Artist Interview: Lee Shiney

I had heard the name “Lee Shiney” for years before I finally met him at an art event in Manning, IA. I had no idea he lived so close, the school he lives in in Arcadia is less than 20 miles from Denison. Yes, you read that right. Shiney lives in a school.

Shiney at Chalk Art Fest in Wichita, KS in 2012 

“As my wife and I have reached the point of retirement age, we jumped off the leap of faith cliff and bought the old school in Arcadia, Iowa to live and work in,” Shiney explained. I had hoped to get a tour of the school earlier this year, but alas life and previous engagements have gotten in the way! Sometime soon, though.

As far as Shiney’s artwork goes, he hasn’t resigned himself to one medium.

A shot of Shiney's studio

“I’m kind of all over the place, and I don’t like to pick favorites,” he said. “I see things, rather, as dropping into a particular medium, or technique, or whatever, and focus on it, working through iterations, teasing out perceived failures and successes, approaching things with a kind of engineering mentality of breaking things and embracing mistakes until I feel like I’m making some kind of a breakthrough.”

“I really like that I’m not pigeonholed into one signature style, and within all the different categories of things I’ve made, I enjoy all the variations within them,” he replied when I asked if he had a favorite piece. “Things I’ve particularly liked: ‘Moiré Wheels,’ a kinetic sculpture of 50 interconnected bicycle wheels that created a pulsing effect that exhibited at the Wichita Art Museum 2008-2010.” Shiney also listed his “Sequence” pieces, which are a sectional 60-foot long acrylic on reclaimed pallet lumber with an assist from a turntable-driven pantograph; his early “Automatic” series that he worked on over a number of years where he experimented with slowly spinning canvases and different painting techniques; and more recently his “Contrapuntalisms” that are encaustic-based collages with photos and found objects.

"Nocturne" acrylic on canvas, 16"x44"x2"

Shiney doesn’t have any upcoming exhibitions at this point, and is instead focusing on creating work that makes him happy.

What is he working on right now? “Designing/building some large rolling easels to hold 6x6 foot unstretched canvases, and use these to make some really large-scale works. There’s probably an 8x8 foot option in the future too… I figure that should get me through the winter.”

"61 Cygni" acrylic on canvas, 30"x78"x2"

“I just spent a few months with my photography roots, but working with iPhone images, manipulated with Affinity Photo, and inkjet printed on an old Epson wide format. Now, I’m taking a break from that and going back to acrylics, experimenting with fluid and pouring mediums, and also using Montana Gold spray acrylics.”

"LS22-002" acrylic on canvas, 42"x42"x2"

How does Shiney title his artwork, when it’s not necessarily made with an end subject in mind? “I’m laughing because it’s something I have perpetually stumbled on,” Shiney admitted. “I try to catalog everything with something like LS23-001 (2023, and work #1 of that year), etc. Beyond that I’ve used categories (Automatic 27), researched titles (The Moons Venus Should Have Had), and even something I called the S5 naming system where I found and printed off all the five-letter Scrabble words (this was years before Wordle, thank you) and randomly assigned names from the list, mostly to thumb my nose at convention. Nowadays, I pretty much stick to catalog numbers.”

 

"LS21-021" acrylic on canvas, 57"x36"x1"

“I really just enjoy making things,” Shiney said, especially when it comes to “’making things that make things.’ So I have a 2.1 meter turntable that I built years ago that is still in use for large circle paintings, and several small ones. I make various extensions and compasses and spray tools that are used for painting. I’ve built motorized, computerized devices for dripping and moving paint.” He even has an old Roomba vacuum cleaner that he’s used for random marker drawings! “Mine is a long list of built and hacked things that help make art.”

What’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered? “Oh, life? How does one try to create consistency, a work ethic, while (in the past, for me) working a job, or now where I’m essentially a maintenance man of a 15,000 square foot school building that we now live and work in? Being able to make art as one’s life mission, and making time to actually do that, is the real challenge.”

