Inspiration: Florida

Our 2022 Spring Break trip down to Florida was memorable in a number of different ways. First, we drove down. It was 24 hours down, about 30 hours back. My 16 year old stepson drove for about 18 hours total throughout the trip. And honestly, it went as smoothly as possible! Though we were all pretty sick of snacks (and being in my minivan) by the time we got home.

The first half of our trip was spent in the Panacea-Alligator Point area, up on the panhandle. Just a few blocks down the beach from where we were visiting my grandparents, lives an incredible watercolor artist named Tonya Toole. My Auntie Barb introduced us, and Tonya gave me a tour of her studio.

Jealous much? Me too.

We discussed different watercolor techniques, and she told me about some of the pieces hanging there in her studio. It’s hard for me to explain the feeling I get when I’m around other artists but it’s like excitement, a feeling of finding and recognizing my people, mixed with admiration and inspiration. This is part of the reason I love studio tours and gallery receptions so much (though my attendance has waned in recent years with young children under my feet.) Being around other artists is rejuvenating!

Of course she asked me about my own art and I had nothing whatsoever to show, as my phone was at 12% or less battery life the whole week due to a faulty charging cord. And despite seeing numerous authors online saying “bring copies of your book EVERYWHERE with you” I had forgotten those too! But I told her to look for me on Facebook, and she was able to find my page pretty easily.

Tonya invited me to come back as she was hosting an art group for a few hours the next morning. A group of watercolor painters in the area will get together regularly at one of their houses or studios, they bring snacks and bars, and they all paint together. Each time they meet, there’s a proposed theme for the next sessions paintings: this time it was “farm animals.” (Following the theme isn’t required, but having a prompt definitely helps you from wasting the first hour of painting time staring at a looming blank white paper.) A few of the artists already had their drawings ready to go on the paper, others sketched once they got settled.

Caution: artists at work!

Diving right in!

Since I was only there for a brief audit of the group, I was able to do an impromptu presentation of some of my artwork (I borrowed Tonya’s laptop and talked to them about the paintings I have on my website.) I also told them about my children’s books “If Only I Had” and the one I’m currently working on: “Counting Toasters 1 to 10.” I even sold a couple copies of my book (which I didn’t have with me!) I was at least able to find one single business card in my wallet, which they all had to share. Sometimes I am the embodiment of the saying “you’d forget your head if it wasn’t attached!”

Impromptu show-and-tell.

There was such a variety among the group, people from different states (only two were actually from Florida) and even some artists that had moved to the United States from other countries. The watercolor expertise level was wide-ranging; even the farm animals were well represented: chickens, pigs, and sheep (and Tonya’s fish, which she was still working on from the previous get-together.)

Look how beautiful all the paintings are!

Being an active part of a group like this is now on my 5-year list. I used to get together for a weekend a few times a year with some friends who are also artists, very similarly to this group in Florida (but with more alcohol involved.) It would be fantastic to get involved in one now, but it will be much easier to commit to once my littles are slightly bigger and more self-sufficient. For now, I’ll have to rely on my shows and Facebook connections for artistic comradery.

My inspiration doesn’t just come from being around other artists, it also comes from nature. Iowa in the winter is dead and brown when there’s no snow on the ground, and seeing the change in climate as we drove through other states was almost jarring. For example, Missouri had more snow than we did. And Florida is green and covered in Spanish moss all year round. I have a great love of Spanish moss, and even have a tiny clump of it that lives in a jar on my kitchen windowsill.

#plantmom

One of the days in northern Florida we took a trip up to Wakulla Springs. We had a great time! My stepsons braved the chilly water and jumped in from the top of the platform (had I brought my swimsuit, I swear I would have jumped too! 😉) The river boat tour there is fantastic – we even saw a group of four manatees! I took a number of photos there, most of them of beautiful trees, draped in blankets of lovely moss.

Now I need to learn to paint water.

Returning home after a trip like that is a mixed bag of emotions. It’s depressing, coming home to scenery lacking in life and literal warmth (particularly after spending 30 hours in a minivan to get there), but at the same time I can’t wait to get out my brushes and paint! One of my earlier blog posts was about how travel has influenced my artwork, and I just know this trip is going to be one I’ll paint about afterward. Expect to see some moss-covered bayou trees from me in the near future!

Artist Interview: Chad Elliott, Elliott Art Studio

There are some artists who have found their specialty and mastered it, like a watercolor landscape painter, or an oil portraiture artist. They’ve found their singular calling. Then there are others who seem to be artists in nearly every aspect of their lives. Chad Elliott, of Lamoni IA, comes across as one of the latter. A singer, songwriter, AND visual artist, Elliott has a variety of ways to express his creativity.

"After the Tango"

“Art is a diverse and powerful form of communication,” says Elliott. “Each artist chooses how to interact with their audience.” His acrylic paintings are a distinctive expressionist-illustrative style, with many featuring scenes deep in nature. The first time I saw Elliott’s artwork was at a gallery exhibition of his “Wilderman” series at Arts on Grand (an art gallery in Spencer IA) and I was captivated by the way he uses so many different layers and colors to create a whole image. His blue skies have orange and yellow in them, and his orange buildings are touched by green and brown, giving his paintings a depth I dream about someday having in my own artwork. “Through emotion, concept, experience, or questioning, the artist's role is to express something and hopefully interact with the viewer in some way,” he said.

"Sunrise at Cardinal Creek"

It’s a bit surprising, but while Elliott was in university he focused on 3-dimensional instead of painting or drawing (although he was studying those too.) He attended an early college program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art (Sculpture) at Graceland University in Lamoni IA. He began graduate school for Ceramics at University of Montana, but dropped out of the program to pursue his musical career.

“Diversification is key to making a living as an artist,” he said. “Lose the idea of preciousness and share your process with people. I think young artists get stuck into thinking the art world is separate from themselves...but in actuality, the art world is what each of us make it. Embrace your voice and keep challenging yourself to learn new ways of expression.”

It’s easy to see the influences of artists he admires: Edward Hopper, Marc Chagall, Gustav Klimt, and Vincent Van Gogh (to name a few).

"Love in the Time of Corona"

I asked Elliott what his favorite tool was for making art, and while I expected him to say the “Wildervan” (a van he remodeled for traveling from show to show) instead he said it was his portable studio in a suitcase, pictured below.

My paint water jar looks just like this!

Another shocker, for me at least, was when I asked Elliott what an issue is that he’s faced and he admitted to disliking the process of traditional gallery shows! “I also am not a fan of artist markets,” he admitted. “...Which makes it a challenge to find an outlet for my art. I am fortunate to have a music career which connects me with venues to share my artwork with my music.”

Caution: artist at work!

Elliott’s next project is a small mural on a wood panel for a music venue, which I can’t wait to see! He regularly posts videos and pictures of his in-progress and finished artwork on social media (links below.) He said his current favorite piece is his new nature scene with bluebirds in acrylic washes and textures.

"Flora Song"

“I would just add that in all the many explorations and creative endeavors throughout my life, my job is to find inspiration,” Elliott said. “That is my career. Seeking ways to stay inspired...and finally, to inspire others.” You can find inspiration in Elliott’s music and artwork online on Instagram or on Facebook (here for his music, here for his artwork), or on his websites: www.chadelliott.net or www.elliottartstudio.com.

Who is that dork with Chad Elliott?