Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Price.
Kathryn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have always been creative, but I thought being an artist was out of my abilities. I started painting after a close friend’s child was killed in a car wreck. I decided that life was too short, and I was determined to learn to paint.
In 2011, I signed up for a class in Huntsville with local artist, Sara Beth Fair. I still have my first painting and even though I was proud of it, it was awful. However, it taught me to think and to see differently to paint artistically. After I took the class, the amount of mathematics resonated with me, and it created an urge to learn more about art and painting.
Currently, I work full-time as a senior software engineer as a contractor for the Department of Defense where I work both remotely and in the office. I honestly think that painting and software go hand and hand; both skills have processes, and both require problem-solving. It took me some time to get more competent with my painting; and with that said, most artists will say that you rarely paint at a level you want to paint; basically, you are always trying to create at the next level.
As an artist, you are always trying to grow.
A few things have helped me to improve such as investing in instruction, daily painting, and establishing a local art group. I have had wonderful instruction from fine artists such as Barbara Davis, Amy Peterson, Gina Brown, Roger Dale Brown, Dawn Whitelaw, Nancy Franke, Vanessa Miller, and Jennifer Taylor (just to mention a few).
Each workshop helps you dissect art skills to the next level. Painting daily helps you practice and experiment with new components. However, the most important thing I have done is to establish a local art group, Act 2 Paint Group. The art group helps me when I am struggling with my paintings, teaching others, and regularly comradery with like-minded friends.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a proud graduate of the University of Alabama and when I attended, Paul “Bear” Bryant was the football coach. He once said, “There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears between dreams and success.” He may have been talking about football, but it is also true for art. In painting, there are key components that make a solid painting: color, composition, value, form, brushwork, and perspective.
Each of these elements may sound like simple terms yet they are extremely complex. I continue to struggle as well as work on values (how light or dark one area is compared to the surrounding areas). Without a solid delineation of values, a painting will appear more flat and less three-dimensional. Fine artists will say, “Values do the work and color gets the credit.” Every painting is a battle with some sort of artistic component, and you have to fight to win the war!
Another challenge is painting loosely versus painting messy. Impressionistic artists, like myself, struggle with making a painting look loose yet not messy. I am working on this by getting about 80% of my work done and then letting it sit on my easel near my desk. During the day, I can take a look at my easel to see what’s missing. Then, I make 3 deliberate corrections and let the painting sit. I probably can finish 80% of most paintings in 4 hours but the last 20% may take me months to complete. I have found making these small corrections in stages keeps my eyes fresh to see where the painting needs help. I must be patient.
Other challenges I face are associated with the business side of art. As an artist, you are a one-man small business that must do the art, marketing, bookkeeping, legal, insurance, display, website, promotion, technology, packaging, shipping, and setup. My typical day starts around 6 am with my “real job”, after 5 pm I start painting. I try to put in 3-4 hours of painting a week. On top of the painting comes all the admin work such as website, accounting, and promotion. Then, I continue to do art on the weekends, and I try to spend at least 8-10 hours creating and finishing up admin work.
Since I have gone through many challenges with my art, from rained-out shows (including tornadoes), marketing, understanding profitability, and the like, I would love to teach an art entrepreneur class to help other artists understand what it means to be a professional/full-time artist.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work as a Senior Software Engineer for SAIC, a Department of Defense contractor. The work I do at SAIC requires a lot of logic and consequently, so does being a marketable artist. I have a degree in Business with a minor in Computer Science.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love to use an app called, Procreate; it helps me compose a study. Procreate allows me to work on composition, values, colors, and layout.
I also have found a lot of help in Kevin MacPherson’s book, Oil Paintings with Light and Color. I have used YouTube to find tutorials for specific elements where I need help, for example: how to paint winter grass.
Pricing:
- 5″x7″: starting $150
- 12″x16: starting at %50
- 16″x20″: Starting at $950
- 18″x24″: Starting at $1300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kathrynpricefineart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathrynpricefineart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathrynpricefineart
