— The featured artist of Issue 37 of Living the Photo Artistic Life magazine was AWAKE artist Lou Ann Donahue (based in Salt Lake City, Utah). Lou Ann has been turning out extraordinary work across a wide range of styles for quite some time, so it was exciting to truly showcase her art at last in the magazine, and I’m incredibly pleased to introduce you to her further here in this month’s interview . . .
Q. What got you started in photo artistry?
I have always been interested in art, taking art classes in school and then moving on to photography. About 13 years ago, I became an “empty nester,” and when my first grandchild was born I took up traditional scrapbooking and acquired a real interest in photography.
Then . . . along came digital scrapbooking, Photoshop, and a group of digital artists who took things to a whole different level.
I joined a number of creative teams as digital scrapbooking became more and more popular, appealing to many as a way to work without having the mess of traditional scrapping. I think being a part of these amazing designers’ creative teams really pushed me to learn more about creating digital art. But I still wanted more.
It was at this point I discovered Sebastian Michaels’s Photoshop Artistry Course and then the “AWAKE” group. I knew I had found my “art home”! I was soon able to combine my photography and a little magic to produce the kind of art I had always wanted to create.
Q. What is it that inspires your artwork?
Everything around me inspires me. Every book I read, every photograph I take, every movie I watch, every song I hear. I tend to create an image in my mind from life experiences. It is as if I see everything as a piece of art. It becomes sort of crazy sometimes as I get so many ideas in my head I often don’t know where to start. But what a wonderful way to finally look at life and art.
My family is certainly an inspiration also. My oldest granddaughter is an aspiring writer and actress. Spending time with her talking about what she has written and all her ideas, always helps me look at life and art in a more “freeing” way. She isn’t afraid to experiment and challenge herself, which is something that truly inspires me!
Q. What does “living the photo artistic life” mean to you?
Living the photo artistic life for me means getting up before the sun comes up, getting lost in my art, and sometimes turning around and seeing a piece of art on my computer screen and thinking, “Wow, I did that!” One thing is for sure: living an artistic life like this means coming to see the world very differently.
Q. What would you say are the most important things you have learned since joining Photoshop Artistry and the AWAKE group?
Besides the obvious (learning SO many techniques of digital artistry), I think I’ve really learned what a supportive and inspirational community exists in this group of artists, and how important that is. Seeing everyone’s art every day, reading the comments and learning from all the artists there, is helping me grow not only as an artist but as a person. Also, working in my journal every day to compile ideas, gather inspirational quotes, and just taking a few minutes to sit down every day to write has made a huge difference in my life. It has helped me learn how to be productive and create a more enriching life.
Q. Do you have a specific process you follow when you work?
I will generally start with an idea for a background and a main subject, but beyond that I really have no particular process that I follow. I love working with textures and color tones. They play a big part in my art as they can change the whole look of a piece. My mood and past life experiences also play a big part in how I work and even in the colors I use in my art. When I have finished the piece it is usually completely different than what I started out to create. I think this is the case for most digital artists, but as Sebastian Michaels has mentioned we need to “savor the process” from beginning to end. That is what makes this whole creative process such an amazing experience — to begin … and just see where you end up.
Q. What’s your next step as an artist?
When I joined the AWAKE group, I had a two-year plan with three objectives: To get through the entire course with a real commitment to my art, to be published in the magazine Living the Photo Artistic Life, and to possess a solid knowledge of Photoshop and Lightroom.
I am now in my second year, and I feel like I have accomplished most of this, although every day there is something new to learn.
Where to I want to take my work next? Good question. We would all love to have a gallery exhibition or to actively sell our art, but I where I most want my work to go is knowing for myself that I have accomplished my goal of truly becoming a serious photo-artistic artist.
Q. Any advice or tips for other aspiring artists?
Going through my journal the other day I ran across this quote that I had written down when I was doing the “21 Days to Creative Abundance” course. It is by Jeong Kwan. “Creativity and ego cannot go together. If you free yourself from the comparing and jealous mind, your creativity opens up endlessly. Just as water springs from a fountain, creativity springs from every moment. Your must not be your own obstacle.”
Many times throughout my artistic journey I have come back to this quote. It always put me back on the correct path. There will be days and maybe even weeks when you feel like you will never create anything worthwhile again … But that passes. Sit down at your computer, pick up your camera, or even just watch some tutorials. Never give up, just keep working. Even if it means throwing most of it into the trash. Show up every day, begin again, and do your best. It will all come together!