Erica Hawkes Episode #4: Caught In A Moment

Exposed to both American and Canadian landscapes has enriched Erica Hawkes' creative practice in unique ways. Following the flowing hills and rugged coastlines of the west coast has inspired her to create masterful compositions that have combined two distinct styles into one  perspective.

Being able to blend and merge the techniques of the Group of Sevens' impressionistic style and the dynamic energies and colours found in the early modernist ideals of Art Nouveau. Erica creates a sense of magic with her Artwork. Explore these new perspectives that she transcribes to us with a sense of painterly inquiry that highlights and moves us into a new way of seeing our Canadian countryside. 

Hawkes has the ability to give us a new way of portraying our Canadian landscapes in a truly original way. This is refreshing and exciting; providing Canada with a new vision of our previously delightful Group of Sevenesque style, transformed into a new fusion of our glorious country in an original way. Truly magnificent. 

Erica Hawkes Podcast Interview Credits:
Audio Links from https://freemusicarchive.org/
Podcast by Carolyn Botelho

Connect with Erica Hawkes:

https://hawkesfineart.com/

Transcript

(0:04 - 0:21)
 Hey everyone, welcome back to the Creatively Thinking Podcast. Join Carolyn Botelho as she uncovers the inspirations behind some incredibly creative minds that are orbiting our local communities. So hello, Erica.
 
 (0:21 - 0:38)
 It's wonderful to meet you, well digitally. I've been researching you and I wanted to ask you about your creative practice. So yeah, you are a contemporary Canadian landscape artist who paints using a couple of styles.
 
 (0:39 - 1:03)
 One you call Nouveau 7. Can you share with our audience how you came up with this name and what the style represents for you? Well, hi, Carolyn. Nice to meet you too. So Nouveau is a reference to the Art Nouveau movement, which was everywhere in the late 1800s, early 1900s.
 
 (1:04 - 1:30)
 It was in art, furniture design, advertisement, jewelry, architecture, and it even influenced our own group of seven. So our group of seven artists, a lot of them worked in advertisement and stuff, and they used to use Art Nouveau in their advertisements. So I just love it for its flowy lines and organic twists and curls, its plants and flowers and wind around faces.
 
 (1:31 - 1:52)
 And if you've never heard of the Art Nouveau, it's just a Google search away, obviously. And I encourage anybody who's listening to look it up because it's just well worth your while. The Lord of the Rings, the Elf Kingdom was filled with Art Nouveau design, so it's pretty awesome.
 
 (1:55 - 2:11)
 But yeah, it is a really, really cool movement, that's for sure, yeah. And then, of course, the 7 comes from our Canadian group of seven, so they were more of a group of 12. I wouldn't say it was only seven, but the original group was seven people.
 
 (2:12 - 2:39)
 And yeah, they were trailblazers, literally and figuratively, they were kind of hacking through our rugged mountain trails and finding hidden spots and canoes, and just trekking all over Canada. And yeah, I love their impressionistic styles, and they just offered a new vision of what landscape can be, which is so cool. They cut their own path through art, and yeah, I'm proud that they were Canadian, for sure.
 
 (2:41 - 2:53)
 Yeah, yeah, they're amazing. So yeah, you say group of 12, I thought it was group of eight, but there's four more I don't even know about, you're gonna have to tell me. Yeah, I have a list if you want.
 
 (2:56 - 3:22)
 All right, yeah, well, we'll talk about that after. What initially led you down this path as a career choice? When you first started, was it working with your hands, your emotional insights, or something else? I think it just was so soothing to create. Like I grew up with mom and dad that were both pretty creative.
 
 (3:22 - 3:34)
 Like my mom was a quilter, and my dad made jewellery and woodwork and stuff. So I think it just came naturally to me. And it was just, it just made me feel peace.
 
 (3:35 - 4:14)
 Anytime I would sketch something or just sit quietly and draw, I was always the happiest for sure. Yeah, it is a really sort of peaceful kind of activity. As an artist who obviously loves landscape, would you say your love for these beautiful pictures started with form, lines, or the colour they represent when you first capture these images? You know, I don't think I ever really thought about it too deeply.
 
 (4:14 - 4:41)
 I'm not, for art, for me, form and line, obviously, you need that to make something interesting, right? So I would say it's kind of a combination of everything. And my design school as part of it, just the line work, I really enjoyed, and I've always liked that part of it. So yeah, I don't know if that answers the question.
 
