Elizabeth St. Hilaire joins us for another paper collage workshop in 2018 and we couldn’t be more excited to have her back! This year’s workshop, from June 24-30, 2018, will focus specifically on crafting animal portraits. In advance of her workshop, Elizabeth took a moment to answer a few questions for us!
Q: What was your path to becoming a full-time working artist?
ESH: I have a BFA from Syracuse University, I have always been a full-time working artist, starting off in Graphic Design and ultimately making the transition to full time painter and workshop instructor.
Q: Do you work on multiple pieces concurrently or focus on exclusively one at a time? If the former, how do you balance that? If the later, how do you decide which one to start next?
ESH: I have two easels in my studio and i work on multiple pieces at a time depending on my deadlines. I often paint in a series, so that determining “what’s next” is a little easier. I have one easel that holds larger, oversized work, and one that is set up for smaller work.
Q: How do you come up with ideas to begin something new?
ESH: I have a variety of successful subject matter that I rotate in and out of according to what’s of interest to me at that time.
Q: What keeps you motivated to continue making art?
ESH: It’s how I pay my bills 🙂 And it’s my true love, my happy place, my comfort, my joy, myself.
Q: What’s the biggest “risk” you’ve taken in your journey as an artist? Creatively, in a business sense, or in life?
ESH: Deciding to give up the commercial life of graphic design in order to be a full-time fine artist.