"Automatic 69" acrylic on canvas, 47"x47"x2"

Any advice for artists just starting out? “Make art and show your best work,” Shiney said. “Be able to talk about what you do; do not hide behind some notion that ‘art should speak for itself.’ Don’t worry about having to have just the right materials and supplies, look for cheap or free alternatives. Study the masters, including the recent ones…they are giving you permission to do the things your friends and family will question. And creating means actually making something that someone can hold in their hands (thank you Sir Ken Robinson.)”

“One gets to be 70 and it’s WTF, where did the time go? Where did the life go? If you want to make art your priority, then do it. And literally shut out the naysayers. You will reach a point (possibly in terror) where you realize there’s been a lot of water under the bridge… Becoming what…late middle age??…has sharpened our focus on what’s ahead. I also had cancer in 2001 which sort of set the stage for finally focusing at least part of my time on art.”

To learn more about Shiney’s artwork, check out his website at LeeShiney.com, or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Artist Interview: Kathryn Roe, Wool 'n' Work

When I started this blog in March 2022, I had two goals: first, I wanted to write about art (duh); and second, I wanted to write about other, mostly local artists. After graduating from college, I was amazed to discover that Iowa has such a variety of artists! I’ve had an even deeper realization of this since joining a handful of Iowa artisan groups on social media. One of the artists I’ve met that way is Kathryn Roe, a fiber artist from Oskaloosa, IA.

Roe’s artwork isn’t exclusively in the fiber medium, though. When she was in college at Northern Illinois University, she created drawings in charcoal and colored pencil, or with ink on monoprints. She also enjoyed weaving and jewelry making, despite the two being considered more craft than art. “By the time I graduated with my first degree, I had been married, had a child, and was divorced and a single mother,” Roe said.  “Doing any art that took up much space or equipment became something to think about for the future while I tried to make a living for the two of us.”

Roe considers herself lucky to have such a large home studio for her artwork now.

During this time, Roe approached several galleries. “Every single one of them praised my work, but none of them would show my work.  Why?  Remember this is almost fifty years ago, and the world was a very, very different place.  The reason I was given over and over again was that they didn’t carry women’s work because it didn’t sell.  Some said my work looked too much like a woman did it.  Some said they’d carry my work if I only used my initials to sign it.”

An Artist's Journey:  28"x28", needle-felted wool on felted wool, applique, thread-sketching, embroidery.

Detail of above

“After mulling it over, I decided to not change how I sign my work.” Interestingly enough, today Roe does sign her art with her initials!

Throughout the years, she continued to sew, embroider, and draw, although she admits that didn’t consistently practice creating art. “About six or seven years ago, my sister introduced me to felted wool. (Not wool felt.) I started working with it and started to combine the principles of fine art with the skills my grandmother and mother taught me and needle-felting.” Her sister also taught her a technique of making hexagons that uses circles of fabric folded in a particular way. “The smallest hexes I make start with a circle the size of a dime.”

Red Tulips, wool painting (needle-felted wool on felted wool) 19.5"x14.5"

Some of the artwork Roe creates is strictly needle-felted. Needle-felting is a technique that uses a barbed needle to sculpt 2D or 3D designs out of wool. “For example, the red tulips are completely needle-felted. That is considered a “wool painting”.” Other examples of Roe’s work combine needle-felted wool with felted wool, applique, embroidery, and “thread sketching”. Thread sketching is a technique of sewing that uses a sewing machine like a pencil, creating lines that look like drawings out of thread.  

Winter: Mahaska County,  8"x21" needle-felted wool on felted wool, thread-sketching

Detail of above

“I made a conscious decision to use what is often considered “women’s work” in my art several years ago,” explained Roe. “I purchase the wool roving I use, as well as the threads, but the majority of the materials I use are “recycled”.  I find wool, cotton, and silk fabrics I use in thrift stores… I attempt to combine the traditional needle arts, “women’s work”, in new ways to create contemporary art.”