 (4:44 - 5:02)
 Yeah, it sounds like, well, you love all of it, but then it sounds like the lines, and then the rest kind of came after. Yeah, you know what, I started with a lot of pencil work, so black and white. And there's this idea of no tan, which is the light and dark balance in a picture.
 
 (5:03 - 5:14)
 And I think it is so important. If you can turn your coloured landscape into a black and white, you will be able to see exactly what's wrong about it. And I love that.
 
 (5:14 - 5:33)
 I love that black and white can really show you whether it's a good composition or not. You know, it's probably... Yeah, it's kind of like the blueprint of being able to detect what's going on. Or you flip the painting upside down, and you can usually see it.
 
 (5:35 - 6:16)
 Sometimes we have to take our, this is what a thing looks like out of the equation. And then you can see it a little bit more clearly. When you attended an art school in Denver, when you were younger, would you say there was a similarity or difference in how Americans understand art? Do they understand Canadian art? Or do they focus more on principles and techniques, more than historical context? You know, I'm going to plead the fifth on this one.
 
 (6:18 - 6:27)
 And I actually went to school for design. But it was fashion design to start. So I actually have a degree as a fashion designer.
 
 (6:29 - 6:48)
 That's where I started. Because I said, okay, I don't want to be a starving artist, I'm going to focus my attention on a field. And then after I was finished, I realized, yeah, this, it's not a total fit for me, because the sewing part I wasn't super fond of.
 
 (6:48 - 7:07)
 And then everything, like I finished my degree in Vancouver, but everything in Vancouver at the time was costume design. And I loved the haute couture and all the evening gowns. But I didn't love the idea of moving to a big city to pursue a career as a fashion designer.
 
 (7:07 - 7:18)
 It was just so intimidating to me. So I actually decided, okay, I'm just gonna go back to being a starving artist, because I love it. Like I, I was happy.
 
 (7:18 - 8:04)
 It didn't matter how much money I was making, it was more, I made enough to pay the bills and then I could do art on the side all the time. If you're doing what you love, it just feels, it's just a happy place, you know? Yeah, yeah. How would you say being a teacher has enhanced your practice as a visual artist? Have students taught you a new way of looking at your own work? Or have you primarily found sharing your experience has been gratifying in a different way? You know, I have had the opportunity to be in classrooms with kids doing art with kids and that is so fun.
 
 (8:04 - 8:36)
 And I can't fathom doing it every day as a teacher, full time teacher, because the energy that you need to bring every day to that situation is mind boggling. But for me, I believe personally that we can learn something from every person we meet, whether it's just simply to avoid that person that's still learning. So, I just, I love the experience of meeting new people and seeing what I can learn from them.
 
 (8:36 - 9:03)
 So, I wouldn't say that I'm the traditional style of teacher because I'm self-taught. So, a lot of what I know is instinctual now. It's hard to put, it's hard to say, okay, this is why this composition doesn't work sometimes when I just know it instinctually, right? But, yeah, lots of studying on my own, we'll say.
 
 (9:05 - 9:12)
 Yeah, there's no harm in just being self-taught either. There's a lot of great artists that are self-taught. Yeah, it's fun.
 
 (9:12 - 9:30)
 It's like you're paving your own way. And it was funny because in design school, because we were all learning the same techniques at the same time, you have this overlap. So, people's creative expression almost looks the same to a degree.
 
 (9:30 - 9:59)
 So, it's almost, it almost stunts your ability to find your own voice because you're learning these techniques at the same time and you're so focused on these specific things that it kind of takes a little bit of your own creativity out of the process. Yeah, you're not allowed the room to really find your own identity because you're all at the same level and you're all doing the same thing. I see what you mean.
 
 (10:00 - 10:30)
 Exactly, yeah. Have you found there to be any difference in your creative practice when you were living in Denver compared to Canada? Have you tried living in the country and noticed any differences compared to the city in subject matter, medium, scale, etc.? Although, technically, I don't even know if you're in a city or if you're in the country. Well, I'm actually in Kelowna, which is in BC.
 
 (10:31 - 10:49)
 And it's just a smaller city, but it's beautiful here. I grew up in the country, so I find for myself, that's where I feel the most comfortable. Like, I just, I do like trees and plants and just going for walks in nature, you know.
 
