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Ms. Eve Albrecht

Interview and Workshop with artist Linda Richichi

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Jan 22, 2018 · 1 Comment

Unleash your creative spirit to its fullest potential through Active Meditation/ Doodling
I met Linda Richichi at her solo show at the Cultural Center in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and was captivated by her paintings and her interest in active meditation doodling and Color and Energy Workshops. Linda is a landscape artist who now resides in Sarasota, FL. Linda has attended Plein Air events since 2003 and has been teaching local and international workshops for over twenty years. She has earned many Best of Show Awards, including one at the International Plein Air Painters (I.P.A,P.) Worldwide Paint Out at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada in 2016. In 2012, Richichi was voted the National Best Intuitive Artist from about.com (then a NY Times company) and a NY Times article in 2015 reported on her Soul Vision workshop with great reviews.

Good Day for Surfing 12” x 12” Oil
Good Day for Surfing
by Linda Richichi
12” x 12” Oil
While Linda was painting and teaching, she developed a process of connecting to her intuitive self through drawing/ doodling which she developed through her personal journey of trying to get the answers to the important questions in her life. After a decade of using this process to help guide herself through difficult times and getting assistance in decision making, Linda began showing this process to artists who attended her workshops and her college art courses. Linda explained that we can use our art making to get to know ourselves better. Using simple drawing techniques, we can move past obstacles and discover valuable “inside information”, have more success in our careers and learn how to live our lives more fully. Doodling then becomes a form of Active Meditation.
Glenmere Mansion View
by Linda Richichi
36″ x 36″

 
Linda said that, “After years of working with my open-minded students who were willing to play along, we discovered together that not only could I access “inside information” but anyone could. I began teaching this ask, doodle-and- decode technique for business coaches at their “mastermind” retreats so they could help their clients to excel in their businesses by moving past internal roadblocks.”
How does this explain why we are called to create art? Linda has found that we all have an innate language and art that works with us using symbolism through our spirit, also called our higher knowing. This part of our self wants to shed all the psychic baggage it can. Since this higher self is not verbal, it communicates through the lines and shape that we draw. Our higher self subtly tries to guide us, but we rarely pay attention to it. Those who doodle on the phone usually draw the same thing over and over and do not have a reason why. I knew this to be true because when I doodle it always big flowers with big circular petals!
Doodle by Eve Albrecht
(While on a telephone hold…)
Linda says we are pulled to use similar shape repeatedly, and when painting we have a subconscious desire to find this shape in nature too. What does this shape mean? That is the mystery to solve in Linda’s workshop.
Linda explains, “I take people on a different kind of vision quest by unlocking the left brain’s control over the mind to free the creative spirit within. The elements and principles of art you use in paintings (or even doodles) are communicating to you and your audience in ways that most people are unaware of. Knowing how to decipher the deeper meaning of line and shapes beyond being able to translate them to canvas gives you the ability to upgrade your life. These lines and shapes tell a story. You live by stories you tell yourself daily from past experiences which color your world and shape your life. Life, like art, is a story. I’ve discovered how to play with art in such a way that it becomes a vehicle toward happiness. In my workshops you’ll go deeper to the inner landscape, gain a better understanding how the lines and shapes speak and what they want to reveal to you, what you are currently not seeing. You can experience an “aha” moment doing the exercises which gives you a whole new relationship with your art. Art becomes your mentor guiding you to a brighter way of living if you will let it.”
My workshop experience
Linda holds different types of workshops. The workshop I attended focused on clearing the three centers of the body so we can see from a higher perspective. The three power centers to access are the head (what we think), the body (what we feel) and the belly (what we are being or doing). Through this process, we first doodled after concentrating on what I was currently thinking at the time and it happened to be just after my father passed away. So I was thinking heaviness and worry. I was feeling sadness and as I was grieving, I was not being social, not sleeping well and not really getting anything done. My doodles were:

The next step was to shift our perspective through positive thinking. So we had to contemplate and write down the opposite description for each area. So clearing our minds from the first exercise, we began by thinking of our descriptive word, e.g. “lightness” and then drew without any purposeful mark making but allowing the pen to make abstract shapes. My words became “lightness”, “happiness” and “together.” My doodles were below. We were told that this shifting of perspective and drawing them out helps to keep our power centers strong.

