DPW Spotlight Interview: Leslie Macon

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

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

From Leslie's DPW Gallery page:

I am an oil painter living and working in Archer Lodge, North Carolina. I have painted professionally since 1994. My art career began as a wood carver in 1984 when I started carving duck decoys from basswood and tupelo. I eventually apprenticed under a world class cajun decoy carver and that was where I first discovered painting with oils.

I switched from carving to painting in pastel and oil mediums in the early 1990's. It was during this time that I competed in national and international competitions as a wildlife artist winning awards and selling through art galleries.

In 2001 I decided to experiment with other subjects and explored floral and still life. During that time I worked for a fine art publisher and had several collections published for the home decor market. I paint floral, still life, historic portraits, wildlife and visionary/fantasy art. My art is also licensed on products as fine art posters, bookmarks, and art tile installations.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I started my art career as a decorative wooden duck decoy carver in 1986. I was fortunate to study under a Cajun carver that taught me to paint my decoys with oil paints.

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

No, I have pretty much have done art since 1986. I had times I had to supplement my art income and work as a custom picture framer, but I always kept actively working as an artist. I think they call that burning the candle at both ends.

Kramer
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have carved in wood, done beadwork, worked with pastels, painted with oil paint, done tile mosaics, laid ceramic tile, and worked with sheetrock. I am one of those creative types that can see something demonstrated on the DIY Network and I am sure that I can do it too. Monkey see, monkey do. As a result I can dismantle a house and put it back together... except for plumbing and electrical. I leave that to my husband. I am self taught in everything including art.

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

Oil painting is the only fine art focus I have right now but I am always doing home renovation. I look at pastels in the art store and get that longing feeling but then loose it real quick when I remember having to sharpen them every three seconds. I also wish I had kept up with carving duck decoys, but I am an old woman now and there are only so many hours I can stay awake.

Siesta
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Oil painting is my only focus as far as art is concerned. I have so many other interests and I am always exploring life. I love to paint but I need to balance out my obsession with oil paint with other things. Painting is a tangible creative expression of my day to day experience. I need to do other things and have things happen to me to have something to say in paint. Yesterday, I was hauling grass clippings to the compost pile for my husband and a bird pooped on my head. That is how memories are made and paintings develop.

You are able to paint an incredible amount of detail on a very small canvas, how did you hone this skill?

I grid my reference to a half an inch and work down the page left to right. I am blind in my right eye and use reading glasses and an optivisor from my old carving days to be able to see what I am doing. I have been working this way for twenty years so you could definitely call it honing my skill.

A Joyful Noise
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I have never had the luxury of procrastination. If I don't paint, I don't eat and I like to eat.

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

I am disciplined and keep a tight schedule. I am up around 3:30am and I paint Monday through Friday from 8am until 3pm, fix dinner and feed the pups, and usually fall asleep while watching Nascar Race Hub on the Speed Channel.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I have Mother Nature to thank for all of the ideas I get. I have spent most of my life outdoors gardening and working with animals like horses and birds. When I am outside I am tuned in and my sixth sense is turned on. There is always something to observe and appreciate.

The Sentinel
(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 have only experienced burnout twice in my life and both times I was working for someone that was "art directing" me; in other words, telling me what to paint. Because of those experiences, I learned that authenticity is more precious than gold when it comes to creativity. Finding DailyPaintworks was the best thing that ever happened to me as an artist. I can finally paint what I want. Freedom to paint what I love inspires me, feeds my soul, and is the key to my existence.

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

How to feel comfortable and confident marketing my art to a very large audience. I am used to the gallery system selling my art so art auctions are still new to me. The art galleries I worked with never gave me information about who bought my art so I was disconnected from the people that collected my art. That all changed when I joined DPW and I have to say there are some incredibly nice people out there.

In the Pink
(click to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

It gives me peace and balance. I can paint and wash a load of clothes at the same time. I can work at home and not have to leave my pups. I can take breaks and walk in my garden. It keeps me motivated and engaged in life. Now, it gives me a connection to the world outside of my small acre of land, thanks to DPW art auctions.

Thanks, Leslie!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Katharine Cartwright

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

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

From Katharine's DPW Gallery page:

Living along the coast of Maine allows me to explore the beautiful rocky beaches for shells, rocks, and scenes that reflect this glorious environment, which is the muse for many of my paintings. I've been an artist all my life, specializing in painting, and studied fine art at three universities. These days, I not only paint and exhibit, but I also instruct artists in creativity and technique.

My work appears in hundreds of private and corporate collections, and also in notable books and magazines in this country and abroad. In national and international juried competitions, I've won top awards, and am a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society, and the Northeast Watercolor Society. Although my academic training is in oils, I've learned to love watercolor just as much and work in both mediums. Painting daily, for me, is as important as breathing.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Before I entered kindergarten, my parents identified me as an artist and provided me with lessons in color theory and design. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing and painting.