 (10:49 - 11:04)
 But city life is just so fun too. I lived in Vancouver for about five years and it was just this bustle and it's like there's an electricity in the air, right? So, I like both. I like both.
 
 (11:04 - 11:30)
 I feel like all experiences are valid and there's something exciting around each corner. So, I'm not sure if that answers the question, but I don't know about the differences, you know? Yeah, like you mentioned that you sort of understand the difference, like the hustle and the bustle and then the quiet. But I mean, yeah, you enjoy both, which is good.
 
 (11:35 - 11:42)
 Yeah, absolutely. There's room to grow with both of them. And Denver was beautiful.
 
 (11:42 - 11:52)
 It's such a beautiful city and there's so many mountains around. Although, you do get a headache when you're first there for a while because it's a mile-high city. Yeah.
 
 (11:53 - 12:22)
 Oh, yeah. Yeah, and I guess there's similarity with the mountains in BC too, right? So, that's kind of... Yeah, it's... You mentioned in your website using a variety of mediums over your career. If you were stranded on an island and could only use three mediums, what would you choose to use and why? Oh, this is such a mean question to ask an artist.
 
 (12:23 - 12:34)
 Because we love the creative process. I like all of it. But pencil probably would be my first and then watercolor, just because they're simple.
 
 (12:35 - 12:45)
 But is there an Opus store on this island? Or like, is there, you know, what's on the island? Maybe that would help me decide. No, I don't think there's anything. I think you're just allowed to have three mediums.
 
 (12:45 - 12:52)
 Oh, there's nothing. Just me and my pencil and paper. Yeah, I probably would.
 
 (12:52 - 13:00)
 I would go back to pencil. It was what I started with. It's just, it's so simple, right? And yeah, I just fell in love with that.
 
 (13:01 - 13:13)
 I do like black and white. I like just being able to pull something out. If you can get the shading and actually get a black and white picture to look good, that's quite a feat in and of itself.
 
 (13:14 - 13:23)
 And then two more, right? So you have pencil, watercolor, and then what? Yeah. Oh, probably acrylic. I really enjoy it.
 
 (13:23 - 13:33)
 I like that it dries fast enough that you can kind of keep going. You don't have to wait. But oil is also just really exciting to work with.
 
 (13:33 - 13:47)
 And one day, I hope to get back into oil painting and do more portraits and stuff like that. And those are three very different mediums, which is nice, right? Yeah. Pencil, watercolor, and... Acrylic.
 
 (13:48 - 13:54)
 And acrylic, yeah. Because one's plastic, one's lead, and then one's water. So it's very different.
 
 (13:55 - 14:00)
 And they all do different things. Yeah. Yeah.
 
 (14:02 - 14:29)
 How have you found music to be a part of your creative practice? Does it help you develop your ideas into linear images, or do you prefer a quieter painting process? Okay, so I love music. But if I have, say, if I'm listening to, you know, rhythm and blues, I want to get up and wiggle about. So it's really hard to paint when I'm moving around.
 
 (14:30 - 14:55)
 So I literally have to keep the music more background music, or I listen to books on audio or podcasts or therapists talking. Like Dr. Romany, she's awesome. So I do like to just listen to what information is out there on a variety of subjects and learn something while I paint.
 
 (14:55 - 15:01)
 It's quite fun. Rather than the distraction of music. Yeah.
 
 (15:01 - 15:12)
 And that's it. Like, for instance, I took oil painting when I was 13, and she always played classical music, which I love. So I don't have... There's nothing wrong with it.
 
 (15:12 - 15:23)
 But a violin solo will definitely distract me. That squealing sound. I'm not so good with the violin.
 
 (15:23 - 15:41)
 But piano, yeah, I could listen to that a lot. So it definitely changes my painting abilities if I listen to certain musics, we'll say. And we'll be right back.
 
 (15:49 - 16:17)
 When you were developing your creative practice with the Nouveau 7 style and acquiring your clients, did you have any entrepreneurial influences, or did it happen more organically? You know, my mom was more of a business person. She worked for a variety of companies when we were growing up. And so I think I have an entrepreneurial side to me, and I do a lot of research.
 
