Today we’d like to introduce you to Olin Gillis.
Hi Olin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Olin Gillis. I am an artist living in the mountains of North Georgia.
I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not sketching, drawing, painting, or wanting to. People told me that I was good at this ‘Art’ thing, so I did it again, and again. But maturity brings the realization that there is much more to it than anyone’s approval. Even my own.
If I have a mantra, it would be: “It is the process, and not the product.” I see ‘Art as a channel for learning and growth. I can spend days or weeks creating the best painting of my life, then take the canvas outside and set it on fire (at least I took it outside first – see ‘learning’, above). As a result, the product is gone forever. The process that I went through and every challenge that I faced and hopefully conquered, carries forward to all future works. Learning and growth.
When you view my work, you see only the product. The process that I went through to arrive at what you see is mine alone. You can take the product home with you. Having lived the process, I learned, and I grew. I get to keep that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge to presenting my work for sale online (www.olingillis.com) has been the marketing element. Artists want to spend their time creating Art, not creating ads and email campaigns. I am no different.
I have enlisted the help of more than one marketing firm, but of course, that doesn’t do as much as you might think to relieve that workload.
A more formidable challenge is this: I work entirely in a digital environment. Although I have extensive experience using traditional media, I prefer the advantages of a tablet and stylus. It is faster, more efficient, and frankly, less hazardous to your health than traditional oils. Many people, including many artists, do not understand the digital art process. Since there is a computer and software involved, the assumption is that the computer is producing the art and not the artist, or that AI is somehow involved, none of which is true in my case, at least. The computer, tablet, and software that I use are nothing more than the tools that I choose over traditional brush and canvas. With that simple misunderstanding comes a bias against art created with digital tools.
For each work that I create, I go through the same process, the same steps that any painter would employ. I evaluate composition. I do many sketches and value studies. I carefully choose the subject and the focus areas. My process is both standard and traditional. My tools are the only difference.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am attracted to a wide variety of subjects, including landscapes, portraits, still life, and abstracts.
I am fortunate to have a great selection of landscape subjects in close proximity to my location. I just returned from a short trip to the very northeast corner of Georgia (Clayton/Black Rock), gathering material for a commissioned landscape that I am working on.
Being a guitarist myself, I particularly love to capture a musician that I admire mid-performance. Victor Wooten is one of my favorite musicians, and his portrait is one of my favorite pieces.
I would love to be known for a very loose style. I hope that is true. I find that my best work comes together very quickly. The longer I work on a piece, the more tired it becomes.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to expand my offerings on the website to include a series of landscapes featuring the Blue Ridge Mountains, including a triptych from Black Rock. I also plan to expand my travels to more local shows in the Atlanta area. My best sales leads and contacts come from that in-person interaction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.olingillis.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ogillisfineart
