DPW Spotlight Interview: Liz Zornes

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, "Rocky Mountain Meadows" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Liz's DPW Gallery Page:

I live in Dallas Texas and enjoy painting with oils in my spare time. I am primarily a self-taught artist and like experimenting with different styles, although I prefer strong, bold colors and at times use a palette knife for additional texture in my paintings. As I work for a state representative, my free time is non-existent during legislative sessions and after my second session in 2007 I realized it was time to start painting on a regular basis - otherwise the crazy stress of working in politics is going to do me in! I have five wonderful children, and four beautiful grandchildren. They are all very supportive of my art, as is my fabulous husband, Ken, the light of my life. I believe everyone is artistic in some way and I would always encourage anyone I meet to follow your heart when it comes to artistic expression. You will never be sorry! (click to view bio)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I started painting in 2006 after a particularly challenging legislative session, where I work as Chief of Staff to a Texas state legislator.  I realized that I needed a creative outlet, and since I had always loved to draw as a child and enjoy all different kinds of art, I decided to take a few painting classes.  I fell in love with the richness of oil paints and have mostly taught myself by looking at other artists' work and exploring different styles.

Rocky Mountain Meadows
(click to view)

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

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

The only times I am not as active with painting is during legislative sessions, which last for five months every other year.  Since I work full time, I mostly can only paint on the weekends, but I have a studio in my back yard and I can get away from any distractions and paint for hours at a time.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have experimented with acrylics and watercolors, but oil paints work best for me.  I love being able to scrape off an entire canvas and start over, whereas watercolors and acrylics dry too fast for my style of painting. As far an genres go, I love the joy that comes from painting in bright colors and wild shapes, which has drawn me to the Fauvists and Expressionists, as well as the Scottish Colourists.  My husband and I have traveled to Scotland quite a bit and I was fascinated by the rich, bold colors that the painters from the Glasgow School of Art used.

Three Geese on a Pond
(click to view)

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

I have painted in a realistic style from time to time, but the paintings that make me the happiest are the ones that are full of strong, vibrant colors.  There is a freedom in leaving conventional color behind and experimenting with shapes as well. I have enjoyed painting the American Southwest, as I spent part of my childhood in Arizona and to this day have a strong fascination with the desert.  My desert paintings explode with pinks, purples, yellows and turquoises - not colors that are usually associated with what most people think of as desert colors.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to further explore the wildness of the Fauvists and to do more animal and figure paintings in that genre.  I've also considered doing some paintings in an abstract style, as I think that would be very liberating.

Desert Sunrise
(click to view)

Who or what inspires you most?

I have a reverence for the outdoors and am happiest when hiking in fabulous places such as the Rocky Mountains, Big Bend National Park in far west Texas, or Glacier National Park.  I am constantly awed by nature's splendor and can't imagine ever running out of ideas for paintings.  And Matisse and Derain have inspired me to challenge myself by not sticking with what is safe, comfortable or conventional.  After all, who says a giraffe can't be pink or a tree blue? 

What does procrastination look like for you? I almost always procrastinate when asked to do a painting by a friend or one of my children.  There is something about not choosing a subject myself that makes me not as enthusiastic about it, although I'm always happy and excited about giving it to them when it's finished.

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

I think having a dedicated space in which to paint makes it a lot easier to make time for it.  I have everything in one place and can just leave it there when I'm finished.  And for the most part I don't schedule anything during the day on weekends and, as I'm an early riser, I can get to the studio before dawn and have plenty of time to create.

Mountain Wildflowers
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Most of my ideas come from the many places my husband and I have traveled.  We've climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, gone on a photographic safari afterwards, and traveled to Scotland, Italy, Greece, Austria, Ireland, and the Western United States. I've done paintings from all of the above and plan to do a lot more.

How do you keep art "fresh?"

What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging? I'm constantly checking out other artists' work to see if there is a style I might want to try.  Over the years my style has changed quite a bit and every time I think I've found the one that is perfect for me, I see something I like better and I experiment with the new look.  I have gone back and changed paintings a number of times if I think they would look better with different colors or a different technique.

Irish Rowboat
(click to view)

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

I am learning to take more chances with my art and to lose the fear of failing.  I used to pretty much play it safe, but now I don't worry about whether or not something will work.  If it doesn't, I can always scrape it off and start over.  That's the beauty of oil painting - you can always start over on the same canvas.  And I'm using new colors all the time and learning which ones look good together and how much I can get away with in putting them on the canvas.

What makes you happiest about your art?

