Some Q&A:
What style art do you create and what medium do you use?
First, I enjoy anything creative and work in many media. I choose the medium to suit the effect I am trying to achieve. Oils work well for more realistic artwork. I enjoy water based mediums for my Impressionist style artworks. I often get commissioned to create sketches of people and their pets, and I love using pen and ink, pencil, and pastels for those creations. My children’s books often are a blend of pen and ink, colored pencil, and art markers. I don’t set out to create a particular style, but generally people refer to my work as Impressionist, which I love!
How do you get started on a new work – what’s your inspiration?
Sometimes I’m requested to do a particular subject, and sometimes I’m free-styling! An example of a work that I might not otherwise have created is Bon Jour. Bon Jour came into being because one of the companies that licenses my work had asked me for an Eiffel Tower artwork. Not wanting to just paint a centered Eiffel Tower, seeking inspiration I asked my husband what else he thought I should put in the artwork, and he suggested a cafe scene.
Here is the result:
As it turns out, Bon Jour has been a successful artwork for me – for example, in addition to the original license on glass plates, Bon Jour has also successfully been licensed for rain and garden boots, and many people enjoy scarves and limited edition prints of Bon Jour.
On the other hand, sometimes I just have an idea that I want paint for myself. An example of this is Gondolier of Venice. Gondolier of Venice was a work that I simply wanted to create because I love the romance and unique waterway life of Venice. After creating Gondolier of Venice, the original artwork sold within a few minutes of my circulating an email to a well-known philanthropist, and within a month the artwork was written up in the Montecito Journal (where I was named an Artist to watch), and the Gondolier of Venice has also enjoyed a successful licensing life and sales as limited edition prints.
Regardless of whether I’m asked to paint a particular subject (such as the Eiffel Tower) or if it’s a subject that I’m doing for myself (like Venice), each time I start a new work, I first enjoy the essence of my subject, and then I let my intuition do the rest. It’s fun to celebrate each subject with beauty, passion and joy, and it’s a treat when people look at my work and say, “It makes me feel so happy!” I love working with color and movement to create engaging compositions, and if I can put in a few extra hidden smiles and meanings, I will. Sometimes companies that license my work ask for a specific color palette or size, and sometimes companies give me free reign. Either way, I love it, and from each work I learn new things. I was every bit as happy painting Bon Jour as I was creating Gondolier of Venice, so in terms of the joy of creation, the source of the inspiration becomes secondary to the spirit of painting – once I have that paint brush in my hand, I am in my own happy little world. I also love painting to music, and I have some ‘favorites’ on my music list that get me started on each painting I create – from stretching the canvas to mixing the paints to carefully applying those last daubs and finishing touches of paint on the canvas.
If you are interested in collaborating with me or would like to commission or license some of my work, please contact me at artimaginationquest@gmail.com.
See More of Nicole’s Art at NicolevanDam.com