In the workshop we are guided to help explain to ourselves what these doodles mean. My “lightness” doodle appears to show a family and that someone is hugging/protecting us. “Happiness” looks like two butterflies one hovering or surrounding the other meaning that I am being looked after. My third center doodle “together/organized” shows standing tall monoliths, three together with the fourth standing close by but tall. The explanation was that I was strong enough and that I will be ok and we as a family will be together and remain strong.
As demonstrated in my experience the lines, color and shapes we use when we create art are clues to our inner world/thoughts/mind.
Other shapes such as jagged lines with sharp edges and heavy pressure usually express anger or frustration such as the ones I drew when I thought about how I was living my life at that time and I called it a ‘mess’. Lines that form circles are softer, fluid and more loving.
I realized that when I started painting abstracts last year one of my favorite paintings had a circle in it covering the entire panel and it was in warm colors. So my painting actually was showing the shape and color of love. I didn’t even realize it until I was writing this story and going over all my notes. Once I discovered this, I knew that the paintings needed some words to complete it. I decided to write something meaningful to me, and also depicting this process of connecting and acknowledging a connection between our soul/creative source and creativity. Why I always feel I need to write in french on my paintings is something I will find out some other day!
These exercises I did in Linda’s workshop were mind expanding and very enlightening.
Linda’s Color & Energy Workshops are held in Sarasota, FL and other destinations are being planned and can be found on www.lindarichichi.com. The Color and Energy workshops are geared toward this intuitive language as well as an emphasis on painting.

Interview with Qiang Huang

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Oct 24, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Demo at Sacramento 2016 by Qiang Huang
“Demo at Sacramento 2016” by Qiang Huang
Describe your path as an artist?
When I was in elementary school, I watched my uncle paint. I took art classes in high school. While I worked in engineering, I started painting and taking workshops around 1999. In 2005, I joined the OPA. I started my painting blog and started selling art in 2007. I started to teach workshops in 2008. I decided to become a full time artist, leaving my engineering job in 2011.
How would you describe your work to someone who’s never seen it?
Representational, Impressionistic.
 
What ideas do you explore in your work?
In my paintings, I like to explore design and the light effects which excite me in everyday life.
Life and Time by Qiang Huang
“Life and Time” by Qiang Huang
What do you want people to know about your work?
You can achieve extraordinary from the ordinary.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration from everyday observation, and looking at other artists’ work.
What artists inspire you?
Richard Schmid, David Leffel, Quang Ho.
What does a typical work day/week look like when you are working on your art?
If it is possible, I will paint in the morning and deal with art business issues and other things in the afternoon.
How do you prepare for a new project (process)?
I set my objectives first. Then I start painting. I document my process and ideas. I share my painting images and my thoughts through social media.
“Raven” by Qiang Huang
“Shower in cool light” by Qiang Huang

What is your next project?
I am working on my plein air painting skills.
What challenges do you face as an artist?
To get enough time to paint and learn.
What are your artistic goals?
To create better art.
Tell us something surprising about your creative process or your working style.
I consider my painting process as a type of scientific research.

Eve Albrecht Interview with Kevin Macpherson OPAM

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Sep 19, 2016 · Leave a Comment

