Interview with Roxanne Driedger (Strople) [temp02387]

What do you do? How do you define yourself as an artist?

I am a landscape artist working with acrylic on canvas. I feel passionate about the landscape that surrounds me so I try and express that passion and share the excitement.

What is your message?

Appreciate and be thankful to God for such an incredibly beautiful environment.

Your biography in four lines.

I live and work in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada and am a self taught artist. I have always had a passion for art and a strong appreciation for the natural beauty of northern landscape. My mother always encouraged us to seek out the beauty in all things; from a dew drop on a flower to the colourful, unique patterns etched into a rocky shoreline.

Do you upload your work to the web? If so, where could we see it?

My website: www.paintingsbyroxanne.com AND for updates please 'Like' my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/paintingsbyroxanne

How is an idea born? For you, what is inspiration?

I'm attracted to light and colour. When I see something that I just want to keep looking at, I photograph it and paint it. I love reflection in water, light and shadow and bright, clear colour. More recently I have been plein air painting and find it absolutely exhilarating. I'm definitely addicted!

What role does technology play in your creative process?

I store my photographs in Iphoto and use photoshop to crop and adjust the compositions.

There's probably a million answers to this question..... We share it, we feel it, it's primal and we've risked our lives to save it (The Venus Fixers). It holds history, preserves our culture and best expresses our passions and our fears.

When do you get your best ideas?

No specific time. My ideas come randomly.

How do you evaluate whether an idea is good or not?

Ideas are always good even if they show us what doesn't work. They give us something to build on.

Three creative ideas that you would have liked to have created?

There's so many fantastic ideas out there! I'd like to have been part of the group responsible for the birth of Impressionism. Creator of the first public gallery and creator of the printing press.

When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist?

I've always been a bit uncomfortable with the term "artist" when relating to myself. I recently came to the realization that anyone who spends as much time as I do thinking about, looking at and "doing" art should celebrate the privilege and appreciate the gift of being an artist.

Why do so many artists and creators have such volatile personalities?

I don't see that artists are particularly volatile. Maybe we just hear about the volatile artists and the calm "normal" artists don't make a very exciting story. Would you rather talk about Van Gogh cutting off his ear or Renoir who was fairly "normal".

Do you consider yourself postmodern?

How should a work of art be evaluated?

Evaluation is personal depending on the affect it has on the viewer. I suppose a work that has an effect on a large majority of viewers would be recognized as having higher value.

Must an artist reinvent him/herself everyday?

No. That would be exhausting and pointless if you are enjoying what you do.

Which artists do you admire and how do they influence your work?

As a Canadian, the Group of Seven has been source of constant inspiration. I live a short distance from Algonquin Park where the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson spent much of their time painting. I love the way their bold brushwork and vibrant colours accurately capture the essence of northern landscape. My short list of incredibly inspiring artist would be Clarence Gagnon, William Brymner, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Williard Leroy Metcalf, John William Beatty, Vincent van Gogh and Isaac Ilyich Levitan I also enjoy American artists John Traynor and Kevin Courter. I turn to these artist when I need to focus on a particular aspect of painting. Depending on what I need, I refer to different artists. Brushwork, I'd look at Gagnon, and Brymner, composition, all of them. For colour inspiration I'd look at Beatty, Pissaro and Metcalf etc. etc.

What do you think about public funding for the arts?

YES! to public funding!

Yes, art comes from our core, so yes, it is necessary. It has always been distinctively in our nature.

Does it pain you to let go of a piece you have sold?

No. I want others to enjoy it. I'm thankful they want to possess it.

Is a work of art purchased, or is it better said, that it is the artist who is bought?

Hmmmmm.... both. It's the creation of the artist, his style, his composition, idea and interpretation that is enjoyed thus giving the physical artwork value.

In art, there is no guide. How do you know what the next step is?

That's what makes an artist an artist I guess. The next step just happens.

How do you feel about the fact that the pieces exhibited in contemporary art museums are often of artists already deceased?

I understand the art of someone deceased becomes a limited commodity, however, it is unfortunate great artist often don't enjoy the fame of their labour or have any idea of it's lasting affect.

What role have the figures of art dealer, gallery owners, representatives, and intermediaries in general played in your career?

At this point in my art "career" dealers, gallery owners and representatives don't play a part. Hopefully, one day soon, I'll get initiative in this area.

What types of jobs do you usually do?

I sell my artwork at the store where I work as a decorator. I also sell everything from furniture to bedding, dining and accessories. I also sell my artwork from my website and accept commission work.

Which of your jobs or tasks do you most enjoy?

I most definitely enjoy painting and photography the most of my jobs.

Do you personally collect any items?

As little as possible, unless you call photos "items".

Which websites do you frequently visit?

My own website, http://www.paintingsbyroxanne.com/, https://twitter.com , http://www.davidjeremiah.org, http://www.wetcanvas.com, http://faso.com/boldbrush/

What advice would you give to those just beginning?

Be patient. Look at art in galleries, books/magazines and read/look at the work of artists you admire. Enjoy observing the landscape and try to imagine how you can translate what you see onto canvas. Fill your mind with art as much as possible. If you're interested in landscape, go outside a lot.

Ask me a question, make a comment, or request my opinion on something:

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