DPW Spotlight Interview: Kim Testone

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

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

From Kim's DPW Gallery page:

Kim Testone is a Central Florida artist and former art magazine editor and journalist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drawing from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Arts degree in Arts Administration from Savannah College of Art and Design. As a painter, she is primarily self-taught, crediting her technique to the scrutiny of various instructional books, magazine articles, and online videos. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Although I graduated with a degree in art in 2000, I only began painting about a year and a half ago. I had only learned to use acrylics in college, and I hated the work I had produced, so I stopped painting almost entirely for more than a decade. Eventually, I got a job working in the arts, and after several years of talking to hundreds of artists and looking at thousands of paintings, I really came to a point where I thought, life is short, and I want to learn to paint. I also learned, after looking at so many other artists’ works, that I wanted to work realistically and that I wanted to try oils. So I bought a bunch of books, read a bunch of magazines and watched several hundred Youtube videos.

Glass of Coke
(click to see original image)

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

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

I don’t think the first painting career ever got started, if you could even call it that. After college, I didn’t have any idea what it meant to be a painter. Not only did I have no technique, I had nothing to say in my work. I did a few random pet portraits for people over the years, but I never painted anything from myself. I very much consider painting to be a new career for me.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

At some point, I tried everything – photography, acrylics, pastels, watercolor, gouache. In college, and probably for a few years afterward, I tried doing abstract work, expressionism, illustration. I just kept trying to find my place, as I was so desperate to create and so disappointed when I couldn’t make anything of substance.

Green Tea Bag
(click to see original image)

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

I really think I’ve found my place, working in realist painting and in oils. But I had to make a commitment to it, because I think it’s easy to keep wanting to try everything. So little by little, I began giving my other supplies away to take away the temptation – first my manual Nikon camera (which I had used for black and white photography) to a friend, then my pastels, watercolors and gouache to my nephew and nieces. It was cathartic, actually. I did keep the acrylics, as I think I could learn to work with them with proper training and experimentation.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I’ll definitely keep with realist painting, but I’d like to put some time into working with acrylics the right way, not the way I learned in college. There are some really wonderful acrylic artists creating amazing realist work with a bit of a graphic quality, like Erin Cone and Mel Leipzig. But they are able to manipulate the acrylics in ways that I never could. So I’d like to give it a try again, see if it would help me learn to simplify some of the shapes in my larger works especially.

Secret Identity
(click to see original image)

Who or what inspires you most?

As a realist painter, I try to look for the normal little things in life, the things that are colorful, or make me feel at peace, or remind me of something special. My larger works, which I don’t post to Daily Paintworks, are currently of baseball stadium concession stands and crowds, because my husband and I go to lots of Spring Training games and when I was working a really demanding job, that was one of the few places where I really felt at peace. And I tried to capture these little peaceful introspective moments of the concession stand workers and crowds in my paintings. But the small works I post to Daily Paintworks help me develop my technique and boost my confidence so I can pursue my larger pieces.

What does procrastination look like for you?

I’m not intentionally a procrastinator, but I often do try to do too much in a day, and so that affects my painting.

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

One thing that helps is to remember a writing by Carol Marine that I found on Daily Paintworks when I first began painting, way before I signed up to be a member on the site. She talked about how, before she began painting, she spent all her time cleaning and had the cleanest house in her neighborhood, but was depressed until she began painting, and then her cleaning took more of a back seat. So when I look around the house and think about all of the other things I could be doing, I try to keep my priorities straight and think, the dishes can wait, I need to make time to paint.

Watching the Team Practice
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I think I’m subtly obsessed with Americans’ fascination with food and confections. They become almost objects of adoration, decorated just so. And packaging, I am really interested in the marketing and packaging of food as well. So I think that’s pretty evident in my small pieces, but maybe that’s why my larger series is focused on concession stands now; they have people in the paintings but surrounded by all of this packaging and food, until it becomes a kind of weird landscape of plastic colors and textures. It’s comforting, in a way, because it’s what we’re used to in contemporary society. Ironically, though, I have a bunch of food allergies and can’t actually eat anything I paint. Sigh.

