When did you first get interested in Digital Painting?
I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Fine Art. My interest was in painting and photography. The problem was in the Fine Art definition, as it did not supply information as to how to make a living with those skills. Consequently I applied for a job as a Tour Guide, since I did speak 5 languages, which I acquired growing up in Europe.
My art fell into the background, because it was no more than a hobby at that time. My saving grace was that I went to so many wonderful places in my job and always carried a camera. When I was given a digital camera as a present, I decided to try it out instead of throwing it away. As soon as I had the first set of pictures in the computer I never looked back. Wow! What an experience to see my images backlit by the monitor.
Of course the next step was going back to school and learning Adobe Photoshop. My life changed at this point back to Fine Art. My images became my reason to spend all my free time on the computer. I started to enter contests and placed some of the pictures on a website. Feedback from other artists gave me so much encouragement; I started to take the pictures away from photography. The reason for this was the much higher acceptance of the public for paintings compared to photography.
Everybody who has a camera thinks they are Photographers; all they need to know is where you took that picture. Somewhere I found a try-out version of Corel Painter. I believe it came with a program I purchased, or a camera I owned. Here was my answer to the dilemma of being a photographer but wanting to be an artist.
How is your art printed?
I do my own printing in my studio. I have an Epson 2200 printer which prints 13X19 prints on any paper I need to print on. Then I have a newer Canon printer which is my favorite at the present time. I use the paper which comes recommended from the individual printers, but also like Red River paper for the quality and price. If I need to print larger, I take it to a printer in Phoenix who does very good work.
Do you hand embellish?
At the present time I do not embellish my work on paper. I am going to be printing on canvas as soon as I have another printer. Then I will use that technique, since it seems to add value in the customer’s eyes.
How do I promote myself?
Believing in the old wisdom of giving to receive, I participate in my community as President of a small Art League; I am on the board of directors of another art group, and I also organize an art show at city hall every 3 months, in which all local artists get to show at city hall. I hang in local museums and galleries, and establishments who give walls to artists, like coffee shops and restaurants. Most of my sales come from participating in outdoor art shows and the internet. Every year we organize a weekend show of artist studios. This seems to be my best selling enterprise. Many people come back year after year, and they remember me when they need presents or paintings of the grandchildren and the pets.
What other software programs?
Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter are the 2 big things in my life. They go so well together, I feel that there is nothing I cannot do with the 2 of them.
Where are you located?
I live about 1 hour east of the city of Phoenix in the beautiful State of Arizona. I am there totally by choice. The summer is too hot, but the rest of the year is paradise to me. I give Power Point presentations of my work to art clubs and groups. They seem to want to learn how to do these paintings themselves, and I get compliments from my students.
Tell us about yourself.
In the above question I told you I live on the outskirts of Phoenix, but I did not tell you that I build my house myself. Actually I only designed the plans, but it took me about a year to figure out where the light was coming from. I needed to know where the best spot for the house was, as I wanted to harness the rays from the sun to warm and brighten my house. I needed to see the lights of the city at night and the mountain in the daytime. So, my back yard faces the mountain on which I live, and the front looks down on the city lights at night. From where I sit on the computer I can see both simultaneously, I do not need to get up to look out. I planted trees with the knowledge of where the shadows would be in the summer, and where the birds would nest in spring. I was thinking green long before it was popular.
What artists do I admire?
Rembrandt and Duerer for their drawings, which I wish I knew how to do. But my heart belongs to Georgia O’Keefe for her giant flower paintings. In school I copied as best I could her flowers and learned to appreciate her work. My house has 20′ ceilings and the walls hold my giant paintings, the whole house speaks of my infatuation for her.
What do I look forward to in the art world?
World Peace comes to mind, but to be honest, education of the public, especially some of the artists themselves, would be high on my list.
I abhor those critics who think only oil paintings are real art. Educate the critics is my motto. I myself am looking forward to having an agent, somebody who wants to take the business of selling off my hands. Then I can just sit here and make more. My life consists of creating; selling takes me away from that. After a short visit with the natives, I am wounded and need to restore my sanity through a long rest.
Advice to new painters.
- Go to school.
- Stay in school.
- Try school.
- Learn from the best, they have already paid their dues, why not start with what they have learned and build from there.
- Do not repeat what does not work, learn from yourself.
- Start something new. Stop taking it all so seriously. Stop hiding who you really are. Stop following the rules. Stop being too busy. Explore the edges. Get focused. Seek and have adventures.
- Being too busy is addictive; it stops the flow of creativity.
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