Several things make me happiest.  First of all, when someone buys a painting and then tells you in an email that they love it - that is just so gratifying!  For a complete stranger to see my work and decide he or she wants it just continues to thrill me no end.  And when I try something new and it turns out just the way I wanted it to look - that makes me very happy.  And lastly - when I am painting I have absolutely no negative thoughts whatsoever.  Painting is the most cathartic experience I have ever had - all cares and frustrations simply melt away when I'm in my studio and devoting myself to creating something beautiful.  That is just happiness, pure and simple, and I am very fortunate to have a loving husband and supportive family who have encouraged me every step of the way.

Thanks, Liz!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Anna Starkova

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

To enter to win Anna's painting, "Dreams of Rose" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Anna's DPW Gallery Page:

There is no bigger passion in life for me than art. The greatest satisfaction for me is taking an image click to read more)
from my head and making it come to life. I'm constantly observing the things around me and when something sticks in my head; I want to go home and drop everything and paint. I love working in various techniques like oils, acrylics, watercolors, graphite and switching between them gives my brain extra exercise. I do not limit myself when it comes to different subject matters and mediums. (

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting. 

It all started when I was a child. I liked painting with watercolors and gouache. I would paint landscapes and floral still life. My sister and I were both obsessed with horses; which also became one of my favorite subjects to paint. We had a book about horses with beautiful pictures of them which I tried to recreate in watercolors.

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

Oh yes. After high school, when I was on a crossroad between choosing a university and degree program; I was advised by my parents to go for a degree in business management. I wanted to become an artist but in Russia where I'm from, it's extremely hard to become a successful artist. So I pursued business education and rarely painted.

Several years after I finished business school and work for a big advertising company, I decided to continue my business education. I pursued a Master Degree in Project Management in Boston, MA. My experience of relocating from Moscow to Boston was revolutionary for my brain and soul; because of it I started painting again as a stress relief. The more I painted the more I felt my passion for art. So I decided to be a part-time artist painting in my leisure time which changed when my husband and I had a baby and now I'm a stay-home mother who has a couple of hours a day for herself which I devote to painting.

Dreams of Rose
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with? 

Watercolors and gouache were my first. In Boston I started painting with oils and acrylics as well as graphite drawing.

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

I still paint with watercolors occasionally. I really like working with oil and acrylic paints. After having a baby, I had to shift to acrylic painting and graphite drawing because of the smell that oil paints have. Hopefully, one day I will have a studio with a good ventilation system and I will be able to do oil painting again.

Melting Light
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring? 

I'm really focused on acrylic painting at the present moment and I want to explore the full potential of the paints. I have a lot of ideas in my head that I want to paint with acrylics, from realistic landscapes and still lives to abstract expressionism.

Who or what inspires you most? 

My biggest inspiration comes from nature. I can watch beautiful views infinitely trying to capture details, lighting, and mood.

Shades of Rose
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you? 

With the baby I became more organized and whenever I have free time I do not waste it and go directly to painting; but sometimes it still happens that I submit an application for a show last minute.

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

Getting more organized and doing housework quicker. I only have time when my son is sleeping, so I paint during his naps and do everything else another time.

Spring is in the Air
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings? 

Ideas usually come when I'm outside observing, or sorting my old or friends' photographs. As for abstract painting, I choose colors and start playing with brush until something strikes in my head and I "see" the painting.

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

I have so many subjects that I want to paint and explore and switching the various themes around keeps me engaged with the process and keeps works looking vibrant. Though, sometimes I feel like I'm hopping from one subject to another instead of painting in a series; but I feel like I'm far away from burnout yet.

Tea Rose II
(click to view)

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

As a self-taught artist, my art career is a continuous learning process. At this moment I feel that composition has become a focus of my learning. I have been exploring with my mother's silver serving set by creating many different compositions for the September "30 paintings in 30 days" Challenge that I have signed up for. I took about a hundred pictures and now I'm looking back at them and I see how some of them work really well and some don't.

What makes you happiest about your art? 

The best thing about my art is that through my art I can transfer my emotions about the subject and I can show a piece of me and open a door to my world. I feel so happy when the spectator can feel the emotion and mood on the canvas coming from my work. I choose subjects that have had an impact and connection with me; when an outside observer shares that same connection with my work as I do; there is no greater compliment and that is when I'm most happy!

Thanks, Anna!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Yuehua He

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

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

From Yuehua's DPW Gallery Page:

Member of Portrait Society of America
Member of Allied Artists of America, Inc.
Born in 1959, Beijing, China.
Graduated from Central Academy of Arts and Design (renamed Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University) in Beijing, China.

1997-2000 Curator of Beijing design Art Museum.

