I discovered Catherine Jones on Instagram, and instantly fell in love with her graphic vases and use of color. I know you will love this Southern artist just as much as I do.
When did you start painting?
I've painted since I was a child and it just kind of stuck with me throughout growing up. However, I've been painting and selling for almost two years, and a full-time artist for two months!
You are self taught- tell us how you evolved into the artist you are today?
Hmmm, well, when I ventured into this I didn't put boundaries on my work. I gave myself the room to experiment and be inconsistent with composition, medium etc., knowing that eventually I would discover my "thing" for lack of a better word. I still give myself room to experiment because I think it's important to continually evolve or else your work tends to feel a bit overproduced and stagnant.
Your work is loose - did you always paint that way?
Mostly, besides a few pieces I did early on.
Tell us about your color palette choice.
Colors are really what fuel the inception of most of my pieces. I usually come across a color and it haunts me almost until I put it down on canvas, so I would say my color palette is fairly bold and surprising. I'm not afraid of unusual combinations. I have found that I put all of my color energy into my pieces, and our house is surprisingly getting more neutral by the day!
What are your favorite supplies (paints, brushes, etc.) to use?
Right now I'm really into Golden translucent paint. Great for layering and kind of a blurred effect under a bold stroke.
Describe a typical day for you.
I wake up with my husband around 6:30/7, and then I drink coffee and have a quiet time, and then maybe answer emails. If I'm itching to get in the studio, I save the emails for late in the afternoon. I'm in the studio usually from 9:30-1:00, lunch break, then back in studio from 2:30-6:00ish. Since my studio is in our house, I like to have at least one outing a day, or else I start to feel a little like a hermit! I may run to the grocery, UPS, or just peruse an antiques store. I have found that I'm most productive in the morning, and I get a second wind around 3 after lunch.
Describe your process: How do you approach the canvas?
As I mentioned earlier, I usually have a dominant color in mind that I put down first and then build around/into that. Sometimes I sketch out the composition if I'm going for a more layered look, but I find that I go into a piece with an idea, and then at a certain point it shifts into something I hadn't thought of. All in all, I would say my process is fairly organic and intuitive. I don't force an idea if it feels too rigid; I still leave room for evolution.
What artists work do you most admire?
Oh man. All the greats of course, Twombly, Albers, Rothko, Frankenthaler, Picasso, but I guess I truly enjoy seeing other fellow artists' work. It's inspiring to see so many artists today successfully producing and doing what they love.
What is the best advice you would give to a young artist starting out?
Definitely have a budget and a cash flow model in place (shout out to my husband, the accountant/money man of the operation), put goals into place and have a vision for at least three years down the road, and don't constrict yourself to one medium or composition at first because you never know what can evolve unless you give yourself the time/room to do it!
What has been the best advice you have received for pursuing a career as an artist?
To have a great sense of community with other creatives/artists that serve as inspiration and offer constructive criticism, develop a routine for your days and identify early on what periods of the day are your best production time, and embrace the flexibility of being your own boss and your creative spurts even if it's at 11 PM!
Readers: Use Discount Code the code MQUIN to be entered at checkout for 15% off all Shoppable Pieces
This code is good till Midnight, Sunday October 18th, 2015
And, Catherine is offering the Below Painting, titled Black & Blue Urn (measures 11 x 14 inches, mixed media on paper) to any reader that comments below or on my Instagram feed with the painting what their favorite piece of art is that she currently has for sale in her Shop.
The contest will close Midnight, Sunday October 18th, 2015
Website: www.CatherineJonesStudio.com
Instagram: @CatherineBJones