Work In Progress: Iconic Pop

Work In Progress:  "Iconic Pop" 6" x 8" by Carrie Waller

No you are not having Deja vu.  I am painting the same subject again.  I have a more zoomed in version that I am working on.  I have a workshop May 15-17 in Baton Rouge, LA (Come join us, it will be lots of fun and learning--only a few spots left).  So I'm working on this piece because I will be demoing the same painting during the workshop.  We will be painting a couple of different paintings so I can share my techniques.

The Keirce's and The Waller's  

My family and  I just had a great extended weekend with The Debra Keirce and her daughter "The Teenager", Shannon:)  It was fabulous to get to talk until all hours about art:)  Can't wait until she visits when we are living in Japan:)

If you would like to read the Friday Feature with Debra Keirce, click here.

Carrie

Work In Progress Wednesday: "Retro Pop"

"Retro Pop" work in progress  11" x 12" watercolor by Carrie Waller

Today I'm sharing my progress with you:))  Can't wait to share the finished painting with you on Monday!  I absolutely love the colors in this painting and I can't wait to do some more in this series.  I do have to take a break in there and get ready for a workshop I'm teaching on Friday.  I'm trying a new painting with this workshop and I'll tell you all about it next week.

I do hava couple spots available in my "All That Shines:  The Art of Painting Glass in Watercolor" May 15-17th workshop in Baton Rouge, LA.  That will probably be my last workshop in the United States for a while since we are packing up and moving to Japan.

Carrie

Friday Feature: Diane Ziemski

Hi Everone,

"Tops and Bottoms" by Diane Ziemski

It's Friday again.  Today I bring you a very talented watercolor artist that I have had the privilege to get to know during my time here in Arkansas.  It has been great being in shows together.

To see more of Diane's work visit her website .

How did you get your start?  What’s your artist journey so far?

I have a degree in Home Ec, so in college took a lot of design courses, but never painted until I retired from education at age 52. I considered myself crafty but not artistic. I had moved from a small town in Arkansas to Little Rock, and had just met and married my husband Larry who was USArmy retired.  My sons were both in Medical school and it was then, upon my husband’s urging that I begin a new hobby.  Since I had done exhaustive needlework, I decided to paint and chose watercolors as my medium.  I began by getting books and learning how to paint. simple…..  well, not really, but I did and with inferior products and tools, but I painted for long periods of time each day.  I have taken as many workshops as I could since then, and have been fortunate to have been able to attend workshops with and to paint with many wonderful artists through the Mid-Southern Watercolor Society. I now consider myself a professional artist, and am included on the teaching artist rosters of both Celebrity and Cunard Cruise Lines. I was juried into several international exhibits, many regional exhibits, and have received my signature in the first watercolor society I joined .  

Where were you born?

I was born at Shepards AFB in Wichita Falls. Texas, but was raised in Arkansas.

If you could live anywhere where would you live?

Little Rock, Arkansas was my choice of places to live when I retired. I still like it here.

"Yellow Rose After Texas" by Diane Ziemski

What’s your favorite thing to paint and why?

Portraits in watercolor, because it is just such an intense feeling to see those faces appear on that white paper.  Flowers would be a close choice, because of the vibrant colors. But my husband still says I paint Baskin-robbins style, a different flavor each month……

Could you talk about your painting techniques?  

Since I am self taught, my techniques are probably not the best to encourage new artists,  but they work for me at the moment.  I mostly paint wet on dry, and with strong pigments, I only do washes when I am working on a portrait, and then do up to 12 layers or more, but on most paintings I try to get in and get out on the first time, I do paint by shapes, and sections at at time.  I love having very dark, bold, and bright strong colors. My favorite dark backgrounds are with a dark purple, dark turquoise and dark green all mingled.  I do not like to draw, so when I found out I can make a print of a photo and then use graphite to transfer the drawing to paper, I was elated.  I am a computer geek and so this process was just was I was looking for. I am a decent photographer and now that cameras are digital, I take literally thousands to use as subject matter.