Started painting when was a child.
Worked as fine art designer for over 10 years.
(click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I first started painting fifty years ago, when I was six, and I remember my first painting was the "sun". The circle wasn't even round, and around it I drew lines for the rays of sunshine. When my mother helped me and made a few changes to the painting, suddenly, I felt "wow! this looks just like the sun!" Since then, I have been interested in painting. My mother was in a school of arts education and there were a lot of works there; I would often look around and observe the paintings.

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

When I was fifteen years old I began to learn oil painting. I studied professional graphic design at a University in China. For ten years, I did exhibition design. Then, I settled in New York in 2000, and for many years, taught children how to paint at my art school. Then in 2008, I started oil painting again.

Einstein
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I studied Rembrandt 'Ingres and Sargent's painting method; I recreated a lot of their work.

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

Prior to joining DPW, my paintings were large in size. Now, I find a small painting is more challenging to make in a very short time with a few strokes showing rich attributes.

Fruit
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

In DPW, there are a large number of excellent works I appreciate and learn from. I try a variety of performance methods, and I look forward to engaging realism and abstract exploration.

Who or what inspires you most?

Sargent's painting method is the most exciting me.

Winter
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Because of my age, I cannot waste time.

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

I am now a full-time painter. At this point in my life, I have the freedom to paint all day. I sometimes have social activities and interaction, but in most cases I am a very dedicated artist. It has become a passion; I can not imagine not painting.

Practice
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Before painting, I will consider: What is the theme of this painting? What do I want to express? Then I consider painting forms, such as: style, and color.

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

I think you cannot overthink a painting too much, have too many goals, ask for too much or spend too long on a painting. It is better to have a painting with a set size, target, and completion time.

The Sharp Challenge
(click to view)

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

I feel that a piece of work is a comprehensive portrayal of the artist's life, culture, art, language, and I'm trying to paint as much as I can.

What makes you happiest about your art?

It makes me the happiest when people like my work. Also, when works of art convey an idea and communicate with people.

Thanks, Yuehua!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Lauren Kuhn

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

To enter to win Lauren's painting, "Maritime Meditation" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Lauren's DPW Gallery Page:

As a self-taught artist, I recently took the leap from a full-time 'conventional' job in graphic design to focus on more important roles in my life: being a more involved mother to my three young boys and a more productive full-time independent artist. I have a home studio in Emmaus, PA, where I paint commissioned oil paintings from photographs sent by clients by e-mail (to pay the bills) and where I paint large-scale paintings of whatever-it-is-I-want-to-paint (to pay the soul). (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I've been painting since I was very young. My mother -- who herself is very talented as an artist -- always encouraged my interest in all things art, so she signed me up for private classes outside of school when I was young. One memorable class was held in a small studio right by the ocean; the whole class would wander the beach in search of shells and rocks, and then we painted our items as a still life. It was kind of amazing.

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

While I did develop an art portfolio in high school to earn AP credit for college, I chose not to study art in college and stopped painting during that time for a few years. (College dorms weren't very conducive to painting -- or inspiring, for that matter.) After having my first son, however, I rediscovered my love for painting and got back to it. Once I quit my job to focus on my kids and my paintings, only then did it really become a consistent part of my life. As soon as I established my own space for painting in my home, and began using social media to promote my work, things really took off from there.

Maritime Meditation
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

As far as mediums are concerned, I am a little embarrassed to admit that I've just stuck to oil and acrylic. I think I've just become very comfortable with it over the years. I definitely try many different styles of painting far more than I try different mediums.

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

Oil has always been my favorite. Even when I paint strictly in acrylic, sometimes I still end up switching over to oil in the last stages to get certain colors to 'sing.' 

Fish Story
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

One medium I really want to try is impasto. I love the way that impasto can give such a depth of texture that it draws people in, daring them to run their fingers over it. It's almost like a combination between painting and sculpture.

Who or what inspires you most?

My children inspire me the most. I can't help but to see so many artistic opportunities in capturing their exaggerated and impulsive movements. There's a real challenge in painting a child with the intent to capture their specific posture and gestures -- those physical markings that really make them who they are. Kids are just so genuinely expressive, they really are natural 'models'. That being the case, I paint my children a lot, which is something I'm trying to get away from -- as one can only have so many paintings of their own kids! (Even me.) Other subjects that inspire me are seascapes, waves, and the reflective nature of water. This attraction to depicting refracted color and shapes is also to blame for my recent obsession with painting macro views of classic cars -- I absolutely love painting shapes and colors reflected in chrome. Lastly, I do of course love figurative paintings, but only when the featured subjects are engaging in some sort of activity. I always tell potential clients to find photos that represent more of a 'moment' than a 'likeness'. 

