“Pique” by Emily Rolen

1. How did you first discover your interest in art?

I was always scribbling on something as a child. I would draw with chalk and make pictures out of dirt and rocks if I was outside or use pastels or colored pencils if I was inside.  One summer my mother surprised me with art lessons from her artist friend, Rita Carmen, and I was over the moon.  I’ll never forget the excitement of walking a few blocks to her garage studio with my pencils and pastels.  She really emphasized the use of patterns and textures. I’ve held on to that love of texture ever since.

2. What was the first work of art/artist you remember being excited about?

Oh wow, there are too many. Growing up, we had so many gorgeous impressionist prints on the walls. My mother loved Monet and Renoir. I remember wanting to just fall right into those scenes, like the children in Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  I would imagine myself having tea at the ‘Bal du Moulin de la Galette” or exploring in one of Monet’s gardens.  His scenes captivated me as a child.

3. What was your dream job as a child?

I’ve always been fascinated by the arts, and when I was small, I was especially in love with dance.  After watching Riverdance and The Nutcracker I was convinced that I would be a dancer. That lasted me through several years of ballet and tap dance classes, but I eventually realized that it wasn’t all smiles and high kicking.

4. Did you have an art mentor?

I am in the market for a mentor! I’m at a point where feedback throughout the creative process is so beneficial. There are so many recent artists whose work inspires me; Sara Pittman, Kaitlyn Rose, Martha McGrath and Gisela Colon, just to name a few. But I haven’t had the opportunity to work with a mentor.  Now that I’m a full-time artist and getting involved in the local art community, I really hope to learn from someone in that way, through my local art community.

5. What is the one art supply or tool that brings you the most joy?

I love this question!  I love *love* creamy white oils.  It gives you a perfectly blended finish and adds a wonderful satiny sheen.

6. What’s the last movie or book you really enjoyed?

So. During the season of covid madness, I’ve been going back to my favorite happy feels comfort movies, and Amélie is at the top that list.

If you haven’t seen it, you need to fix that immediately. It has everything; a dreamy soundtrack, a gorgeous Paris backdrop, eccentric odd-ball characters, (including a painter!)  love, mystery, and a charming protagonist on a mission to make people happy.

7. What kind of music (if any) do you listen to while creating art?

It really depends on my mood, but all my tried-and-true art playlists include Coeur De Pirate and Kid Frances Coli, (delicious French crooners) for when I’m watercoloring a first layer, Alt-J and the Black Keys for when I’m texturing, and Goldfrapp, Borns, and Billie Eilish for laying on acrylic. My art tends to be abstract and fanciful, so that’s the type of music I’m drawn to when I’m painting.

8. What advice would you give to someone just starting their art journey?

Pick a direction! It became so much easier for me to grow and improve once I narrowed down my artistic style. There are so many wonderful directions you can go when creating art, but at least for me personally, I didn’t start to really hone my skills until I decided to stick with one style.  For me, that meant sticking to abstract painting.  Maybe I’ll change that in a few years, but for now I still have so much room to improve in my little niche.

9. Are you a night owl or early bird?

I can get caught up painting, or doing something else I love in the afternoon, and then out of nowhere it’s 3am. I guess that makes me a night owl.  I really handle life better when I get my nine hours though. 

10. How long does it take you to feel finished with a piece of art, and how do you decide it’s done?

Occasionally, I feel like one of my pieces is truly in balance.  I think as an artist, that’s one of those things that you live for.  When that happens, I want to get it off to the printers as soon as possible, so nothing breaks that magic.  In general, though, I’ll feel like a piece is good enough, and then force myself to stop messing with it. With most of my pieces, I could just work on them forever and never feel done.

“Burst” by Emily Rolen

When you are really immersed in a work everything feels so calm, like being underwater. All the extraneous thoughts and noises are dulled, and you’re in another world.  I love that peace and perceptual stillness.

14. If you could only create art of one subject for the rest of your life, what would it be?

It would have to be something geographical, or plant based.  I love creating abstracts from aerial photography.  Would that count as one subject?  I could probably work from shots of mountain ranges and lakes forever.  Either that or poisonous plants. Their colors and patterns are so vibrant it’s unreal.

15. If you could have a studio anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Oh fun! Maybe Florence or Barcelona.   I think somewhere bustling and architectural would be so amazing for encouraging artistic energy. An apartment with a view in a busy city.  The history and culture right out your window would be unbelievable. If you’re giving any of those away, let me know. 🙂