"Jackson" with work in progress shots by Diane Ziemski

Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites? 

My go to colors are the entire Daniel Smith list of paints. No, I do not have them all, but I do have a lot of them, and this is my favorite brand of paint. I have a huge palette, no I have 4 or 5 palettes, which in most artists minds are too many colors, but that is what I learned with and continue to use. I have one palette for portraits, but always have the others nearby and open. The Rose painting that got accepted into Splash was using about 15 different yellows, BUT some of my all time favorites are hematite, indigo, Quin coral, and naples yellow.  

Do you have a favorite artist?  Who has been your biggest inspiration?

Cindy Agan for her portraits, Birgit O’Connor for florals

I have taken workshops with both of these ladies and am still in touch with them.

"Lady Bug" by Diane Ziemski

What have been some of your crowning achievements?

“SPLASH, 11 The best of Watercolor”

Watercolor USA

22^nd Blues & Heritage Festival Poster from my hometown of Helena, AR

Texas & Neighbors Juried Exhibition

Mid-Southern Watercolorists Signature member

UAMS Rockefellar Cancer Center purchase

Portraits of my children and grandchildren

What are five things you would like to happen in your life in the next five years? Dream big here:)

Travel as much as my husband and I can

Have one of my duck paintings chosen as a Duck Stamp

Have a painting juried into the American Watercolor Society

Have a gallery owner come to me and ASK to represent me.

What is your advice for other artists who are just getting started in their career?

Practice, don’t give up, just practice more, and it is never too late to learn new things.

What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?

Paint what you see and feel. there is no right or wrong way, just your way.

"Secondary Jiggles" by Diane Ziemski

"Primary Jiggles" by Diane Ziemski

SPEED ROUND!

Chocolate or vanilla?  chocolate

Your dream vacation spot? Oregon coast

Book or movie? book

Favorite author? Anne Rice

Favorite movie? Gone with the Wind

Romance or comedy? Romance

Favorite dessert? Cheesecake

Night owl or morning person? morning

Work In Progress. Slow Progress:)

Hi Everyone,

I haven't made much progress since last time I posted about this piece. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes:).   

The kids and I are currently on Spring break in Charleston, SC. It was a long 2 day drive where We spent a lot of time looking at the back end of trucks. Lots of traffic, uggghhhhh. But we made it and hopefully in between doing stuff and visiting with my Mom, Step Dad and Grandma I will get some painting. I have some deadlines and commissions to finish before our big move to Japan. Speaking of our move we now have our plane tickets. Starting to feel real.  We are scheduling movers this week, agghh!  

Since we are moving and our computer will be caught up in shipping to Japan and I've gone Mac and won't go back we purchased our first Mac lap top. I love it and bought a cute red case to put it in. Have I mentioned red is my favorite color. 

Carrie

Friday Feature: Nicky Campbell

Friday Feature: Nicky Campbell

 Hi Everyone,

Today I have Nicky Campbell as my Friday Feature.  Nicky is a watercolor artist out of 

Johannesburg, South Africa.  I was struck by her interesting compositions and bold colors.

  I look forward to seeing her creative paintings in the future.

To see more of her work visit her facebook page.

How did you get your start?  What’s your artist journey so far?

I have painted and drawn since I can remember. I was fortunate to grow up in a family of artists, crafters

 and writers but when I got married and had children my paints were forgotten buried deep in a cupboard 

somewhere. A couple of years ago I started getting ill and eventually lost my vision completely. Thanks to

 the most amazing neuro-surgeon I came out of hospital with my vision but was unable to work anymore. 

I was at home with nothing to do and felt frustrated so I pulled out the paints that were buried deep in my

 cupboard and started painting. First I painted eyes because I had almost lost my vision then the people

 around me that I thought I would never be able to see again. I was hooked and haven’t stopped painting 

since. My paintings are a celebration of life and all the people I love in it!

Where were you born?

Johannesburg South Africa

If you could live anywhere where would you live?