Monhegan Cottage
(click here to see original image)

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

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

There was only one time when I stopped. Previous to that, I had studied fine art at various academic institutions, including three universities, and enjoyed making art. By the time I was forty years old, I wanted to learn more about the landscapes I was painting. So, I returned to college to study geology, climatology, and oceanography. I completed both the undergraduate and graduate degrees in six years and just didn’t have time to paint.

However, as soon as I finished those degrees and landed a faculty job at a college, I returned to painting and managed to teach and paint for a number of years. I retired from college teaching four years ago when I found that my career in art demanded more time. At this point, I can’t imagine ever stopping again, short of the grave.

Cairn
(click here to see original image)

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

My initial academic training was in oils, acrylics and various drawing mediums. Eventually, I picked up watercolors and gouache on my own. Interestingly, when I attended college decades ago, the art professors didn’t consider watercolor to be a serious medium and I received no academic training in it. Although I did study sculpture, I’ve always preferred painting. The genres I’ve experimented with include both objective and non-objective across the spectrum of possibilities.

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

Just about everything has stuck since I use it all in one way or another depending upon which series I’m painting. Each concept that I want to express requires a particular technique and medium to best express it. I like to be flexible.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

This is a tough question to answer since I’m so focused on what I’m doing now. However, creating art is an exploration all by itself and I’m certain that new pathways will be found as I continue this daily practice.

Nested
(click here to see original image)

Creatively, have you always been drawn to the ocean?

In fact, yes I have! I fell in love with the ocean as a child and even spent a few years as an adult living on a sailboat. Presently, I live by the ocean and can’t imagine living anywhere else. However, most of my paintings over the past five decades have had little to do with the marine or coastal environment. It’s only been recently, the past five years, that I’ve revisited the theme. Because I walk to the ocean every day, it speaks to me and I must express that.

What does procrastination look like for you?

I don’t procrastinate when it comes to painting. I love it and work in my studio every day if I’m not traveling. When I go away, I take along a sketch pad or even some paint supplies. When I’m not painting I’m thinking about painting. I guess you could say that I’m obsessed with it!

It's What's on the Inside That Counts
(click here to see original image)

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

The real problem is making time for everything else aside from art. Painting is a lifestyle that emerged from the lifelong habit of showing up every day in my studio. For me, being an artist means doggedly pursuing artmaking. It’s a discipline.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I paint in a series and spend a great deal of time formulating the concept for a series before I begin it. Often, I’ll stick with a series for five years or more. I’ll also paint more than one series simultaneously. Presently, I’m painting one series in oils and another in watercolor. Additionally, I teach artists from all over the country about how to formulate concepts for their work and how to develop their own “voice.”

Although my ideas for paintings of the Maine coast are derived from my environment, I seldom paint what I actually see. Rather, I paint what I remember and reinterpret. This transforms reality into “art.” My other ongoing series, “The Laws of Nature” (which may be viewed on my website: www.kacartwright.com) is done entirely from my imagination with no external references or models.

Beach Assembly
(click here to see original image)

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

Because I work in a series, I find that when I have nothing more to say or contribute to that series I stop and move on to another series. This always keeps it fresh. The shortest series I’ve ever painted was only twelve paintings. The longest was sixty paintings before they became redundant and I had to stop. Additionally, it’s easy to avoid burnout because I’m always using my imagination rather than imitating someone else. Our minds have an endless number of ideas and they’re exciting!

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

To trust my imagination and intuition. This is the only way for me to produce unique and meaningful art and avoid imitation.

What makes you happiest about your art?

The privilege and joy of making it, and the privilege and joy of teaching others how to make it.

Thanks, Katharine!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Sharman Owings

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

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

From Sharman's DPW Gallery page:

I am a self taught artist (well! unless you count high school which was a very long time ago). I reside in a small, green (color) dairy town in western Washington with my uber talented sculptor husband. I love to create with anything that involves color. Oil paint is my drug of choice. It is messy, smells and makes a mess. Fits me too perfectly.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I am VERY competitive. I was about 10 years old and a friend’s older sister was getting lots of attention for her drawing skills. I just figured (in my 10 year old brain) that I could do it to. Turns out I was right. Math, art, athletics…just made sense to me.