"Sunshine Valley" by Kevin Macpherson
“Sunshine Valley”
by Kevin Macpherson OPAM

Describe your path as an artist.
The earliest memories I have of my childhood are drawing on my grandfather’s porcelain kitchen table. He would teach me how to draw rabbits and turtles, and we were able to magically wipe the pencil marks off without ruining the table or getting in trouble. I also remember eagerly drawing portraits of Lincoln and Kennedy from the little matchbook ads. My childhood was focused on art, drawing, painting and modeling clay. I remember by the time I was seven years old, I would dedicate my life to art. It was the best thing to do for me and my life. I was always the best artist in my classes, however, I never had someone to guide me into what a career as an artist may be.
Although art was always the center of my life, and I knew I would be a professional artist by the time I was seven, I never had formal training until I went to Northern Arizona University. Fortunately, as I majored in illustration, I had a wonderful instructor named Chris Magadini. He was an inspiring instructor who encouraged the best from his students. He became my first mentor, and we remain friends and painting peers to this day.
My training as an illustrator and my eight years as a freelance illustrator was an excellent foundation for a fine artist. The skills necessary for working in the demanding advertising field honed the skills that now continue to influence and execute my paintings. I continued my studies at the Scottsdale Artists’ School, taking workshops from many fine artists. In addition to my training as an illustrator, my eyes were awakened to the new world painting on location. The countless hours outside, directly observing nature and color, taught me truly how to see as an artist. This directly influenced my illustration work, but more importantly, it impassioned need for me to continue painting from life, en plein air and for myself. I worked as a freelance illustrator from 1979 to 1987. Since 1987, I have made my living painting, writing books and teaching occasional workshops.
From the time I learned how to hitch hike around the country without more than a few dollars in my pocket, I was always an impassioned traveler. I have traveled most of the world. New places and faces have inspired my work and my whole career. New unexpected places keep me curious. Every day feels like a vacation. On vacation, one’s senses are at their highest level. An artist needs to be sensitive, so for a plein air artist, travel is a perfect companion. I spend months at a time away from home, painting every day, visiting museums and experiencing the lifestyle of many different cultures. Art is a universal language that opens many doors in every place I go.
How would you describe your work to someone who’s never seen it?
Impressionistic realism. I am a plein air painter depicting nature’s color, light and atmosphere. My paintings are based on nature’s color relationships. I find visual poetry in the combinations of color. Honed by years of acute observation, my eye has been sensitized to look for beauty in natural subjects. This beauty is revealed by light, filtered through atmosphere and colored by my mind. The landscape is my favorite subject. I strive to express qualities in nature that are universal, without using formulas. People comment that they leave my paintings with a good feeling. This tells me I have created a bridge between the mind of the painter and that of the viewer. My enchantment with color and light is the genesis for my paintings, and, of course, travel offers inexhaustible sources for subject matter.
"Yi Shu Jia, The Artist, Zeng Bin" by Kevin Macpherson
“Yi Shu Jia, The Artist, Zeng Bin”
by Kevin Macpherson OPAM

What ideas do you explore in your work?
I seek to find the relationships of color and value and the light and atmosphere that makes each moment unique, special and transitory, just as life’s moments are as precious. Plein air painting is an act of being present. I believe my paintings represent four dimensions. The illusion of reality on a flat surface, but also the fourth dimension of time. The shadows represent the past, the light the future and where they meet is truly the only moment of present.
I paint the space, the air between me and the subject. This space is different all the time, being filtered by light, color and atmosphere. Each day, each moment will have different combinations and different relationships of values and color. I must observe directly and very carefully to find these relationships that make each painting unique.
What do you want people to know about your work?
It is for sale.
Where do you find inspiration?
What inspires me most is color, light and atmospheric effects. Nature offers me infinite combinations. I actually do not know what the next motif will be. I must always be on call and be aware of my surroundings and accepting of the many opportunities that nature puts before me. The combination of colors and value patterns, clear air or dense air, the light of the evening sun or even the glare of high noon may inspire me. I live in a beautiful rural area, high in the mountains east of Taos, New Mexico, surrounded by pines, aspens and animals. The beautiful changing seasons have inspired many of my paintings, including my series of 368 paintings called “Reflections on a Pond.” This series really sums up what my painting is all about. It’s not so much about a beautiful subject out my window, but the ever-changing light and atmosphere and compositional opportunities that nature puts forth.
Once you become sensitive to nature’s effects, anything in any place will become inspiring. You will find that the land has not changed, rather, it is your eyes that have changed. The world is filled with colorful locations right outside your backdoor. Commune with nature in a familiar spot. See it again… for the first time. When painting from life, we have a direct connection with the subject. We see more clearly, and we feel the subject with all our senses.
Which artists living and master artists inspire you?
I have always been drawn towards the impressionists; French, Russian, American, especially Californian impressionists. Specifically, Monet, Andrew Wyeth, Nicolai Fechin, Sorolla and the American illustrators, Pyle, Cornwell, Rockwell and Calligraphy. Now with the internet, we have so many artists to see at the click of a button. There are so many living artists and past artists that I admire who were representational and abstract painters and sculptors.
In fact, finding your own voice and trusting and believing in yourself and what you have to offer is one of the most important things you could do for yourself as an artist. There are so many good artists available to look at, to compare and to persuade you to copy. All the great masters were humans, and yes, they are great, and we put them on a pedestal, but each of you has something worthy and unique to say, and if you can believe in yourself, you have a chance of becoming a very fine, successful artist. If you could paint like any artist in the world, who would that be? There is really only one answer, that is Y O U.
"Xin Chang Gu Zhen, Water village" by Kevin Macpherson
“Xin Chang Gu Zhen, Water village”
by Kevin Macpherson OPAM