 (16:17 - 16:43)
 So before I even chose what genre I was going to do, I did research on, you know, like, what do galleries want? What sells? What do people like having in their homes? Like, if we don't know what people are needing, how do you meet that need? And I love art. So I don't mind adapting to the market. That's totally fine for me.
 
 (16:43 - 17:00)
 Some people feel like that's maybe a sellout. But for me, it's more, you know what? Supply and demand is really important. If you can make a living at what you love to do and adapt a little bit, then you're going to be further ahead than the person who says, no, I will never paint this or, you know.
 
 (17:01 - 17:13)
 So I love portrait work. And actually, one day, hopefully, I will be getting more into it. I'm working on some figurative paintings right now that are like kind of women's faces with the Art Nouveau style around them.
 
 (17:13 - 17:21)
 And this is something new for me. So I'm really excited to present these at one of my galleries soon to be. Soon to be.
 
 (17:21 - 17:31)
 But yeah, I think you've got to do your research. And each gallery has, they represent certain artists. And if you're not a fit, you're not a fit.
 
 (17:32 - 17:49)
 You've got to do the research for yourself and say, okay, this gallery looks like maybe it'll be a fit for me. And then read their instructions on how to submit a portfolio, right? So just take the time and do it their way. And be respectful, obviously.
 
 (17:49 - 17:58)
 You've got to be kind to people or you're not going to get very far in life. But yeah. Definitely.
 
 (17:58 - 18:07)
 I mean, I'm not an abstract artist, but I'm starting. Like that's another thing that I've been playing with lately. And I'm finally happy with them.
 
 (18:08 - 18:16)
 I've never been able to do abstract art. Yeah, galleries can be very specific, right? Yeah. Period.
 
 (18:16 - 18:22)
 Never. My brain just is too analytical. I just am not.
 
 (18:23 - 18:35)
 It's just very hard to just, okay, go crazy. But I really am enjoying it. And I've kind of come up with what I feel is a good representation for me for abstract.
 
 (18:35 - 18:44)
 And it's funny, if you look at the group of seven, if you can look for their abstract art, they're not great. Yeah. I shouldn't say that.
 
 (18:44 - 18:53)
 I'll probably get some hate. Well, it's just what they thought, right? Yeah. Their version of going abstract, right? Yeah.
 
 (18:53 - 19:13)
 And that's what I needed to come up with something that I was comfortable with and felt like represented me and was still beautiful. Because I feel like if you have art on your walls, it should make you feel good. When you look at something that's in your home, it should make you feel peace and calm and happy when you see it.
 
 (19:13 - 19:20)
 Not, oh, anxiety. It shouldn't cause you anxiety. No, yeah.
 
 (19:20 - 19:29)
 And what's that woman, Marie Kudo or whatever, that says that everything in your home, you have to love it. If you look at it and you don't love it, then it's got to go. Marie Kondo.
 
 (19:29 - 19:37)
 I totally know who you're talking about. I actually do my clothes in my drawers. And my closet is by color.
 
 (19:37 - 19:42)
 So everything is organized. It's so bad. Funny.
 
 (19:44 - 19:49)
 Yeah. It's so nice. It just makes me feel like, ah, I'm organized.
 
 (19:49 - 19:54)
 Yeah. It is fun. Yeah, that's good.
 
 (19:58 - 20:30)
 Speaking of the Group of Seven, does your style mimic one of the Group of Seven artists or more of the group as a whole? If you had to choose a Group of Seven member you cherish the most artistically in style and technique, which would you choose? Okay. It's hard because they're all really great for different reasons. But I love so many of the Group of Seven.
 
 (20:30 - 20:40)
 Franklin Carmichael, he was just awesome. He was consistently great. And Autumn Hillside is one of his paintings that I fell in love with.
 
 (20:41 - 20:50)
 It's just beautiful. If you have a chance, look it up. Lauren Harris is more stark, we'll say, but he was great, too.
 
 (20:50 - 20:55)
 I thought I really liked him. That's me, though. Yeah.
 
 (20:56 - 21:08)
 And then Barley I loved for his portraits. And Holgate was great for portraits. But probably my all-time favorite Canadian Group of Seven artist was AJ Kasson.
 
 (21:09 - 21:17)
 He's phenomenal. And if you've never actually looked up his work, it's just so beautiful. He did a lot of watercolors.
 
 (21:19 - 21:25)
 They're charming. You can't not love them. Yeah.
 
