WILLIAM LUM
In 2015, now retired, kids gone, and newly moved into Placer County, I realized I have the time to pursue my watercolor painting again. Thus I have started watercolor painting again which much of the same intention of capturing images from my day to day life experience and new region of Placer County. As a counter negativity in this world, I hope my paintings will enable people to see what is beautiful around them and to realize there is much joy in many simple things.
My mediums are watercolor, ink, & casein. Watercolor doesn’t have an odor and stains will wash out. Unlike acrylic, I won’t have to worry about plugging up my sink drain or have it become a part of my rug. The materials are reasonably priced and I use paper versus having to deal with canvas or special panels. For plein air the materials are compact and I don’t have to worry about protecting a fresh oil painting with a special box.
I found my birth family at age 40 and my great uncle was known for his watercolor painting. I was curious and experimented with my first watercolor. From the reaction of friends, I guess I didn’t do too badly and that’s how it all started.
Do you have a favorite artist quote? I was talking with Dong Kingman and said that I might want to learn about watercolors and asked if there is some class or artist that he recommends to learn from. He replied “You can’t learn from someone else, you need to figure it out yourself.” I followed his advice.
Who is your favorite artist and why? The first artist that moved me was Van Gogh. When I was a teenager, I visited the De Young Museum for a traveling Van Gogh exhibit. There was just something about his paintings that seem to connect to me by subject, color, and brush strokes. Later in life, as I played with watercolor, I was impressed by Winslow Homer. In what seems to be simple brush strokes he captured the life and times that he was in.
What were your earliest experiences with art? I’m sure we all finger painted in kindergarten. A more memorable time for me in the 5th grade when I was influenced by Sci-Fi movies. When the teacher was boring, I was doodling alien space ships attacking earth and of course we are fighting back.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out? Have fun and absolutely do not give a crap about what anybody thinks of your art. It’s for you, not them. Don’t give up. You will never be happy with your art and that’s okay. Enjoy the process of learning, that never ends.
Do you have any artistic plans for the future? Keep painting and get better. Anytime I see a good painting or a bad painting by other artists, I always think to myself, I have to get better. So now matter what the situation or obstacle is, the result is the same, it only motivates me to get better.
Where can your art be found? I use Fine Art America as a website and I post to Facebook and Instagram every week. I participate in the open studio tours for my area. https://william-lum.pixels.com/
CINDY ANDERSON
I started seriously working on art when we moved here from the bay area about 20 years ago, and we took a leap of faith and built a small artist studio as an add-on to our new home. I did not know anyone in the area, however my daughter started taking some classes in art at Sierra College, and with her enthusiasm over the new experiences I decided that I would give it a try, I enjoyed it, and have been painting ever since.
I took all of the painting classes that they offered at Sierra College, and finally joined Rocklin Fine Arts, and I really have enjoyed that experience. My primary reason for involvement in art is for my own pleasure, it can be quite therapeutic.
Occasionally I will sell something, or win an award or recognition at one of the Rocklin Fine Arts events, which for me is very gratifying to know that someone else enjoys my passion. I was hosting a weekly open studio event at my home for fellow artists, but all of the issues associated with Covid-19 caused me to halt that. I intend to start it back up in August, for those individuals that have had a complete round of Covid shots. I really enjoy the art activity with others around, it seems that we all tend to inspire each other.
I have also worked in water color, oil painting, collage, acrylics, water-based oil, and even dabbled with encaustics.. I really enjoy the pouring process as I can never quite predict how the end result is going to come out.
I currently enjoying working with mixed media and pouring with acrylic paints., with many times mixing both techniques together.
Anderson.RFA_HorsesOnTheBeach
#460 Human sml