What’s your workspace like? When and where do you like to create your art?
Well, as a plein air artist, I have travelled, painted and taught classes in over thirty-five counties, so my workspace is outdoors, within grand landscapes and exciting cities around the world. I have had a love for travel since I was a young man, and fortunately, I can work (paint) wherever I go. I have a beautiful, large studio beside my home in the mountains of Taos, New Mexico. Our property borders the national forest. It is a tranquil environment that offers a respite from my world travels and a busy social lifestyle. We are presently building a new home and studio in Baja, Mexico with a view of the Sea of Cortez. The last two months, I had a temporary studio in Guangzhou, China, preparing large paintings for my “Reflections on a Pond” exhibit which is presently on Museum tour in China.
What does a typical work day/week look like when you are working on your art?
I often work or play in splurges. Winter skiing may take me away from painting for a while, as does teaching a workshop or judging a show. Writing a book takes a lot of determination and an enormous block of time, all of which takes away from the actual painting. I enjoy the mix of other creative pursuits to mix it up. Painting excursions away from home are usually a very focused time for a month or two, painting everyday. I usually work on dedicated projects for blocks of time.
We obviously have many things we need to do to survive, such as care for our families and all the work related for a career in art, as it is much more than just painting. Painting can be meditative and also very demanding hard work and exhausting. This month I am painting large works for my show, working ten to twelve hours a day. I must tell you, I am very tired but hope to be rewarded with good work accomplished. A good three to six hours a day of concentrated practice and playful painting will often be the norm. Hours can disappear when you are enjoying painting. Inspiration will find you if you work a little everyday. A professional painter goes to work everyday. You can’t just wait to be inspired. That only happens in a movie about a crazy artist.
How do you prepare for a new project (process)?
I usually have many ideas brewing and doing at once, but eventually, each project takes precedent, and after great procrastination, I focus and work intense hours, weeks, months, whatever it takes to get it done.
Art Ambassador image with Kevin in China
Art Ambassador image
with Kevin in China

What is your next project?
I just had my third art instructional book published. “Light, Atmosphere and Color,” the first edition, is published in the Chinese language. I will print an English version that should be available at the end of this year.
Our lives have been blessed with the art spirit. Because of this, recent years have found me in Mexico, Guatemala and China volunteering and offering art opportunities to underprivileged children. I have created a non-profit foundation: Artamabassador.org. The universal language of art crosses all borders. My hope is that children will have the chance to dream in color. This project has not only already drawn smiles on many children but also on my own face.
What challenges do you face as an artist?
Time. Time to do all of the things that I’d like to accomplish. I realize life is short. Finding the balance to do what I want and learn to say no to distractions is a goal.
What are your artistic goals?
This past decade, I have ventured on my own in China for inspiration. This unfamiliar land, language and subject matter have reignited my artistic fire. I have been totally out of my comfort zone, and I love it. Inspiration comes at unexpected times and places. I need time, some quiet time, to let my mind wander and wonder. I am commissioning myself to create and encounter novel ways of thinking and challenging myself to new subject matters with permission to fail. We must challenge ourselves with new ideas and embrace change. Change is at the core of progress.
Travel to Asia has surprisingly shifted my gears. I went as a landscape painter, but I was so inspired by the people and faces of China that I began painting portraits and figurative works. I find this subject very challenging. An artist must go with inspiration wherever that leads. It takes years and years to master the skills necessary to communicate inspiring works of art. It is also a danger to become too comfortable repeating one’s success. It is interesting that we work so hard to figure out how to do it, but when we reach that place of knowing, most artists I admire will raise the bar and find new challenges. Curiously, it is finding something new searching for the unknown that motivates an artist. There can be many obstacles and discouragements along the way, but if a person follows their dream, it will never feel like work. If you’re not self motivated, one will never ever reach full potential.
Art Ambassador image with Kevin in China
Art Ambassador image
with Kevin in China

Tell us something surprising about your creative process or your working style.
Because of my interest in China and the culture, I am learning Chinese and learning the written language as well. I can now recognize and understand with deeper meaning what this wonderful county has to offer. Although my language skill is still elementary, my brush and colors can communicate my joy of life, the joy of creativity that colors everything else we do in life. Many children with whom I volunteer live in rural areas that don’t have the opportunity for art and creativity. I hope my small contribution as Artambassador may make a difference one stroke at a time. What I teach as an Artambassador is that being an artist is not always easy or practical but it starts with pure joy. Art is an inherent gift, but this gift must be unwrapped. It starts with play but takes endurance, discipline and hard work. Art fuels oneself for a lifetime of study and curiosity. Perhaps being an artist will not be their job, but it will influence how they react in their world with others and influence how they solve problems.

