DPW Spotlight Interview: Susan Fern

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Susan's painting, "Donald Preaches" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Susan's DPW Gallery page:

Welcome! ​I have been painting for some twelve years and am largely self-taught. My concentration is on realistic still life, with works done in both oil and pastel. I sell all my originals and offer excellent quality art reproductions as well. 100% of all my sales, both originals and giclee prints, go to benefit Youth for Christ Spokane, a local non-profit that reaches out to impoverished and at-risk youth.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I am sixty years old and I had absolutely no interest at all in art for 47 years. My mother had always painted, she's the best painter I know, but with raising five children alone, had time to do very little. When she retired she took it up once again, and urged me to give it a try. I told her endlessly that it was hopeless; I would be a miserable failure.

She did not give up, and finally I gave it a try once while visiting her and was hooked immediately. My mother and I then spent several years traveling to workshops given by contemporary masters, such as Daniel Greene and Michael Shane Neal, which helped tremendously.

Note to Mom: So when are you going to join DPW??? She would break all the records in sales.

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

In 1996, I almost gave up painting as everything I produced looked awful to me. Then I was reading that many of the old masters copied works by others they admired, and I figured if it worked for them, I should try it too. So I decided to do nothing by copy works by artists I admired for a year. It worked wonders. I learned more than I can believe. You don't really study a work till you copy it. Obviously, I can't show the works, but the year of studied copying was so valuable to me.

Donald Preaches
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I started out in watercolor because it looked easy. How wrong I was. I finally gave up in frustration and turned to oil, which I continue to love. I have recently expanded to pastel. As for genres, I began with portraiture, because my mother was doing it. I loved it, but it was too exacting. Now I just do still life.

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

Portraiture fell away because, as John Singer Sargent said, "portraiture is a still life with something wrong with the mouth." Don't need that. I continue to love still life. It doesn't have opinions. And I don't have to battle the elements that landscape artists battle. I'm too big of a wimp for that.

Red Clock
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Nothing, to tell you the truth. I love my ruts. And I love still life. I've also formally given up on loosening up. It's not for me. I tried and was a miserable failure. I guess I have too uptight a personality for that! Its really freeing to figure out your own style rather than what you "should" do.

Who or what inspires you most?

Looking through the artwork of other contemporary artists. I never cease to be amazed at the beauty they find in ordinary objects.

Bumblebee
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

It is the story of my life. I have a high work ethic, and painting is fun, so I rationalize it as "work before play," which is baloney, in my case. I find I procrastinate a lot less if I have a deadline. Deadlines are good for me.

Also, having a pastel in progress is critical. I can work on it for only ten minutes, but that ten minutes is so productive because I see the work and the problems with fresh eyes. Every time I walk into my studio I always wind up saying "I can't believe I did that..." because the problems just jump out at me. Being a perfectionist, I want to fix problems, and if I have a pastel in progress, I know I can fix something in just ten minutes.

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

Pastel. I mean it. I find I can't paint more than a half hour to an hour a lot of days, and mixing my oils and cleaning up makes no sense on those days. So I took up pastel, and find even if I have only ten minutes, it is a highly productive ten minutes. If I have a lot of time in a day, I work on my oils.

Folger's
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I am the least creative person you will ever meet. I love the internet for that reason, as well as art magazines. I look through DPW every day for ideas. I don't copy the ideas, but am amazed at the creative things people paint and then use that idea to come up with a similar idea that works for me.

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

I just keep looking for ideas I have gleaned from others and then adapt them to my own style. That keeps me fresh. I don't think I have ever painted the same object twice. That helps as well.

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

The same things that have bogged me since I started painting; I am finally started to figure them out. My two problem areas are values and shapes. I discovered if I look at my painting from a very far distance, say 30 feet, it screams out its problems. Or take a photo of it and shrink it to a thumbnail on the computer and look at it. You just see the big shapes and values then. I'm often horrified with what I see.

Pool Balls
(click to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I complete a piece I am really proud of. I wasn't proud of my art for a long time. The last eighteen months, I feel I have really turned a corner and am genuinely proud of it. It also really helps when my biggest fans and biggest critics, my husband and sons, like what I do. Even better is when they request that they have it to hang in their own homes and offices!

Also, I finally had the gumption to agree to a solo show recently, my first. I was terrified no one would come, and if they did, no one would buy. The place was packed and there was a line at the cash resister. I was stunned and thrilled; it made me realize people really like my work! Now friends are asking to hang my art in their places of business, which really thrills me.

Thanks, Susan!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Kandice Keith

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Kandice's painting, "Ned" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Kandice's DPW Gallery page:

Kandice Keith is a contemporary acrylic painter living in Squamish, BC.

