We were lucky to catch up with Thomas Hudson recently and have shared our conversation below.
Thomas, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes from the desire to get my artwork right. I’m inspired by my favorite artists who had the drive to do work over and over until they were satisfied and not accepting mediocrity.
Work ethics to copy.
Most artists have one or two favorite artists that they are inspired by, and learn from. You study their working methods and adapt some of them into what you do.
We look at the successful artists that are doing it. And say, I can do that too.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m a full time working artist with the focus on creating realistic drawings and paintings. I have always been attracted to realism. The illusion of a painting so realistic, you want to touch it.
I call my style, “natural realism”.
My art business is named MAULSTICK Studio. I’m currently doing portrait commissions and my ongoing series REMINISCENT: Our Times Before Yesterday.
In this series I focus on drawing and painting people from the year 1875 to 1972. That’s a broad range of interesting and wonderful looking work.
My website displays everything I’m doing.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first thing as an artist is drawing. Practice drawing. Drawing is the foundation of art. And practice makes improvement.
And if what you are drawing is not correct, rub it out and do it over. Don’t be hesitant to start over.
Study your favorite artists. What materials do they use to get the results you like in their work? Work habits. Successes and struggles.
It’s inspiring to follow successful people who are actually doing it.
You want to have a similar success.
And create work. Get involved in artists calls to show your work in art galleries. Get your work out there to create awareness of you and your work
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The books that I first bought at age 19 that are a continued source of inspiration are “Painting Sharp Focus Still Lifes”, and “Ken Davies: Artist at Work”.
Both by artist Ken Davies.
I learned how to really paint with oil paints realistically following his methods.
He says, “mix the right color and put it in the right place”. “Patience and fidelity”.
And when I met him at a gallery show of his work, we had a sit down conversation for 15 minutes. And a week later he called me at home, and we talked for about two hours.
Saying I was thrilled is an understatement.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maulstickstudio.com
- Instagram: Thomas_Hudson_Art
- Facebook: Thomas Hudson
Image Credits
Thomas Hudson