Len Cutter Interview

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Apr 27, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Featured-Image-OPA-cutter

Len Cutter Interview
Owner of Cutter and Cutter Fine Art, Brilliance in Color, Galeria del Mar, Loves’ Art Emporium Galleries
St. Augustine, Florida
Host to the 24th OPA National Juried Exhibition

Q. How did you discover you wanted to sell fine art?
After operating a large gift shop, we noticed one day that the sales of small prints from local artists were outselling all other items combined. It was an easy decision and we, as a family, had roots, in that my mother was an artist as was my grandmother, both of whom were quite good. It was an exciting decision that proved to be profoundly beneficial to our family.
Q. When did you first start selling art?
Sometime between 1999 and 2000, we noticed an opportunity to broaden our list of artists and move higher than simply prints in the $25-$300 range.
Q. What is the biggest challenge in selling art today?
CutterWith three large galleries in such a small town, our challenge is discovering art collectors (both potential and veteran) and separating the wheat from the chaff of the over 4 million tourists a year who pass through the Nation’s Oldest City. We have found that the look, feel and general appearance of our galleries coupled with a sophisticated and well-trained staff is essential.
Q. How has selling art changed in the last 10 years?
LEN_CUTTERThat is an easy one. In the past, our print programs were somewhat connected with an opportunity to sell the originals of those artist. Recently, we have noticed that the brisk markets we once enjoyed, specifically the lower end, mid level and upper end markets, have congealed into one market. That one market is now seeking, in the main, Original works of Fine Art. Some of our artists still have Fine Art Prints that do quite well for us. The shift however has been crystal clear: the current American buying public seeks “only the best” and that generally means original paintings.
Q. How do you differentiate your three galleries?
That one is not so easy. Many astute observers who stroll into our three galleries recognize the similarities in our wall coverings, our pricing cards, and that we do not “crowd our walls” in a salon style hanging. Rather, we believe firmly in the “less is more” museum hanging style of presentation. As far as styles are concerned, I suppose you could say Brilliance in Color is our Classical gallery while Galeria del Mar is more of a contemporary space and Loves’ Art Emporium (where it all began), with its higher ceilings and unique entrance, features photo-realism, realism and impressionism.
Brilliance in Color Gallery
Galeria del Mar Gallery
Loves’ Art Emporium Gallery
Brilliance in Color Gallery
Galeria del Mar Gallery
Loves’ Art Emporium Gallery
Q. What has influenced the style of the three galleries?
That is a fun question. The answer is clearly our clients. Like all American businesses, we need to make money and you can bet your bottom dollar we will not long stay with artwork that is not in demand. Like all markets, the art market is driven by those who buy.
Cutter
Q. What are your thoughts on ‘talent” in regards to being a successful artist?
(Success meaning artist that sells well) Well, first of all, we only represent artists who we personally enjoy. Their personalities are key but the work itself must appeal to us. You cannot sell something in which you do not believe.
Q. What are your feelings about artists selling their art online without gallery representation?
CutterIt is a free country. But here again, the market (collectors) is driving this issue. As a bricks & mortar dealer, we believe art dealers bring to the table that certain something that helps to promote longevity, name recognition and the client base that allows the artist to focus more on their creativity and not so much on the business side; which, on its face, looks very easy but, in fact, requires perpetual attention to detail and bringing artists to collectors in a professional and workmanlike manner. We create an art buying experience that cannot be replicated online.
Q. What are your thoughts on how artists should approach galleries and a career in Fine Art?
Well that is almost impossible for me or any dealer to handle. All artists are so entrenched in their own purpose, message and style, and that is as it should be. Artists can clearly benefit from a strong relationship with effective dealers. Knowing how to approach those dealers or even to have a willingness and understanding to do so is probably at the center of why some artists never find the right dealer for them. It is not easy to make these kinds of life-significant arrangements.
Q. Any thoughts that you really want artists to understand about selling fine art?
Cutter
Wow…who wrote these questions? These are all great and insightful attempts to make the art business function better. Basically, “selling fine art” begins with the art itself. The paintings must be good, high quality and interesting. The colors, compositions and general ideas can be myriad, but the paintings, all of them, must appeal to the type of person that the gallery attracts. What dealer would not want to say to the artist “send me your very best”?
Q. Is there something about you and your work that you would like to share?
CUTTERSI am not an artist. All right, I did try oil painting in my youth and everyone said, “You’ve got it” but I knew…I don’t “got it.” Ending up as a dealer, in a life that has found me doing many diverse things, finds me filled with enthusiasm for fine art. Without that enthusiasm, I am absolutely certain that I would not, and could not, spend the rest of my days selling the work of those who truly are…the artists.