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

Right now, I think my brain and artistic voice are ahead of my skill as a painter. I have so many ideas about painting series I want to develop. But I think that doing the small paintings keeps me more disciplined, so that I continue to develop my skill regularly and can create bigger paintings at a greater skill level, too. I enjoy looking at the first few pieces I did in late 2012 and compare them to how I paint now and actually feel like I am making progress.

In Case of Chocolate Emergency
(click to see original image)

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

I believe I will always be learning something new, but I suppose the things that I am learning most are: 1) Keep the painting formula as simple as possible; 2) focus more on lighting and composition; 3) take better photos of my paintings; and 4)forgive myself when I ruin a piece and move on. A couple of months ago, someone recommended a really excellent book to me as well, “Problem Solving for Oil Painters,” by Gregg Kreutz. It was exactly what I needed at this stage of my painting, and I’d highly recommend it for anyone who wants to take their work to the next level. I’m still working my way through it!

What makes you happiest about your art?

I think we all go through life searching for something that is completely our own, and painting is that for me. I like being at a point in my life where I feel like I am ready to become a painter. Even if I had learned to use oils in college, I would not have known what to paint, not really. While I think everyone hopes their art impacts the world in some small way, I’ll be happy if my paintings just encourage my nephew and nieces and collectors to open their eyes and notice things they may not have noticed before. That’s would be a pretty good legacy, I think.

Thanks, Kim!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine Cruse

DPW Spotlight Interview: Janet Graham

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

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

From Janet's DPW Gallery page:

Hello and welcome to my gallery. I am an artist based in Brisbane, Australia.

My journey into the world of art began in 2002 after I had this underlying desire to create art. Deep down I have always wanted to paint and draw - even as a child, I used to love drawing animals.

I have dabbled in quite a few mediums over the years, but my favorite mediums are oils, acrylics and pencil (graphite). I don’t think I will ever settle on just one medium as each medium has its own unique characteristics that suits different subjects. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Deep down, I have always wanted to paint and draw. Even as a child, I used to love drawing animals but I never pursued art past primary school. It was only in 2002, when I had this underlying desire to create art, that I enrolled in a six weeks drawing course and my journey into the world of art began. Although I did a few art courses between 2003 and 2006, it wasn’t until 2007 that I found a regular art class to attend and realized that art was what I was meant to be doing.

Blue Tit
(click to see original image)

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

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

I would say I only seriously started pursuing art as a career in 2012. I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I have experimented with quite a few mediums over the years: pencil, pastels, watercolors, gouache, oils, acrylics, colored pencil and ink. As for genres, I have painted wildlife, landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and I have even done a few pencil portraits.

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

Acrylics, oils and pencils are still my favorite mediums. Lately, I have been playing around with watercolors, which I haven’t touched in years. Pastels have fallen away - mainly because of the dust generated from them as well as the difficulty in sharpening pastel pencils for the finer fur details. It is so much easier to paint fur and feathers with the pointed tip of a brush.

Painting wildlife is still my favorite subject but I also enjoy painting landscapes, seascapes and still lifes.

Tiger
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I am having fun exploring watercolor again. It is funny how I seem to have come full circle. I first started out painting with watercolors, but got very frustrated with the medium and decided to try others. I’m enjoying the freedom that watercolors offer and it is much more fun exploring the medium now that I have so much more experience.

I also want to paint more oil seascapes this year, as I have always been fascinated by the sea and the sea is literally a fifteen minute drive away from me.

Who or what inspires you most?

I would say nature/wildlife inspires me the most and is what I love painting.

European Eagle Owl
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I wouldn’t say it is so much procrastination, but more having to make a decision on what to paint first. I usually have quite a few paintings planned in advance. I find I sometimes delay starting a new painting as I can’t always decide which one to start first.

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

I am working at making art my career, so I have set a goal of painting a certain number of paintings each week. It doesn’t always work out as planned due to the administration side of running my own business which can take up a fair chunk of my time. My best time to paint is during the day so I try to leave most of the administration tasks to the evening.