The 56 Chevy
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Coffee and Facebook... a library book due back in a week... dvr'd episodes of Ellen. Those excuses aside, the fact that I have three young boys in my house (ages 8, 6, and 4) there are always PLENTY of other things to do in lieu of painting. Namely, the Housework Trifecta: laundry/dishes/floors. At the end of the day, though, it's just a matter of forcing myself to put my art first, if just for an hour or so. And then, to keep me from overthinking (and, thus, procrastinating) WHILE I paint, I keep a helpful quote by artist Barbara Kassel taped to my easel. It says, "Just paint. Stop worrying so much. Concentrate and lose yourself in your work." That little scrap of paper -- its been there for 8 years now -- has helped, immensely.

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

I follow a small, simple mantra ("do a little art every day") and otherwise I just make achievable goals for myself. I don't pretend that I can start and finish a commissioned piece in one day, as that's just setting myself up for failure. I'll just commit myself to doing something simple, like "block in all the flesh tones and lay in some background color", and then any other progress than that is a bonus. 

Pool Sharks
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I take lots of photos, and I make time to visit places where I know I can get great subject matter for paintings. If there's a classic car show in town, I'm there. If I'm at the beach with my kids, so is my camera. I pull my car to the side of the road and jump out with my iPhone more than I want to admit. (My kids: "Mom, what are you DOING? We are LATE FOR SOCCER!") As far as gathering ideas online, I browse Paint My Photo, as well as Creative Commons on Flickr. The many artists I follow on Facebook give me good ideas too. Inspiration can really strike me anywhere, though. (I text myself a lot...)

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

I fear burnout the most when it comes to doing commission work, since that's when I'm painting a subject with which I don't necessarily have a connection. I'm painting someone else's child or someone else's memory of a special day, and while I put all I can into that work, it's not something that is emotionally fulfilling or inspiring. So, as a salve of sorts, I paint one thing 'for myself' in between each commissioned piece. Something large, vibrant, odd, dynamic. Something I might sell, or something I won't ever sell. Either way, painting 'for myself' reminds me of all the reasons why I love to paint. 

Soul's Eye
(click to view)

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

How to say no, how to set boundaries, and how to know my worth and the worth of my paintings. It took me a long time to become comfortable with the business-side of art, but I think I'm getting better at it every day.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I am happiest when I can use my art to help someone heal or help someone honor a priceless memory. I think, at the end of the day, everyone has a talent. Everyone can do something well, and there's a way to channel that talent into something bigger. I've been fortunate enough to align myself with certain organizations where I can use my paintings for a bigger purpose. That is what is fulfilling to me. 

Thanks, Lauren!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Lorraine Lewitzka

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

To enter to win Lorraine's painting, "Last Two Coffees" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Lorraine's DPW Gallery Page:

Music and art are my favourite things. I've been drawing since I was a little tacker, and became a fashion artist at 16, (encouraged by my older arty sisters and married an arty husband) so I love to paint people and faces, catching them in a moment of engagement and personal involvement in their lives, but in fact, as a drawer will have a go at anything, always striving for that elusive factor of "beauty." (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

At sixteen I was fortunate to be employed as a trainee fashion artist in a city store where I ended up illustrating not only fashion, but drawing from life watches, handbags, refrigerators, rings, and all sorts. However, it wasn’t until my children went to school some twenty years later that I started painting for something to do! As my husband was already a successful oil painter, I tried watercolour. We used to put on small exhibitions for friends in our home.

The Last Two Coffees
(click to view)

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

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

I won a travel award  in 1990, specifically for an inexperienced artist who wished to study elsewhere. As a consequence, I had the privilege of workshops with four watercolour artists in Maine after which I took a three week summer school at the Slade London for life painting. Gosh! What can anyone learn in a couple of months? The trip did improve my self-belief and gave me lots of information on which to work when arriving home. My family joined me at the end for a tour of the UK. My husband and I also have a Russian-Chinese friend who has imparted much knowledge and help over the years. I have painted pretty consistently.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Mostly a figurative painter, I began with portraiture in watercolour and pastel. In the early days, I experimented with still life or anything that could be drawn; boats, buildings, flowers and figures were the main subject. Ten years ago, when oils were the favourite, cafes and my “coffee girls” were received with some success. In recent times, since a low toleration of solvents, I have ventured into acrylics and waterbased oils. I have also done a lot of charcoal, wash and pastel work, mainly figurative, portraits, musicians, dancers, etc.  I enjoy working on toned paper with line, wash and pastel.

