VIVIAN’S ART

I fist had the pleasure of meeting Vivian through blogging.  I love that on her blog, Viv shows us how she creates her beautiful works of art – more than a glimpse into the process.  Below, I have put together a gallery of some of her pieces.  Thank you Vivian for sharing.

What inspires you?

Inspiration for me can come in any form. I mostly paint animals and particularly like trying to capture a moment in time or a certain expression the animal may have. For me the challenge is to try to capture a bit of the subject’s personality in paint.

Do you have a favourite subject(s)? If so, what is it about that subject that speaks to you?

My favorite subject is animals. More specifically dogs and cats. The unique relationships between a dog or a cat and their human companions always intrigues me. These two species have been domesticated in a way that no other animal has. It really amazes me just how closely humans can work with dogs in so many areas of life and work and how much companionship a cat can bestow on people of any age.

What is your preferred medium, why?

I work in watercolor, pastel and acrylic. Watercolor is really my favorite medium. It has taken me years to learn how to manipulate the paint to get the results I like but the time and effort has been worth it. I love the translucent quality of the paint and the way the white of paper making it seem to glow. This glowing quality is very beautiful when doing an animal’s eyes where most of the emotion and personality is expressed.

Where is your favourite place to paint?

Recently I converted my formal dining room into a studio. I have a large eat in type kitchen for entertaining so the formal dining room was never used. I love painting here because I have a huge double window that overlooks my backyard. I have a small pond I can see from my window as well as all the birds, squirrels and chipmunks that visit my bird feeders. I have painted some of the birds that frequented my feeders. Our winter was particularly cold this year and one of the squirrels would actually come to my window and look for me when the feeder was empty! I am I am going to paint him next!

Is there anything (else) you would like people to know about Vivian?

For me painting is all about emotional connections. Connecting to your subject, your client and the viewer. I enjoy creating something special for my clients that will last a lifetime. There is nothing that makes me happier than to succeed in making these connections and pleasing the people that enjoy my work. The biggest thrill is when I know I have done my job well and perhaps made a friend along the way.

Artist’s favourite colour?

RED. I love red. Oddly enough I rarely use red in my paintings. It is such a strong and vibrant color a little goes a long way.

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