Kandice first starting painting with acrylics in 2002, but her passion and appreciation for art began much earlier. Growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she spent much of her childhood at the family cottage where she received the support of a creative extended family. At the age of eighteen, Kandice relocated to the West Coast, but never lost touch with those early influences - the beautiful prairies and a love for creating.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have a pretty artistic family. I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't creating one thing or another. Painting was just something I always wanted to try. In 2002, I asked for a painters kit for Christmas and enrolled in a workshop that was suggested to me by the local art supply store.

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

I can't say I have had any breaks. I worry when we go on vacation about how I will manage being away from my studio and not being able to paint. I've had more "blocks" than stops and starts I'd say.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've always worked in acrylics. I've tried acrylics that mimic oils and I really struggled with them. Fluid and full body acrylics is what I particularly like working with. I tend to use fluid acrylics for my darker or cooler tones, and full body paint for my warmer colours. I'm not sure why.

Every once in a while I feel tempted to try oils. My only reason for this would be the negative judgement I sometimes feel by other artists for using acrylics, and to try something new. I just don't think my patience could handle the slow drying nature of oils, and I'd probably make a bigger mess than what I do with the acrylics.

Ned
(click to see original image)

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

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

For the most of my artistic career, I painted using a square/pointillism technique. Gradually, I've unconsciously been dropping the squares, and now I aim for a looser look. For the first 10 years of painting, I also strictly painted landscapes. I think I was too scared to try anything else, but was getting frustrated painting landscapes in my current style. The squares were feeling restrictive, tight and took forever to paint.

In 2011, I decided that if I wanted to improve as an artist, the best way improve would be to try still life. I have seen other artists rapidly improve their skills by painting apples and oranges again and again.

In the spring of 2013, I thought I'd reach even further out of my comfort zone and try painting a hummingbird. Now, I'm painting all sorts of animals/birds and loving it. It brings back happy childhood memories and somehow makes me feel like a kid again. I love the personality and character out of the animals I paint and I can't see myself veering from it anytime soon.

Mr. Big
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I'm currently working on some owls using a similar composition. I love to be able to explore using different backgrounds and seeing how they compare with their surrounding colours, and the different looks of each bird. I often like to paint the same reference photo over and over again, as I find it has proven to be the best way for me to grow and improve as an artist. I look forward to exploring more animals, different kind of birds, maybe some sea life and hopefully more pet portraits.

Who or what inspires you most?

Family, nature and my surroundings in Squamish, BC. It's not unusual for me to see a bear in my yard, eagles or herons flying above, and I can hear the cows and roosters from the farm next door.

Patches
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I wouldn't say I procrastinate much when it comes to painting, but I often get held up by fear. Fear that the piece is going really well and I might wreck it if I go further. Or fear that I like it and nobody else will, judgement, etc. I usually will hang the partially or almost completed piece up until I get the courage to finish it up. I might take weeks, months or even years to go back to it (if I even go back to it at all).

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

I think I get a bit obsessive with my art and I always make time to paint (often at the sacrifice of other things around my house). Even if I only have a few moments, I might quickly sketch out a piece, prep a canvas, or lay a layer of glaze. Being a busy mom of three, I try and "steal" every moment I can ( I'm fortunate that my studio is just next to my toy room ). I usually paint during nap time, and I will often use a timer while I paint. I find I do my best work when I have to work quickly and stay in the moment.

Blue Feet
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I never seem to run short of ideas for paintings. I have sticky notes, and reference photos everywhere! Generally, I really try and listen to that inner voice when I think to myself, "I should try and paint a dog." It's amazing where that can lead. I've also been doing a few commissions lately. I feel honoured when someone wants a painting from one of their precious photos, usually of a sentimental subject. I enjoy the challenge of trying to incorporate their preferences, and I've learned a lot from the process.

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

I work hard at trying to push myself out of my comfort zone all the time, either in the business side of things or the actually paintings themselves. When I feel fear about trying something new, I know that I have to try it. I think it's the competitive side of me that keeps me going.

Plus, painting is what I do to avoid burnout in the rest of my life. Painting is what I do to relieve my stress, feel good, and "fill my bucket" as my six-year-old daughter would say. I also find it helps to listen to the most energizing music and dance while I paint; I'm sure I'm quite the sight!

Ted
(click to see original image)

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

I feel like I learn both emotionally and skillfully with each piece I paint. I'm trying to focus my attention on growing my art career, so I have to tackle some pretty big emotional fears and confidence issues to try and sell my work. I know that if I want to earn an income from my art, I better get over those issues pretty quickly and get used to stepping out of my comfort zone. As an artist, I feel like I've matured immensely over the past year and I attribute much of that to my painting daily.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I love the feeling I get the day after a successful late night in the studio. It's almost like Christmas morning when I wake up: I get excited, and quickly go check on the pieces from the night before to make sure that they were as good as I remembered. I may be tired, but I feel revived from a night of being in the zone, and a feeling of accomplishment from a piece. That makes me smile.