Morning News
(click to view)

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

Watercolour is always there... frustratingly alluring! I like to switch mediums and enjoy layering acrylic and painting in oils.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I still feel I haven’t “found” my language in watercolours so they will always beckon. Being a graphic artist, even for a short time, means I’ve depended on line a lot. The challenge for me has been to express mass, tone and colour... actually, that’s everything! :) Above all, my aim would be for an for an emotional feeling and beauty in an art piece.  I guess that could mean anything!  (I remember standing before a Degas drawing in Boston and bursting into tears. It was so beautiful!) Because I have inherited a massive box of pastels from our now closed art shop, I know I must get into pastels. I also want to paint outdoors more.

Who or what inspires you most?

At the moment, some DPW artists! And also of course, any painters around the late 1800’s; particularly, Degas, Sargent, Manet, Vuillard, Whistler, Sorolla, the English watercolourists, and Brabazon. Brabazon’s ability to capture essence in landscape is totally inspiring.

Playing in the Shallows
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Non-inspiration which is why I joined DPW in the first place, as a discipline and challenge. I’ve always worked most days, but as a respected teacher told me once, if one doesn’t paint from life, one grows stale and doesn’t grow as an artist. I have been guilty over past years of staying in the comforts of the studio too much.

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

Having a starting time and a place to work, and even thinking the night before about the next day’s project. I have also found if I draw lots from photos, a point of interest can occur.

Patiently Waiting
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Looking at what people do has always interested me and noticing their interaction with each other. I also look up art books, have a scrap book of appealing paintings for inspiration and I have a pile of photographic reference which interestingly is often made up of close-ups that seem to suit paintings for this website.

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

Trying a new subject like, recently, cats, offers new challenges both in drawing and interpretation. Painting in series, and watching Youtube artists. It always amazes me, especially with watercolour, which is so technique driven, how someone can come up with a new approach! Teaching a class helps too; it makes one study and prepare!

A Day Out
(click to view)

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

I love Pissarro’s quote in the book “Depths of Glory” by Irving Stone that, “art develops slowly.” (Whew!) Having now painted so long, and realising there is so much more to learn, it can sometimes be a slog, but I know there is nothing else I could do. I feel to go back to basics, especially drawing and painting from life, whatever the subject. It doesn’t matter as it keeps one fresh and emotionally involved and responsive from the heart.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The way you can escape into the studio and the hope for the next painting makes me happy; the lovely people one meets and shares with along the journey, and of course, the occasional piece when you surprise yourself, and wonder how you did it!

Thanks, Lorraine!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Anna Lisa Leal

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

To enter to win Anna Lisa's painting, "Butterfly's Treasure" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Anna Lisa's DPW Gallery Page: 

Starting at the age of 3, I could be found spending endless hours drawing in the shade of the backyard tangerine trees where we lived on the Texas/Mexico border. I continued to draw through my college years recreating images from magazines and doing portraits on request. I did not consider art as formal study. Eventually, I allowed my love of art to be put set aside for other more "practical" pursuits. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I've been painting and creating since the age of 3. At that time, one could often find me painting under the shade of the tangerine trees where we lived on the Texas/Mexico border. Though the processes or frequency have changed over the years, one thing holds true, painting is pure bliss and happiness. Even on the days that are not "good" painting days, I'm still learning something. Most importantly, I'm honoring the gift I was given.

Butterfly's Treasure
(click to view)

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

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

I've painted off and on through the years, but definitely more off up until about 2011. During college, I drew portraits to make a little money. Though I didn't choose art as a formal study, I continued to paint periodically during my corporate career building years. In 2011, I reached a point in my corporate career and home life where I could more fully devote time to painting. When I say that my home life recently reached a point where I had space for painting, it's because I was closer to the finish of the design and installation of the gardens in our current home. My priorities in life are changing and I was suddenly looking for new avenues of creation. What I found over time is that I transferred my love of gardens and nature to the canvas.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

When I recently began painting in earnest, I started with watercolor. Following that, I went through an Acrylic phase. In April of 2014, I was introduced to soft pastels and quite literally, I haven't put them down since! I love the tactile nature of pastel painting. The immediacy of the medium and ease of set up and stopping is very alluring, especially when outside commitments call. I also have to admit I seriously enjoy the immediate gratification!

Though I initially returned to my college roots painting portraits, I later found a passion for transferring flora and fauna to the canvas and paper.  One may notice I deliberately use the word "flora". I'm very intrigued with cactus. Living in Texas, we have quite a few. I like the resilient nature of cactus and the seemingly endless varieties of agave particularly. I have quite a few in my own gardens. My favorite is "Mr Ripple".

Breakfast: Saguaro Side Up
(click to view)

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

I'm somewhat reticent to say that I'm so enamored with pastels that I've not picked up a brush to do an entire painting in almost 2 years. I am beginning to feel watercolors calling me again though.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Most recently, since I've been hearing the watercolors calling, I'm considering doing more pastels on watercolor paper vs sanded/textured papers. Or maybe, watercolor and homemade texture/ground. I'm also interested in layering print or printed image with pastels. I know...pastels pastels pastels...can't get enough of them!

