Story & Lesson Highlights with Pamela Wingard

We recently had the chance to connect with Pamela Wingard and have shared our conversation below.

Pamela, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I like to start my day with a devotional, writing in my journal, and doing the daily mini-crossword puzzle – with a cup of coffee, of course. I try to limit that time to about 30 minutes, or I would be there all day. I walk or go to a yoga class and then head to the studio.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I paint abstracted, painterly landscapes, most with a coastal feel. I am inspired to connect my collectors with a special place, a special memory, or somewhere they aspire to visit.

I paint expressively to capture the ‘feel’ of a place, whether a marsh, a vineyard, or the ocean. The beauty of nature makes me feel peaceful and close to God. I enjoy being outdoors, and travel has always been essential to my life, so I reflect that on my canvas.

I like the imperfection of bold, expressionistic brushstrokes, layers, and line. I used to paint more realistically because I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. Then I realized I’m not ‘supposed’ to do anything but be who I am.

I also design art for lifestyle products and am currently working on a collection inspired by various coastal locations I love.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mom. When I was growing up, she was always doing some creative project. She painted ceramics, did macrame (remember that?), cross-stitched, sewed, crocheted, and made handmade cards, to name a few. She couldn’t paint or draw, but because I enjoyed it, she encouraged me to spend time being creative. I began college as an art major but graduated with a business degree, went on to MBA school, and got a corporate job. I eventually returned to my creative pursuits. My experience growing up reminded me that creativity is valuable and gave me ‘permisson’ to spend time focused on less ‘productive’ projects and more creative ones. She could see that I needed that outlet to become the person I needed to be.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I lost my husband suddenly about four years ago. Since then, I have learned to keep moving forward a little each day. I’ve learned to find beauty in my surroundings and joy in the people I love. I have always turned the music up loud in my studio, danced around, and had fun with my painting process. After Joe passed away, I couldn’t bring myself to paint. Eventually, I found healing in the process, and it gave me peace and purpose. It still does. Success is a wonderful thing, however you define it, but suffering gave me empathy, and more tenacity than I’ve ever had.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My faith, my family, and friends. My faith is an integral part of my journey, and it renews me to keep moving forward with joy and love. My relationships with my two adult sons, my other family members, and my longtime women friends are the greatest gifts I could receive.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
Artists work really hard, and business owners work even harder. I don’t just get up and paint all day, every day, as lovely as that sounds. Running a small business means wearing lots of hats, spending a lot of time marketing, and handling accounting and behind-the-scenes tasks. I have a business degree and worked for many years in a corporate job, so I actually enjoy the business side almost as much as the creative side.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Krissy Millar photo credit

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