Leopard Cub
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I paint a lot of wildlife and I would love to say that I always work from my own reference photos but that is just not practical. When I can, I use my own references but, for the most part, I rely on some very generous photographers that allow artists to use their photos as reference and I am exceedingly grateful to them. I still will only paint what I am drawn to, so I can spend hours in the evening surfing the internet for reference photos that I am allowed to use. I literally have hundreds of reference photos that I can draw upon so I am never short of ideas for paintings.

For the landscapes/seascapes that I do, I also use reference photos but I use a lot more artistic license – I will change things around, combine different elements from different reference photos and will even change the season. I love painting spring and autumn – they are so much more colorful to paint.

As for still lifes, I like to work from my own set ups, but I just don’t have enough hours in the day. They have been put on the back burner for now.

How Cute Am I
(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?

It is bit hard to explain, but unless I feel a connection to what I am painting it just does not work and I struggle to complete the painting. So, I have learnt to paint only what I am drawn to and that connection is then reflected in the final painting.

As to avoiding burn out, I paint a variety of subject matters and use a few different mediums which keeps things interesting. When I feel myself getting tired of painting detail, I will swap to watercolours and paint a looser watercolour landscape, or I will paint a landscape or seascape in acrylic or oils. After a few landscapes, I am ready to go back to painting detail and can’t wait to start my next wildlife painting.

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

Everything - I don’t think I will ever stop learning as there is so much to learn. I just wish there were more hours in the day.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I love to paint and I am happiest when I am painting so I am really grateful to be able to pursue a career that I love.

Thanks, Janet!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Jordan Avery Foster

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

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

From Jordan's DPW Gallery page:

Hi, My name is Jordan Avery Foster. I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and attended Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. At age 14 I was involved in a five car collision, which left me bed bound for a year. When I recovered I found out I had a condition known as Interstitial Cystitis.

I was accepted into The University of the Arts in Philadelphia with an artist award but due to the health complications, I was not able to continue. After returning to Florida I began attending classes at The University of North Florida and after some struggles, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

My work has been exhibited nationally in juried competitions at Harvard University, Princeton University, and Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. I have also been commissioned by museums and hospitals. Recently I was featured in an article in the Lake George Mirror, while doing a residency at Shelley's International Gallery of Fine Art in Bolton Landing NY. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

One of the first things I remember is painting a mural on my bedroom wall. My mom is an artist and always encouraged me to be creative and express myself.

Three Pears
(click to see original image)

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

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

Yes, I moved to Philadelphia to pursue my career and get my degree, but had to leave because of health issues. I feel like my career has taken a lot of twists and turns. I was painting more expressionistic, emotional work up until the last year or so, when I began painting small still lifes to increase my skills.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I paint with acrylics mostly, but I love watercolor, pencil and pen and ink as well. About a year ago, I started working primarily with open acrylics and began using glazing mediums which helped me blend and layer my paint.

Cherries in a Teacup
(click to see original image)

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

I still use regular acrylics, because the opens sometimes are too transparent. I love the Golden glazing medium. I love street scenes (something that tells a story)... two examples are "Hats" and "Birdies".

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I also love painting and drawing self portraits and portraits, which I've gotten away from, but hope to get back to. I would also like to start working more in oils.

Sake House
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination for me usually comes in the form of a blank canvas. I have so many ideas I want to carry out, but at times get overwhelmed and put off sitting down in front of my work area.

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

I've learned that no matter what I have to keep painting. I make it a priority, even when I'm frustrated, I make sure I paint for several hours a day.

I Enjoy Being a Girl #3
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I'm always thinking about ideas for paintings. There are several series I'm working on. Right now, mostly still lifes and street scenes.

How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging? Who or what inspires you most?

My inspiration may come from something I'm experiencing emotionally or may be built up from a movie I've watched. You never know when or where inspiration is going to come from, but I think the most important thing is to keep painting. Sometimes I do get burned out on my still lifes, but I try to keep it fresh by mixing it up. For example, my perfume bottle series is an escape for me. I also know that constantly practicing keeps me focused and is important.

