Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 28 YOUR PAINTINGS ARE CAPTIVATING AND, IN OUR OPINION, DIFFICULT TO LOOK AWAY FROM. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW YOUR PROCESS AND STYLE HAVE EVOLVED? Thank you! I have always had the artist spirit in me, but when I decided to develop an art career 15 years ago it was portraiture that dominated my interest. I didn't realize at the time that I couldn't have chosen a harder subject! In a way, it was similar to deciding to become a mathematician and starting with calculus. For the first four years, I concentrated on studying the art of the portrait but soon found that the same principles involved in capturing a human likeness applied to nearly every other subject matter, and creating an animal portrait, a bird portrait, or a still life "portrait" was just as satisfying. AS A MONTANA FINE ARTIST, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW MONTANA HAS INFLUENCED AND INSPIRED YOUR WORK OVER THE YEARS? I have traveled the world widely, and I can say with absolute honesty that there is nowhere else in the world I'd rather live than Montana! Montana embodies my spirit, my breath, and my life. Most days I need look no further than out my window to be inspired. To breathe in a lung-full of crisp Montana mountain air in the springtime is the very essence of the word "inspiration." PLEASE WALK US THROUGH YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS, FROM INSPIRATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO COMPLETION. Painting from life forces an artist to develop strict concentration skills, as the subject before one- self is only there for the moment while painting. I paint from life whenever possible and (except for during the pandemic) I have held live portrait sessions for artists in my studio for several years. If there is not a model available the other artists and I will paint still life together, and this activity sharpens an artists skills like no other. I would say that 75% of a painting takes place in my mind before I even pick up a paintbrush. There never seems to be a time when I am not "painting in my head." I feel that this is one of the most important aspects of creativity. When I am painting in my head I will have a spontaneous vision of a concept or composition and can see the process from beginning to end. Then there are times when I have stood before my easel, time stands still, and there is nothing else of inspiration the essence D E B O R A H M c K E N N A Maggie Cartier Annas Toby Jug

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