Aloe at Sunset
(click to view)

Who or what inspires you most?

I am always most inspired by the art of nature. I am drawn to pattern in vegetation and animals. Finding inspiration in a combination of the two is even better.  I fell in love with Georgia O'Keefe's work when I was very young. I never thought I would be one to paint "florals". I was quite surprised when painting flora became a passion.

What does procrastination look like for you?

I'm a really driven person (or perhaps it's really a nice way to say obsessive). Once I start doing something I'm passionate about, I do it wholeheartedly. Procrastination with my art usually follows a difficult painting session, or precedes an anticipated challenging session. It's kind of like I have to let go of the negative energy about the past or the future and live in the now. I'll clean, garden, exercise, visit family and friends and generally avoid the easel. I find sometimes this self imposed break is needed. Sometimes, it just looks like doing art related business work - paperwork, reading, studying. So it procrastination or mindfulness - - or self delusion that there is actually a difference in this case?

Days End Marathon
(click to view)

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

My art time is sacred. I get very grumpy when I don't get to have time to devote to my artwork. I have to plan out my "other activities" to ensure that I can ideally get some uninterrupted weekend time. If that doesn't work, then it's evenings during the week. If I'm traveling on business, a sketch book and small pastel set go with me. I always have my tablet when I travel on business, so sometimes it's about scrolling through my images finding new ideas and jotting them down.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

For my flora paintings, I have a large cache of digital images from visits to various public gardens, parks, and from my own gardens. I also frequent the local retail botanical nurseries with my camera. I periodically scroll through these images and save off those I'm particularly interested in. I'll crop them at different places and/or pick out pieces of images to put together by composing in thumbnail sketches. I generally tend to work in a series - for example xeric/cactus, water gardens, or animals in these settings. What images are not interesting to me today, may be interesting in a few months, so I keep the lot.

Rusty Spurs
(click to view)

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

It is most important to my art that I spend time outdoors. Since my primary focus is nature, being in nature keeps me stay in touch with my muse. I also think yoga is a big help to being able to access my creative mind. From a more business or traditional sense, I find it very important to stay engaged with my local art groups and take workshops to keep me percolating with ideas. Watching videos, trolling Pinterest, and reading art publications helps too.

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

As more opportunities come my way, it's about taking risk and overcoming my fears that I'm "not enough". I think we all sometimes feel we're "not enough", so if we all feel that way, then what do we have to lose?

What makes you happiest about your art? The simple act of creating a thing of beauty is the way I find gratitude and peace. If my work makes someone smile or brings them a bit of joy, I'm over the moon.

Thanks, Anna Lisa!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Angela Ooghe

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

To enter to win Angela's painting, "Nude on Red" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Angela's DPW Gallery Page: 

I am an artist living in Miami. I strive to paint expressively, using compositions of bold shapes, strong lines, and the relationship of areas formed by light and darkness. I use these elements to form images that depict common visual experiences in new and interesting ways.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have dabbled in painting for as long as I can remember, but I became serious in 2005.  I was living in New Orleans, and had to evacuate for Hurricane Katrina.  I spent a lot of time in a motel, both stressed and bored, and began painting portraits of other evacuees to pass the time.  When I was finally able to return to New Orleans, I found that I had fallen into the habit of painting as a way of keeping my bearings in the aftermath of the storm.

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

No, I started painting in earnest rather late, but I've painted continuously since then.

Nude on Red
(click to view)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've experimented with many things.  I've worked with oils, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, ink, various printmaking techniques, and many drawing mediums. I've painted portraits, still lives, figures, landscapes, still lifes, and abstracts.

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

I primarily paint in oils, and sketch studies for paintings in charcoal.  But I haven't ruled anything out, and I'll often return to a medium or subject that I haven't explored in a while.

Swimmer
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to do more printmaking in the future. I find that the restrictions that force me to plan far ahead are completely unlike my usual alla prima technique, and therefore refreshing.

Who or what inspires you most?

I'm inspired by studying the paintings of great artists.  I also find inspiration in my subjects, especially the human form.

Yellow Chair
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I don't really procrastinate when it comes to painting.  It's something I look forward to every day.

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

I paint full time, so it's usually all my other activities that I need to make time for.  I like to paint in natural light, so I try to work my schedule around maximizing that.  In Miami in the summer, that means getting work done before the afternoon thunderstorms darken the room.

