Hi Terese, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a contemporary abstract expressionist painter. My career as an artist started while I was living in Scotland with my Scottish husband but now keeps me busy here in Atlanta. Based on my upbringing, it’s kind of unlikely though that I became a painter.

My Dad wanted all 5 (I’m the youngest) of his kids to get a business degree. Art was NOT something considered as a career choice to him. But he taught me that being a strong woman who voiced her opinions was a very good thing! He also taught me about street smarts and exploring the world.

My mom…she was one of the OG Reiki Masters WAY before it became a bougie spa treatment! She has always just wanted to help people. She taught me about intuition and looking past people’s outer walls. She can read a stranger better than anyone I’ve ever met!

It took me a bit longer to figure out that being an artist was my calling. Motherhood played a huge role in that because I threw every ounce of my soul into raising our daughter. I have zero regrets on that but it wasn’t until she got older that I really had the energy and headspace to focus more on my art.

I’ve been a little hot and cold with production over the years because of various life events and travel. But I recently moved into a new home that has a phenomenal studio space for me.  I definitely feel like my work will be significantly elevated from my new surroundings!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I doubt many artists have had a really straight and smooth path to finding success. I’ve had periods where I felt I was on fire and pieces were flying out of me and into their new homes. But, as I’m sure every artist will agree, there were definitely periods where things felt stagnant and stuck.

Creativity is not something you can just pull out on demand. I’d be an art factory if that was true! Consistency in production is definitely the biggest challenge I’ve faced. I don’t need to be perfectly zen when I paint, but if I’m really tired or a little jacked up, I’m not as happy with the results. It’s also harder to find your rythym if you have to take a break because of travel or life events.

But, I’ve learned that when things feel stuck, the best thing for me is to step back and get the playfulness back in. That means working on a piece that has no one waiting for it and strip away any expectations of what I think it should look like. That helps take a lot of pressure off.
If I’m just just trying to get back into a routine, usually starting on an empty canvas with fresh music in my ears is key. The end stage of completing a piece is much more analytical with less room for play. So a blank canvas definitely encourages that playful mindset I need.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m probably known most for the calming affect of my paintings. But there’s also a lot of movement and energy in much of my work. I’ve been told there’s a lot of depth with my color and blending choices.

I’m currently experimenting much more with my color palettes and texture affects. I’m so inspired by the freedom in my new studio (it’s like a fancy treehouse) that I can already see a difference with the speed and style coming out of me when I paint.  However, my husband and I have a strong passion for travelling and there’s a busy year ahead for me so I’ll need to balance it all out.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The best advice I’ve received is probably from an artist I love and respect, Jodie King. She taught me about “honest art.” Many people like to get to know the artist behind the work. That means stripping away the curtains and really showing who you are.

That wasn’t a stretch for me because I’ve always been a pretty open person. But focusing on that more than usual did help. I also became much less concerned with trying to appeal to everyone and more content with just connecting with people in an authentic way. That’s actually true of how I approach people in general these days.

For those just starting out, I’d say study other artists you respect and learn from them! I sure did. I’m always quietly observing other artists to get inspiration and gain knowledge from their successes (and misses!). I think MOST artists want to help each other because they know how tricky this field can be.

There are artists all over the world that I communicate with on social media. We celebrate and support each other as well as share tips. I’ve found the artist community to be soooooo incredibly supportive! I think that’s because we all know there are such few guidelines for success in this industry and most of us are just feeling our way through it. That’s probably the downside to working in a field with not a lot of rules. But I happen to really love that freedom to do things my own way.