Thanks, Kandice!

© 2014 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Pamela Gatens

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Pamela's painting, "Meow's New Muffler" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Pamela's DPW Gallery page:

Pamela Gatens is an artist in the impressionist style. Working in acrylic and watercolor, she is a prolific painter and entertaining teacher. Pamela is also a Signature Member of the West Virginia Watercolor Society. She sells her work at The Greenbrier Hotel & Resort, online, and at Tamarack in Beckley, West Virginia. Her line of cat and floral cards have been best sellers for years. Pamela lives in Hillsboro, West Virginia with her husband Pat, dog Barker, and cats Pokey and Mack.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I can't remember a time when I didn't have a crayon or pencil or paintbrush in my hand. I come from a family of creative people, so art was a natural way of life for us. My early working career was in typesetting and graphic art. My first job in high school was at a little newspaper in Dallas, where the owner taught me to set type on little strips of photographic paper and then do a "paste-up" of the newspaper page. It was probably a good lesson in painting composition, I just didn't know it.

Every job I held after that was related in some way to graphic art, design or printing. My husband and I owned a graphic design business in California for almost twenty years. When we moved to West Virginia eleven years ago, I said I would start painting "seriously" - and I did.

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

We were always so busy with our business in Los Angeles, my painting times were extremely limited. But since moving to West Virginia I've been painting steadily through thick and thin!

Meow's New Muffler
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I paint now in watercolor and acrylic, mostly acrylic on canvas. I have tried oils and dabbled in mixed media including some pastel work. And if we go back a little ways, there was stained glass, ceramics, sculpture, teddybear making, lampworking, jewelry making, scroll sawing, knitting, yarn dyeing and spinning, soapmaking, fabric dyeing, and of course, sewing. I always threatened my husband that I would take up welding if he wasn't careful! Subject matter has always been cats, flowers and abstracts for me.

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

I don't know why it took me so long to settle on painting, but I am definitely hooked on water media with no chance of rehab! My kiln and wheel, along with my glass and torch have sat idle now for some time, as has the sewing machine and bottles of dye.

Prairie Petals
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I'll stick with acrylics for now. Oils have been waiting in the wings for some time, eventually I'm sure they will come into play. I also have interest in combining crayons with poured fluid acrylics and acrylic inks in my abstracts. I really want to explore larger abstract works and the figure.

Who or what inspires you most?

I love color, and take great delight in using lots of it. That's where it always starts with me. Both watercolor and acrylic are very spontaneous mediums and I love the randomness of it all. Impressionism is high on my list, as is Abstract Expressionism. I really get a thrill out of a nicely placed brushstroke on the canvas. I am constantly looking for and thinking about new color combinations, and how they can be applied to a new painting subject. Cats, too, are always in the back of my mind, tempting me to paint yet another one!

Silver Soft
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I win the prize when it comes to procrastination. From birth, I have just been the worst! My entire working career was in a deadline oriented business, which meant that everything was time sensitive. I have been accused of waiting until the last minute for everything, then seeing how fast I could get it done. Never a dull moment around our house!

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

I paint everyday, or at least I spend very few days without wet paint on canvas. Living out in the country in West Virginia is the perfect place to concentrate on painting. No neighbors, only the bears and the birds. I try to minimize my online time, which is hard since it is my main source of study and research.

I'm a morning person, so I try to paint first thing. I have learned that if the painting mood strikes, I'd better answer it and get in front of the canvas fast - no matter what time it is. Late afternoons and evenings are for the computer and reading or watching my painting videos for the umpteenth time. My sweet husband is long suffering when it comes to housework and will eat most anything I find the time to cook!

Heather and Heath
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Cats come easily - people are always emailing me photos of their cats, so reference material is never lacking. I never get tired of looking at cat photos. Florals, which I love to paint, are either from life or a conglomeration of different bouquets - mixed bouquets being my all time favorite to paint. I daydream a lot about painting, so I try to channel my "meditation" into imaginary paintings.

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

I read and study a lot. If I can't figure out how to do something, I spend the time to find out what it is I'm doing wrong, or NOT doing in most cases. Everyone has their own funny little techniques - and I love to read interesting blog posts and books on others' techniques. Being self taught is an ongoing challenge - you become both teacher and student. I also challenge myself to find new paint mixtures from a limited palette. Color needs unending study, and is my favorite subject. The best advice I ever read was "find what you do well, then do it better."

