We recently connected with Patty Kane and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Patty, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Practice, Practice, Practice. As a watercolor artist, my painting strokes come to the paper with confidence because I paint every day.
I’m the eternal practice player. I draw & paint on trips, in the car, and en plein air. I’m the artist who can’t wait to get to the studio and do an hour of practice work before I go near the painting I am currently working on. I simply love the watercolor process.
I am not disciplined in many aspects of my life, but I am quite disciplined in my studio practice. My studio day starts with a painting warm up routine (I call them stretching exercises), fresh water, a clean palette, and music or a podcast, Over the years, this wonderful routine has allowed me to step into my painting space and leave everything else behind. My work ethic comes from the consistency of my painting routine as well as my love of the watercolor processes I have developed and use every day.
My monta is: I have to eat. I have to sleep. I have to paint!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The beauty of living a coastal life in Florida has been the inspiration for most of my paintings. My watercolor painting process allows me to explore the subject matter that inspires my creativity and passion for mixing color.
The beach is my favorite place to be. My latest watercolor series is a collaboration with the beach. I throw my watercolor paper in the ocean and allow it to ebb and flow with the current. Then I pour paint onto the paper and let it dry. This process gives amazing patterns and color variations without the help of a brush. I call this process “the sea pour”. Just paper, ocean, paint, and me. I spent two months in New Smyrna Beach, FL this summer and did several sea pours. Currently, I am completing them in my studio.
This passion for painting has affected my life in such a positive way, that I want to share it with others. I am a watercolor instructor at Crealde School of Art in Winter Park, FL and have taught watercolor workshops throughout the State of Florida. I am also a studio artist at McRae Art Studios in downtown Orlando.
Updates on sea pour progress, go to: www.artbypattykane.com
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
These three points have carried with me throughout my entire life.
1. Practice, practice, practice. By consistently practicing, your paintings will be filled with confident brush strokes. I am the eternal practice player. Because I paint every day, my creativity thrives at a high level and To me, painting is as natural as breathing. I have to eat. I have to sleep. I have to paint became my montra,
2. Put Yourself Out There. Enter competitions. Seek exhibitions. See you work all the way to the end. Mat it. Frame it. Put it in a show.
3. Have creativity in your life. Take a class. There are so many wonderful community based art schools. I do believe that if you can tap into your creativity, you will find happiness in life.
For these three reasons, I continue to move forward as an artist. And, these principles can be applied to any field of endeavor.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
My instinct is to paint through an overwhelming situation. Painting through a life event is the gift. Painting becomes as natural as breathing. When stressed, my studio painting is about self expression. Painting in watercolor brings my stress levels down.
When overwhelmed, turn toward creativity. If you can tap into your creativity, you will lead a happy life. Even if all you’ve got IS 10 minutes a day, Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes! Everyone’s got it. You just need to figure out how to tap into it. Focus on the journey and you will continue to move forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artbypattykane.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/artbypattykane
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artbypattykane
Image Credits
patrick connelly