Girl in Pink Robe
(click to view)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I honestly don't know.  I'm inspired by new techniques, people I see, things I see on the street, or the smallest detail of any of these. From all these, and sketches, photos, and other references to them, an idea for a painting somehow forms in my head. I then try to get it down on the canvas.  Often, the idea will change as I'm painting it, and I wind up with something else.

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

I will often explore new media, tools, and techniques that will help me express what I want to put on the canvas. Each change requires mastering a new subject, so I'm continually challenged by the work. I'm often encouraged when I find an aspect of each new skill that advances what I'm striving to express.

Rachel 2
(click to view)

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

Lately, I've been working on taking a holistic approach to each work, and focusing on the overall impression of the painting, rather than obsessing over every detail equally.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I'm happiest when I look at a finished painting, and it works.

Thanks, Angela!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Rachel Thompson

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

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

From Rachel's DPW Gallery Page: 

Creating art is as much an adventure as it is healing. Primarily self-taught, I take each opportunity to paint as a way to appreciate life and not to take myself too seriously. I have had the fortune to transition from painting for fun to painting full time in 2013.

My favorite things: dancing, long talks over coffee, hiking, cooking, laughing and spending time with my loved ones. (click to view bio)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting. Did you have any stops and starts in your painting career?

Being recognized for my artistic abilities throughout grade school was a pretty common occurrence. However, I knew no artists, personally, and in my particular school community in the deep South, artistic talent was almost seen as a weird growth or mutation - sure, it's fascinating for others to look at, but after that most don't really know what to do with it. So, I let the compliments roll off my shoulders and focused on what I thought really mattered: the three R's, athletics, and trying to convince my brothers to let me join in on their adventures.

However, after school hours, I was able to experiment and play with art supplies to great lengths. I was, more or less, my mother's shadow. She was in charge of the children's ministry at my parent's church. I loved to be with her more than I loved playing on my own, so I stuck close and watched. When I was old enough to help, I did. My mother's trust in my artist abilities at those early ages still astounds me. I remember painting and designing 4'x5' signs. Painting life size lions and designing coloring pages for use in her ministry. This was my first glimpse of how art could be used to benefit others, and it was intoxicating to feel like I could contribute in a significant way.

Blue
(click to view)

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

I considered going to an art school after high school, but once again, I persuaded myself that it wasn't a viable option. I was rather good at school, so I didn't abhor the idea of having a more pragmatic career, especially when I congratulated myself on being so "responsible" with my future.

I do not regret my path, or the liberal arts education in English (major), Teaching and Psychology (minors) that I received. The life lessons were invaluable. Besides taking one art class, I didn't touch art for those 4-5 years. Sure, I would gaze fondly at the decorated walls as I walked to class. But, for the majority, I was too busy exercising my other academic and extracurricular muscles. My husband had no idea I had any artistic ability until we were in our second year of marriage. It was a fun surprise.

He was on a challenging military career path, which left me time and resources to work an internship at a local counseling center while applying to grad schools with hopes to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. Finding free time on my hands, I decided to pick up a paint brush and try my hand at recreating some of our wedding photos in oil. I was shocked and pleased at how my eye and skill had developed despite the long absence of creating. Imagine my husbands shock. He didn't even know I could sketch a stick figure. Online, I came across the daily painting movement and decided to try my hand at it for a while to practice my drawing skills, using acrylics for their quick drying capabilities.

Peacock
(click to view)

I shared my daily creations on Facebook and they started selling. After taking a hard look at my life and what I really wanted for myself, my family, and my future, I decided to put grad school on the back burner and keep pursuing the journey art was taking me on. This was in 2012. Since this decision, there have definitely been stops and starts along the way for reasons such as cross country moves, deployments, illnesses, and just plain lapses in discipline. The transition from treating art as a hobby to seeing it as a profession and something I do even when I don't feel inspired, was a difficult challenge. There are always things clamoring for my attention, tempting me to focus on a different responsibility. To be fair, the pendulum has always swung back to art, but the key for me now is to keep it consistent instead of swaying with my inclinations. I have a relationship with art. It is as much a commitment now as it is a passion.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?  Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away? 

I have experimented with most traditional mediums. I have been reserved with my experimentation with watercolor and mixed media, probably for the same reason I have an aversion to baking. Yes.  I have a bit of an irrational fear of baking. In my mind, baking resembles chemistry and one small initial error in measurement can wreck the entire "batch".  The errors are hard to undue.  So, I tend to gravitate toward mediums where I have room to make mistakes and plenty of them.  Pastels are another beast. I love how they look and would be very interesting in exploring more but the texture of chalk makes my skin crawl. I have a hard time even listening to someone use it on chalk boards or sidewalks. It's a quirk I don't know how to change.  If I'm being honest, with the exception of pastels, my hesitancy with other mediums probably stems from my ignorance of them. I did enjoy india ink and charcoal. I'm a hand smearer, so I ended up inadvertently ruining most of my charcoal work. When I'm creating art, I have very little situation awareness. I've found a friend in acrylics. It meets my needs and quirks quite nicely for the moment.  So for now, I'm sticking with them.