Stripes and Strokes
(click to see original image)

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

I always think I've finally settled on my "forever" palette, then discover I must tweak one of my blues to a different one, or eliminate a color because it no longer works in my color schemes. And I am reminded everyday how far I have to go in my art journey, as corny as that sounds!

What makes you happiest about your art?

My colorful paintings come from the true happiness I feel in front of the easel. There is nothing I would rather do than paint - so I guess it's just the actual process that makes me the happiest. They say if you can lose yourself in something, lose track of time and enter your own world, you should stick with it. That's what painting is for me. It also makes me happy to see the light in people's eyes when they see one of my cat paintings.

Thanks, Pamela!

© 2014 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Elizabeth Barrett

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Elizabeth's painting, "Untitled" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Elizabeth's DPW Gallery page:

Elizabeth Barrett has enjoyed a passion for painting since early childhood. She has developed much of her artistic skill and style from self-education and practice. She is especially gifted at painting portraits and still life. Barrett captures the essence of a person or animal largely through facial expression, lighting, and highly crafted detail. Currently focusing her art on the old master’s technique, she incorporates years of painting experience using a variety of methods.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

My passion for art began in 6th grade. I remember seeing a classmate draw a picture of an island and the ocean. This inspired me to learn how to draw. My first painting was a landscape I did in 7th grade. I loved to search through magazines to practice drawing and painting from references.

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

Raising 4 boys kept me busy! I used to only paint a few paintings a year. Now that they are older I am pouring more time into my work.

Untitled
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

As a child, I wanted to experiment in every area. I used acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, pen/ink and pastels. I also tried sculpting and pottery. I loved the contrast when using charcoal along with white chalk on toned paper. I did a lot more drawing and less painting when younger. Pen and ink was also a favorite of mine. I taught art for a few years and tried to bring every medium into the classroom. Currently, I only work in oils and paint pet portraits, animals, still life, and figures/portraits. Once in awhile I will paint a landscape.

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

About twenty years ago, I purchased a Bob Ross paint kit and moved into oils. I never went back to painting with acrylic. My goal has always been to learn how to paint in realism. I found this was easiest using oils. I also like the opposite look of using a palette knife.

Owl
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

It has been a long time since I have done drawings. Recently I have thought about getting back into creating charcoal drawings.

Who or what inspires you most?

Above all, creation inspires me the most. I love to paint animals with character and people. I think the Lord laughed many times as he created. Every day something catches my eye that I would love to paint. As far as artists go, Bouguereau has been a great inspiration for me. He has been one of many artists I have studied to learn the techniques in painting.

Child Portrait
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

There is always something else to do... a TV series to watch, recipes to try, Pinterest to search. It is always more fulfilling to focus on my work and get a lot done.

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

I try to limit my computer time and stay focused on my work. It is a battle between learning and working. If I am busy all day, I make sure to make time in the evening to paint.

Emu
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Usually, it will be something that I see that inspires me to paint it. My eye is always on the lookout for interesting subjects with a lot of character. I also like to paint visions and dreams. This is an area I plan to do more of in the future. Up until now, I have mostly painted people and animals. I really enjoy painting still life and plan to set up an area in my home to make it easier to paint them.

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

Before finishing a painting, I always put it away for a day and come back to it the next day to do the final touches. Sometimes walking away from a painting and coming back to it will give you more perspective on improvements that can be made. I like to “turn the lights on” by strengthening the highlights and shadows as I add details. I am always working on more than one painting at a time. I give myself plenty of breaks as I work through the layers.

Boo
(click to see original image)

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

I am pretty much a self taught artist. I took a couple of art classes, but most of what I know is from research and practice. I like to study the techniques and the paintings of the old masters. I will always be in the process of learning and improving my techniques.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I am very blessed to have a gift that allows me to paint what God has created. It’s a good feeling to make something for others to enjoy.

Thanks, Elizabeth!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Karen Johnston

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Karen's painting, "Spring Celebration" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Karen's DPW Gallery page:

I live in Napier, New Zealand with my husband. It's a great place to live and I love what I am doing everyday! I draw inspiration from my surroundings. I enjoy painting a variety of subjects to bring interest to life around me and share a way of seeing and feeling. There is beauty everywhere if you take the time to look.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

All my life I have been drawing, painting, or doing other creative projects. I started getting serious about painting a little over twenty years ago. A friend invited me to go to a pastel class and that was it! I decided I needed some paintings for our home we had just bought, so that was the start.

From there I joined a local art club and took further lessons in watercolors and silk painting. Then, I studied part time for a couple of years to gain a diploma in drawing. The silk painting took over for a few years until I was introduced to acrylics and oils, the oils won out. I have been using them ever since, I love the smooth buttery texture.