Red Apple and Grapes
(click to see original image)

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

I'm always looking to improve my skills and broaden the range of what I can do. I want to keep growing as an artist and explore a more diverse body of work.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I enjoy it when I I feel like a painting has gone well... the technique, composition, etc. It's also exciting to me when I make a painting that I feel captures a vision I have or an emotion I'm going through.

Thanks, Jordan!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Patti Vincent

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

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

From Patti's DPW Gallery page:

Hi! Thank you for visiting my gallery. About ten years ago, I started taking oil painting classes and workshops in and around Washington, DC because I wanted oil paintings for my home. Problem solved!

I live in Dayton, OH with my Air Force husband and two cats. They are a constant source of life drawings and paintings. In the Fall of 2013, I began a Bachelors of Fine Art program at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. I am loving it!

My profile photograph was taken in Salida, CO. Two and a half more years with the Air Force and Salida will be home. Studio already purchased!

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I first started painting while living near Washington, DC because I wanted more oil paintings in my house. A good friend of mine encouraged me to sign up for lessons. A decade later, mission accomplished. The DC area is filled with great artists and art schools. Not to mention all the inspiration to be found at the National Gallery of Art. I could drive from my house to the NGA in fifteen minutes.

Fresh Picked
(click to see original image)

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

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

I have been taking lessons or workshops for years but really ramped up my painting in 2011 when I learned about daily painting. My favorite art quote is, "the best teacher is the very act of painting," by Joaquin Sorolla. I firmly believe that the only way to get better is to practice. Whether you are talking about painting or tennis. Then, in the Fall of 2013, I enrolled in a Bachelors of Fine Art program. I am currently a full time student taking eighteen credit hours.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I am still learning how to oil paint, my only medium to date. I've traveled all the way to New Zealand to plein air paint but I am still most comfortable painting in my studio from a still life set up or a reference photo of an animal. My cats and the sunlight are constant sources of inspiration.

Swimming Lessons
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I painted a lot of plein air prior to taking up daily painting and working towards my BFA. I look forward to getting out of my studio and seeing how plein air goes after all this inside practice over the past couple years and when my BFA program is complete. It will be interesting to see what has changed in my comfort level and ability to simplify the landscape.

Who or what inspires you most?

Seeing Albrecht Durer's painting, Young Hare, 1502 watercolor, in my art history class as being described as "a masterpiece of observational art" was my most recent inspiration. My cats, dogs I meet on the street, bunny rabbits in the yard, all inspire me. So it was very inspiring to see an old master paint a rabbit. Carol Marine, Joshua Been, Lisa Daria, and Dan Schultz are my current day inspirations. Just name a few.

House Guest
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination hits me when I don't have any good ideas for a still life or my reference photos for a pet portrait commission aren't quite as good as I would like them. I stall for fear of failure. I am not a big procrastinator because I feel much more confident if I give myself as much time as possible to complete a project. It always ends up better if I know I have time to start over as many times as needed.

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

To make sure that I have time for my art, I get up in the morning and get going. Even if it is a Saturday and my husband is still in bed. I keep my studio well stocked with paint and panels. My studio is right off of the kitchen so I can't miss it. Mostly, I just do it (thanks Niki).

That Cat
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

My ideas for paintings usually come from things that I see. My cats are always laying in the sunshine and that light always gets my attention. There is a bird feeder right outside the window by our kitchen table. The cats sit on the window sill and watch the birds, creating another inspirational moment. We have a tabby and a tuxedo. I think I want a white cat next.

Recently, I've taken a lot of reference photos of the early morning light hitting the snow covered yards and the old growth trees in our neighborhood. That orange/pink glow is just amazing. I've also taken ones at dusk when the old street lights are on and the the snow covered yards along the street are glowing. So basically, my surroundings are constantly sparking my imagination. Photos that my friends post of their pets are also great sources of ideas.

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

I've been trying to keep my painting strokes to a minimum by trying to get the value and color correct from the start. I think that makes for very fresh painting.