The Float
(click here to see original image)

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

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

Oh, heck yes! I have no formal training unless you count high school. I got married at 18 and pretty much gave up all art except sewing for the next 12 years. After I got divorced I started to dabble but still very erraticly. In 1987, I met my current husband. He’s a sculptor. That changed EVERYTHING. He can’t live without art. Being in an environment with someone so talented is very inspiring.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Graphite, pen and ink, ANY thing with color except encaustic (there’s still time…) I even consider cake frosting as part of MY art. Fabric is an obsession, ceramics a mystery, and bronze work, torture.

Thomas
(click here to see original image)

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

I love oil paint! To the point that my colored pencils, pastels, oil pastels and watercolors think they are orphans. However, I quit my “day job” last September so with more time available I will most likely start to dabble again. I have 30 lbs. of clay, 3 sewing machines and very busy hands. My studio houses the tools for all of the above so it would be criminal not to put them to use.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I think ceramics and glazes. We have a kiln. Vessels fascinate me, but I’m sure I’ll tackle some figure work too. Oh! And then there’s bronze patinas! Yum.

Awakening
(click here to see original image)

How does your daily life inspire your paintings?

That’s an awkward one for me. I never really think of it that way. Color drives my work. When I’m scrubbing toilets in my “daily life” paint seems like a mirage on a distant horizon. That said, being in our garden (we have 5 acres and garden 2.5) inspires in a way I can’t put words to.

What does procrastination look like for you?

A dirty house, weeds running amuck, daily responsibilities. Oh! And the days I don’t exercise. Life rule: no exercise, no art! Period.

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

Everyone pokes fun at me because of my lists. Not having the structure of going to an office anymore meant I needed a way to ensure I didn’t get lost. Hence a daily “schedule”. It looks rigid from the outside but it really isn’t. I could have more studio time if I gave up some of the other things I commit to.

Precious
(click here to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Wow! Have you looked at my blog? Not much consistency. I never go anywhere without a camera. I even shoot through the windshield if necessary. Once we were behind a dark green truck with fishing rods out the back. One had the classic red and white bobber dangling along behind it. I couldn’t wait to paint that. I love portrait work; human and animal.

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

There are so many marvelous artists participating online these days. Look a little, read a little, play a little. Some of what you take in stays, some doesn’t enhance what you’re about. If it becomes dull, there is no one to blame but the person in the mirror.

Face of Fancy
(click here to see original image)

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

How important experimentation is. If you take yourself too serious you miss the opportunity to fail. NO ONE does a good painting every time. No one. Realizing that at the first stroke allows me to paint away.

What makes you happiest about your art?

There’s a special magic about facing a blank surface, lump of clay or batch of frosting. Terror. Someone once said “it’s not hard to DO the work, it’s hard to start”. That is so true! Once it begins to fall together the “happy” begins. Going from nothing to a full blown painting is pretty exhilarating. Also, having so much at my disposal. We have our own art foundry. I can paint, cook, sew, do ceramics, cast in bronze or plant flowers. Most days, the hardest challenge I face is deciding.

Thanks, Sharman!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Clinton Hobart

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

To enter to win Clinton's painting, "Apples and Grapes III" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing his interview.

From Clinton's DPW Gallery page:

Clinton’s work is currently being shown in many private collections, both national and international. His collectors include CEO's, actors and actresses, several well-known artists, prominent businessmen and women, and government officials. He was featured in the February 2009 issue of American Artist magazine and recently on the cover of the "Best Of Artists' Annuals". Clinton has taught painting and drawing workshops all over the country and in Brisbane, Australia.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I started painting very late, I was 27 at the time. When I was a kid I wanted to draw comic books. I started copying drawings of comics at a very young age. When I was in High School, I still wanted to get into comics. My art teacher loved Van Gogh and I remember thinking, this Van Gogh guy isn't funny at all. While everyone else was copying Van Gogh, I did a giant drawing of Calvin and Hobbs. This resulted in my getting a C in high school art, something I like to laugh about.

After that, I went to the Joe Kubert School of Graphic Art which is an entire school full of comic book geeks who couldn´t get into a real school. After I spent one year there, I transferred to the School of Visual Arts in NYC. We had to submit a portfolio and then there was an interview. My interview was held by Jack Endewelt, the chair at that time of the illustration department. He looked at my portfolio and said "Well, you can draw, so we can't put you in fine art." He asked if I would mind if he made my schedule for me. I said sure and he picked out all of my classes. I really made no decisions at all, everything just sort of happened after that.

My Junior year at SVA, I did an internship with Walt Disney Feature Animation which led to a mentorship after I graduated. There is a really funny story there but it will have to wait. I spent the next three years focused on nothing but getting that job at Disney. When it didn't happen, I was crushed. I was teaching a figure drawing class at Scottsdale Artist's School at the time, and a fellow instructor suggested that while I was figuring out what to do next, why not study oil painting? And so I did.

