We love learning more about our contributors, and an interview seemed like a fun way to hear more about the writers and artists we publish, so we gave them a choice of questions to answer. We hope you also enjoy hearing more about the artists and their works. Check out Issue 30 for Art from Judith Skillman.


1. What was the inspiration for the piece published in the issue?
The inspiration for "Yellow Lake" was Yellow Lake, which is across the street from a house we moved into last September. This painting is an attempt to capture reflections of trees in the water in autumn. I used gouache, charcoal, and watercolor on Fabriano paper.

2. Who are some of your favorite artists, and what do you like about them?
I especially love Dion Salvador Lloyd, Carlos San Milan, and Joan Eardley for the way they use minimalism and color to compress landscapes into its simplest elements: sky, horizon water.

3. What is your #1 advice for other artists?
Take a class now and then, go with your gut regarding subject matter, and don’t compare yourself to other artists. Just work when you can and enjoy nature when you are unable to paint. Making art can be a life long passion as long as you are not trying to make a living from it. But if you must make a living, have patience, learn how to market your work, and live on rice and beans.

4. What is your creative process? Do you plan pieces out or let them happen as they come?
I do some planning, that is, I have a reference photo which I loosely transcribe to whatever surface I plan to work on. But once I get into painting I try to let go of expectations because due to time and ability constraints I paint Alla Prima (all at once, in one session, usually) and that requires a fairly low bar. Realism isn’t possible for my level of artistic development, but that’s OK because I am more interested in how color and texture work together. I prefer to wield a palette knife over using a brush. An important part of painting is standing back often, and (for me) not being afraid to squeeze paint directly onto canvas, board or paper.

5. If you're part of a workshop group or other creative community, tell us about it! How did it form, what all do you do, and how does it help your creative process?
I wouldn’t be painting at all if not for Ruthie V., who is now the director of Seattle Artist League (SAL). She started teaching at the Pratt (in Seattle) and I took her first class. I was new to painting with oil and she was incredibly patient and excellent at providing material to motivate without intimidating students.

SAL is a great place to start or continue learning and doing art. They offer in person and online courses. I find when I take a course (online only now, for me) I not only learn about other artists, but am more motivated to create.

https://www.seattleartistleague.com/