Roe is currently working on two pieces, one is an abstract design and the other is a landscape. She has a few favorite subjects for her work, she said. “I like to “paint” flowers, especially sunflowers. I also like to travel the back roads in Iowa to find small rural scenes, bits of the rural Iowa that seem to be disappearing. I also do abstract work that combines all of the techniques.  An example is “Embellishing the Truth”.  Sometimes I do fun pieces like “What Cats Dream”.”

What Cats Dream,  24"x24" needle-felted wool on felted wool, applique, embroidery

Detail of above

I asked Roe if she has a favorite piece of her own work. “Wow.  That one is tough!  I guess I would narrow it down to An Artist’s Journey and What Cats Dream.”

She titles her artwork in a very logical way: “I title the flowers by the type of flower and a number, like Sunflower VI.  The rural scenes I title by the county in which I took the photo from which I did the painting. The abstract pieces are titled according to the story I am telling.” Her piece, An Artist’s Journey is auto-biographical, and depicts her own story. It earned a Blue Ribbon in an Iowa Artists online show a few years ago.

Roe’s favorite tools!

I always ask two extremely important questions: What is your favorite tool for making art? “This pic shows my wrinkly, spotty hand holding a "pen" that holds a felting needle.  I prefer this mundane plastic pen holder to some of the other kinds.  A felting needle is a bit difficult to hold on its own. In back of that, is my sewing machine.”

And the second: What’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered? “I have already described the sexism I encountered. Another issue has been dealing with being an abuse survivor and coping with depression and anxiety,” Roe admitted. “I wonder sometimes if that is why I am so attracted to bright colors emerging from a dark background.”

Embellishing the Truth:  10"x35"; needle-felted wool on felted wool, applique, thread sketching, hand embroidery

Detail of above

“I guess another issue is that the techniques I use are not well understood.” Roe recalls sitting next to a woman once at a regional show. “At some point, she turned to me, and very kindly said that I really didn’t belong “here” and that I needed to look for a group of people who do crafts or quilting. I know she meant well and was saying that from the bottom of her heart.  However, it illustrates some of the confusion people have about my work.” Alright, I’ve already written one post about how illustration is a legit art form – keep your eyes peeled next year for an RSAS blog post defending quilting as REAL art, too.

Detail of one of Roe's current works in progress

Any advice for artists just starting out? “If you want to be an artist, do something art every day.  It could be a little sketch or something that will take days to finish, but you have to practice your art daily.  Don’t wait for a lightning bolt of inspiration to strike!” Excellent advice! I wholeheartedly believe that improvement comes from putting in the time and practice.

To see more of Roe’s artwork, follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wool.n.work/.

Artist Interview: Cecelia Comito, Artworks Studio

I met Cecelia Comito the very first time I walked into Artworks Studio, located downtown on Adams Street in Carroll, IA. I was not only blown away by the store, but instantly envious of the studio space in the back, and as an added bonus got to meet another one of my people. It’s such an amazing feeling, meeting one of your people, when you just feel a connection, an energy, an understanding. You know they are one of your tribe, cut from the same fabric, and thousands of other metaphors that describe the way you just click with each other. Comito is definitely one of my people.

Comito describes herself as a mixed media artist. She creates her artwork with a variety of items and mediums.  “My current art passion is creating paintings that celebrate the beauty of Iowa and the Midwest,” Comito said, “Particularly the nostalgia of growing up in a small town in the 1970s. My paintings reflect that time – laundry on the clothesline, hollyhocks in Grandma’s garden, pink peonies, poppies, bright wildflowers, bikes abandoned in the front lawn.  I also love painting old houses and barns, and of course, pigs, cows, chickens, and birds.”