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

I slowed down a few times because of work and other commitments, but never stopped completely.

Spring Celebration
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have tried pastel, pencil, charcoal, batik, silk paints, pen and ink, watercolor, acrylic and oil. My subjects are varied, I seem to do more still life, flowers, animals and landscape, but I have tried a few figurative paintings.

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

Most mediums have fallen away. I still draw and sometimes use watercolor but oil is the one that has stuck.

Loaded Brush
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to explore watercolors a bit more, I know it's not an easy medium but I think the challenge would be good for me.

Who or what inspires you most?

Kathleen Dunphy, she has beautiful light in her work. Also, Daily Painters Carol Marine, Karin Jurick and Qiang Huang; they were my inspiration for starting daily painting. Many things inspire me, but mostly light and color.

New Keys
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination for me is having too many ideas running around in my head. I have to pull the reins and focus on what really excites me, I find that difficult at times.

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

Being organized (most of the time) having set times and following a daily routine. I work best late morning until late afternoon.

Simple Pleasures
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

My ideas usually come from my surroundings in everyday life wherever I am. It could be when I'm out walking the dog, the food market or just around home. I may get an idea and follow it up with sketches or set up a still life, other times I take photos!

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

I like different subjects and paint what I love and feel excited about, if I don't it just doesn't work! I change things around a bit as well, I will draw or paint larger pieces. Regular breaks are great to avoid burnout. Whenever I take a day off, I feel relaxed and energized, then I find ideas start to flow.

Miss Daisy
(click to see original image)

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

I am learning to let go of things that aren't working and embrace the small things that make life worthwhile. I don't have to paint like anyone else and when I paint from my heart it's personal so I feel it's my best work.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Just painting and being lucky enough to do what I love.

Thanks, Karen!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Darlene Mowatt

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Darlene's painting, "Apples 2" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Darlene's DPW Gallery page:

Creating art has been a lifelong odyssey requiring discipline and adventure. Over fifteen years ago, my focus turned to oil painting as a permanent medium. It’s so versatile and well-suited for my vision and working process. These small paintings bring me so much joy and a sense of ongoing accomplishment.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

In high school, my drawings were comparable to paintings: the whole thing would be shaded edge to edge. They were always large; my art teacher would give me paper cut from the 36” wide rolls that they used in school. I didn’t have art supplies but #2 pencils were pretty easy to come by. For some reason, seeing value in black and white was easy, transferring those values to color has been a challenge.

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

No, this has always been my passion.

Apples 2
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I owned and operated an art supply store and custom framing shop. In this industry, manufacturers offered training and support on products and techniques. Thanks to them my knowledge was substantial. Finding the right medium that suits your personality and working process is very important, so you need to try many things. Still life and landscape have been my most consistent subjects done in pencil and watercolor. Oil is my favorite medium. My recent dabbles have been in cold wax oil and it may be very suited for some of my landscape visions.

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

Oils have stuck for me personally and they are so versatile that it doesn’t seem possible to run out of new ideas or applications for this medium. Nothing ever falls away for me there are so many great ways to make art and so many great products. I don’t want to forget how to help others on their art journey.

Delectable
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

In January, my travels will take me to Nashville, TN to attend a work shop with Maggie Siner. I love her paintings and how she breaks up color fields with her brush strokes. I want to learn her thoughts and process. At some point, people or portraits are in my sights as subjects.

Who or what inspires you most?

David E. Weaver lived in West Virginia. We were traveling through the state and by accident stumbled upon his studio. In his studio were the most beautiful oil paintings I had ever laid my eyes on. We were destined to meet: three months later he was in Ann Arbor Michigan teaching a workshop. That was the beginning of my journey into oils and a mentorship that lasted until his untimely death.

Raspberries
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

My motto use to be “if it weren’t for the last minute, I wouldn’t get anything done.” Does this make me a procrastinator? I am always busy; being idle is not part of my being.  Sometimes too many idea’s float around in my head and that can feel like procrastination, but I like to call it thinking.

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

Just this year I have became a full time painter. I work Monday – Friday in my studio. Creating the small paintings fills my idle time between the larger paintings and gives me a sense of accomplishment that did not exist before. I feel like a real artist now that I treat it like a job.

Hunky-Dory
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

My daily paintings come mostly from my kitchen and garden. My larger works represent my passion for the outdoors. Still lives in the Flemish style David Weaver taught me are a constant subject in my studio. Plein air is another style of painting that I practice. Sometimes, it’s just color or the drama you can create in values and not necessarily about a subject.

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

At any given time, my studio has two to four paintings in progress and I jump around from one to the other. No two are painted in the same style; that is challenging and keeps me engaged.