Apples and Grapes III
(click here to see original image)

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

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

After the let-down from Disney, I spent a few months not knowing what to do. Once I decided to study oil painting though, nothing has slowed me down since. I paint every day for at least six hours a day, often painting for ten or even twelve hours.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've worked in oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and pencil.

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

Currently, I only paint in oil and draw. I just don't have the time to do anything else right now.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I'm really looking forward to working more in pastel.

Cracked Eggs
(click here to see original image)

Your art is incredibly lifelike, and yet still looks very much like a painting. How did you find this happy medium in your style?

Thank you! When I was in art school, a great instructor of mine, Sal Catalano, told us never to worry about style. Just paint and draw and the style will find you. I really believe that is true. I never worked towards or tried to create a style, it just sort of happened. The lifelike or animated quality of my work comes from the love of acting and animation. I love old movies and music. My favorite art book is On Acting by Sanford Meisner. I never cared much for still life paintings. They always seemed stiff, boring, and contrived.

My teacher, Daniel Greene, told me that the best way to learn painting is through still lifes. I decided that if I was going to do this I would have to make it fun for me. I created a mini stage and curtains for my still life set ups and pretended that the fruits and vegetables were actors on a stage. I often line them up like the play is over and they are taking a bow. This is why the long ones are titled "Curtain Call".

I always try to find the objects at the market that have the most character and personality. When I am painting, I try not to think about how the painting looks, but focus more on the character of the fruit or vegetables, and the personalities I have given them. I don't change their personalities, I try to capture them. I think of every painting I do as though it were a portrait of that thing. I see so many paintings of apples for example where it looks like the painter took one apple and painted it over and over again in the same painting. I never understood that. Apples are all different shapes, sizes, and colors - just like people. I like to put them all in the same painting and see if they get along.

Plums
(click here to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination is what happens to every other aspect of my life because of painting. I think to myself: I have to go to the store, clean the house, answer twenty or thirty emails, get an oil change, etc. and then I think, well I can paint for another hour or two, and then the other stuff doesn't get done.

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

I put it first. Everything else can wait. And usually does. I used to eat with a sketchbook at the table. I was that crazy. I must be getting older because I have realized that actually enjoying a meal is important too.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

The little fruit and vegetable paintings need nothing more than going to the market and looking for a fruit with some personality. You do have to be careful where you say things like that, however. You can't walk into a grocery store and say to the clerk, "I'm looking for a fruit with some personality." I do like to walk up to the check-out line with an apple or pear resting snugly in the palm of my hand, like a wounded bird, and calmly ask the check out person to please not break off the stem, it's the star of my show. The look is always priceless.

The larger mask paintings come together much differently. I love to drive long distances; it's my idea of a vacation. Just me and the road, nothing else to do but drive. I do almost all of my creating and layout in my head while driving. Right now I have more ideas for paintings then I have years enough to paint.

Swiss and Grapes
(click here 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'm not sure you can avoid burnout. I used to confuse burnout with a slump, and there is a big difference. It is absolutely vital to recognize which one is happening. The only way to beat a slump is to work through it. By slump I mean that everything you paint is complete garbage (to you). Other people may not notice, and say things like "it looks great, what are you talking about?" But you know it stinks. I paint twice as much during a slump. The good thing is that after it is over, you will have gotten better. It just seems to be how it works. Some people reading this will say "YES!" and others will not understand, you either go through it or you don't. Burnout on the other hand needs a visit to the beach and a drink with rum in it.

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

I'm learning so many things right now, it is difficult to just list one. I'm still learning how the paint will hit the surface. I'm not quite at the point yet where I have complete control and it still surprises me sometimes. Recently, I have gone back to painting portraits in black and white to increase my understanding of values and focus more on the paint itself. Currently, I am working on a series of ocean paintings. I am doing them without drawing anything first, which is also new to me. I'm always learning new things about the business end of it and the digital stuff is hard for me because I don't really know what I am doing.

Apples
(click here to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

My immediate response was to think "painting!" but I'm not sure that is an accurate answer. Painting itself doesn't really make me happy all of the time. Painting is often very difficult and frustrating. Problems can sometimes take days or even weeks to figure out. I'm so happy just to be able to paint every day. I like waking up at 10am, having a cup of coffee and going for a long walk on the beach. Then, I start painting around noon and work until midnight.

I love that I have a job that makes that lifestyle possible. Since I do not have a day job, it requires sales. I would say that a good sale actually makes me happy. To me, a sale is the highest form of compliment. The majority of people work very hard for their money, so when someone is willing to spend some on something I created, it feels great. A few years ago I had a social worker send me an email in regards to a painting she saw on my website. She loved my work but didn't have very much money. She asked if she could send me $20.00 a month until it was paid for. It took her a year to pay for it and she sent me an email telling me how worth the wait it was. That made me very happy.

