Artist Interview: Danielle Clouse Gast

I’ve been a huge fan of Danielle Clouse Gast’s artwork since shortly after I graduated from college and moved back home. Clouse Gast lives in Spirit Lake, IA, a short half-hour drive from my hometown just over the border into Minnesota.

She describes her oil paintings as contemporary landscapes, and takes an abstract approach to the scenes she paints. She has an instantly recognizable geometric style in her work. Her paintings vary in size from smaller 10”x10” squares to much larger pieces composed of multiple canvases.

Absolutely gorgeous!

Clouse Gast is currently working on commissioned pieces, which have grown since 2020 to the point of taking up the studio time usually reserved for working on art for shows and galleries. “I take on and finish a few at a time,” she said. “And it’s time to start a new group. Exciting!” The current work is one aerial painting and two dock-level paintings. She said she is in the sketch/client quote phase of the project. “The challenges of custom work are exciting to me - each project is so different than the next!”

“Prairie Entertainment” 36”x36” oil painting on canvas

Clouse Gast doesn’t teach any art classes, but she does occasionally take part in open studio nights. “I bring my supplies in and work with others. These open studio nights often feature still lives or plein air type subjects. It’s been so much fun to casually work with other artists, swapping tips and tricks with each other. This is one area of my creative life I wish I made more time for! I’d love a nudge to do more of this.”

What’s her favorite art tool? Her husband, Will! No, seriously. He’s a pilot, and his ability to fly has been “a game changer” in capturing aerial views for Clouse Gast’s artwork!

Gravel road research, indeed!

“Recently our new tool has been a drone,” Clouse Gast said. “Allowing us to quickly take advantage of aerial locations during different times of year/different times of day and as simple as a hop in the car to catch the view I need. He [Will] does miss the excuse to get into that airplane, though.”

A shot of Clouse Gast’s home gallery in Spirit Lake.

In every interview, I ask what is an issue or stumbling block, because there’s no easy road for anyone, and the bumps along the way look different for each individual. Clouse Gast said burning out was one of hers. “Burn out can be a thing for me, especially when my mind wants to create great work. This usually happens if I’ve had too many shows/deadlines stack up – and while I’ll deliver on those deadlines, I know I’ll need to set the brushes down for a period of time after I’ve met them, she admitted. “Sometimes it’s two weeks. Sometimes it’s two months. It can be frustrating to try to create work that you know may not be in your system yet. Coming out of burn out can look different each time – sometimes I just HAVE to make myself move that paint, try some smaller ‘warm up’ canvases, etc. and ease my way back into it. Other times the inspiration and motivation is clear and I can venture down to the studio, flip on the lights, and move right into the work I want to create. The biggest thing I’ve learned all these years is that breaks are ok, and you will meet your work where - and when - you need to.”

“In The Weeds” 14”x11” oil painting on canvas

Her advice for artists beginning their artistic journeys? “Push your ideas in the studio and share your studio work. Those are two areas I think can be the most intimidating for even established artists, and to practice these ‘habits’ now as beginning creatives opens up the freedom/confidence to explore new ideas, build on concepts that can become your voice, and share it with others.”

“Pushing your visual problem solving in the studio helps you to communicate what you would like out of your own studio practice (for example, exploring an idea or concept to its end point, so you can determine whether you’ve worked an idea or process to completion). It helps you maximize your understanding of the materials you’re using, the subject matter you’re interested in, and - what most of us are seeking – developing your individual voice/style as an artist. It also helps us determine the point when we need to pivot and change our work. It’s almost like pushing an idea to the brink of redundancy to build that creative muscle. While it’s exciting to bounce quickly between media and subjects, you’re not developing and strengthening those creative muscles that tell you what decisions to make next in your studio work.”

I love seeing other artists’ studio spaces!

She also encourages artists to share with others. “Enter shows, find ways to bring the work out of the studio you’ve made it in. Be part of in-person events – get to know your potential appreciators, collectors, clients. Attend artist openings. Get to know that community.”

“Social media has expanded the role we play as artists to market our work and what we do,” she says. “We have been given the tools to easily share with others what we are doing, our studio practices, and perhaps even our studio struggles. If your goal is to connect with other creatives or perhaps clients, creating this dialogue and window into your studio world is so important! It also may bring immense joy/sustenance to someone’s day – even if it’s found mid-scroll and not on their wall.”

“Fenceposts” 10”x10” oil painting on canvas

You can find Danielle Clouse Gast’s artwork on her website, DanielleClouseGast.com or on social media: @clousestudios (Instagram) and Danielle Clouse Gast Studio (Facebook).