Africa is my home, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world but I would love to travel and visit 

as many art museums and galleries as possible!

What’s your favorite thing to paint and why?

I love painting people more than any other subject .I love having someone’s personality come to life as

 paint them. Every face has a story to tell.

Could you talk about your painting techniques? 

I still have so much to learn so I haven’t got a set technique. With every painting I try a new technique that 

I’ve learnt from studying other artists .I do spend hours drawing because I believe it doesn’t matter how 

well you paint if your drawing is wrong your painting won’t work. Then I build up my paintings in layers

 of glazes. I am not a fan of masking fluid so I preserve whites by painting carefully and wet on to dry as 

I find I don’t have control when I paint wet onto wet.

Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites?

My favorite paint is Winsor and newton.For portraits I mainly use Ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt 

sienna and rose madder. My absolute favorite colour is ultramarine blue; I would quite happily do 

monochrome portraits with this colour.

Do you have a favorite artist?  Who has been your biggest inspiration?

That is a hard question to answer, I don’t think I have a favorite artist .At the moment my biggest

 inspiration is J.M.W Turner .His watercolours have amazing atmosphere and light .He continuously 

experimented which I think is the key to growing as an artist.

What have been some of your crowning achievements?

The biggest so far is being brave enough to make being an artist my day job.

What are five things you would like to happen in your life in the next five years? Dream big here:)

1. exhibit my paintings
2. sell my paintings
3. Have a beautiful studio of my own
4. Travel to Italy to paint
5. Most of all to still be able to get up and paint every day.

What is your advice for other artists who are just getting started in their career?

Paint what you love. Learn all the rules and then be brave enough to break them. Paint or draw a little bit 

everyday and most of all have fun!

What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?

To not only practice painting but to study art history and learn from the masters.

SPEED ROUND!

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate without a doubt !

Your dream vacation spot?

Italy , I have wanted to visit Italy and explore the amazing art history since I was little girl .

Book or movie?

Movie so I can paint while I watch

Favorite author?

Agatha Christie.Theres nothing better than curling up one of her crime novels and a cup of coffee.

Favorite movie?

Dirty Dancing

Romance or comedy?

Romance

Favorite dessert?

Chocolate Mousse.ALWAYS

Night owl or morning person?

Night owl definitely. My children refer to me as the one who roars in the morning !

Thank you so much Nicky:)

"Retro Pop" Work In Progress

"Retro Pop" Work in Progress  10" x 11" by Carrie Waller

I'm so excited about my newest work in progress with the working title of "Retro Pop".  I took a lot of photos during a sunny photo shoot last week and I'm just thrilled with the photos and can't wait to paint a series of these paintings.  I wanted to have the vintage bottles in a contemporary/pop art kind of style.  I know you can't tell a whole lot from the small amount that I have painted but I can't wait to paint my way through this one.  I will be sharing work in progress shots on my Facebook page so you can see updates there.

Carrie

Friday Feature: Lorraine Watry

"Shows Over" watercolor by Lorraine Watry

Hi Everyone,

Today I have an amazing artist as our Friday Feature, Lorraine Watry.   Lorraine's watercolor style, colorfully idealized realism, is often a surprise to viewers who think of watercolor as loose and soft.  She has been painting in watercolor for over 20 years and enjoys teaching and demonstrating her techniques.

To see more of her work check out her:
website
blog
youtube channel
Facebook

How did you get your start?  What’s your artist journey so far?  

In about 5^th or 6^th grade classmates would tell me I was a good artist. So, from then on I drew more and more and decided to get a degree in art. I have a Bachelors in Fine Art from the University of Colorado and ended up doing computer clip art design for a couple years while we were in Dallas. After moving back to Colorado and starting a family I needed an art outlet, so I started taking watercolor classes. It has now been 20 years of working with watercolor and I still love it. I taught watercolor at the local community college for 2 ½ years and now I teach small classes at my home studio. I also have a watercolor blog and Youtube videos with over a ½ million views.