 (21:25 - 21:36)
 And consistent. He's consistently great. Well, actually, one of the artists that I've interviewed, she actually met A.Y. Jackson.
 
 (21:36 - 21:46)
 No way! How cool is that? Yeah, when she was a kid, I was like, oh, my gosh. These people, the Group of Seven, they're like legend. They're like myth almost.
 
 (21:47 - 21:57)
 They're so not even human anymore. If you're Canadian, anyway, that's not what I think of. They're just like gods almost, right? Yeah.
 
 (21:57 - 22:03)
 When she said that she met one of them, I was like, oh, my gosh. Wow. So cool.
 
 (22:04 - 22:39)
 Yeah. Being a Canadian landscape painter, has it brought you a specific style of client? Is there a way to generalize those who appreciate Canadian geography? Or have they turned into friends? Or have you maintained a professional relationship? That is a big question. I would say, I think people fall in love with a painting when it feels familiar to them.
 
 (22:40 - 22:56)
 Like if they go, wow, that feels like the lake I grew up going to in the summers with my family. Or, oh, that tree just makes me happy to look at. Or that sky, right? So I think, as to a specific client, I don't think so.
 
 (22:56 - 23:07)
 I think that if people fall in love with my work, they could be anybody. I don't know that a specific client. I mean, they have to like landscape, I guess.
 
 (23:10 - 23:20)
 That could be. And friends wise, I'm a bit of a hermit because I'm painting a lot. But I love people.
 
 (23:20 - 23:29)
 So if I meet you in person, we could be friends instantly. That's how I am. But I definitely am in the moment.
 
 (23:30 - 23:43)
 So once we're not in that moment together, you might be on the back burner of mine. Not intentionally, just simply that's just how I am. I think everybody's different.
 
 (23:43 - 23:47)
 Some people live in the future. Some people live in the past. I'm sorry for them.
 
 (23:47 - 23:56)
 But I'm more of an in the now person. And I'd like to be friends with every collector that has collected my work. Because I appreciate it.
 
 (23:56 - 24:02)
 I mean, it's supported me. And it makes me go, I can still paint. I can keep going.
 
 (24:02 - 24:12)
 And I can keep doing what I love if people love it. It just makes you feel like your friends are ready because they appreciate you. They know you in a way.
 
 (24:13 - 24:28)
 And then to be a part of their home, that's such an honor. So, yeah, I'm very happy to have whatever relationships I can get with my collectors and my clients, for sure. Yeah, that's good.
 
 (24:29 - 25:09)
 Being a painter of stylized landscapes, how have galleries treated you and your work? Have you found other painters that have also been influenced by the Group of Seven? Have you learned from them or viewed them more as competitors for similar clients? So with galleries, I've had wonderful relationships with the people that show my work. So my galleries, I am very happy with my galleries. And they are happy with my work.
 
 (25:09 - 25:25)
 So, you know, they wouldn't take me on board, I don't think, if they weren't. So as for that, yeah, that's a wonderful thing. And then have you found painters? I think a lot of Canadian artists are influenced by the Group of Seven.
 
 (25:25 - 25:37)
 I don't know if you could find one that wouldn't be influenced by the Group of Seven, to be honest. I think it's just part of our heritage now. Yeah, exactly.
 
 (25:37 - 26:03)
 I don't think you can grow up in Canada and not have a little Group of Seven in your blood. And have you learned from them or viewed them more as competitors? I always go by the, I learn from people. If I can learn from an artist, like if I see an artist on Instagram and I'm like, Oh, that's so beautiful. 
 
 I will say that is so beautiful. Amazing. Like, thank you for sharing.
 
 (26:03 - 26:13)
 Because we're all in this together. We should be kind and considerate to each other and encouraging each other as artists. It's already hard enough to make a living as an artist.
 
 (26:14 - 26:44)
 Why would we ever try to compete or like push each other down? You know, for me, that's how I view it. I think we got to encourage and lift each other up because art is something that can heal your soul. Like, you got to keep people going and working towards that kind joy and peace, right? So I would never see another artist as a competitor.
 
 (26:44 - 26:51)
 If they sell a painting, I'm celebrating with them. You know, for sure. Yeah.
 
 (26:51 - 27:01)
 Yeah. Yeah, as you said, we're all in this together. Yeah, there's no sense of competition.
 