Thanks, Clinton!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Mike Etie

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

To enter to win Mike's painting, "El Capitan West Texas," go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing his interview.

From Mike's DPW Gallery page:

I have been painting seriously since 1996. I live in Austin and have my studio and gallery there. It is a beautiful studio with skylight and track lighting which gives me plenty of natural or artificial light as I need to paint. I work primarily in pastels and occasionally oil. My subjects are primarily landscapes from many trips to the Texas hill country and the mountains of New Mexico. I love to be in the Santa Fe area where the light is pure and scenery is spectacular.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have always enjoyed drawing and fooling around with color. Not until 1996, after selling my business, did I decide to get more serious about art. I just felt a strong desire, almost a need, to follow my creative nature into fine art. I also love to play golf. Golf is an opportunity to get out into nature. Like Sam Snead said "a walk in the park with three other guys." So I set my goals to be a single digit handicap golfer and an artist who sells paintings. Since then my handicap is 4.3 last year and I have sold over 150 paintings since 1998.

El Capitan West Texas
(click here to see original image)

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

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

I have been pretty diligent about progressing with my art, but like any serious endeavor it has not been a straight line going up in the right direction. I also believe one must seek a balance in life. I have times when my art is not flowing easily; I have to struggle to produce. When I am having difficulty in my studio, I will sometimes go to the driving range or work on my short game at the golf course. I consider those two activities, golf and art, the same because one serves the other.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Experimentation equals creativity. I have worked in pastels, oil pastels, oils, acrylics, and watercolors. I keep coming back to pastels. I think it has to do with my enjoyment of drawing. Familiarity with the medium allows me to experiment with subjects, surfaces, size, and color. It is important for me to immerse myself in the process and not focus on the results. Experimentation initiates the process. When I am experimenting, my expectations are lower and the experience is more fun. Too many artists worry about the finished product and not the process.

Sky Study
(click here to see original image)

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

I love being an oil painter and a pastellist. I have sold oils but I would have to say I am a pastellist. There are differences between pastels and oils that are obvious: brush no brush, mixing colors and fixed color in each stick, use of a medium or not, and pastels are framed in glass not oils. I still do both. I am getting better with oils, but I will always be a pastellist.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would like to work more with watercolors and ink. The idea of mixed media is intriguing to me. Once a base is established, then creativity kicks in. A structure created from watercolor and ink would be a very interesting place to start.

Below Old Baldy
(click here to see original image)

What can you tell us about your greatest influences and how you developed your style?

All my life I have loved to study and practice. I go to lots of museums, have many periodical subscriptions and have a good art book collection. French Impressionism formed my love of art and painting. But when I found the Taos artists, I got really turned on to being an artist. Edgar Payne, Maynard Dixon, Nicolai Fechin, Ernest Blumschein, and Oscar Berninghaus, all of these artists became known for their use of impressionists technique and American subjects. All of these painters shared a love for innovation and adventure. These artist were trailblazers in every possible way.

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination is driven by a desire to have a finished product. I don't focus on that, I focus on the process which is its own endeavor and has its own rewards. Like the saying, "there are no ends, only means." As long as I am moving, doing, thinking, planning, and organizing, I am not procrastinating. Procrastination comes from fear, fear of failure.

Storm Coming, Taos NM
(click here to see original image)

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

I don't really employ any techniques per se. I enjoy my life. Doing art is a part of that life. Just like golf, family and business... art happens. What else do I have to do?

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Albert Handel has a rule about finding a place to paint. He says, never drive more than 30 minutes from home, when you arrive never walk more than 100 yards, when you start painting look for subjects 360 degrees around you. I try to paint subjects from my world, from scenes that are familiar. I try to remember, good photographs don't always make for good paintings and there maybe many good paintings in one photograph. I ask myself why I am drawn to an image; I want to know what is interesting to me. Other artists inspire me to investigate their motifs. I am interested in Milt Kobayashi right now. He is featured in a show at Gallery on Shoal Creek.

Hiking Lake Tahoe
(click here 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 constantly compare my current work against my past work, I compare against other artists, I look for trends in my work, and I push myself to understand art that is inexplicable. I stay open and loose in my style and approach to learning. I like to surprise myself by changing my preferences.

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

I have been interested in real life as abstraction in line and mass. The work of Wolf Kahn, Richard Diebenkorn, Hans Hoffman are examples of artists who I would like to understand. The ability to see in a different way and share that vision is what has me searching right now.

What makes you happiest about your art?

It makes me happy for other people to like my work and want to own it!

