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| "Made In Poland" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
Hi Everyone,
I'm so excited about today's feature. I have been following Jane on fb for a long time. Her work is extraordinary and I had the hardest time picking images for this feature because I wanted to include them all. She has a book available on Amazon called "Celebration of Light" and has been featured in magazines and North Light Books Splash 12 and 13.
Please visit her website and blog to see more of her amazing works!
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| "Draped Grapes" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
How did you get your start? What’s your artist journey so far?
My first introduction to the arts was through a teacher I
had in Alamo, North Dakota. This was a small school in a small farming
community and he was fresh out of college when he came. He had us put on plays
all the time and took our band to Estes Park where we received an award for
best marching band. Every student played an instrument. Then in my Junior year
he offered an oil painting class after school at his apartment. I was lucky to
be one of the students. It was the first time I realized one could be an
artist. From that I went to college at the University of North Dakota and
received my BFA and a teaching degree. I am still on the journey and hope I am
until my last breath.
Where were you born?
I was born in Williston, North Dakota where I lived for about
6 years and then raised on a farm near Alamo, North Dakota.
If you could live anywhere where would you live?
I suspect there
are millions of places that would be wonderful. I need wildlife, beautiful
scenery, privacy and beautiful light. But none of this would matter if I did
not have my friends there. I suspect I would choose exactly where I am as here
in the north woods of Minnesota I am surrounded by beauty. I do not have
galleries and opportunities like so many others but I surely have everything
else.
What’s your favorite thing to paint and why?
Finding ones passion can be a struggle for many but I
have learned over the years what mine is. I love so many things and had always
thought I would be a landscape painter or more figurative as I studied medical
illustration in college and loved the human shape. But what I have discovered
is that if I walk into a room with a beautiful still life set up…even a
furniture store where the lamp and vases are arranged beautifully or a candy
store with a perfect arrangement, then that is where you will find me. I
gravitate to that like butter to beans. I was in an antique store in Oregon
some years ago and walked into a room where it was all white objects
beautifully arranged into perfect still life setups. Everything was a painting.
I could hardly leave the room. I was breathless. I knew then that anything that
excited me that much had to be my passion. We can paint anything but finding
what gives you joy is most important. I always say,” If you paint what you love
you will love what you paint”.
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| "Lean On Me" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
Could you talk about your painting techniques?
When I wrote my book, A Celebration of Light, I was stumped as to what to say about my
technique as I did not have a word for it. Then I saw what Susan
Harrison-Tustain said and it made perfect sense. I asked her to use that word
in my book. It really is priming. By using water in areas where I want to portray smoothness or
shine, I wet that area and let the water begin to soak in and it opens up the
fibers and draws the paint in deeper. It allows me to layer up about 40 light
layers before it really begins to lift the paint below if I do it right. It
allows me to shift values very gradually and play with what I want rather than
being stuck with what I laid down. I began to work this way immediately because
in the beginning I did not have the paper to waste or the paint. It was a
luxury in those first years of learning watercolor to ever have 5 sheets of
paper so my style came out of the need to make everything count. I rarely have
thrown a painting away with this method. That is what I try to teach to my
students as there are a lot of artists trying to save a few dollars from their
grocery money to buy paint supplies.
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| "A Slice of Summer" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
Do you have go-to paints/colors, what are your favorites?
Every artist that paints a lot has favorites. I had the
Jane Freeman palette with Daniel Smith back when I taught more. That has
evolved some but those tried and true favorites remain. I have 5 that will
remain on my palette forever I guess and they are New Gamboge, Indanthrone
Blue, Quinachridone Rose, Sap Green and Transparent Brown Oxide. That said, I own every color I think but some
colors you just use over and over and you know them like your own children and
know exactly what they will do.
Do you have a favorite artist? Who has been your biggest inspiration?