Bowl with an Egg
(click to see original image)

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

Maggie’s workshop is coming up in January and I love how she handles her color fields. Hopefully, this will be something that suits my style of painting and will be useful. This excites me right now. Carol Marine’s workshop taught me so much and continues to make me think in new ways; that is the greatest gift one artist can give another. Seeking new skills, thoughts and techniques is ongoing.

What makes you happiest about your art?

It is my life passion to study and create art and that makes me happy. The bonus is when someone appreciates your hard work and wants to own one.

Thanks, Darlene!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Liz Pasqualini

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Liz's painting, "Barefoot is Better" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Liz's DPW Gallery page:

Liz Pasqualini lives in Sydney Australia. She is a graphic designer by trade, but has recently quit her day job. She has decided to throw herself into the extreme sport of Oil painting and try to make a living out of her art.

She paints a variety of different subjects, often inspired by the beach culture of Australia. Small narratives of people enjoying the outdoors. Recently she has been inspired to start doing still lifes. She paints in oil, mostly on board and loves colour. Her paintings are generally 'alla prima' (painted in one sitting, and wet on wet).

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I always loved drawing, but never really did much painting other than when I was at school in Art Class way back in the 80’s. I only really started in 2008 when I enrolled in a Fine Arts Diploma and they had a painting class.

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

Since I actually started painting in 2008, I have been doing it as a hobby going to classes about once a week. But just recently in the last 3 months, I have made a commitment to take it seriously and try and paint every day. That was why I was so intrigued to discover Daily Paintworks. So I haven’t really had any stops and starts since 2008, it has just steadily taken over my world.

Barefoot is Better
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I’ve tried watercolours, but that was a complete disaster. I’ve tried acrylics but it really frustrates me how the paint dries so quickly. As soon as I tried oils, I loved them, although I have ended up with quite a few muddy messy paintings in the learning process. As for genres, figurative work is definitely my first love, something with a bit of a narrative aspect. I have lately been doing some still life work and I am really enjoying that too.

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

I work exclusively in oils now and 90% on board. The paint just seems to flow so nicely on board.

Oranges and Lemons
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Hmmm, I think I’ll stick to oils. I really feel like I've only just begun to find my way with them, and I still have so much to learn. As for genres, that’s a journey that you can’t really predict. I would like to try and do more portraits.

Who or what inspires you most?

Everything! Its hard to pin it down. I love looking at other paintings, I love to paint people, I love bright colors, I love the contrast of light and dark, I love reflections... and so it goes on. I do really like to paint what I see, I have never really been drawn to abstract work.

A Working Woman
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination is such a weird thing. I love painting, so why do I sometimes find every reason in the book not to sit down and paint? I hate to be interrupted once I start a painting, so I convince myself that I am just trying to get all distractions out of the way before I start. However when you find yourself tidying up the linen cupboard before you start painting you start to think you’re kidding yourself.

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

I paint Monday to Friday and treat it like my job. So if I’m not actually painting, I’m out looking for ideas, sketching, visiting galleries or spending way too much time at the art shop. I get really frustrated if I don’t settle down to paint at some point during the day.

Sydney Tourist
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I just look around at my immediate surroundings, I have been drawn to still lifes lately and you can always put together an interesting little still life. I try not to fuss to much about what to paint, it is much more important to me just to actually paint something, anything, once you start it takes on a life of its own.

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

When I'm feeling flat and uninspired, a trip to the art gallery will always make me enthusiastic again.

Baby Elephant
(click to see original image)

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

I think I’m still trying to master my technical skills as an artist, so I am very focused on daily painting as a way to improve my skills. I do want to move on to doing larger work, but only when I feel confident with the small paintings.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The actual physical process, it is a form of meditation. You are so completely in the moment when you are painting, that is your whole world for those few hours. But the absolute best is when you are finished and the painting has really come together successfully, that is just sheer euphoria.

Thanks, Liz!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Catherine Temple

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Catherine's painting, "Rocky Bluff Chipmunk" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Catherine's DPW Gallery page:

Paint what you know, paint what you love...

Seems I’ve heard this somewhere before and for me what I know and love are first and foremost, wild creatures, with wild places and canine companions vying for second place.

Spending time with nature is a great passion for me, one that fills me with joy and amazement at all the variety of colors, textures and patterns. I am fortunate to live in an area of diverse habitat from rugged canyons, to beautiful rivers, to forested mountains as well as local parks and habitat areas. My daily walks and weekend outings are a constant source of painting ideas as well as providing me with interesting adventures. Every one of my paintings has a story behind it which you can read about on my blog.

Creating my art brings me great joy and allows me to use the gift that God gave me to create something beautiful and meaningful for others. It is my hope that my art may stir an emotion, spark a memory or cause someone to slow down and take a moment to consider how incredibly blessed we are to live in a world of such beauty and diversity. If my art can do that, then I have done my job well.

