Paint Party Friday Week 36 Year 2 Check In Featured Artist: Linda Richardson

image courtesy of Linda Richardson

Welcome to Week 36 of Paint Party Friday (Year 2) and to the next edition of our Featured Artist Series! (Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? Please click here for details!) This week's featured artist is an avid art journaler, enthusiastic experimenter, and passionate painter with creativity that is sure to inspire.  Please welcome Linda Richardson!

Please tell us a bit about your personal history with painting. (When did you start painting? How has your painting evolved since you first started?)
I have either painted, crafted, scrapbooked, quilted, or sewn all my life. Dabbling in one thing or the other, I have never really settled to anything in particular – until I came across Art Journals! Then I was hooked! I loved the freedom art journalling gave me to be creative, to get messy, to express myself in weird and random ways, or to be focused. I did a couple of online art courses, which I loved, and at that moment, when I realised 'I Could Do This', I decided that being creative was how I wanted spend my days, and I committed to art. From that time (about 18 months ago) I have gradually invested more time, resources, and supplies in learning and exploring, and being creative. From art journals, I rapidly progressed to being interested in portraits, quirky illustrations, pastels, oils...you name it! I'm still exploring, and haven't settled on one thing just yet, but I do have favourites.

I started out with an art journal and some watercolours, then a small desk to art journal on, to now having a whole space in the garage! I am fortunate in that, because I don't work, I have time through my day to paint. I am committed to developing as an artist, to see where this can go, and whether I can make it work even in a quasi business sense.  

image courtesy of Linda Richardson

What are your favorite techniques, media, and tools to use in creating your paintings?
At the moment I swing between oil painting, pastel and watercolour – either individually or together as a mixed media. I love to use recycled ephemera, and old linen and lace doilys. To start with a random bit of paper, or scrap of linen embroidery, and then use it in some way in art is interesting, and I like the way it adds extra dimension and meaning to the painting.

image courtesy of Linda Richardson

I love oil painting. I love the colours, the smell of the linseed oil, the way it dries with a beautiful sheen, the intensity – almost everything about it! I love pastels for their smudyness, the freedom they give to work large and loose, and the beautiful boxes of bright colourful sticks! I love watercolour for it's quick drying, quick application, and lovely luminous colour!

What is your favorite thing to paint? Why?
I don't really have a favorite thing. I tend to go with whats in front of me, a recent photograph or place I've been to that inspired me, a face I'd like to draw, or to try out a tool in a new or different way, or see if I can paint the same thing again, or I challenge myself to do something I've never done before, like paint a landscape in pastel, paint an oil using a palette knife, etc.

image courtesy of Linda Richardson

What is your proudest painting moment and/or greatest painting achievement so far?
My proudest moment was being asked to paint a work on commission. 'For Ellie' has a story behind it, and will always have a special place in my heart. It was at this moment that I really accepted myself as an artist.



What's next in your painting future?
I like to keep things moving, so more experimenting as I continue to develop my arts practise. I might need to consider just focusing on one thing (or maybe two), but that hasn't happened yet!

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Thanks so much for a lovely interview, Linda... Your exuberant experimentation is an inspiration and we look forward to seeing what's next!

To learn more about Linda, please visit her at:
http://brightwingsofsummer.blogspot.com.au/

 **Would you like to be a PPF Featured Artist? (Of course you do!)
Click here for more details!**

Now, here is our check-in for this week's party:

As always, please make sure to use your post URL address NOT your blog home page URL address as there are many late visitors who get confused as to which post is for PPF when they arrive (after Friday) at your website. If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Linky, an explanation of how this tool works can be found on Week 1 and Week 2 Check-Ins.

Have a fun, painting filled week everyone!