Jacqueline Athmann - Painter

Spirit Pond (IMG_5418) 16x20 Acrylic on canvas

Jacqueline Athmann

Name:  Jacqueline Athmann
City/State: Plymouth, MN
Email: Jacqueline.athmann@gmail.com
Website: http://www.jacquelineathmann.com/
MNartist.org profile: http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=72305

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

 After not being able to finish art school I focused my energy on my corporate career and nearly forgot that I was an artist.  Doodling in meetings and succumbing to stress of the workplace and a not so great personal life,  I became ill and decided to use art as part of my therapy.  I have been painting ever since.   Painting after work, on the weekend or whenever I can, life has never been better!

It took a while after not painting for nearly 20 years to get back into the swing of things but after a year of struggling to find myself, I did it. I'm inspired by bold colors, street art and graffiti and once I worked to incorporate this inspiration into my most recent series of paintings.  My work went from, "I'm not sure who I am as an artist.... What's my style" to  "THIS is it!! HERE I AM!"

Circles   (IMG_7508) 24x24 Acrylic on canvas

"What is Art?" is certainly too big of a question to ask here, but what do you hope your audience takes away from your art? What statement do you hope to make?

 I want my art to make viewers “oohhh and ahhhh” with joy!  I want people to feel refreshed and happy after viewing my work.  So many people are afraid to put color in their life and it’s possible that is what I was put on this earth to do; introduce people to brilliant color.  I love watching people smile while they look at my work and they don't even realize it's happening.

Birch #9 (IMG_8737) 9x12 Acrylic on canvas board

What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

My high school art teacher Ms. Quello consistently demanded that I sit down, stop talking and finish my work.  Well, after 20+ years of focusing my attention on a career in Corporate America, I decided to take Ms. Quello’s advice and started finishing work I started in high school.  I have been focusing on my artwork ever since and it has been paying off.

Tell me about your work space and your creative process.

 When working in my studio, I use the floor, easel, tables and anything else I can use to prop up my pieces while they drip and dry.  I  use a lot of plastic to protect the walls, ceilings and floors and have made a small investment in the stock of plastic so I never run out. 

I’m able to create work in small scale without much need of a studio, however my larger pieces demand texture and I’m more than happy to oblige.  I throw the paint liberally and lose myself in the process.  Once I’m done, I step back for a break and allow the piece to dry for the next layer of paint. 

I typically have close to 5-6 paintings in progress at any given time.  I layer the paint over and over to create a texture worthy of touch…  It’s not until I have that gut feeling that I stop and look within the paint to see the portrait it has within it. Once I see it, I use only my fingers to paint the final portrait.

Push Me Daddy - 24x48 Mixed Media on canvas

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy? (Provide links) 

http://www.alisonpricestudios.com       Alison Price

http://judywestergard.com                      Judy Westergard

http://patrickpryor.com/home.html      Patrick Kemal Pryor

http://www.habibiart.com/index.html    Christina Habibi

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

Gallery13  http://www.gallery13.com/

Jean Stephen Galleries  http://www.jeanstephengalleries.com/about.html

The links above are to a few places I must visit on a regular basis.  I also like to visit or participate in all of the local art fairs throughout the year.

Sitting A Spell - 24x48 Mixed Media on canvas

Where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise?

MNArtist.org http://www.mnartists.org/

Fine Art America http://fineartamerica.com

NEMAA  http://www.nemaa.org

What can we expect to see from you in the future? 

I will be participating and more art fairs around the state and I’m hoping to start a series of smaller pieces so they are more affordable at the local fairs.  What good is art if no one can afford to purchase it?

Jacqueline Athmann