“Life was so different then.  I grew up with benign neglect – and it was amazing.  As long as I told Mom where I was going, who I was going to be with, and came home at the designated time, it was all cool.“ 

“Some Pig” 12”x12” mixed media collage

After graduating from college and law school, Comito moved East and lived in large, urban cities (Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.) for many years. “After nearly 30 years, I moved back to Iowa to join my sister Laura’s studio, Artworks Studio in Carroll,” Comito said. “Jury is still out on that decision – but it has been great for my art and self-esteem as an artist.”

Her favorite medium to use is mixed media, which gives her the freedom to use whatever materials she wants! “It lets me play with all sorts of media, including gelli plate printing, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, pastel – you name it, I can work it into a mixed media painting,” she said. “I also like using papers or other items that would have ended up in the land fill – like old book pages, magazines, handwritten letters, etc. I use the backside of copies that would have otherwise been sent to the recycle bin for my gelli printing.  I love finding pads of old ledger paper or receipt books.  Some of my favorite papers are from an old Carroll County Abstract Book from the early 1900s.”

“Autumn Harvest” 24”x18” mixed media collage

Comito does more than just create her own art, she also teaches a variety of classes at Artworks Studio! “I have taught acrylic painting, fused glass, mixed media collage, and watercolor.  I have done one-on-one classes, where someone wants to learn more about acrylics or watercolor.” It makes sense that she’s a mixed media artist when she has experience working with so many different mediums! 

I gotta get me one of these!

I love asking artists what their favorite tool is for making art – to date, I’ve not had anyone mention the same thing twice! Comito’s answer? “I love the color shaper.  What an amazing, handy little tool.  It’s great for smoothing down papers onto a canvas or board, applying paint, making marks.  So glad I discovered this handy little tool.”

I also always ask “what’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered?” because let’s be honest, each artist’s journey is unique. Comito’s answer is one I struggle with as well. “I suffer from imposter syndrome,” she said. “I am not a trained artist. I never went to art school.  I took classes here and there, worked with some amazing artists like Laura Comito, Ed Hinkley (Chicago artist), and Kellie Day (Colorado artist).  I worry about whether I am “original” enough or have “important” things to say in my art.  You see so much about the tortured, starving artist – and I am not that person.” 

“I also worry that I am too old to embark on an art career – I started dabbling in art after my mother died when I was in my late 30s.  Twenty years later, I am still dabbling.” Nonsense! Anyone, at any age, can be an artist! Bob Ross believed it and I do too. There’s been a number of artists who have become famous (not that fame is the only measure of success) for their artwork in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 100s!

“So often, people come into the Studio and say, “I wish I could paint or draw, but I can’t even draw a straight line.”  Guess what? I can’t either – that’s what rulers are for.  Drawing is like learning to read, play the piano, dance, play a sport, write, cook or do math.  Just like you had no idea how to do a plie before your fist ballet lesson, you have to learn the techniques that go with art.  When I signed up for that first basic drawing class I had no formal experience with drawing – I just wanted to learn the basics and see if it was something I wanted to pursue.”

"Joy” 18”x18” mixed media collage

“Finally, once you embark on a creative endeavor, don’t listen to anyone who starts out their comments on your art with “I don’t like…” or “Your [perspective, colors, shadows] are wrong…” or any other negative comment.  I don’t care how long the person has been studying art, there is always something positive to say about every work of art.” Absolutely! There’s a big difference between constructive criticism and figuratively tearing a piece apart. 

“I recently participated in an art show in which half of the paintings submitted received some sort of ribbon and every artist, except for me, received a ribbon of some sort.  My three mixed media paintings – the only ones in show – received no recognition from the “distinguished” judge – a retired art teacher from Drake. As I listened to his comments on the 24 paintings that received ribbons, I realized that he had nothing to offer me. The judge was of the school that mixed media is not “real” art.  My paintings bring me joy and that is all that matters.”

My favorite thing about art is that it is subjective. Everyone is an expert in what kind of art appeals to them. The downside to that? Art is subjective! Not every type of art appeals to everyone. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s not still “real” or valid art.

