December 13, 2017

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.