Sweet Cheeks
(click to see original image)

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

I am currently learning so much as an artist. I took fifteen credit hours last semester (photography, 3D foundations, drawing, art history, and themes in visual cultures) when I started my Bachelors of Fine Arts program at Wright State University. This semester I am taking eighteen credit hours (2D foundations, art history, Michelangelo, drawing, figure sculpture, and painting).

So, I am taking that daily practice idea into drawing, art history and painting plus all those other classes several times per week. It is all tied together and I think my overall understanding of art is multiplying daily. I am having so much fun and learning so much.

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I get truly positive feedback from a pet portrait client. That melts my heart. When my husband walks into my studio and says, "wow!" When a painting comes together because I took the time to think it out and get it right the first time. When I look at my finished painting and feel that it is indeed finished, especially if it was done with as few strokes as possible. Those are some of my favorites. All of those events make me truly happy about my art.

Thanks, Patti!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Mary Anne Cary

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

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

From Mary Anne's DPW Gallery page:

I am a pastel and oil painter living in Cape Elizabeth Maine. A former graphic artist, I now try to devote my time to painting. I am inspired by the Maine coast and landscape, and I strive to capture everyday scenes with a fresh vision and energy.

I find that, living in Maine, I am supplied with endless possibilities for paintings. I see intriguing studies every time I take a drive, whether down the street or up the coast. I love having my camera ready to record the many compositions and ideas I see around me. I have attended workshops with local and nationally recognized artists and I enter regional juried art shows.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I attended art school and received a degree in Visual Design, which was basically graphic art and commercial print design. I had classes in that discipline including typography, photography, and color. For electives, I did some drawing and pottery, but no painting. After college, I worked in the advertising and printing industry. When I married and was at home with small children, I took some adult classes in watercolor on and off for a couple of years.

Summer Marsh
(click to see original image)

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

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

The adult classes were not consistent, and a little frustrating when you can't devote enough time to the learning process. I also think watercolor is difficult in that it is not too forgiving; it does not leave a lot of room for correcting mistakes. So through the years of child rearing and working part time, I dabbled in a few more artistic endeavors, unable to stay away from doing something creative.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

Along the way, I took a workshop in pastel and continued with that medium for several years. I love pastels, their richness and versatility. Besides the few adult classes I took, my painting is mostly self taught. After concentrating on pastels and reading and studying other pastel artist's work, I slowly started to display my work and make some sales. That concentration exposed me to oil painting and I became very intrigued by the lushness of oil paintings. Afraid of oils and all the chemicals, I started with acrylics because it seemed much less daunting. Eventually, I gave in when I felt I was unable to get the results I was looking for and tackled oils.

Bee Still
(click to see original image)

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

The oils started slowly as I was learning on my own, and I found I was thrilled I didn't have to mat and frame every piece. So, even though I feel more comfortable or successful with pastels, I gradually moved away from them. I think I was looser and a bit more creative with pastels. But honestly, I didn't like the pastel dust and the hazards of breathing in those particles that always seemed in the air. I am not the neatest when I am working, and keeping a really clean environment is hard work and a struggle for me. Framing is much easier with oils; I love not having to use glass! So, even though I find oils more difficult, I am happiest working in this medium right now.

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

I am taking a workshop in encaustic in a couple weeks. I am intrigued with that process, and I think it will help me with the desire I have had to move in a more abstract style.

Deconstructed Shadows
(click to see original image)

Who or what inspires you most?

I have kindled the fire for creating paintings, so I feel most inspired by my everyday environment. I also love being able to do virtual gallery surfing and to explore other art and artists. Seeing all the talent and genius in the art world gets me revved up to produce my own. Galleries in "real" time along with museums are essential, too. There is nothing like watching how people are affected by art.

What does procrastination look like for you?

Procrastination is in my face everyday, in the form of housework, bills, laundry and grocery shopping. I could go on, but I won't bore you.