OPA National Speakers

Ms. Eve Albrecht · Apr 20, 2015 · 1 Comment

The OPA 24th Annual National Exhibition & Convention will be held in St. Augustine, Florida at Cutter & Cutter Fine Art’s Brilliance in Color Gallery April 29 – May 3, 2015. OPA member Eve Albrecht was able to chat with two of our scheduled speakers to give you some background information about them. Joe Gyurcsak is the resident artist at Blick Art Materials and Utrecht Brand. He also participates in educational programs and is the company’s technical manager as well. Scott Gellatly is the resident artist and product manager of Gamblin Artists Colors. Both gentlemen have interesting beginnings in their art careers. Read on to learn more.

Eve Albrecht Image
Eve Albrecht
Scott Gellatly
Scott Gellatly
Joe Gyurcsak
Joe Gyurcsak
Eve Albrecht Image
Eve Albrecht
Scott Gellatly
Scott Gellatly
Joe Gyurcsak
Joe Gyurcsak

Q: How did you discover you wanted to study and practice/teach fine art?
Scott Gellatly: Ever since I can remember, I’ve been driven to make things. This drive to make things has never stopped. It was in middle school and high school, though, that my interest in drawing and painting took hold. I took my first oil painting class during my first year of college, and that was the “where have you been all my life?” moment. The lusciousness of the paint and depth of color in oil painting had a profound effect on me…as it still does. During my college years, I quickly realized there was a difference between instructors who were passionate and skilled in sharing information with students, and there were those whose teaching careers were simply viewed as a means for them to pursue their painting. I had an opportunity to teach art before I finished my degree, and I found that I really loved sharing information with others. Luckily, I’m in position to do this still through teaching painting workshops and through my work with Gamblin.
Joe Gyurcsak: I have loved to draw since I was five or six years old. When I was twelve, my parents brought me to my first formal lessons, and this is when I caught the bug! When I was in high school, I participated in the first Adjunct High School of the Arts Program in NJ. This was the first advanced college level teaching program for a select few high school students. The students that were selected were chosen out of hundreds in a competition. I was able to go to a local college for training three times a week. This led to receiving a few scholarships to the Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts in NY. After my formal studies, I became an illustrator. Then in 1990, I left that career to pursue a career in fine arts.
Q: Many people believe they must have a “talent” already before they can paint or draw. Do you believe this?
Scott: The drive to make art is more important than innate talent. Talent is something that non-artists talk about. Artists should always hone their skills, no matter what stage they are at with their art.
Joe: Talent is a small part of the equation. There are many talented people in this world, but many don’t have the burning desire to see their dreams through! Talent for an artist is defined as a vision, a need to express in word, paint, clay, music, et cetera; however, all of these still need to mature, still need to be cultivated and honed in to reach higher levels of expression.
Q: Were you already able to paint before you went to study art?
Scott: I have enough bad drawings and paintings from my early years to prove otherwise. There were paintings that I thought were successful then, but then I continued to develop my skills and broaden my knowledge of art techniques.
Joe: I was able and willing to paint before any formal studies, but the road is long and mastery just does not appear. Some days after 40 years of painting I am not able to paint, but oh, I am willing!
Q: What are your thoughts, Joe, on Learning Fine Art with Workshops?
Joe Gyurszak - Self portrait - 12x12
Joe Gyurszak – Self portrait – 12×12
Joe: Artists should go into a workshop like a blank slate, buy completely into the teacher’s philosophy. They should work hard, take notes, and ask too many questions. Artists should not have the goal of creating finished works of art. They should go to work things out; that is why it is called a workshop. It is important to absorb the lessons. Take what is of value to you; apply it, and when you are ready for the next level or workshop, you will know. Otherwise, keep on working it out until you are ready to move on to a higher level.
Q: At what point should an artist stop taking classes and workshops and develop one’s own style?
Scott: I believe “style” is a culmination of artist’s conscious and subconscious actions while painting. Those conscious elements include for example, the choice of subject matter or color palette. An artist’s propensity to apply paint in a certain way (the artist’s handwriting) is less conscious. An artist can always pick up tips from other artists, through classes, workshops, or simply studies others’ work. But, these newfound tips on painting will only affect the conscious actions of painting.