"Sonata for Horns" watercolor by Lorraine Watry

Where were you born?

I was born in Boise, Idaho, but when I was about 2 we moved to Denver, Colorado.

If you could live anywhere where would you live? 

I love Colorado and don’t want to live anywhere else.

What’s your favorite thing to paint and why?

My favorite thing to paint is reflections. I started with reflections in landscapes scenes with water, then moved on to paintings of waterlilies, and now I am excited to paint reflections in band instruments.

Could you talk about your painting techniques? 

I am a realistic painter, but not quite photo realistic. I like very detailed subject matter and I use a lot of bright colors. I always start with a very detailed drawing on paper that I then transfer to my watercolor paper using a light table. For most of my paintings, I use 140 lb. cold press, Arches, bright white paper that I stretch. I generally use my big #38 round brush for most of my painting before switching to a smaller brush for details. I prefer only transparent watercolor and have only a couple opaque colors on my palette. 

"Cool Blues" watercolor by Lorraine Watry

Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites? 

Yes, I use French Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt, Sap green, and Quinacridone Magenta a lot. My newest favorite color is Transparent Pyrrol Orange by Daniel Smith.

Do you have a favorite artist?  

Who has been your biggest inspiration? My favorite artist and inspiration is Claude Monet and my husband and I got to visit his home in Giverny, France a few years ago. 

What have been some of your crowning achievements? 

Some of my crowning achievements so far were receiving Signature Membership and the HK Holbein award in the 91^st Annual NWS Exhibition in 2011. Also, I had a painting included in Splash 14: Light and Color in 2013.

"Stained Glass Water Lilies" watercolor by Lorraine Watry

What are five things you would like to happen in your life in the next five years? Dream big here:) 

1. I would like to have paintings accepted into American Watercolor Society and TWSA in order to become a Signature Member, receive awards, and start competing with the “Big Dogs” in watercolor.

2. I would like to start teaching workshops around the country and be asked to jury shows.

3. I would like to take a trip or two to other parts of the world with my husband.

4. I would like to see all three of my kids finished with college and happily working in their field.

5. Finally, I would like my paintings to be in several galleries and to have so many sales that I am kept very busy!

What is your advice for other artists who are just getting started in their career? 

Watercolor is an exciting, but sometimes exasperating medium. Give yourself time to learn all that it has to teach you. Taking workshops and classes from a variety of teachers is a good way to learn the medium and helpful in finding your own watercolor voice. Enter juried shows, start locally and then when you have had some success, start entering nationally. And lastly, paint what you know – if you feel a link to your subject it will show in the final painting. 

What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?

I think the best advice I received was to believe in myself and to keep painting. Becoming a “master” at your craft does not come overnight, it takes years of learning and practice. 

"Coasting" watercolor by Lorraine Watry

SPEED ROUND!

Chocolate or vanilla? Dark Chocolate always!

Your dream vacation spot?  All over Europe

Book or movie? Book 

Favorite author?  Jane Austen

Favorite movie? Singing in the Rain

Romance or comedy? Comedy

Favorite dessert?  7 Layer German Chocolate Torte

Night owl or morning person? Morning

"Vintage Appeal"

"Vintage Appeal" 18" x 24" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I'm finally finished. I have a couple tweaks to do but other than that I'm calling this one done. I started this painting during my workshop in February. I'm going to do a modified version for my upcoming workshop in Baton Rouge, LA in May.

We are in clean out and sort mode as we prepare to move to Japan. I can't believe it is already March even though looking outside it still looks like December. Time is flying by. 

Carrie

Friday Feature: Elizabeth Pollie

"King and Crossroads" by Elizabeth Pollie

Today I bring you an exceptional Friday Feature.  Elizabeth's work was brought to my attention by Kathy Cousart.  I'm so lucky to have so many art friends that share their favorite artists with me so that I can share them with you.

