Meet Olivia Chapman

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olivia Chapman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Olivia, thank you so much for making time for us today. Let’s jump right into a question so many in our community are looking for answers to – how to overcome creativity blocks, writer’s block, etc. We’d love to hear your thoughts or any advice you might have.

When I have a creative block, I try to be very gentle with myself. If something isn’t inspiring me, it’s just not worth doing at that time. I try to stay open to new ideas, new styles of art, and new ways of making to keep the inspiration fresh. Some people say a certain style is important, but I think that an artist’s identity will often show through no matter what they are doing.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I create paintings and drawings, and sell those original works of art as well as art prints and products such as apparel, stickers, keychains, bookmarks, etc. I am drawn to magical and whimsical imagery with a dark side. My desire is that all my images tell a story of hope, of light coming out of darkness. Issues of mental health are particularly important, and the fantasy imagery of good overcoming evil is a strong metaphor for me. This often comes out as portraits of strong yet delicate females, and sometimes I draw other things like insects, animals, castles or weapons.

Recently, I have been promoting a new clothing and print collection of weapons and flowers. These drawings are different than my portraits, but still convey the feminine strength that I aim to display. They include daggers and a sword over different flowers – blue, purple, and red roses. I offer art prints, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and even more may be coming!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Experiment & Practice – You don’t always know what your passion is, or the best method of execution is until you try it! I’m thankful for my art degree to allow me to try and learn many techniques and ways of making.

Combining Reference Photos – If you want to create something that isn’t there in a lifelike way, you need to learn how to combine reference photos and study lighting, perspective, and anatomy. Then you’ll know how to use multiple reference photos to make up your imaginary image. Collage also helps with this.

Feeding Creative Reserves – When I have art block or need to rest, I try to allow myself some distance from making. Or I will shift focus to a different way of making, because that informs art too. Things like books, movies, and music inspire me and feed my creativity. I can process, internalize and then transform those into my own art.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My biggest area of growth seems to be when I can let go of what I ‘think’ I should be doing, and let me intuition guide my art. From 2021-2023 I was very focused on creating a type of portrait, inspired by the pop-surrealism art movement of big-eyed characters. I went in all and that was all that I did. Then, at some point last year, I just felt like that wasn’t true to my current self anymore. I allowed myself to shift focus and begin drawing more in a realistic style. I had been putting too much pressure on myself to be a certain way, and while I love what I have created, I’ve allowed myself to move in different directions and trust myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oliviachapmanart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviachapmanart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.lynn.18/

Image Credits

Olivia Chapman