Gypsy
(click to view)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would love to get back into oils. While I enjoy painting from photographs, I am very drawn to plain air. I have not transitioned to the stage of painting what is literally around me in my real life. I can foresee myself wanting to in the future, but for the present, art is a way for me to engage my imagination and appreciate things, places, and elements that I don't have the privilege to interact with on a daily basis. That is not to say that I don't appreciate what is before me, but I would rather interact with my surroundings than document them. However, there are days when I walk by a scenic view or see the most delicious pear growing on tree by the sidewalk and I wish I had my paints and easel with me.

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

When my art has lost its "fresh" factor, I ask myself why. Most days, it's due to lost perspective, and I'm no longer creating for the right reasons. The administrative side of being an artist is much the same as an entrepreneur's. Possessing no natural gifting in this area, I tend to laden my shoulders with hefty amounts of pressure and unrealistic expectations to be "successful". I've had to continually define and redefine what a "successful" artist means to me. Apart from getting my head on straight again, there are three techniques I employ to get me excited and inspired. The first thing I do is make sure that I am exercising, eating right, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. The second thing I turn to, if I am at a loss for what to create, is to pick a person in my life, and make something as a gift for them. When I think of other people, dozens of ideas spring to mind of their tastes and perspectives on life. I love using my art to strengthen relationships and bless their life. It fuels me. The third technique I use is to finish unresolved paintings. When there are too many loose end paintings lying around, I'm quickly discouraged. Seeing a completed painting always inspires me to create the next.

Reflected Sails
(click to view)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I wish, with all my might, that I was one of those people who didn't have a problem with procrastination. I'm quite envious of them. Discipline has always been difficult. I could easily sit back and waste my day away sipping on coffee while conversing with a friend. The true culprit of my procrastination, ironically, is planning. I love to plan and organize. I love to think of big picture concepts and then work out all of the outliers. I get caught up in my head, and before you know it, the morning is gone, I'm still in my comfy clothes, and I have nothing to show but a long and detailed Pages document outlining the rest of my life. I've learned to turn off my brain, shut down my emotions, and just paint. No excuses. No thinking. No justifying. Just do it. At the end of the day, I'm always happy when I have painted.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

The simple answer: I paint what I think is fun. I paint what I like to look at. I paint what brings me life.

Along my artistic journey, Morguefile.com, has been one of my go-to friends. I was first introduced to the site at the beginning of my one art course in college, and I've been hooked since. I've made strides to improve my own photography skills since I believe this is the direction I'll explore later with my painting references, but for now, I am painting images that speak to me. I love the challenge each image presents and its potential. I am particularly drawn to animals since they are alien yet relatable. It is a dichotomy that I find fascinating. But I don't limit myself just yet to any particular subject matter.

Thor
(click to view)

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

What am I NOT trying to learn? I'm currently enrolled  in virtualartacademy.com and taking their online courses. Wow---I highly recommend them to anyone wanting to learn about creating art. They are in-depth, thorough, well constructed, clear, and challenging, but in a good way. I'm learning a lot of the things I missed out on by not attending an art school. It is perfect for my situation.   Specifically, Notan structure (composition of tonal masses) has been something I'm now paying more attention to in my own work. Apart from actual art concepts and techniques, I'm learning social media, marketing, but most importantly, I'm learning discipline. I'm learning to keep my priorities balanced and in the correct order with the hope that I will appreciate where I am, where I came from, and where I am going.

What makes you happy about painting?

Seeing the finished painting is a great moment. Sometimes, I can't fathom how the painting journeyed from start to finish. I only have a vague idea of what I would like the painting to look like at the beginning, and the finished piece is always different to some degree. I appreciate the difference because even though the painting stemmed from me, it also has an identity apart from me. The actual act of creating is also wonderful. The world fades away and all that exists is the paint and creation. Creating helps me grow because it challenges me and brings forth so many different aspects and insights to solve the problems on the canvas before me. I love the intuitive nature of this problem solving process. Is it exhausting? It can be, but it is fulfilling. However, I would have to say that what brings me the most joy is seeing other people appreciate my work and display it in their home. I'm vulnerable in my art. To be able to share my vulnerability in a tangible way and have it play a role in someone else's life brings me the greatest sense of satisfaction.

Tanzanian Runaway
(click to view)

Thanks, Rachel!

© 2015 Sophie Catalina Marine