Focusing your Mind on the Easel

SchulmanArt: How do you get your ideas? 

RENIE:  I am definitely a color addict, the deeper, the better. I tend to respond to art emotionally. If it doesn’t ring a certain bell in me, I don’t have a pull to it. I love deep color and deep contrast, so feel pulled to any work like that. My favorite genre is, what I call, modern, whimsical folk art. It’s folk art, but not the more primitive type. This style just sort of evolved for me, since selling online. I’ve always been into folk art, it just went the whimsical direction, kind of on it’s own! Oh, another thing I remember is, from being in some online art groups, early on, I would get so much support and so many ideas about what to paint. I am still close with some of those people now.

RENIE: This may not mean much to some people, but to me, it was just a gift. I do a series of winter paintings, scenes of kids ice skating, sledding, cozy little houses. Sometimes they have more of a Christmas theme with trees with lights and greenery with red bows. I call them “Tribute to Vince Guaraldi”, and it’s been an on going series for probably about 8 years. I tribute them to Guaraldi because I love his soft jazz and particularly the “Charlie Brown Christmas” score that he did. He wrote the song, “Christmastime is Here” and I always hear that song in my head when I paint the little skating scenes and snow scenes. I love the music and how it makes me feel. His son, David, saw my work and purchased one of the tribute paintings. For me, it just meant so much, because the music means a lot to me.

Another moment that I was really happy and grateful for was being selected to be in a book about artists in the county I live in. They had a book launch party and a gallery showing and it was such an honor and also great fun! http://www.indigoinkpress.org/69-artists-selected-for-stark-arthology/

What is your studio space like?
I moved from my home of 28 years, about a year and a half ago. Big adjustment! I currently live in a 2 bedroom duplex with a full basement. It started out that I was going to use the basement for my studio space, but I couldn’t stand not seeing out windows and being more in the light. So, I now use the 2nd bedroom mostly, along with the living room. I don’t know how structured I am, but I basically am focusing on creating or any of the other aspects that go with selling work online. I have a few online stores, which require attention, email to answer, and also use social media the best I can to promote the work.

I rarely feel isolated. I am sort of a loner and like it that way, for the most part. I even like dark, dreary days because it’s easier for me to focus on painting. When it’s nice out, it’s tough. I have 2 dogs, Poppy, a “Walt Disney” type dog that we rescued, and Saetia (SaySha), a Cairn Terrier. They’re a huge part of my life. I also have 2 daughters, 29 and 26, both are artists in their own expressions.

What’s on your easel now?
My mind is pretty much focused on what is on my easel and what will next be on the easel, all the time. On my easel at this moment is a painting which is an order, of an interior room and still life, in yellows. I am starting some John Lennon themed paintings, two of them. I also am working on some sketches which will be paintings, for illustrating a book.