Elizabeth Pollie’s exposure to the arts came at an early age. Taken to museums, enrolled in classes by her parents and influenced by her father’s love and practice of art and architecture, she was always clear about her path in life. “Working within the field of visual arts never seemed like a choice, but rather a place of true belonging”. She enrolled in college art classes while still in high school and went on to receive an education at a formal Art School. She earned her B.F.A. at The College For Creative Studies where she later taught.

Harboring a deep love of travel and art history, Elizabeth has combined her travels with her painting practice. The images that she creates are imbued with a sense of poetry, mood and depth. 

The artist paints full time and teaches from her studio, West Wind Atelier in Harbor Springs, Mi.  Her paintings reside in both public and private collections here and abroad and have received much national recognition.

To see more of her work visit her website and facebook page

How did you get your start?  What’s your artist journey so far?

Nearly every piece of my childhood led me to the visual arts. And, as is very common, it has been a journey that has felt a bit like a scavenger hunt.  I went to Art School following high school. Like so many other art schools during the 70’s, it felt overly intellectualized and was lacking in the classical training I was seeking. I left after a few years and followed a path that included travel, reading up on traditional methods, many museum visits and other art related studies. 

I became a freelance illustrator ( primarily editorial) and was lucky to have my work published in American Illustration and a few Communication Arts -Illustration Annuals. I later finished my BFA and taught a few classes at The College For Creative Studies. 

Honestly, it was not until I started taking a painting workshop here and there that I began to understand how to “see” with paint. 

Where were you born?

St. Louis, MO.

If you could live anywhere where would you live?

A silly amount of places sprinkled across the planet.

What’s your favorite thing to paint and why?

It’s very much like the previous question. Limiting myself has never been my strong suit.

"The Horse Before the Cart" by Elizabeth Pollie

Could you talk about your painting techniques?  

Once again, I have to refer to the previous 2 questions. I don’t really have a method or a technique. 

When I paint, I am really trying to create an image that conveys something more than an accurate description of a thing. I suppose I am looking for an indefinable emotional quality. I am a person who loves nuance. Nuance in painting, is not something you can necessarily achieve with a prescribed technique. So the challenge for me is that my painting abilities are good enough to translate my vision and analytical decisions. I fall short quite often but I suppose that it makes my “triumphs” all the more thrilling on a personal level. I am never bored by the process due to its unpredictable nature. I think struggle and evolution are inherently linked.

Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites?

I regularly use about 7-8 colors. Occasionally, I will have a little fling with a color until it no longer amuses me. I pretty much have a warm and a cool of each primary and orange. I tried going with out cadmium orange and it was “like a day without sunshine”. I think I just dated myself.

"The Edge of Things" by Elizabeth Pollie

Do you have a favorite artist?  Who has been your biggest inspiration?

A have a long list that have kept me company as I have evolved.

Currently I  enjoy looking at the work of the following artists;

Emil Carlson, Frederick Mulhaupt, William Nicholson, Frederick Judd Waugh, Adelsteen Normann, Luigi Loir.

There are so many others living and dead. They awe me again and again. 

Recently, when I saw a Fechin show I was deeply inspired by the overall trust he had that people would see what they needed to in the most under-described areas of his paintings. Or, he may not have cared about his audience at all. Whatever it was, it was very powerful and greatly inspiring.

What have been some of your crowning achievements?

On a professional level, being featured on the cover of Southwest Art. Winning the Silver Medal in the 2011 OPA National . Winning Best of Show in the 2010 Salmagundi Annual Non-Members Show. I simply feel very lucky, rather surprised and greatly aware that there are so many people every bit as deserving of this kind of recognition. On a personal level, planning and pulling off a surprise wedding, (with the help of 2 dear friends and my mother) for my fiancé on his 50^th birthday. Also, cleaning my closet last month.

"Spark and Fury" by Elizabeth Pollie

What are five things you would like to happen in your life in the next five years? Dream big here:)

1. More than anything, it would give me incredible joy to see the people of the world become more caring toward our planet and everyone and everything in it and on it. 