Thanks, Mike!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Carol Carmichael

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

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

From Carol's DPW Gallery page:

I have always loved to draw but have translated that into a love of oil painting after working with some excellent teachers. I strive to capture the viewers interest through color, brushwork and light. I paint what makes me happy and some of those things are animals, people, and still life. I am definitely a work in progress and thank God every day that I get the opportunity to paint. 

I received a BA in art education and taught art at the high school level for four years before retiring to raise three sons. My sons are officially raised now so I paint most every day. I live in Vestavia Hills, Alabama with my husband Dan. 

My work is represented in Loretta Goodwin gallery in Birmingham, AL, DK gallery in Marietta, GA and Heidi's Interiors in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I have always loved to draw, but did not start painting until about twelve years ago. I found a local oil painter that I admired and took classes from her. Margie Phelps was the artist. I liked how loose and colorful her work was. When I first began painting, I really tried to draw with the paint. It took a while for me to evolve from drawing a painting to painting a painting. I was one of those students, like so many, who want to learn everything in a day. I wanted to paint like my teacher in a week. I learned it is a long and wonderful process that develops over time, with lots of hard work. It makes me happy to think that I am nowhere close to where I may end up as a painter. No ceiling!

White Face
(click here to see original image)

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

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

When I first began painting, I tried to paint pretty often because I had so much that I wanted to learn. But I had times in the first seven or so years of my painting journey that I took long periods off. I am one of those who has been inspired by daily painters. I guess my art trinity would be Jurick, Marine and Huang. Their work influenced and inspired me to paint more often and, as a result, my style and confidence improved. It makes sense that the more you do something, the better you become.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I was an art education major in college so we had to minor in either sculpture, print making or painting. I went to a small liberal arts school and there was only one painting instructor and he was into geometric abstraction. I was not, so I became a printmaking minor. I have experimented with metal etching, lithograph and linoleum prints. It was a pretty good fit for me because of my love of drawing. I have not done any print making since teaching my high school students which was many moons ago.

Kendal
(click here to see original image)

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

I started out primarily painting still life from live set ups. I think that is an excellent way to learn basic skills. I moved into doing figures and animals from there. The one genre I have not studied much is landscape. I include landscape in with a lot of my figures and animals, but I do not really know what I am doing. I only know a few basics about landscape. I just moved on to some new property that has a beautiful creek running in front of it so I have a great, new prop.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I would love to learn more about clay works. I have some experience with the potter's wheel and think I would be more interested in slab work and design. I think it would be interesting to learn about glazes and firing methods.

Dreamy
(click here to see original image)

Did you always want and know you were going to be an artist?

No. Ain't life grand? I always got some attention for my drawing skills, but never really fathomed myself selling artwork. Before learning to paint, I did sketches of people for family and some friends. This has been such a pleasant surprise and I am grateful to have a talent that I can share with others that brings them and ME pleasure.

What does procrastination look like for you?

I have always worked in an area of my home so house work and the like are always an easy distraction. I am also easily distracted by the computer. Squirrels too!

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

I am at my best late morning to early afternoon. I work my schedule around this period. I have huge admiration for folks who manage to fit painting in before or after another job. I have taken advantage of this period in my life; I do not have a lot of obstacles in the way. I know that could change any day.

Mapquest
(click here to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I keep a camera close by on trips or sometimes go out specifically to take photos. I am inspired by how light hits objects, people, animals, land, etc. I am pretty obnoxious to be with at the beach because I do not relax at all. I get quietly angry when people get in my camera angle. Many times the way I decide what I want to paint is what shapes or light jump out at me from looking at my thumbnail photos on the computer. I love still life too and always paint those from a live set up. I am usually inspired my what is in season.

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

I have a bit of attention deficit disorder when it comes to painting and I think that is one reason I don't get burned out. I paint whatever catches my attention that day unless I have to work on a commission. Some might say that I should narrow down my field of subject matter, but I am a believer in doing whatever brings you happiness. I have been fortunate in painting what many want to buy, for the most part. I love to take workshops from artists that I admire. That definitely keeps things fresh and increases my knowledge and skill.

Birds of a Feather
(click here to see original image)

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

I have recently built a studio and would like to begin teaching. I plan to get out all my notes from various workshops and think about what was the most beneficial to me. I do not want to waste anyone's time so I have lots of studying up and organizing to do.

What makes you happiest?

A lot of my work makes others feel pleasure. It feels so great when your work evokes emotion from onlookers. Especially happiness, because you can never have too much of that!

Thanks, Carol!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Graham Berry

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

To enter to win Graham Berry's painting, "Lazing in the Park," go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing his interview.

