Challenge Yourself
Don't try to recreate something you've done before. Challenge yourself constantly.~Suzanne Partridge My setting a big goal for 2012 to paint 52 paintings in one year, caught the attention of Alyson B. Stanfield Art Biz coach. She invited me to speak to her Silver Incubator Group to tell my story; perhaps inspire them to take a leap and challenge themselves to a big goal. I’m now belonging to Alyson’s Silver Incubator Group, where like-minded artists join together on a members-only Facebook group to share advice and their experience. There is a monthly coaching call provided by Alyson, as well as a Monthly Special Topics call, of which this was one of them “Challenge Yourself with a Big Project with Janet Vanderhoof”. The Silver Incubator Group also provides audio recordings, transcripts and products, a plethora of up to date information to help you become the professional artist you always wanted to be. Below is the audio recording of my interview with Alyson, my gift to you, hopefully to inspire you to create your own big challenge.
https://soundcloud.com/djredlady/art-biz-interview-feat-janet
*Painting above "Family Ties" measure 36" X 36" Oil and Acrylic on museum wrapped canvas-Price $3240 *ART20K footage completed 17670 square inches *All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
Gli alberi di una bambina #paint52
Trees of a little girl is the translation of the title. When I was three and a half years old I moved from New Jersey City, where my father was stationed at Fort Monmouth, to Adak, Alaska, part of the chain of the Aleutian Islands. To say that we were living in a remote area was an understatement. I don't remember taking the train across the United States to get there, but I do remember the boat trip through ice and snow and having my father, who left prior to us, pick me up in a jeep at night wearing a parka with a hood trimmed with fur. He then drove us to our quonset hut, where we lived for the next 6 months waiting for our barrack to be built. I felt like an Eskimo living in this hut. All of this was quite magical for me.
Adak didn't have much on the island. There were other families that lived there, all had parents in the service, mostly Army and Navy, living in barracks. The land was flat, nothing in site for miles, but in other areas were purple majestic mountains. I would love to go to my favorite hill near my home called Captain Hill and pick wild flowers. I never felt so free. The island also had a few Totem poles here and there, and plenty of tundra, but no trees. I was too young to remember trees, so I didn't miss them much. It was only when I returned to California at 5 years old, did I fall in love with trees. I couldn't get enough of them. I would stare out the window as we drove through Northern California, admiring my favorite tree, the Oak. I remember saying to myself, "some day I am going to live in the country with those beautiful Oak trees."
When I was in Kindergarten I was always trying to paint trees. I found them so wonderful and mysterious, I felt ther love and their strength. I would go outside and study them and then return to paint with poster paint. Somehow, they never quite looked like the vision I was trying to portray. Now I find myself going back to the childhood memories and I still have the same love for trees. And guess what? I did get my dream. I do live in the country and I do have a view of a thousand trees. I think I may explore my love of trees more and paint what I feel about them not necessarily what they look like.
This is my seventeenth painting toward my #paint52 challenge. It measures 24 X 36, mixed media, acrylic and oil on canvas, price $2160. I appreciate you all for visiting and following my challenge, thank you so much and if you leave a comment that's even better.