2. Just as most artists wish for, I would like my career to flourish to the degree that my needs and desires are well supported. I don’t mean this strictly in financial terms.

3.There is nothing I love more than combining painting and travel. It seems to wake up every cell in the body and leaves me loving the world even more. 

4.Ok, I know this conflicts with my very last answer but I would love to learn to walk through the woods and actually be there fully. So much of my time is spent looking at the world through an artist’s lens and I wonder what it would be like to look at something without thinking “Hmmm, look the way those two values contrast.”

5. Time; lots and lots of time.

What is your advice for other artists who are just getting started in their career?

I think I would suggest that one should really try to let their paintings marinate and ferment a bit before they present them to the world. I don’t mean work that is done with the intention that it will be a time-limited exercise/event.  Those have a value all their own and can contain great energy.

But still, writers don’t write a chapter for a novel and throw it out into the public arena after working on it for one or two days. Editing and rewriting come after a bit of distance. 

 It takes time to really see a painting. Creating work very quickly seems to be a phenomena linked to the pace of our current world. Perhaps we have come to expect quick answers and resolutions. Patience and contemplation are invaluable to an artist with regard to assessing and crafting their work. I have to tell myself to slow down and step away every single day and even then I may not see a problem or an answer until I have let my original perception of the piece go.

"No. 13" by Elizabeth Pollie

What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?

If only I could remember! Possibly when CW Mundy quoted Salvador Dali’s idea of building something first and then deconstructing it. It found it’s way straight into my brain and never left.

SPEED ROUND!

Chocolate or vanilla?

French Fries

Your dream vacation spot?

Draw a line from the upper edge of Scotland down to Gibraltar. Head east to the Greek Islands. Take a hard left and head north until you hit Krakow. Take the high road back to Scotland.

Now, paint your way through all of the territory that falls within this perimeter.

Book or movie?

Movie, only because when I am done painting my eyes are tired and my brain has left the building.

Favorite author?

I am currently reading, Small Disasters Seen In Sunlight , a book of poetry by Julia B. Levine. 

It is both beautiful and heartbreaking. Truly masterful.

Favorite movie?

A few that stand out are “il Postino” and “The Sea Inside”.

One box of Kleenex per movie is recommended.

Romance or comedy?

Romantic, with subtitles and dinner afterwards in lovely restaurant.

Favorite dessert?

Walking the beach with our dogs on a warm summer night.

Night owl or morning person?

Morningish with a spike of energy at 4 pm. 

Thank you so much Elizabeth:)

Commissioned work

Hi Everyone,

"412 S Cedar St." 10" x 13" watercolor by Carrie Waller

I have taken a break from my regularly scheduled program to complete this commission.   I had a lot of fun painting this because it is so different from my normal paintings.  I will say there is a challenge trying to make this kind of painting as dramatic as my still life paintings, especially because I didn't take the reference photos.  The reference photos were challenging so I was so thankful to Debra Keirce for telling me that she used Google Maps when she was doing this kind of work.  I could kiss her for telling me this because what a difference it made.  Google Maps is so great because you can get the street view and from all different angles.

Carrie

Friday Feature: Margie Guyot

"Bowl of Cherries" by Margie Guyot

I'm so excited about today's Friday Feature!  As soon as I stumbled upon Margie Guyot's work I was blown away.  Her compositions, colors, whimsy are all so admirable and inspirational.  I am in love with her work and can't wait to share her interview with you.
To see more of her work visit her blog,  website and Facebook page.

How did you get your start?  What’s your artist journey so far?

Back in grade school I basked in the glory of being “the school artist”. High school was another story, however.  The art teacher was into abstraction (it was the late 6o’s) and I was entranced by realism.  When he found out I was also in band, he told me I couldn’t do both.  So I dropped art entirely at age 15.  And majored in music education out of spite.  It’s amazing what we can accomplish out of spite.

"Granny Smiths" by Margie Guyot

Where were you born? Davenport, Iowa

If you could live anywhere where would you live? The Amazon jungle.