Visit my blog/website: www.catherinetempleart.com

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have been creating art for as long as I could hold a crayon! Family members tell stories about how they kept me quiet by challenging me to draw an object or animal and I would happily sit for hours concentrating on copying what I saw to the best of my abilities. When I got a little older I would wander off to the fields and pastures around our house with my sketchbook and draw bugs, birds, dogs, animals...whatever nature offered up was fair game. I was fascinated by everything and I guess I felt compelled to record what I saw.

I took courses through high school, but really have no formal training. I have taken some workshops, but have largely taught myself to paint by studying books or other works of art and by a lot of trial and error.

Rocky Bluff Chipmunk
(click to see original image)

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

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

No, not really. No matter what else was going on in my life creating art has always been a part of it, even if it wasn't the main part. I have not always pursued it as a profession, sometimes it was just for me. I have changed directions with it several times, but I've never stopped. It keeps evolving and sometimes slides more into the background, but it never stops.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have experimented with oils, colored pencils, graphite pencil, watercolor and acrylic. I have painted wildlife and people and dabbled in landscapes.

Sunrise Sentinel
(click to see original image)

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

Really the only one that I have given up is oils. I never cared for the smell or that they took so long to dry, but the ability to blend the colors more was nice. Since my style is very detailed and realistic I enjoy working with mediums that I have a certain degree of control over. Each one has certain characteristics that are useful to achieve certain effects. I love the good old pencil for it's classic simplicity and it's a good packable tool for field studies. I work now mainly in water media. I use watercolor and gouache for field studies and some finished work, but have been experimenting more with acrylic the last few years and have really come to enjoy that medium.

My subject matter is almost always some sort of bird or animal now. I started with that when I was young then went into doing portraits of people for awhile, but never enjoyed it as much. I've done a lot of pet portraits in the past and that is still the source of many of my commissions, but going back to wildlife is the direction I'm heading now. It just makes more sense. I'm an avid outdoor enthusiast so wildlife painting is like second nature to me.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I'd like to explore mixed media and learn to paint in a looser style just for fun. I've been painting in such detail for so long I'm not sure I could totally embrace a more "painterly" style, but it would be fun to step out of the norm for a bit.

Whitetail Fawn
(click to see original image)

Who or what inspires you most?

I'm am totally inspired by all of God's creation! He is an incredible artist! When I look at the design of our natural world.....wow! Take for instance how a birds feathers are created, how the barbs hook together, how they overlap like shingles to shed water, retain heat, provide lift for them to fly.....just amazing. Everything has a purpose. When I see those things and study those things it makes me want to create something to share with others, to maybe make God visible to a world that doesn't see him, yet we are surrounded by him every day. All we have to do is look outside!

What does procrastination look like for you?

Because I love the outdoors so much sometimes I can get distracted just exploring the beauty of it all. I can be sitting at my drawing table which faces a window into the garden and some interesting bird might fly into the feeder, or a hummingbird is zipping from zinnia to zinnia and the next thing I know I HAVE to be outside, watching, listening, learning, taking photos or making sketches and the project at hand waits.

One Snowy Day
(click to see original image)

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

Usually having a deadline of some sort or a commission keeps me at my drawing table.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I look out my window. I go for walks. A lot of time I have unusual or memorable encounters with the birds or wildlife and there's always a good story to tell. That's when I create a painting and write about the story behind it on my blog. Writing about it personalizes it and many folks really enjoy the story behind the art. It helps them connect with the piece because maybe they can say "Yes! I've seen that, too!" or "That's happened to me, too!"

Rufous and Trumpetvine
(click to see original image)

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

I study a lot. Every bird or creature I paint I want to know more about. I could have easily become a wildlife biologist. I guess I would describe myself as a naturalist now. I have a huge curiosity about everything. I study a lot of other painters, too, and if I see a technique I like I try to find out how to do that, adapt it into my own work if possible. There's always something new to learn so I never get bored!

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

The biggest hurdle I have to learn is how to market myself better and how to believe in myself more and trust that God gave me these gifts for a reason. I'm learning all the time how best to use those gifts.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Sharing it with others especially if I can share the story behind it, too. If I can use my art to bring joy, spark a memory, stir an emotion or give someone an intimate look at something they may not have an opportunity to see then I'm thrilled.

Thanks, Catherine!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Lisa Daria

Each week we will spotlight a different DPW artist who will give away one of their best paintings.

To enter to win Lisa's painting, "1643 Begin" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing her interview.