From Graham's DPW Gallery page:

Graham Berry was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England. Graham studied Graphic Design at Blackpool College of Art, he later studied Illustration at Wimbledon College of Art. After graduating in 1971 he was employed as an Illustrator/visualiser at a small design studio in Soho, London. 

In 1976, Graham decided to go 'freelance' and has gone on to have a very successful career as an Illustrator, winning a DADA award for his Illustrations and also featuring in several Association of Illustrators annuals. 

In 1990, Graham moved back 'up North' to the Fylde coast, where he now lives with his wife, Pauline. Graham has had to move with the times and all his commercial illustration is now done digitally. It was this fact and the downturn in the economy which allowed time for Graham to return to his first love, painting and drawing.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I've always loved to draw and paint. My talent, such as it is, was inherited from my mother, who was a very gifted artist. A teacher at junior school told my mother that when I left school, I should go to art college. So I never really thought about doing anything else but going to art college. When I finally got to art college, I loved it. Although the course was for Graphic design, we were encouraged to draw as much as possible. When I completed my diploma I moved to London to do a post graduate course specializing in illustration. After completing my course, I stayed in London and was employed as an illustrator/visualizer in a small design studio in Soho.

Lazing in the Park
(click here to see original image)

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

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

I've never considered myself a painter. Although I've drawn and painted most days for the past 40 years, it was as an illustrator. Any painting I did in my spare time were done to promote my illustration career. Only since I went 100% digital with my illustration work, can I separate myself as a painter. I consider the start of my painting only 2 years ago. My digital illustration is done in my downstairs office and my paintings are done in a spare bedroom upstairs, two totally separate places, both physically and mentally, which is very important to me.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with? Which ones have "stuck" and which ones have fallen away? Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I have used most media, including Gouache, acrylic, oil, colored pencil, scratchboard, airbrush, woodcut, and pastel. Most of these have been mainly in my illustration work. Over the years, I have gradually specialized in watercolor, although some of my largest commissions were oil portraits. One of which was a racehorse owner and his two winning horses, measuring 40" x 60"! I do hope to produce more oil paintings this summer. I aim also to paint more outside instead of just from photos and sketches.

Old Boat, Sunderland Point
(click here to see original image)

You have an incredibly consistent style. How did you come about it?

I suppose my consistent style owes a lot to my experience as an illustrator, working from art director's briefs, tight deadlines, etc. You have to be able to produce work that is consistent with what is in your portfolio or your work will be rejected. Now as a painter, if a painting is not something I am happy with I will rip it up and start afresh. Somedays, I feel I'll never paint anything decent, but you've just got to work through it.

What does procrastination look like for you? What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

If I don't feel like painting, I will stretch 5 or 6 watercolor sheets and do the initial pencil drawings. That way, when I do feel more like painting, I can go straight at it. I must admit though, I am very self disciplined and if I need to get a painting done I will do it whether I feel like it or not.

Cotswold Sunshine
(click here to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I'm always on the look out for images that will make interesting paintings. I try to take my camera with me at all times, just in case I see something that appeals. Other times, I will go to a specific place or event with the intention of getting material for painting; usually I will do a series of paintings from those photos or sketches. At the moment, I am trying to include figures in my paintings. Figures always bring a painting to life and provide a narrative to the scene. I also look at other artist's work for inspiration, although I've only recently joined Daily Paintworks, the work I see on here is very inspiring.

Nuevo San Ramon
(click here to see original image)

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

Burn out does happen occasionally. If I feel it is happening, I concentrate on drawing and attend life drawing classes once a week. Recently, having read 'Expressive Figure Drawing' by Bill Buchman, I spent a month just going through the exercises in the book; it really changed the way I approached life drawing. Sometimes it is a good idea to get out of your comfort zone.

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

Every painting I produce adds to my knowledge of what works or doesn't work. I've got quite a lot of painting books by contemporary artists discussing methods and materials; I devour them. I've also bookmarked hundreds of painter's websites. I read about their experiences and of course look at their work. It was in doing this that led me to first see Carol Marine's work and watch her Artbytes. That then led me to becoming a member of Daily Paintworks.

Going 'Cockling'
(click here to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

Well the first thing is I just love painting, always have, but like most artists, I'm never really happy with my work. I'm always full of self doubt and self criticism. It can also be a very solitary life, so it is always good to hear positive feedback from other artists. It also makes me happy that someone likes my work enough to buy it and put it on their wall, that is the ultimate seal of approval.

Thanks, Graham!

© 2013 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Ria Hills

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


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

From Ria's DPW Gallery page:

In 2006, I set a goal to complete a painting a day making small works more affordable to collectors. What I discovered through the process was improvement in my work through discipline and the joy of painting simple subjects. Although I do not complete a painting each day, I devote a few hours a day to working in my studio.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

For the longest time, I wanted to be an artist. I've been painting on and off since I was a teenager. I lived on Long Island, NY at the time. As soon I got my driver's license, I spent many weekends in NYC at art museums. I'd go home and copy paintings I liked to see if I could do the same.

