Interview With 1stAngel

Lora Garcelon

Welcome to the Artists Blog !!

When did you first become interested in art?

I have always been creative. My first love artistically was fabric. I started playing with scraps and making clothes for my stuffed animals when I was 3 years old, then graduated to making clothes for my friends when I was about 11. I didn’t seriously consider drawing and painting until high school. I took a drawing class and a couple watercolor classes in 11th and 12th grade. I loved it, but I didn’t take the time to really learn the medium until years later. I didn’t get serious about painting until 2005.

What style of art do you use most?

Right now, my style is realistic, but not photo-realistic. I would go nuts if I tried to paint every single detail perfectly! I would like to eventually like to include more abstract work in my portfolio, but I never seem to have enough time to do everything I want.

Has your style changed from when you first began as an artist?

My style has changed in a few ways since I first began painting. My colors are much more intense than before. I also don’t paint as tightly as when I started.

What medium do you use?

My favorite medium to use is watercolor. I have tried other media but always go back to the old favorite.

Gisela’s Glasses

What made you choose that medium?

I use watercolor because I love it! I love the freshness of the colors, the glow of the transparent pigments, and the spontaneous effects that come with the medium. I also use it because it’s fast. I have 3 small children and need to work in a way that can afford frequent interruptions.

Do your ideas come from life or imagination?

My ideas come from life. I take tons of photos of my children and family, sometimes posed, sometimes not. I then keep them as reference for my sketch book. Sometimes I start with a real-life situation and carry it further with my imagination.

How do you choose your images and colours?

When I choose to paint a particular person, it’s because there’s something unique in their looks or personality that I want to capture on paper. One lady I painted, it was her cat-eye glasses that inspired me. Another person, it was the interesting wrinkles on his face. For my color choices, I often do a few color sketches before I paint. When something looks and feels right, I go with that. When I did my children’s portraits, I tried to use colors that suited their personalities.

My Little Sunshine

See ‘My Little Sunshine’. I haven’t done my youngest child’s portrait yet, but it’s going to be in red and orange because of the intensity of her temper and personality.

Who is your favourite artist?

My favorite artists are Mary Cassatt, Edward Hopper, and Winslow Homer. Cassatt, because I like the way she portrayed women and children – not sappy-sweet but as they were in daily life. I also like her use of color and light. Hopper, I like because of the intense value contrasts in his work. I like Homer because of the stories told in his paintings and because of how he used the medium of watercolor.

Kicking and Screaming

What is your favourite piece of work by yourself?

I have 2 favorite paintings: As an artist, my favorite is “Thirsty”. As a mother, my favorite is “Sunday Afternoon.”

Thirsty

How much time (on average) does it take to complete a work?

If a painting goes really well, I can finish a painting in 2 or 3 hours. Other times, with portraits, it could take 10 or 12 hours to complete a painting. If I can’t get the likeness correct, I have to start again, which will add another 6 or 8 hours. I also have to add in the time I take to plan the work before I start painting, which is about 30 minutes.

How well do you take criticism?

I actually like criticism if it’s constructive. If I can learn from the criticism, great.

What do you do to overcome a ‘block’?

I go for a drive in the country and take pictures. This usually gets my creativty going again.

How do you know something is ‘finished’? Is it easy to walk away?

I set the painting by the dining room table for several days. If nothing annoys me about the painting, then I know it’s finished.

Have you had exhibits in galleries?

I have work in 3 galleries in Northern Michigan and also one in Columbus, Ohio. My work is in: Blue Heron Gallery in Elk Rapids, MI; D&S Art Designs in Gaylord, MI; Artisan’s Gallery in Traverse City, MI; and Mac Worthington Gallerie in Columbus, Ohio.

Have you any exhibits in galleries planned for the future?

I will be putting work in Casa Di Amici in South Lyon, Michigan when the shop opens in March.

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to continue to develop my style artistically. Eventually, I would love to teach. I have a few private students now, but I want to get to the level of expertise that I can teach workshops on a larger scale.

Sunday Afternoon

Thank you Lora for allowing me the interview. Your paintings are so full of movement and life! I know you will be a great success as a teacher

You can view Lora’s gallery HERE