Julianne Delmar

I have always had the urge to draw early on. I still create art because it's something I enjoy and don't mind working to become better at. I mean, I am willing to go through the process. This is one thing I know I can contribute. When I was young, my parents enrolled me in art classes, although they hoped for me to be in architecture eventually. Nevertheless, I'm very thankful I'm painting right now, and my family is very supportive. God is my inspiration to create art.

My art aims to convey an experience. For example, if it's an urban scene, it's not just about the objects in it; it's the atmosphere, the “feel” of the place that I want to send out. One time at an art fair, I overheard someone remark to her friend about my paintings: “So nostalgic.” That, I thought, just summarized what I meant my pictures to be.

I've done different styles in the past. In art school, we were taught the traditional manner, so for a long time I stuck with it. As I kept on looking at inspirations, I noticed the works that seem to make a personal connection with me had some things in common. That's how I started to develop a style.

With that said, I believe a loose, impressionistic style is best suited for what I aim to convey, which is the ephemeral experience of a scene. It also represents something about myself because it's straightforward and focuses on the important details. Watercolor, to me, is perfect for a spontaneous style of painting. I like watercolor because there are many techniques to explore. It can be a frustrating medium but learning to master it is fun at the same time.

I'm always looking around for inspiration, but I don't imagine a painting right away. For instance, I'm walking down a street. I like to observe what's happening, what it feels like to be there. Sometimes, when circumstances allow, I sketch on location. Most of the time, I take home photos and memories of my impressions.

It's hard to say how long it takes me to finish a painting. Conceptualizing and making the studies can take a long time. When I already have my studies and sketches ready, a half-sheet (roughly 11”x15") painting can take somewhere between one and two hours.

Though I've been drawing and painting my whole life practically, it's been on and off. I pursued other things when I didn't know which direction my art was going. Then something just clicked inside of me that made me want to take painting seriously. In the beginning, the hardest part was going past the resistance, knowing that despite being labeled as an artist since childhood, there's a long way to go and a lot of work to do. Then there's the challenge to keep going when nothing seems to go right. Right now, I feel it's just the beginning of my story!