Pines and Ocean
(click to see original image)

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

The technique that has worked best for me was to rent a studio space two and a half years ago. Getting out of the house and having a space to go to, as well as being with other artists, was a positive step. It helped me to believe in myself more and build up a bit of confidence (even though that is still lacking somewhat). I sometimes feel I am not quite ready for prime time!

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings? How do you keep art "fresh?" What techniques have helped you avoid burnout and keep your work vibrant and engaging?

My biggest block is arriving at ideas for my paintings. I have lots and lots of ideas, and that is the problem. I think I am still a work in progress, and struggle to find a style, which in turn holds me back from progressing in the way I should. I am a bit "all over the place"!

Sometimes I will be inspired by something I see and hold onto that idea until I get to the studio, planning it out before I even arrive. I often wonder how other artists arrive at their artistic expression and stick with one genre.

My continual search is to find where my true painter's personal language resides. I think it helps to keep me from burning out and staying somewhat fresh in my mind.

Deconstructed Grass 2
(click to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

I am really happy with my art when I am truly inspired. When I step back from a piece and think, '"it works," I was able to express my feeling.

Thanks, Mary Anne!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Dean Shelton

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

To enter to win Dean's painting, "White Hen 2" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Dean's DPW Gallery page:

Dean Shelton grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dean admits, "I probably spent time drawing when I should have been focusing on other subjects". His mother always encouraged him in his art and ordered a Famous Artist Course to help develop his artistic talents. His high school did not have an art curriculum and he did not have much interest in school. He entered the Navy just before his 18th birthday. (click to read more)

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

For as long as I can remember, I have liked to draw. When I was in third grade, everyone did a drawing for a class project. The teachers picked the best drawing and I didn't win. That is when I decided to get better. Growing up, I didn't know anyone who was an artist. When I was in seventh grade, the teacher that taught mechanical drawing had a Thursday night art club. I loved it and soaked up everything.

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

When I got out of high school, I joined the Navy for three years. I didn't do much drawing and had not started painting yet. I enrolled in college using the GA Bill. When looking through the catalog, the only area that I saw where I had any chance of getting a degree was art. The first painting I ever did was a portrait of my mother done in acrylics. I thought it was terrible, but my mother hung it in her living room and it hung there for decades!

White Hen 2
(click to see original image)

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

During my last year of college, Steven Naegle introduced me to watercolors. He was one of the best painters in both watercolor and oil that I had ever seen. He strongly influenced my painting style even to this day.

My wife and I got married during college and after graduation we went to California where I attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Even though I took painting classes in college, I made the decision to become an illustrator and attending the Art Center helped further my career.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

During my career as an illustrator, I used almost every medium except oils. This was because of the short deadlines.

The Old Zinc Mine
(click to see original image)

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

Watercolors have stuck with me since I began in college. When I made the shift away from illustration, I started working more with oils. I still use most mediums, but some more than others.

Who or what inspires you most?

I've always been inspired by the great illustrators Bernie Fuchs, Bob Peak, Mark English and Norman Rockwell. As for fine artists, I've always liked the paintings of Andrew Wyeth and Richard Schmid.

Dirt Bike
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

When I have too many things to do, I find myself just thinking about each one of them. I just have to stop thinking and start working on something.

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

As a freelance illustrator, I worked out of a studio in my house. As a fine artist, I have just continued to work on my art almost every day.

Signs of Life
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I'm always looking for subject matter to paint. I usually carry my camera and sketch book. I am a member of the Chestnut Group who are plein air painters promoting land conservation. We are invited to paint many historic and interesting sites.

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

I joined DPW so I would try new techniques and paint something everyday. Hopefully, this will help me grow as a painter.

New Day
(click to see original image)

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

When I first started painting in oils, I read books and watched demonstration videos. I've watched painters on PBS and taken workshops. One of the hardest things I've had to learn as an oil painter, is how to paint wet on wet on a canvas. After watching others and doing a lot of painting, I finally learned how to that, but I'm still learning.

What makes you happiest about your art?

I'm happy when I start a new painting. I'm happy when I finish a painting. I'm happy to know there is no end to growing as an artist. I'm happy when I see someone who has grown as an artist and is painting beautiful art!