When I asked Comito if she had any advice for artists starting out, she crossed out the word “artists” before answering. So, any advice for anyone starting out?

“I have always had the desire to be creative. But I was so good at so many left brain activities (little confession here: I’m a recovering attorney), so I never pursued art.  When I finally decided to take the plunge, my sister, Melanie, who is an incredible artist when she isn’t being a doctor, suggested I take a basic drawing class to get a sense of line, perspective, composition, the basics.  With that foundation, painting would not be frustrating.  It was great advice and I signed up for a 8-week adult drawing class at the Chicago Art Institute. For me, given my left brain, analytical tendencies, I needed a weekly class commitment to motivate me to draw.  If left to my own devices I would not have kept at it.”

“Haunted Goat Barn” 6”x6” mixed media collage

“All this is a long way of saying, when you decide you want to pursue a creative outlet – drawing, painting, mixed media, weaving, etc. – make a commitment to yourself to use your medium of choice on some regular basis – whether it’s every day, once or twice a week, whatever.  Art is like exercising or eating healthy – you have to make it a part of your routine or it won’t happen.“

“Finally, embrace who you are.  If you are a methodical, analytical person, you can still be creative and pursue art.  You’re just going to go at it differently from someone who is less organized.  If you want to see a study in contrasts of artists and approaches, just stop by Artworks Studio and watch Laura and I work in the Studio.  (By the way, Laura is the real artist; I’m just a dabbler.)“

“Red Tractor” 12”x12” mixed media collage

Comito just completed a solo show at the Bakery on Broadway in Audubon. “Being selected to show my paintings at the Audubon bakery was amazing. I met so many interesting people and sold lots of paintings! The Bakery is an amazing place. They serve coffee drinks, baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, plus have a quirky little retail space in front. It is worth a visit.” Comito is scheduled for an exhibition of her artwork at Arts on Grand in Spencer from May-June 2024!

In addition to seeing Comito’s artwork (and meeting her in person!) at Artworks Studio in Carroll, IA, she has paintings available at Arts on Grand in Spencer. You can view her art online at http://www.ceceliacomitoart.com or on social media on Facebook and Instagram.

Artist Interview: Danna Fruetel, Centre for Arts and Artists

Danna Fruetel, of Newton, IA, is the first scratchboard artist I’ve had the joy of meeting in person. Scratchboard art utilizes an artistic technique of engraving, where a surface is layered with different materials/colors, usually with a dark color (like black) on the topmost layer. When the surface is scratched with a sharp instrument, it reveals the color (typically white) underneath. Once the engraving is completed, it can then be colored with paint.

“A Little Wild Thing”, 8”x10” scratchboard

“Many have said that my scratchboard work looks like embroidery,” Fruetel said, “and I am perfectly OK with that description of it. I am certainly an artist that thinks out of the box and I’m not one to follow any trends. My art comes from within and flows out of my hands.” Beautifully expressed! 

I can practically taste this piece.

Fruetel is known for her scratchboard art, and while that is her “serious” medium, she also paints in gouache (opaque watercolor) and acrylic. “When I just want to have fun outside painting (something scratchboard doesn’t work well for) I do gouache. It’s so portable and with my disability, that is important to me. When I want to do a larger painting in my studio I’ll turn to acrylic paint. It’s not as easy to work with as gouache but for larger pieces, it’s a better choice.” 

This one feels very bio-mechanical to me, what do you think?

I haven’t personally used scratchboard as a medium yet, but if you are interested in it you’re in luck because Fruetel teaches a number of different classes! “I do teach workshops on both scratchboard and gouache painting and I’ve also taught a workshop on creating mandalas. These are 3-hour introduction workshops. For my gouache class, I bring all of the supplies and we do 3 paintings, the final one is a master’s study of the student's choice. Master studies are a great way to experiment with a new medium.” Fruetel plans on teaching 2 gouache workshops this summer, one was on June 3rd at Art Domestique in Washington, Iowa the other will be held on August 12th at the Centre for Arts and Artists in Newton, Iowa. “On July 15^th at The Left Bank, I will be doing a scratchboard demo during the opening of my scratchboard show. I would like to plan a scratchboard workshop somewhere in the NW corner of Iowa but I haven’t done that yet.”

