspires you most?
Vincent Van Gogh, Odilon Redon, and Wolf Kahn are a few of the artists who inspire me. Attending art exhibits and museums motivate and give new vision, as does spending time at the beach. Recently I took a workshop with Tony Allain which reignited my love for soft pastel. Tony’s work and teaching are highly inspirational.
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| Fantasy Garden (click to view) |
What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?
Making art is my priority. Life does “get in the way,” but I manage to get in my studio 5-6 days a week simply because it makes me happy to paint.
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| Fabulous Floral (click to view) |
How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?
I naturally love to experiment with materials and subjects. Currently I’m exploring more abstract themes. Sometimes I just start with patches of color on a large canvas and see where the painting wants to go.
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| Dreamland (click to view) |
What makes you happiest about your art?
This is easy. When I hear a buyer say to me, “I look at your painting every day and it makes me so happy,” or a variation of that idea, my heart swells.
Thanks, Amy!
© 2019 Sophie Marine
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