Thanks, Dean!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Vincenza Harrity

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

To enter to win Vincenza's painting, "Winter Out My Window" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing their interview.

From Vincenza's DPW Gallery page:

Vincenza Harrity is an artist who lives in Cleveland. Formally trained in fashion illustration, she has always sought to develop her skills as a painter with classes and workshops. For more than 10 years, she has focused on capturing essences of objects and landscapes through still life and en plein air using oils. Her work has been displayed and sold in galleries and exhibitions throughout Ohio and Kentucky.

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

I had studied to be a Fashion Illustrator when I was younger. After raising my family I wanted to paint. That was about 13 years ago, however my move to Cleveland really got me going and raised the artistic bar.

Winter Out My Window
(click to see original image)

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

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

Life can get busy for me. I'll take a break from painting, but its not long before I feel my studio or an outing to paint "en plein air" calling me.

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

I've tried pastels, acrylics and watercolor, however, I always go back to oils. I really just focus on landscape. Occasionally, for fun, using colored pencils, I'll design a label for my friends craft beer.

Snowy Birch Trees
(click to see original image)

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

Right now, I'm only interested in working in oil. I love the way it moves on the canvas and the colors I can mix.

Who or what inspires you most?

The beauty around me is what inspires me most often. I've also had a lot of opportunity to travel and see great art and beautiful vistas that add to my drive and inspiration. As well as having the privilege to paint "en plein air" along side some great artists here in Northeast Ohio. They often inspire and spur me on to be better.

Brecksville Path
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

I can easily get distracted from painting when I find other projects to do. However, I've come to realize that procrastination is often fear. Afraid that I can't really make that painting sitting in my studio better, so procrastination is what I'll do.

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

I try to have a plan in place for each day, being flexible as different things come up. Being flexible I think is important because if I'm not, frustration can be a greater obstacle to creativity then procrastination. I also paint with a group of artists each week while weather permits en plein air.

San Francisco Bay
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

I see something in the landscape that catches my eye and imagination. It could be a vast field, a barn in the distance, the swaying of some trees, reflections on the water or a strike of light on the grass or snow.

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

I like to look at other artists work, from the old masters to local artists and everything in between, there is a lot a good art out there. Going to workshops and watching instructional DVDs also help.

Tor Bay
(click to see original image)

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

I am working on just being better. Also, creating a mood or emotion in my art.

What makes you happiest about your art?

When I've succeeded in creating that mood by capturing the light of that moment.

Thanks, Vincenza!

© 2014 Sophie Catalina Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Peter Lee

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

To enter to win Peter's painting, "Chilling Out #2" go to Daily Paintworks and click on the link at the top of the page announcing his interview.

From Peter's DPW Gallery page:

I'm a full-time artist specialized in oil. I try not to limit my subject matters, entertaining myself with different challenges. I can't imagine my life without painting. "I create to survive and survive to create." Most of my paintings are for sale. For more info: email me at peterleeartist@yahoo.com

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

Probably, most people go all the way back to their toddler era for this question, and I'm not an exception. To my memory, I painted first when I was four, and it was a mural on the wall in my room with crayons. More serious painting started when I was in junior high - I loved watercolor then. And as I moved to high school, I spent more time on watercolor, getting some recognitions from my teachers and regional competitions.

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

After graduating from high school, I shifted my focus on "getting a job and making money". So I chose an engineer as my career, receiving my degree in a university and working in a company. And my interest in painting seems to become a distant memory in the deep bottom of my head. Then one day after many years, I was browsing in a bookstore, and I could not leave my eyes off an image of a watercolor painting on an art magazine. Suddenly, my long forgotten passion for watercolor came back like magic, and soon I found myself painting watercolor whenever I had free time.

Chilling Out #2
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

After spending considerable time of my early life on watercolor, I was getting little bored with painting on paper. So past ten years, I've been exploring canvas painting medium such as oil and acrylic. I prefer oil for its warmth, flexibility and richness. I have been trying many different genres - still life, landscapes, figures and portraits, etc. I've been attracted to cityscapes recently since I would like to capture slices of "real life" happening around me.

