How did you get to art? How was yoru talent discovered and when did you commence training?
My Grandmother bought me Walter Foster Art Books from the time I was 8 years old. They were simpIe, instructive and had lots of encouraging anecdotes in them. I always had a proclivity for drawing and I had my first oil painting art lesson when I was 11. Oddly enough, I still have the first oil painting I ever made. It’s certainly nothing special but I sure enjoyed making it.
Was it difficult for you to be an artist child, young adult, amongst your peers?
I always enjoyed the creative elements of art and I was supported in my efforts by my family. I did have a few setbacks along the way, dealing with one art teacher in particular who was a negative influence. I didn’t allow that to deter me and later two college professors helped me a lot. I don’t let negative people effect me in any significant way. I just politely work my way around them.
Were there times you were thinking of giving up painting? And if so, what were the circumstances? Can you tell me your biggest challenges you have faced?
I took a rather long break in art creation for over 12 years. Earning a living and raising a family essentially deactivated my art career. I wish I hadn’t been deterred, but things happen for a reason. On New Year’s Day in 2004, my lovely and supportive wife of 35 years suggested that I take up painting again, and two years later my work was in a commercial gallery on the California coast.
Also, if you could let me know about your biggest achievements in art? (exhibitions, awards etc) Throughout your development, have you been doing different styles, techniques or medium?
I have exhibited in regional Central California art competitions, winning many 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards, Best of Shows, Judges Choice awards, but in all honesty judged shows are highly subjective and many times it comes down to a judge’s taste in art. I have exhibited in fine art galleries in coastal cities, included in shows that draw 100,000 people in two days, and shown work at premium wineries on California’s Central coast. One of the biggest challenges I face is being the “outsider”. Some galleries and exhibitions tend to disfavor non-local artists (artists that don’t live in their town or area) I understand this and since I live in a smaller rural area this is just something I have to work around. I figure at some point it won’t matter where I live!
How would you describe your current style and chosen themes?
My work is typically representational, at least in origin, and I create intuitively by nature. A well established Los Angeles artist bought one of my paintings a few years ago and told me she thought I was best when I just trusted my instincts and cut loose. By the time I am finished with a canvas, it might have been in several manifestations before I get what I am after. The work has a crusty, tactile feel, sometimes very rustic and gestural with some of the old previous work showing through.
I typically paint coastal scenes from California or the French or Italian coastlines but I also paint still lifes, large abstract canvases and even pirates. I appreciate vitality. If someone is looking for photorealism, I am not the guy they are after. If they enjoy paint, texture and authenticity, then now we are talking.
Where do you find inspiration and what motivates you?
Inspiration is everywhere if you are open to it. I love running 6 miles at dawn every morning. I feel running or walking can be part of the creative process. Get out and feel the new morning, the possibilities of a new day! I enjoy travel shows and seeing places that I have either been to or wish to see. I know the feeling of waking up at the coast near the water, whether in California or Italy, and the excitement of what potential the new day may hold. Nature in all its forms is a great source of inspiration, as is the ancient history of this world we inhabit. I find travel and history to be great sources of inspiration.
Who would you say has influenced your works mostly?
I have studied art history for 40 years and I have an extensive library. My work has developed from my attraction to ancient Roman, pre-impressionist and post-impressionist art. In rough terms it is an odd amalgam of Third Style Roman Art, J. M. W. Turner and Vincent Van Gogh. It is also and more importantly my natural style of painting.
I read in your statement that you paint over your paintings to add or create different textures, shades or impression. Do you ever think that the change has made a painting less good? Or is it a process of creation in which the painting is creating itself and you are the mediator?
I sometimes paint over previous efforts. It is more interesting to see what will happen if I paint over old crusty bumps and streaks of paint and create a new image. I will leave a canvas for months in the store room if I am dissatisfied, sorting back through them to find one that might suit my purpose for the next project and to be painted over. It is truly a process of creation, incorporating random and unexpected effects as I go. Part of the fun is being surprised at an effect. Some people can’t understand that seeming lack of control but I enjoy it.
Is there anything else you enjoy doing and if so how does it compliment your art?
I paint all my work out of doors. I have an outdoor studio with northern light that I paint in regardless of the weather. Our climate is relatively mild, ranging from 28 F on winter mornings to 105 degrees F in the summer, so it gets a little challenging but I work through it. I have several hundred digital photos from trips around California and Europe that I display on a monitor out by my easel, so subject matter is always handy. I also paint Iris and Hibiscus from the backyard or paint out on location. As a side note I enjoy cooking, Poor Man’s Jambalaya and Eggs Benedict are a couple of specialties.
Wanda – Lawanda Wollenman