Currently, Fruetel is working on some long-term projects. One of them is her Master’s Certification in the Scratchboard Society. There are 4 levels in the Scratchboard Society and she is currently a Signature Member. “I feel I’m close to the master level,” she said. “But my technique isn’t as polished as it needs to be. That is my biggest focus at the moment.”

Check out this intricate repeating pattern!

She’s also working on a large series of gouache and scratchboard mandalas (large geometric designs, usually in a circle as the word “mandala” in ancient Sanskrit means “circle”.) “The gouache ones go much faster so I can do a couple in a month.” For these pieces, she’s taking her inspiration from both nature and industrial things. “Each one is hand drawn and it takes about a week to draw out my design.”

“Awakening of Color”, 16”x20” colored scratchboard

Her scratchboard art will be on display from mid-July through August at The Left Bank in McGregor, IA. Fruetel also has two summer shows this year of her mandalas. One will be in June at Art Domestique in Washington, IA and the other one will be during the month of August at Cafe Deim in Ames, IA.

Stunning work!

“Every year the scratchboard society has an exhibition somewhere in the world. The next one is in October and it will be in Arizona. I am working seriously on my entries for that exhibition. Scratchboard is not a fast medium and one piece can take easily over a month to do.”

“I’m also the President of Iowa Artists and that of course is a focus in my life for another year. My favorite part is connecting artists around Iowa with the art centers and galleries that need them. I’m putting together a spreadsheet of artists that are ready to teach a workshop or hang a show. This will be shared on the website so that others can reach out directly to the artists.”

Fruetel’s go-to “sharp things.”

I ask every artist I interview what their favorite tool is for making art, and I laughed when I read Fruetel’s answer: “I like sharp things. Hardware stores are a great place to find them… When I color my scratchboard I use Bombay Ink because it is the most lightfast. My favorite gouache paint is Holbein Artists Gouache. I don’t buy expensive brushes.”

“Family Treasures”, 5”x7” colored scratchboard

I also ask every artist about a struggle or stumbling block in their artistic journey. But Fruetel replied, “I’m not a person who focuses on stumbling blocks as everything is there to help me grow.” I mean, I ask because it’s so easy to think that the finished pieces we post on social media are created with ease when in reality we all struggle with something… But what a positive outlook and great answer to the question!  

“A couple of years ago my biggest issue was figuring out what I really wanted to focus on. I had stopped working and I had the time to do what I wanted to do, I just had to figure out what that was. By keeping an art scrapbook (see video above) I learned what I really liked and started heading in that direction. I made sure that I kept the artist's name with the inspirational art and began to follow each on social media. Many of them have followed me back and continue to inspire and encourage me. I also meditate every morning and that helps me keep the distractions away. The best way to describe the old me would be to watch the dog Dug from [the movie] “Up” when he yells ‘Squirrel’.”

What a scene; I love it so much!

Her experience working with other artists has taught her so much she wrote a whole list when I asked her what advice she would give to emerging artists. I’m saving that list for a guest post later on (link to come), but she did say this:

“Remember that being an artist is your dream and you are the one that is responsible for making it come true. Don’t count on others to show you the way. Carve your own path.” Well said!

If you’d like to see more of Fruetel’s artwork, check out her website at DannasDesigns.Weebly.com, or on Facebook. She also manages IowaPleinAirevents.com.

Artist Interview: Jeanine Strodtman

Jeanine Strodtman, an artist living in Ames, IA, paints in a realistic style. Sometimes her acrylic paintings are of still lifes, close-up views of plants, or even different landscape types. I was introduced to her art online through the Iowa Artists Facebook group.