What’s your favorite thing to paint and why? It’s a toss-up between plein air landscapes and colorful still lifes.  I like doing landscapes because there’s a minimum of thought involved – you see it, you like it, you paint it.  Still lifes can take days to set up and they can be a pain-in-the-ass to paint.  But I love the bright colors, reflections and shapes.  In a world that seems to be going to hell-in-a-handbasket, the thought of having total control over something – and being able to solve its problems – is appealing.  I guess I just flip-flop back and forth all the time between the two.  I detest being bored.

"Banks Two Park" by Margie Guyot

"Scott Road in Winter" by Margie Guyot

"Gennet Rd" by Margie Guyot

Could you talk about your painting techniques?  

I was taught alla-prima, although sometimes layering and glazes work best (when painting glass in still lifes).

Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites? 

The best paints for me are Vasari, particularly the “grays” of Scott Christensen.  And then I do love off-the-wall shades (aurora pink by Shinhan, for example). 

Do you have a favorite artist?  I have several favorites: 

Janet Fish, Sorolla, Scott Christensen, Clyde Aspevig.  Who has been your biggest inspiration?  Definitely Janet Fish for the still lifes.  Edgar Payne – for his landscape compositions.

What have been some of your crowning achievements? 

Ha ha – I can’t think of any offhand.  I do manage to juggle both music AND art.  I still play my saxophone in several local groups.

List a few things you would like to happen in your life in the next five years? Dream big here:)

I’d love to find gallery representation in a good gallery that sells still lifes.

I’d love to be able to go painting in Iceland.

I’d love to go painting in Tierra del Fuego.

"Fish Teapot" by Margie Guyot

What is your advice for other artists who are just getting started in their career? 

Well, there’s nothing to be ashamed about having a “regular” job.  I worked on the Line at Ford Motor Company for 30 years.  May sound tragic, but hey – it enabled me to be able to afford to take some good art workshops, studying with some of the country’s top painters.  And now I have retirement and Blue Cross.  So I’m not saddled with the problem of trying to make a buck to survive.  I am free to paint what I love, rather than trying to guess what people would want to buy.  

And – it’s important to really work at your art.  I know people who never pick up a brush unless they’re in a class.  How could they expect to improve like that?  

What I did was look at the art magazines and pick out a few painters who painted the way I hoped to paint.  Then I located where they gave workshops. Most of them will give workshop at least one week a year.  Go and spend a week with them.  Then come home and work your tail off!

"Caladiums" by Margie Guyot, shown with her set up

"Caladiums" by Margie Guyot

What is the best advice that you have received as an artist?  

Work directly from life – all the answers are right in front of you ---- Clyde Aspevig

Also – Robert Bateman told us to try to make our art look “fresh”, something like nobody’s seen before.  I decided long ago that the world did not need another somber, brownish still life with a wine bottle and spray of orchids.  

At my very first workshop with Clyde Aspevig, he handed us all a simple cardboard viewfinder.  Showed us how to use it to compose.  I used it until if fell to shreds.  Somebody gave me a nicer one out of plastic.  I use it all the time. 

Another very helpful "tool", if I could call it that, is Betty Edwards' "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain".  Somebody loaned me a copy many years ago and I did all the exercises.  I was surprised that I could draw!  All it is is measuring and comparing.

And my philosophy is "Making a good painting involves learning how to control your panic!"  Don't just put anything down, thinking you'll correct it later.  Clyde told us to take the time to wipe it out re-do -- "otherwise you'll end up with a painting that's all wrong!"

"Fiesta" by Margie Guyot

SPEED ROUND!

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate!

Your dream vacation spot? Amazon jungle

Book or movie?  It’s a toss-up

Favorite author? Bill Bryson

Favorite movie? The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Romance or comedy? Couldn’t really say

Favorite dessert? Coconut cake

Night owl or morning person? Morning

Thank you so much Margie!  I'm so inspired:)

Carrie