I started taking my path seriously after being introduced to a sculptor/painter by the name of Alfred Van Loen. I visited him in his home where the walls were filled with paintings from artist friends. This man spent most of his time creating and was able to make a living from it. This is the life I want, I thought. His best advice to me was: never stop drawing.  A very common bit of advice and I still adhere to it.

Nautilus
(click here to see original image)

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

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

I have had many interruptions in my painting career. Work, family obligations, procrastination. When I was twenty-four, my husband and I started a family. During that time I took occasional commissions but my main focus was my children. I greatly admire painters who raise a family and also continue with their art. I didn't think it was possible at the time.

About twenty years ago, a friend of mine was writing a children's book and asked me to draw the illustrations. We decided that pastel would be a great medium for it. Prior to this, I had worked mostly in pen and ink for a number of years. I fell in love with the vivid color and the direct contact of pastels at this time.

In 2006, I joined the online daily painting community and as a result, I started selling my work on a regular basis. Being a professional painter has always been a goal and it has finally been realized.
My stops at times lasted for years. Now, it's just a matter of days until I get back to studio work. Although I don't complete a painting a day, I spend everyday doing something related to my art.

Blue Boat
(click here to see original image)

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

For much of my life, I have bounced from one medium to another. I've worked with watercolor, acrylics and oils. I had a clay period. Someday, I would really enjoy sculpting.

Before I became a daily painter, a lot of my work was surreal. Although I enjoy building on a concept, I don't feel that I have the time to pursue this genre partly because the paintings would be larger than what I usually paint and the planning takes longer.

What is freeing about daily painting is that I need to complete a painting in a matter of days. There's not much time for rumination.

Pastel has become my main medium and it's here to stay. I love working with oils, but I don't feel that I can offer the quality of work that I do with pastels. At least, not yet. I plan to work in oils more in the near future.

As far as genres go, I love them all. I would love to explore abstract landscape painting, but there's only so much time in a day.

Artesa Vineyards & Winery, Napa CA
(click here to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you? What techniques work to ensure that you make time for your art?

I mentioned this awful word already, didn't I? Procrastination has had many faces. It was my favorite pastime until I started selling work on a regular basis. Some days procrastination looked like a monitor and keyboard, then it took the form of incessantly cleaning and rearranging the studio. Other days, I just thought too much about what to paint rather than painting it. For the most part, I've overcome this demon. These days I have more deadlines to meet, which I love. As a result, the length of my procrastination is much shorter than it was in the past.

Making time for art is my top priority. The word "schedule" comes to mind. I can become seriously side tracked and overwhelmed with life stuff. The more I schedule things that need to get done (and actually do them), the more time I have for painting.

How do you handle criticism (from yourself or others) and how do you use it to propel you forward with your art?

I'm my worst critic. I'm extremely harsh on myself and I didn't always take it very well from others. I think I've gained a bit more humility over the years. At least I hope I have. Self criticism once kept me from growing as a painter. As I've become older, I've learned to separate from my ego and look at my work with a more objective eye rather than throwing in the towel.

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

It varies. For my surreal work, I see images in my head. Some are inspired by music, others by dreams. I either write them down or make a quick sketch. I'd like to get back to completing the process by painting these images. I'm working towards spending more time in the studio so I can.

Some of my paintings are inspired by the subjects themselves. The shape of a piece of fruit, the visual stimulation of unusual pairing of objects, the humor in a formal arrangement of food. Ninety-five percent of the time, the painting looks better than the object. Once I remember this, it's easier to just grab anything, arrange it if it's paired with other stuff and then just get to painting. It's the process and progress of the piece that makes me happiest.

Blue and Orange
(click here 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 hope that my work stays fresh by continually challenging myself. I want each new piece to be better than the previous one. I keep saying to myself, I'm pleased with this but I can do better by struggling a bit more each time.

In the distant past, more paintings were trashed than not. I'm improving, so the odds of trashing a painting these days are unlikely. I learn from my "mistakes" rather than allowing my mistakes to set me back.

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

I'm learning to step out of my comfort zone in my work and also as an artist trying to make her business grow. I've also learned that success is not only for other people, which I once believed.

Scout and Benny
(click here to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

Besides the actual process, it's that people want to hang it on their walls. I receive wonderful emails from people who have purchased my work and they always make me smile.

I really appreciate them. They have provided encouragement and helped me pay my bills, which I'll always be grateful for.

Thanks, Ria!

© 2013 Sophie Marine