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

I am not into making "Hallmark card-like" paintings whether they are flowers, still lives or landscapes. Usually they are too pretty or too cute to my taste. I also don't feel to follow Thomas Kinkade's style - sorry, Thomas. it's just too commercial-looking to me. I'm also not so inclined to "photo-realistic" painting style - we have a camera (and now iphone) for it. I would like to develop into more "painterly" style, showing some bold brushstrokes such as works by many impressionists, some modern expressionists, and contemporaries like Jennifer McChristian, Tibor Nagy, and Carol Marine.

The Corner Cafe
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

Although I'm open to all different styles and genres, at this moment, I am more focused on painting cityscapes in oil with more impressionistic style. I don't have any set of rules, and I try not to limit myself to certain boundaries. I'll just let my "creative juice" to flow and see what happens. And more importantly, I would like to enjoy myself while exploring all the possibilities rather than torturing myself to produce "perfect" masterpieces to please other people.

Who or what inspires you most?

As I mentioned earlier, works with more painterly style and bold brushstrokes appeal to me the most. But regardless of mediums, styles or genres, artists never fail to grab my attention as long as I see and feel their "hearts" in their paintings.

Pasta for Dinner
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

Joining Daily Paintworks has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made in my life since it gives me enough pressure and motivation to keep myself painting as much and as often as I can. I see some artists keep uploading their works on a daily basis, matching to the name and intention of this site. I just admire their dedication and commitment. Somehow, I spend quite a bit of time researching my subject matters, gathering reference photos, and pre-designing my paintings even before I physically touch my canvas. So I just can't make a painting overnight. But I keep wanting to upload and share my paintings as often as I can. Again, it's so great to have a vehicle like DPW where I can upload and show my paintings almost instantly so easy!

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

Receiving the DPW email containing the day's new paintings everyday works better than any technique for me. It's just a great reminder to wake up and paint each and everyday - setting aside certain hours for nothing else but just painting.

Squeezed Out One More Time
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

Since I've been focusing on cityscape painting, everything I see everywhere I go is an idea for another painting. Nowadays it's so each to capture the moments with my smartphone camera. These snapshots are major source materials for my cityscape paintings.

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

Whenever I feel little bored or burnt out, I browse other artists' works including those on the DPW site. Then I feel refreshed and re-motivated, and I see my newly charged energy reflected on my painting.

The Swimmer
(click to see original image)

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

As an artist, I think I keep learning how to find a beauty that would been ignored without an artist's eye. I appreciate more of what I see around me. People walking on the street, waiting at the bus stop, reading a newspaper while drinking a coffee, or even cars jammed in traffic can be beautiful to my artist's eye. All of sudden, the whole world is just beautiful!

What makes you happiest about your art?

I feel happy as I paint. The sheer process of drawing lines, mixing colors, feeling the touch of my brush on the canvas, etc. make me happy. I also feel happy when my wife and daughter make compliments as they see my finished painting. Of course, when someone buys my painting, it makes me happy - not just for the money but for her/his recognition. They are all different kinds of happiness about my art, and each feeling is unique and hard to compare one another. I think what makes me happiest is the fact that I can spend my time creating something that I like. For this, I feel not only "happiest" but also "luckiest".

Thanks, Peter!

© 2014 Sophie Marine

DPW Spotlight Interview: Susan Fern

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

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

From Susan's DPW Gallery page:

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

Tell us a bit about how you first started painting.

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

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

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

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

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

Donald Preaches
(click to see original image)

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

What mediums and genres have you experimented with?

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

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

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

Red Clock
(click to see original image)

Which ones are you looking forward to exploring?

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

Who or what inspires you most?

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

Bumblebee
(click to see original image)

What does procrastination look like for you?

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

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

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

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

Folger's
(click to see original image)

How do you generally arrive at ideas for your paintings?

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

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

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

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

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

Pool Balls
(click to see original image)

What makes you happiest about your art?

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

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

Thanks, Susan!

© 2013 Sophie Marine