I studied art history in college for 2 years but lost
most of that information after a brain injury. What I found was I began turning
more to contemporary artists for inspiration because it was so disheartening to
go back and try to relearn everything I had lost. I just moved on instead. In
the 70’s I was writing letters to Robert Bateman begging to let me apprentice under
him. As far as I know he never did such a thing with anyone but I was willing
to keep asking. I am sure he laughed but I was very serious. Then I found Carl
Brenders and fell in love with his detailed work. Up to this point I had been
an abstract artist in most things except my drawing which was detailed human
forms from all my medical illustration training. Over the years I have loved
Stephen Lyman for his night paintings and Jack Hendershot for his night work. When
I saw John Stuart Ingle’s work is when I fell in love with still life. He used
everyday objects in his home and I just loved what he did. I began to arrange
what I had in my home and remember so clearly when I saw those first photos how
excited I became. I knew these things well as they had been in my family for
years. That began my journey to where I am now but it was never one artist who
inspired me. Each day I am inspired by artists I see in the art magazines and
books and on Facebook. Who could not love Alvaro Castagnet! I love the work of
Chris Krupinski and the lovely washes of Chris Beck.What a time
we live in. I know if Turner or Wyeth were here they would be in awe of what is
being achieved with watercolor now. It has really taken on a life of its own
and I am so tickled to be a part of that.
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| "Every Day's a Celebration" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
What have been some of your crowning achievements?
I think my first national show entries that were juried
in was the highlight because it was those first moments of knowing I was being
accepted into the art community. Since then each achievement has been a blessing.
Writing my book was more than I ever expected and to be in American Artist
magazine and International Artist magazine and all the others. Each time was a
blessing. Perhaps above all is just being somewhere and someone will come up to
me and say, “Are you Jane Freeman the artist?” and I will be in total awe to be
recognized. All I ever wanted to be was an artist so to be recognized as that
is my most wonderful achievement.
What are five things you would like to happen in your
life in the next five years? Dream big here:)
1)
I would love for my work to take a leap in a
wonderful new direction. Maybe become a painter of clouds and skies!
2)
I would love to have a group of 4-5 artists go
somewhere together every year to learn from each other and share and paint the
places that they are. I am not around a lot of artists like myself and I would
enjoy that so much. In fact, if we can dream big…we have a name and are known
for what we do as a group and are envied for all the fun we have!
3)
I would like to live somewhere totally
inspirational for a year and absorb the culture.
4)
I would love to write for one of the art
magazines and inspire people to become the best artist they can be.
5)
I want to become comfortable with who I am as an
artist and have confidence in that I can do whatever I put my mind to and be
accepted for being that person and acknowledged by my peers as a friend and
artist of value.
What is your advice for other artists who are just
getting started in their career?
I am speaking to those who run a household and family and
do the cleaning and groceries and mow the yard and do the wash. These artists
have a full life just doing the daily stuff and it is hard to find time to
paint. I was told unless I spent 4-6 hours a day painting I would never be a
great artist. Well I learned that some days I could only get in one wash but
that worked. I could study my work more carefully. One year I only managed one
painting but it was the one that got into AWS. One great painting is worth it and
so do whatever you can and if it is only one wash in a small area a day, it is
enough. It will help you achieve your goals and one day you will be able to
paint more and you will have all the skills already developed to go for your
dreams.
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| "Musical Pears" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
What is the best advice that you have received as an
artist?
In 1972 an artist told me not to join any local art
groups. In my area they were little ladies who painted together and really they
all painted alike it seemed. I have a BA in art but I decided to work in watercolor
so I stayed to myself and worked on learning this new medium through books and
magazines. I think it made me more of an individual and made me a stronger
person. It made me learn how to dedicate time to my craft and how to work on my
own to achieve my dreams. It kept me focused. I do not think I would be where I
am today if I had not gone this route.
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| "Pear Tea" original watercolor by Jane Freeman |
SPEED ROUND!
Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate with fresh raspberries and almonds
Your dream vacation spot?
Norway or a small town in northern Italy with friends and
paints
Book or movie?
Movie
Favorite artist?
Robert Bateman because of his art and also because of who
he is as a person. He is a conservationist and lover of the earth which I
greatly admire.
Favorite Famous painting?
Carnation,
Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent because it was the first time I saw
something that glowed in a painting and I was so struck by that.
Favorite author?
Diane Ackerman
Favorite movie?
Oh l have no real favorite. I just love anything that
makes me laugh or feel happy.
Romantic comedy
Favorite dessert?
Good homemade fresh frui
t pie……and
maybe more pie!
Night owl or morning person?
Definitely it is morning.
Raised on a farm I was up early to do chores and I still get up around
5am. That is when the world comes alive and birds sing their first songs and
the light is so amazing!
