Artist Interview With Lindy Hanson | Whopple.com- Artist Interviews

Artist Interview With Lindy Gruger Hanson

Today’s Artist Interview Is With Lindy Gruger Hanson From Bend, Oregon.

Whopple: How long have you been an artist?
Lindy: I think I was born an artist. From a very early age I had a vivid imagination. I’ve always been attracted to color and pattern and loved to make things. The act of creating something from my imagination is very satisfying and I’ve been doing it all my life.

Whopple: Tell us about your first attempts to be creative.
Lindy: I remember in Kindergarten drawing a giraffe. I remember standing at an easel and drawing zoo animals. My mother saved these early drawings so I still have them.

Whopple: Do you make a living with your art?
Lindy: Yes, I am making a living from my art. When I graduated from college, I went into Graphic Production work, freelancing for many years and also working full-time for ad agencies. All during that time, I was also working on my Fine Art career. In Nov. of 2009, I quit my full time job at an ad agency to concentrate on my painting. I still love working on the computer and I’ve found this very helpful with my fine art. I love the online and social networking aspects of art marketing.

Whopple: How many hours a day do you create?
Lindy: It varies. Some days I spend 8 to 10 hours in the studio painting and other days just a few hours. But on average, I spend 3 to 4 hours daily in my art studio making art and the rest of the time I spend doing marketing and managing my business.

Whopple: How did you pick your creative medium?
Lindy: I’ve experimented with lots of different mediums over the years but I like acrylics the best because they dry fast and I can layer the paint and make texture and pattern easily with it. Part of my process involves putting my painting under running water to get some of the paint off which creates depth and an aged look.

Whopple: What are your inspirations?
Lindy: So many things inspire me! Something will catch my eye and I’ll think that it might be cool to put that in a painting. My art comes from my imagination but I am inspired by words and images that I see around me or things I hear. The colors and patterns from nature inspire me. My bird paintings are inspired by all the birds we have in our yard. I love watching them, from hummingbirds to ravens to robins, jays and quail. When I was younger, I was drawn to the art works of Kandinsky, Klee, Chagall and Miro. True masters of symbolism, imagination, color and line.

Whopple: How do you recharge when your creativity hits the wall?
Lindy: When I’m at a loss of where to go with a painting or how to finish it, I usually take a break and refresh myself by going outside and doing something physical, like working in the garden. Or maybe getting a snack. A little piece of dark chocolate does wonders! I also get recharged from the music of Van Morrison. I can put on one particular music CD of his and it takes me to almost a meditative state while I’m painting and I can usually begin to tap into my creative center again.

Whopple: What was your first job?
Lindy: I had some part time jobs in high school and college cleaning houses, and working at a nursing home as a physical therapy aid and a receptionist. I also painted windows during the holidays for store owners but I consider my first “real” job the one I got after I graduated from college which was working as a graphic production artist for a weekly newspaper and print shop.

Whopple: What are your favorite snacks when you are creating?
Lindy: I like raw almonds and nuts to snack on. Wheat thins would be my fav cracker if I want something crunchy like that. A bit of dark chocolate makes a sweet snack.

Whopple: What gives you hope in the world?
Lindy: Love, gratitude and the goodness of people. I have met some pretty incredible people in my life and I’m very grateful for that!

Whopple: What do you wish you could do?
Lindy: When I’m an old lady, I would like to live in a sunny little town by the sea, and ride my bicycle on cobblestone streets with my paintings and pots (that I’ve thrown on the wheel) spilling out of my basket and people will point and say, “There she goes, still making art!”

Whopple: What are your artistic goals?
Lindy: My goals are to create more and more paintings. Doubling the amount of last year would be awesome. I would like to find more places to show my work and create more products with my art on them such as my greeting cards. I’m currently working on an inspirational card deck that has my art on it. And I have the goal to improve my pot throwing skills.

Whopple: What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?
Lindy: There’s been a lot of exciting moments. One was moving to New York City and having an art studio with the 14th Street Painters in Manhattan and showing my work there for a few years. Being chosen in 2007 as Bend, Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery Jubelale artist was exciting and an honor.

Whopple: What is your favorite art related book:
Lindy: I love the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.