From Lisa's DPW Gallery page:

After 1,000 days of painting every day (including Christmas), I've no intention of stopping. For me, daily painting is a daily appreciation for living via the canvas. I'm a young adult cancer survivor so I have a persistence to make sure every day matters. Daily painting has become a reminder every day can bring with it reason. My optimism and perception have become part of the process of creating each day without reservation or excuse. The finished painting represents a consistently positive and stabilizing presence of my view of my immediate surroundings.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I first started painting 1,653 days ago.

As a young adult cancer survivor, I was looking for a way to journal and document each day without writing. I had always been attracted to artist John Evans' trash postcards. Evans collected trash every day on his way to work for 35 years and made one small postcard a day from those findings - he only missed one day because he was sick.

I decided I would emulate Evans by collecting trash during my daily walk with the dog. But the trash was disgusting (I don't know what I was expecting) and I didn't even make it home with my first day's findings; I couldn't stand touching it. At this time I noticed daily painters online and when the trash collecting failed, I decided to try daily painting as a way to visually record each day.

1643 Begin
(click to see original image)

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

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

I have had a lot of starts and stops over the years in painting, including a year as a painting major in undergrad. That year was really hard because I didn't know how to paint! I was also an illustration major, but I avoided wet media because I always ended up with mud. When I graduated from college, Photoshop was just becoming popular and I discovered if I painted with digital media I could achieve clarity with color. Painting digitally allowed me to explore my ideas and work commercially without being frustrated by the media. Also, because digital was so new, the possibilities seemed endless, and still are. But, for me, I still wanted to also paint traditionally because I wanted to have one original.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Oh dear, here goes... I have worked with many different mediums in what I believe to be a search for my one favorite. It turns out, I do not have just one favorite. I started with pen and ink, which was highly detailed and painted with watercolor which was very loose. I have used scratchboard, colored pencil, charcoal, pencil and encaustics. I had a brief time with sculpture, both plaster and welding metal. I've also experimented a little with film, video and photography. As far as paint, I now only use acrylic and oil, but have tried just about everything. Also, pottery. Did I mention wheel throwing (some things should just be forgotten, I think!)? As far as genre, currently, I have two studio practices in which I explore working direct from observation and narrative.

#1038 Forward
(click to see original image)

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

Everything has stuck except welding and encaustics (and wheel throwing, I keep forgetting about that).

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I am looking forward to exploring all the ones I haven't tried yet.

Who or what inspires you most?

There are so many things to list, so I'll make some subcategories.

What inspires me the most:
Attending artist talks and lectures are my favorite things to do. Of course, going to museums to revisit permanent collections as well as seeing current exhibits is also a favorite. I enjoy reading anything about other artists, like interviews, statements and criticism. I find fiction writing and films inspiring as well.

Who inspires me the most:
Five artists who inspire me that work with daily ritual as practice: On Kawara, Roman Opalka, Danica Phelps, Emese Benczürn and Ignasi Aballi

Five contemporary artists (not painters) who inspire me:
Miranda July, Cindy Sherman, Martha Rosler, Caleb Cole, Candy Chang

Some contemporary painters who inspire me:
Dana Schutz, Helen Verhoeven, Amy Sillman, Florine Stettheimer, Cecily Brown, Neo Rauch, Peter Doig, Vera Iliatova, Jackie Gendel

1583 All This
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination for me equals two walks and one oatmeal scone.

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

I follow a daily schedule. I allot 5-8 a.m. for my daily painting, then move into the studio working in one hour increments on other work. I take breaks after each one hour session to answer emails, etc. Identifying and removing distractions is the technique that has worked best to ensure I make time for my work.

#1045 Two Jars, One Ledge
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

The idea for the direct from observation work is that I never look too far for something to paint. I respond to my surroundings.

The narrative work is an exploration of a theme, and that theme is what drives the desire to paint every day. I gather a lot of images from every day and art history and repurpose them to tell a story. Discovering contemporary artists who bridge painting and narrative with an illustrative approach has been most interesting lately.

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

I avoid burnout by simply keeping in mind, that I must show up for the job.

Attending artist talks and lectures can break a rut as well as looking at film. I also collage found images to expand what I already know.

1121 After but Before
(click to see original image)

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

I am learning that I work the best with rules.

I have set parameters for the daily painting project, such as using a limited acrylic palette, creating the paintings alla prima and working only from direct observation.

Contrarily, in the narrative work I have rules that are the opposite of the daily painting project. The narrative paintings are both additive and subtractive in process (I often use a sander). Instead of working and completing the painting in only one sitting, they take months to finish. I use oil and do not limit my palette. The paintings includes figures, deep space and are not limited to only direct observation.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Daily ritual as practice and the search for something unexpected.

Thanks, Lisa!

© 2013 Sophie Marine