Page 8 - Voices April 2018
P. 8
COVER STORY
me and helped me reach the finished painting international shows as well as winning two top
I had in mind. awards.
Having the traditional training has enriched However, I would not recommend this
my art by giving me a strong foundational career path to anyone, as it has been extremely
understanding of form, depth, color and challenging, both emotionally and financially.
composition. I have always had amazed that I have had many days in which I wished to go
one can make a 2D plane look 3D. After back in time and continue college in a computer
college, I pursued this skill, continuing to work animation program rather than studio painting,
from photographs and developing a more so that I could have a job with regular pay
photorealistic style. As I left the loose, painterly checks. I have also considered going back to
brush strokes to my studies, my finished paintings school for a degree in a completely unrelated
adopted a cleaner, more modern look. I have field. I have met many artists throughout my
used these skills to create numerous painting career, and have realized that less than one
percent of them are actually making a full time
living at it. Even artists that seem like they are
A large part in finding famous and in high level galleries have confided
that they have other financial support. Most
success as a painter lies of the artists I have met have another source
of income in addition to painting sales, a fact
in your own ability to sell that always looms over my head, ready to
discourage me. A large part in finding success
your work, to be able to as a painter lies in your own ability to sell your
work, to be able to ask a price that gives you a
ask a price that gives you living wage, and to find the correct audience
to sell at this price range. This is something
a living wage, and to find that isn’t taught in art school, and can only be
developed through practice, or with guidance
the correct audience to sell from someone who understands it. I am always
looking for a guide in this area, and no one
at this price range. seems to hold one magic answer. I have read
books, articles, and watched videos, but nothing
I have done at home, alone in my studio, has
collections—from light-hearted still lifes of helped my overall success or sales. I finally, after
tulips, candy, and presents with ribbons, to years, decided that what I needed couldn’t be
motorcycles, to my latest series of string lights. found sitting at my desk reading a computer
This latest series pushes my skill and embodies screen.
a theme of, “looking toward the light,” that I am I will admit that, in college, I had a counselor
eager to share with the world. My light paintings that suggested I join Toastmasters, but after
have been accepted into numerous national and looking it up, I thought, “Nope, that doesn’t look
8 ONE COMMUNITY
