Category: Teaching

Thriving

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“Thriving” 10″ X 10″  LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PAINTING      

Hi Friends,

We all want to feel like we are thriving, but sometimes that perception is hard to accept. This happens a lot to artists; it is the culture of art, the mystic of art.  Actually it is the fault of Vincent van Gogh!  After all van Gogh only sold one painting in his entire career, so he was the first and foremost “Starving Artist:.

So I try to thrive, and fortunately have never had to starve. I diversify my assets.  What are my assets? I could include my portfolio, but that is between me and my broker, what I really want to talk about is my skill sets.

I paint powerful, energy driven paintings full of color and movement.  They come from my faith-based life, the spiritual side of me, the side that finds joy in life, the side that want’s to lift others spirits.  My other skill set is actually two-fold, the therapist and teacher side of me.  I use these skills in my workshops and individual lessons and soon in my on-line classes.  I diversify these skills to create my purpose: “to lift people’s spirits and bring people to wholeness, by finding the beauty in this world.” 

It’s not a bad way to live, doing what I love and know best. Thriving in a beautiful art career, and helping people lift their spirits.  Let’s take the Starving out of the Artist.

Pam

 

 

My #1 question? What’s yours?

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PRESCOTT SUNRISE, 16 X 16 ACRYLIC ON 1 1:2 GALLERY WRAP CANVAS, $320.00 BY PAMELA DUNMIRE

“Prescott Sunrise”   Learn more about this painting

Hi Friends,

Today is a question and answer session.  So I will try to answer the #1 question that people ask about my art and let you ask me some.

People always ask,  “Why do I paint what I do?”

Short answer is that it makes me happy, but the long answer is more complicated. My previous career was in Social Work; twenty years working with families, with a Masters in Counseling Psychology .

I saw that people who had broken spirits rarely picked themselves up. A single reflection of hope, in many cases, could be the trigger to make all the difference. Art became my solace after a long day of helping others who were stuck in a mire of self-destruction and hopelessness. It brought normalcy and hope to my life, so why couldn’t it bring this to others? If I were able to help a person move into a positive direction simply by viewing my art or teaching them how to create their own art they could look at life differently and change their lives for the better.

It is little wonder I try to find that spark of hope in all I do. As an artist the themes of hope and positive energy carry through all my work. I choose to paint art that is full of movement, positive-energy, and color to uplift my spirit and the spirits of others. Through my workshops I teach others to find wholeness through art.

So there you have it… I paint to heal grief, disappointment, and failure. I paint to give hope to others. I paint to help people have a joyous life.

So ask away, and then let me ask you how my art can help?  When it comes to picking art for your environment, what is your single greatest challenge?

Have a great day and continue enjoying life to its fullest.

Pam

 

Creating Early Morning Studies

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SPRINGTIME ON THE MESA

“Spring Time On The Mesa”  9″T X 12″W  Acrylic on Vellum

I started a practice at the first of the year to force me to hone my skills and bring me into the studio and away from the office.  I have found that this art business of mine renders me more time in the office doing marketing than in the actual studio.  I must get an assistant, but I digress.

I call this practice my early morning 10 to 15 minute study. I have a pad of Vellum that I use strictly to create quick studies.  I work the first 10 minutes of the morning laying down on the paper what ever comes to mind. This practice really is a marker as to how I am thinking that day and the mood I am in. I never finish the study in one sitting but instead put it aside and pick it up again the next morning.  The next day my mood may have changed and I may go in another direction with the study. Eventually I finish it and may find I like what I have created so I will mat it and sell it way below what I charge for a normal acrylic painting done on gallery wrap canvas. The customer ends up with a Boutique Art Original at a much lower price. That is how many of my new customers have started their collections of my work.

This practice loosens me up and allows me to experiment with new techniques so I am constantly getting better. It also quickly gets me ready for a day of work in the studio.

So what do you do to start your day?

“Spring Time On The Mesa”

9″ X 12″ original acrylic painting on vellum paper, matted to 12" X 16" and ready to frame.

$75.00

Painting Flowers

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Spring Garden  12″ X 16″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

One of my new students asked if I could show her how I create flowers, this is the demo I created during the lesson.  Basically this is hundreds of random strokes. One  layer upon the other, fluctuating between light and dark; building up one layer at a time to create color, energy and movement.  In the process a lot of texture is laid on the canvas.

This technique is the underpinning of all my work, layer upon layer, color upon color.  This leads to a loose contemporary feel.  I love working with students.  Teaching is really my superpower and moving an artist into their best creative self is a joy to me.

If you want to learn how to paint this way, in an intuitive style with lots of color energy and movement.  I have a great workshop in April in the beautiful Ponderosa Pines of Prescott, AZ. Seats are filling up, but there are still one or two waiting for you.  Check it out here

REGISTER TODAY

April Workshop

Two day acrylic workshop in the cool pines of Prescott. April 20-21 9-4 each day.

$150.00

Painting A Bayou… what I learned from my student.

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MOONLIT HERON

Moonlit Heron  20″ X 20″ Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

Just so you know I am an Arizona Artist and have never visited Bayou Country nor stepped foot in Louisiana. However,  I do love all things water, and living on a lake in Michigan as a youth I did see my share of blue herons stopping for a bite to eat during their summer visit.

My talented student wanted to learn about painting with color, and movement so she suggested a bayou scene since she is from that part of the world. As for vegetation on the bayous I was remiss.  I had to admit I didn’t know what trees grew there, nor anything about the low hanging mosses. She taught me a lot when she brought in a beautiful photo-book of spectacular pictures of the Bayou.  I was hooked… and I had to paint that moss, and the heron and the cypress tree. This is why I love to teach, somedays I learn more from my students than they learn from me.

A total departure from my usual Southwestern landscapes.  I hope you like it.

Moonlit Heron

20" X 20" Acrylic on Gallery Wrap Canvas

$500.00