 (27:01 - 27:04)
 We're there to support each other. You're right. Exactly.
 
 (27:04 - 27:16)
 But I have seen that. I have seen that sense of competition. And it's, I mean, I think people can get frustrated if they aren't selling their work.
 
 (27:17 - 27:30)
 But I always think if something needs to be tweaked, you've got to have the humility to say, Okay, I can do better. And I keep working at it. Like I've practiced art my entire life.
 
 (27:30 - 27:44)
 Like thousands and thousands of hours have gone into it. I'm good now, you know, but I still have stuff to learn. I'm not perfect and I still see art that is like, wow, you know.
 
 (27:45 - 27:54)
 But I'm happy. And I know it's a process. But I feel like it's a process that you will keep learning until you die.
 
 (27:54 - 28:01)
 Like I don't think you will ever be perfect at art. If that makes sense. Yeah, no, I see what you mean.
 
 (28:01 - 28:13)
 It's all constant. Something you need to constantly practice to just get better at it. And trees are hard.
 
 (28:14 - 28:22)
 Trees are tough. I'm getting better at trees. But boy, when I first started painting trees, it was a challenge.
 
 (28:23 - 28:29)
 Yeah. And sometimes mixing colors is hard. Sometimes you're like, Okay, that's a weird blue.
 
 (28:29 - 28:36)
 How do you get it? And it's trial and error for me. Right. But yeah, it's a process.
 
 (28:37 - 28:41)
 It is a process. That's for sure. Well, that's it.
 
 (28:42 - 28:48)
 We got to the end of our questions. Well, it was so fun to talk to you. Thank you.
 
 (28:48 - 29:10)
 Yeah, it was fun talking to you as well. Do you have anything else you'd like to add to, or anything else you'd like to say about your creative process? Before we go? I'm technically challenged. This has been like one of my toughest learning tech.
 
 (29:10 - 29:24)
 And just to do it right is very hard for me. And it's funny because I am 50 years old this month. And I didn't grow up with tech, right? I didn't grow up with hardly any electronics.
 
 (29:25 - 29:37)
 And so, for me, it feels, it just feels hard. And I know I'm supposed to be posting more. And I know I'm supposed to be sharing my experience, sharing my process.
 
 (29:38 - 29:50)
 But I'm just intimidated by it. So, yeah, that's something I need to learn for my artistic expression. And just to, like, let people know who I am.
 
 (29:50 - 29:58)
 I know I'm just nervous about it. But I like connecting with people. It's just I'm terrified of it.
 
 (29:59 - 30:05)
 And I have, like, my friend Julia Veenstra. She's an amazing Canadian artist. And she's a mentor to me.
 
 (30:06 - 30:15)
 And, yeah, she's always, Erica, you've got to do a post. And I'm like, oh, I know I can. Well, there you go.
 
 (30:15 - 30:17)
 We got somebody encouraging you there. I know. She's so wonderful.
 
 (30:18 - 30:24)
 So, yeah, encouragement. I need to practice a little bit. I'm a bit of a perfectionist.
 
 (30:24 - 30:36)
 So, if I don't know how to do something very well, it's, like, very daunting for me. So, but, yeah, practice is good. And I think you're doing pretty good with all the stuff.
 
 (30:37 - 30:47)
 You say you're not out there, but you've got quite a bit out there still. So, I think you're doing pretty good. I mean, yeah, maybe you could do a little bit more, but it's a can't be all, right? That is kind encouragement.
 
 (30:48 - 30:52)
 Thank you so much. I'll take it, you know. But, yes, I do.
 
 (30:52 - 31:02)
 I have lots to learn still. And, yeah, I'm going to hopefully get my voice more out there and be online a little bit more. Because I am very friendly.
 
 (31:02 - 31:22)
 I think people just, I'm kind of in an enigma right now just because I am a little quiet and hermit-y. But it doesn't mean I'm not friendly. Because the last artist I was talking to was telling me that I need to be, as artists in general, you need to be doing 50% administrative and, like, social media stuff.
 
 (31:23 - 31:37)
 And as well as, you know, your artwork. And I'm just like, wow, who does that, though? That just sounds like a lot. Because then you've also got your family and your pets and your kids and your, you know, your life.
 
