My Creative Journey: Nita Leland Interview

May 25, 2009

Nita Leland Interview

One of my favorite new books is The New Creative Artist, but Nita Leland. It's just PACKED full of so much information, it's wonderful! I can say that I haven't sat down and DONE all the exercises, yet, but that's just me, I have a pretty short attention span, and too many new books (at the moment I'm jumping between 5 or 6 books, they are just all so good I can't seem to pick just 1).A few of the chapters you will find in this book are Drawing:Don't Leave Home Without It, Abstraction:Off the Beaten path, and Adventure:Developing Your Creative Spirit. So, on to the interview! I hope you enjoy it:)

***I found this link on Nita's blog-check it out if you would like to take a look inside of The New Creative Artist!

1. How did you get your start as an artist?

My husband gave me watercolor paints on my birthday in 1970, apparently believing I needed a hobby. I was raising four children at the time.

2.Do you keep a daily visual journal? What are your favorite visual journaling supplies (those things that you would feel necessary to take with you to journal on the go)? Do you make your own journals, or do you have a favorite brand?

I don't keep a journal and never have. I have record books, where I enter details on finished artwork (sources, colors, thoughts about the picture), but they aren't artsy.

3. How long have you been doing collage?

I used a bit of collage in my watercolors beginning around 1972, using rice paper to add atmosphere to landscapes. It wasn't until I began writing Creative Collage Techniques in 1992 that I got interested in paper collage as a fine art medium in its own right.

4. Are there any basic design &/or composition rules for collage, for those who are just starting to experiment with it? Artists who are just beginning in collage need to spend time experimenting with materials first. Too many use inferior adhesives, papers and supports and run the risk of making artwork that won't last. As for design and composition, the same rules apply to collage as any other art medium. I follow the guidelines of the elements and principles of design set forth by Maitland Graves in the 1950s, which Edgar Whitney popularized a few years later. These are found in all my books, including the collage book.

5. What artists have influenced you?

Too many to name them all. Edgar A. Whitney and Edward Betts would be at the top of the list. I draw inspiration from J.M.W. Turner in watercolor and color and from Georgia O'Keeffe in subject matter, color and design.

6. How can we go about finding our own creative voice?

Practice, patience, and perseverance. Believe in yourself, and listen to your intuition, especially when you find yourself disagreeing with the opinion of another artist about your work. Be selective in your choice of workshops and classes and go to those where you are most likely to find like minds at work. Think hard about what it is you want to say in your art and then work at finding the best way to say it through technique, design, and so forth.

7. Where do you get your inspiration from?

I guess I follow the dictum that inspiration comes while you're working. So I just keep on working. The key is being passionate about what you do. Believe it or not, I can get passionate about just mingling and mixing colors, and the next thing I know, a color combination suggests a subject or a mood and off I go.

8. Can you describe your creative process?

Not reliably. But my understanding of the process, which I came to when I was researching my books on creativity, is that knowledge is a fundamental part of creativity. You start with a problem, learn what you can about it, let it simmer awhile, and the solution presents itself. Any part of this process can take five minutes or five years, so it isn't cut-and-dried.

9. What advice would you give to (self-taught) artists just starting out?

Set doable goals--don't set yourself up for failure. Master techniques, design, and color as you go. Don't be so hard on yourself--you're a better artist than you think you are. There are many more suggestions in The New Creative Artist.

10. One last question, since I promised a short interview! If you were on a desert island and could only have 2 inspirational books with you, what 2 would you choose?

Assuming you mean art inspiration, I would want Edgar Whitney's Complete Guide to Watercolor Painting and Edward Betts's Master Class in Water Media.

thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions!!

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