Joe: Never! In his eighties, Cezanne was found in a museum sketching some sculptures. An experienced artist came up to him and asked him what he was doing. Cezanne replied, “I am trying to learn to draw.”
Q: Which artists or workshops have influenced your painting style and technique most?
Scott: J.M. W. Turner, Wolf Kahn, and Stuart Shils; specifically, his Irish series in the late 90’s.
Joe: Just the living artists: my high school art teachers, C.W. Mundy, Quang Ho, Richard Schmid, John Howard Sanden and many more. All of these people have enlightened me in some way shape or form, and I am ever grateful for their support.
Q: How did you start to earn money with your art?
Scott: I’ve been fortunate to have had gallery representation since being out of school for only a few years. Since this time, I’ve made a career out of selling my work, teaching and working in the art material industry.
Joe: At seventeen years old, my brother and I ran an airbrush business for t-shirts and cars. At twenty-three, I received my first illustration job from CBS Records by entering a national competition. I was commissioned to do the “Footloose” single by Kenny Loggins. The rest is history.
Q: How has your painting practice changed since you started working for Gamblin and Dick Blick respectively?
Scott: Working for Gamblin has had a profound impact on my painting. My early exposure to the information that Gamblin provided filled a number of gaps in my education. For instance, Robert Gamblin wrote a terrific newsletter on the differences between the indirect painting techniques of the Classical era and the direct painting techniques of the Impressionists, based on the development of pigments in the 19th century. This made me think differently about how to create a painting structure as well as the optical possibilities of oil painting. As my role with Gamblin has evolved over the years, I’ve taken on a central role in product development – both with color and with painting mediums. A big part of this work is to paint with these materials in my studio to perfect their performance and working properties.
Joe: My career with Dick Blick started as the resident artist and then as brand manager for the Utrecht brand for the last seventeen years. My painting practice hasn’t changed, but my career has allowed me to continue to grow and experience unbelievable opportunities. I have been blessed to travel the world and meet so many great artists all of which has inspired me.
Q: Scott, can you describe what a typical day/week looks like in your artist life?
Scott Gellatly - Prelude to Spring - 12x12 - Oil on panel
Scott Gellatly – Prelude to Spring – 12×12 – Oil on panel
Scott: I put in 40+ hours a week at the Gamblin factory. After work, I spend time with my family (which is a glorified way to say that I run my kids to sport practices and throw dinner together). Only after my kids’ bedtime, do I get some time in my studio. Luckily, my family and Gamblin are incredibly supportive of my painting career, so I do get time to paint when I need it.
Q: What are your thoughts on a career in fine art and your work style?
Joe: I spend 30 to 55 hours a week at Dick Blick: Thirty percent with R&D, fifteen percent on Regulatory, fifteen percent with QC, and thirty percent at lectures and painting demos throughout the US. I paint anywhere from one to four hours a day. I work out by doing Kick Boxing three days a week. God & Family first, then everything else falls into place
Q: How do you keep yourself focused between your job, painting and home life?
Scott: It’s not easy, but my secret is to book shows. Whether it is for a solo exhibition or a group show, having a deadline to work against is the best motivator. This is my only advice for artists starting out – book a show. It doesn’t matter if it is in a gallery or a coffee shop. Having a show on the calendar forces you to produce a body of work, think about the cohesiveness of the work, and most importantly move past that body of work once the show has been completed. This is a terrific way to keep your work moving forward.
Joe: I stay organized by making lists and setting priorities. It is important for artists to do the following: Plan your work and work your plan. Always seek the higher power in life to then activate your dreams and then never stop dreaming. Take care of your mental, spiritual and physical being; then you can do anything and everything. I want people to know that I am not just Utrecht Joe. I am a fully dedicated artist whose life and heart is in this 100 percent, and I want to share and give back for all the blessings bestowed upon me.
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