 (31:37 - 31:53)
 And then you've also got to do your artwork. And you're going to find 50% of time in there? Really? I don't give 50% of my time. But some I do need to give a little bit more of my time.
 
 (31:53 - 32:00)
 But I just find it can be overwhelming. And sometimes I need a tech break. So I've kind of been on a tech break for about a year now.
 
 (32:00 - 32:09)
 I've just not posted a lot. Like, I do a little bit, but not a lot. And so, yeah, I'm kind of gearing up to start again.
 
 (32:09 - 32:20)
 And wish me luck. Good luck. Well, no, you know what I've been hearing is, like, you just devote, like, I don't know, I don't know, like, half an hour per day or something.
 
 (32:20 - 32:28)
 And then see how much you can get done in that amount of time. And then just, like, add a little bit here and there, right? Yeah. And get your banking done.
 
 (32:28 - 32:37)
 And get your bills paid. Yeah. I mean, on top of everything else, right? Oh, I know.
 
 (32:37 - 32:43)
 You know what? I've lived perfectly happily without knowing it. Yeah. I've never thought of it as a problem.
 
 (32:44 - 32:49)
 Like, I still don't. And I'm not. Yeah.
 
 (32:50 - 32:55)
 It doesn't matter. It's just everybody's different. And we all have unique qualities.
 
 (32:55 - 33:00)
 And I'm so thankful to get to paint for a living. It's my dream come true. Truly.
 
 (33:01 - 33:11)
 I just am so thankful. So, thank you to anybody listening that is a fan or that is a collector. I just thank you from the bottom of my heart.
 
 (33:11 - 33:19)
 Because I couldn't do it without you, for sure. Yeah. Yeah, it is wonderful to be able to be an artist.
 
 (33:19 - 33:22)
 Yeah. Truly. And be appreciated.
 
 (33:22 - 33:33)
 It really is a nice feeling, right? Yeah. I mean, when a painting sells, it's like, oh, someone actually liked my work enough to say, yeah, I'm going to put that in my home. And it's just a cherry on the top.
 
 (33:34 - 33:42)
 You know, to get to paint in and of itself is just glorious. Because it just lifts your spirit. And you just feel at peace.
 
 (33:42 - 33:52)
 But then to have someone buy it on top of it is just like, yep, that's amazing. So, very happy. An even better feeling, right? Yeah, exactly.
 
 (33:53 - 34:08)
 It's just great. And that's what I hope with these interviews is just another extra layer of just happiness to be part of the creative process, right? Yeah. And the community of creatives.
 
 (34:08 - 34:21)
 And don't get discouraged. Sometimes I think people need to get off the tech a little bit just to find their own voice. And sometimes I think we can get discouraged if we look at all the great art that's out there.
 
 (34:21 - 34:33)
 And then we realize where we're at in our process, which might be your learning. And you've got to put in the time and the effort to get better. So, if you give up in that learning stage, yeah, you won't be an artist.
 
 (34:33 - 34:40)
 Because you do have to give it time. You have to give it time. It just takes time to get good at anything.
 
 (34:41 - 34:49)
 So, give yourself the chance to get good. Give yourself time. And be okay to be a starving artist for a while.
 
 (34:49 - 34:58)
 It's okay, you know? It's part of the process, right? It's part of the process, yeah. Yeah. All right.
 
 (34:58 - 35:07)
 Well, thanks again for being a guest on today's show. And, yeah, maybe we can touch base in the future and see where you're at. Yeah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Carolyn.
 
 (35:07 - 35:11)
 And thanks for doing this. This is good for me. Like I said, tech challenge.
 
 (35:12 - 35:19)
 This is good for me. Well, it worked out, right? I'm aware of my limitations. But I can get better.
 
 (35:21 - 35:32)
 That's what we can all do, right? We can all have the power to get better. And, yeah, I will put your contact information. Thank you.
 
 (35:33 - 35:48)
 With your podcast. And, yeah, hopefully there will be more people that will be contacting you about your art. Oh, thank you so much.
 
 (35:49 - 35:53)
 And have a fabulous weekend. You too. Thanks so much, Erica.
 
 (35:54 - 35:57)
 Yeah, thanks, Carolyn. Okay, bye. Bye-bye.
 
 (35:59 - 36:10)
 Join me next time as I go down another rabbit hole with another creative professional on their insights, their inspirations, and their ingenuity.