I asked Strodtman what her favorite piece is, and she said it was her painting of the McConnell Hardware building. I’m a HUGE fan of portraits of buildings, where so much history and life can be put into a picture of an immobile place. She said she painted it from a photograph of a hardware store in Colorado. “My maiden name was McConnell,” Strodtman said. It’s such a beautiful piece, with hard, crisp lines and a delightful contrast between the yellow and brown building and the dark shadows cast inside the windows. “It was one of 64 picked from 2500 by AT&T for their calendar. [It] Did not make the calendar. I donated it to Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa. It hangs in the Blacksmith area.” Even though it wasn’t picked for the calendar, what an honor to have come so close!

It’s no surprise after seeing her Hardware store painting that Strodtman mentioned Edward Hopper (an American realist painter) as one of her artistic influences!
 

Strodtman defines Art as “…creating something, with any part of you.” What a great yet simple way to put it! It doesn’t matter what medium you are using, or if you use your hands vs your feet or the rest of your body – or even using your mind, like with concept art. It leaves it open for music, writing, dance, and anything that you can dream up to make into art. Well said!

She never went to school for art, but she says she was very lucky because a friend asked her to join her (the friend’s) art group. “They met in Dorothy Timmon’s basement with ISU professor, Richard Heggen.” Strodtman told me. “Did this for years and then longer meeting in the basement of Mary Lou Wright.” Strodtman was also allowed to sit in another art teacher's class at ISU, without being officially enrolled. Fun fact, both Timmon and Wright were active Iowa Artists. 

I asked Strodtman what her favorite brush or tool for making art is. “I have no favorite brush,” she replied. “I use many other things like the base of a bunch of celery-and the leaves, a plastic dish scrub, toothbrush and other non-artist tools.” I love seeing how artists use unconventional items to make their artwork, it’s such an unappreciated form of creativity!
 

Her advice to artists just starting out? “I don't accept that you can't do something if you have not tried to do it. You might be surprised.” Excellent advice! I know a lot of artists who have found their signature style or niche, but there are many others (myself included) who like to get their hands into all sorts of different mediums and love trying new things with their art.
 

“I have created pictures since I was small,” Strodtman said. “[I] Wonder sometimes if I would have kept my sanity during Covid, if I had not painted. Dick Heggen said that you reach a great point and then go downhill. He was right… I don't really care. I love painting.”

Artist Interview: Brooke Peterson, Brooke J Art

I was introduced to Brooke Peterson’s art about a year ago. She’s based out of Glidden, IA, and her studio name is Brooke J Art. She describes her artwork as “a little all over the place right now.” I’d describe her artwork as representational paintings – sometimes in acrylic, sometimes in watercolor, but always with a recognizable subject and often with a bit of whimsy thrown in! Her subjects range from animals to landscapes, vehicles, flowers, and sometimes she adds a pun (which makes me instantly fond of them, because I’m a huge fan of cheesy jokes!) “Art is a way to express what you feel when there are no words,” she told me. “I love how art can bring people of all walks of life together and I enjoy observing how people react differently to a piece.”

She really captured the feel of an old photograph in this piece!

“I enjoy painting in great detail with acrylic paint and I also enjoy decompressing in between complex pieces with some fun splashy watercolor projects,” said Peterson. “I really focus on light and the finest details with my acrylic paintings which take me quite a while to get just right. I usually find that once I have reached the point where I paint over an area and regret it because it was better the first time, then I am done and need to walk away. (Now to just figure that out first before painting over would be ideal!)” This is so relatable as an artist – I always say that I ruin each of my paintings at least once (sometimes multiple times) and just have to “work past the ruination.” But Peterson also paints with a fun, splashy style of watercolors, and she uses those pieces as a way to loosen up between her more intense, layered acrylic work.

I love every single one of these so much!

