I bumped into Sarah on Linkedin and we met up at Surtex in NYC last spring - I KNOW you will love her roosters! Find out more about Sarah below — Be sure to check out her website!
(click images to see them larger).
Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
I spent most of my early childhood either drawing and painting, with my nose in a book, or with animals. I lived a very solitary, inward life during those few years, but then as I grew up and left home, subsequently I lost my artistic way. The world has a way of redirecting us when we don’t know who we are, and for much of my adult life I painted very little. I took it for granted that “I can draw” but it took me decades to figure out how to put it together; to overcome life’s difficulties and to do what I believe I was meant to do. I consider myself extraordinarily fortunate now, to have the opportunity to live with that kind of artistic focus again, and to share it with other people.
What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
I have to say, animals. I suppose I could expand that to include all of nature, because that is true, but really at heart it’s my love for animals and my relationship with many of them. There is something about each of their souls that I am always trying to capture – and the look in the eye. They are such sentient beings who share the world with us and I like to call attention to them in ways that make people stop and look.
Do you work in just one medium? Several?
Mostly I work in watercolor, but have also been gravitating towards gouache and acrylic lately. My style has been changing now that I get to paint whenever I want, and I am getting better at it. It makes me want to try all sorts of new products that I see other artists using. At some point when I find time, I want to take some art classes to try out new mediums just for the fun of it, to open myself up even more. About a year ago I also learned to use some of the features in Photoshop, and that has revolutionized my options as well. I have startled myself with how much I enjoy creating effects digitally.
What are you working on now?
In July I got my first art license (thank you agent Carol White!) – a series of six Rooster Chef images is licensed to AD Lines Eurogroup and will be sold as art prints. It looks like Amia, Inc. is also interested in a series of my butterfly images to use for their glass products. I see a beginning here, and have spent this past year running to catch the art licensing bus, so to speak: I either work in Photoshop or I paint all day, almost every single day to build my portfolio, to practice, and to learn as much as I can. I just recently finished a new series of inspirational Rooster images with detailed patchwork tail feathers
(above) that I really love and have high hopes for, as well as a series of Christmas roosters caroling for my greeting cards (and also art licensing.)
Anything else you want to tell everyone?
I stagnated for too many years, and now here I am with 50 years of artwork pent up inside of me! Watch out, world. It’s all an exciting mystery, this Life thing. Isn’t it?
Are you an early riser? or night owl?
I seem to work naturally in cycles. I focus intensely on a project for 2-3 weeks, going to bed at 2 AM every night, waking up at 7 to feed the animals and then diving back in to my artwork until 2 AM again. When I finish, I flop down and sleep for several days, clean the house, check to see I didn’t miss paying any bills, and regroup. Lots of ordinary chores fall by the wayside, but I’ve learned that life is short and you shouldn’t waste time doing dishes when there’s something important like painting chickens to be done!
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food. Hrmm. I guess I would have to say bacon and eggs.
Visit Sarah's website:
http://sarahhudock.com email:
info@sarahhudock.com
Carol White of Artworks! Licensing:
http://artworkslicensing.com
If you are interested in being spotlighted - email me:
anntroe@cox.net
You might also like this post: (
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Artist Spotlight - Peggy Wilson
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