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Were
you interested in art as a child?
I
have always been interested in art and painting. One of my first recollections is of a giant book of art
masterpieces that stayed on a huge marble table in the parlor in my
grandmother’s house. I had to tiptoe to reach it, and it was from that book that I copied my first painting—Botticelli’s
Birth of Venus, when I was about eight years old. I started painting with a teacher when I was almost
nine.
Was
art always a career option for you? At one time, I was a French major, but even though that interest
was strong, I eventually moved to art.
I have always been involved in one way or another with art.
I thought, however, that I would be an art history professor, but
my maverick side won out, and I have never looked back!
Where
have you studied art?
I
have studied art history at the University of Virginia, where I got my
Master’s Degree in art history and where I completed all course work
and the orals for a doctorate. I have studied privately with many well known artists all over the United
States. I also studied art
on an undergraduate level at Hollins College, and at Radford College,
where I received a B. A. in art. Before
I became a full time artist, when I was studying for my doctorate, I
also studied with two wonderful artists in Charlottesville,
Virginia—Morton Traylor, a student of Rico le Brun and Irmgard Arvin,
who was a student of Maroger, himself.
What
person or factor has influenced you the most?
In what way? Three
major influences transcend all others in my life. First, the influence of my uncle, a gifted scholar and professor
of English at the Virginia Military Institute who propelled me into an
artistic path from the age of three on up—first by giving me a book of
poetry and second by giving me my first set of paints at the age of
eight. Second, the
influence of my art history background and the study of iconography and
symbololism; and third, the inspiration I received from my paternal
grandmother and the many artists I have studied with. Major influences on my style are: Paul Jenkins; Cezanne; Ingres;
and Botticelli.
What
first attracts you to a subject for a painting? Are you
"inspired" most by
composition, color, emotion, etc? What comes first - the painting, the
title
or the inspiration? It
differs from subject to subject from mood to mood. Most of the time, I am inspired by paint, itself, and the process
of painting. Possibly, when
I am painting in a representational way, it is light, ethereal light and
color that grabs me. As far
as what comes first—I’ll have to say, I always feel inspired
Do
you work out the design and composition first or just dive in and paint?
I’m a diver from way back.
Do you begin with a thumbnail? Heavens, no!
Do
you use masking fluid? Not much.
What
do you find most appealing about the medium of watercolor or acrylics? Because I am impatient and eccentric myself, I am drawn to those
mediums that lend themselves to much improvisation. And, they are fast
drying! I don’t like to know what will happen all the time, so I love
the fast flowing nature of watermedia and its unpredictability. I also
feel that the medium itself sometimes does a far better job than I
determining color and diffusions.
Which
of your paintings do you consider "special"? Why? Probably
my most innovative paintings are my paintings of cards and related
symbols. They are created
by pouring many pigments onto a board that is sometimes upright or
tilted. I typically use 5 to 7 pigments on each painting done in this matter.
The challenge comes
when I turn the chaotic pour into a good composition. After the initial pour dries, I paint in a kaleidoscopic fashion,
putting color down, adding darks, sometimes neutrals till I see the
composition come together.
What
paint, paper, and brushes do you prefer? I love to experiment with all
kinds of paper, and according to what I am painting, it differs. For example, with acrylics, I prefer hot press paper and
Strathmore Aquarius II. I
love Arches 140 lb. Cold press paper for just about everything, and I
also love Fabriano Uno paper, especially the new soft press paper, which
allows pigments to float and merge in a wonderful way. I also use many
different types of brushes. In
watercolor for figures and flowers, there’s nothing like a good
kolinsky sable brush—the Rolls Royce of brushes.
In watercolor, I prefer natural hair brushes.
For my abstract acrylic paintings, I like good synthetic
brushes---good and big. I
use a three inch brush for the majority of these paintings.
Also, acrylic is hard on brushes, so I am reluctant to use an
expensive kolinsky brush with that medium.
Do you have
a standard palette of colors that you always use? I do advise
a palette which contains a warm and a cool of the primaries. Also a dark of the
primaries. I like a mixture of staining transparent paint and granular
opaque paint for contrast. I also love Daniel Smith’s iridescent and
interference watercolors. I
use everything, but I especially like Maimeriblu watercolors as a basic
watercolor. It’s very
intense with a marvelous mixing and glazing viscosity.
With acrylics, I like Brera acrylics in tubes and Golden Fluid Acrylics.
What
would you tell a "beginning" artist who wants to make a career
of art? Study
with as many artists that you can whose work you admire until you feel
you have mastered the mechanics of the medium. Then, paint, paint, paint till your style
emerges. Also, paint what you know and love. One must be solitary to become a good painter.
Period. Secondly,
find a support group of artists who can help you critique your work and
see your work in context.
What
single factor do you think has helped you succeed as an artist? Dogged
determination, unbridled passion for my profession, and much loving
support from friends, family, and students.
How
has your "art" evolved over the last few years? My art
continues to change and evolve as I do.
Possibly, there is more of a tendency toward expressionistic
painting with interpretive color.
Why do you think it has
gone
in this direction and what influenced this change?
I think my work is developing in this way, because I paint who I am.
Do
you think art associations aid in the growth of an artist?
Absolutely, if they are good supportive art groups. There’s the rub!
Thank you
for your time, Betsy!
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