One artist that she has admired for many years is Andrew Wyeth, an American realist painter. “I even painted Christina’s World in high school. I could look at his paintings all day,” said Peterson. “I enjoy his use of muted colors, the facial expressions of his portrait paintings (especially his Helga paintings, and how his paintings make you wonder. I often look at them and wonder why the trees were usually bare of leaves or dead and uprooted, what his subjects were looking at in the distance or why they appear sad, or how he accomplished so much feeling with such a muted color palette.”

Peterson didn’t go to college for art, instead focusing on business, which is still quite useful for artists. Right now she’s working on several acrylic projects. “I’ve participated in many art shows and vendor/craft shows in the last year,” she said. “I’d like to focus more on art specific shows in the coming year. I’d also really like to do more human figure studies and practice portrait painting.”
  

"The Things I've Seen", Acrylic

I asked Peterson if she has a favorite piece (of her own artwork), and she said she actually has two: “The first is an acrylic painting of my daughter that I painted through the pandemic to try and keep my sanity during the times of uncertainty. This piece is really what pushed me to start sharing more of my work and to keep pursuing my passion. My other favorite piece is Dorothy,” Peterson added. 2022 was her first time submitting artwork to the Iowa State Fair and Dorothy ended up placing 3rd in the Acrylic/Tempera category. “It was a fun experience to go to the fair with my family and find my painting on display with so many other talented artists’ paintings. Dorothy also helped me win Best of Show Emerging Artist at Art on the Square in Oskaloosa this year.” Congratulations!!
 

"Splashy Dancer", Watercolor

I love asking the artists that I interview what their favorite tool for making art is, because the answers are like fingerprints: unique to each person. Peterson said hers are a makeup brush and a straw! “My favorite tool for my acrylic paintings is actually a makeup brush. It’s my favorite tool to blend with. For my watercolor paintings, my favorite tool is a straw. I use a straw to make my splashy, messy, fun watercolors paintings.”

What’s an issue or stumbling block you’ve encountered? “A lack of time is what I struggle with most. I’m incredibly thankful for all of my commission requests in my first year of taking this on as a side business but that comes with many time-management struggles. I work a full-time job, have A LOT of hobbies, and have very active kids so the lack of time is a big stressor for me,” Peterson admitted. “The lack of time is also another reason why I haven’t created a website yet. I find that trying to stay relevant on multiple different social media platforms is hard enough so finding time to create a website and keep that up-to-date sounds like a nightmare right now. Hopefully, I’ll try again to overcome that frustration soon and get my website up and running, though.”
 

"Moose", Acrylic

Her advice to artists just starting out is excellent for all artists. “Accept the compliments and brush off the criticism! There have been people that have walked by my booth and shower my work in compliments, and there have been others that criticize my prices and state that they can make the same thing at home.” And what artist doesn’t LOVE to hear that? It’s about as welcome as the “my kid could do that” one. Peterson’s response is full of grace, however: “I usually tell them, ‘you probably can. I would even be happy to teach you, because at the end of the day we usually just want to see others succeed and if creating brings you joy then I can relate.’” *Insert cheering and fist-pumping here!* Last year I wrote a post about why art is so expensive, with a breakdown of many of the costs of selling art. It can be eye-opening to non-creatives, who don’t understand the process of making art.
 

"Isabella", Acrylic

“I still struggle with this to this day, but make sure that you understand that your time is valuable. Do not sell yourself and your abilities short by underpricing your work. As your talents grow with practice and experience, your prices should grow also. Those that understand that they are not only purchasing this piece, but a portion of all the other pieces that you have worked on prior to this point, will ultimately pay what you are asking.” YES, a thousand times YES! It’s so hard to know your worth as an artist, especially when starting out or when struggling with imposter syndrome (guilty). I believe that the people who really understand and connect with your art will value it as much as you do.

If you’d like to learn more or purchase some of Peterson’s artwork, you can follow her on social media! She has accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. She’s also open for commission work as well!