How long have you been creating?

A long time...I remember being wild about crayons when I was about five. My mom says it actually started in my high chair when I was two. Rather than eat my pears...I would create abstract art with them. Fun for me...not for her! Maybe that’s why I like painting pears to this day.

Seriously though...I have been professionally creating since I was about 24 when I started my own photography business called "PhotoArt". I sold my photographs at art fairs around California and was able to get a few photos published. When I was 30...I went back to school to get my BFA degree. After that...I worked for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light + Magic as a Digital Painter for several years. Subsequently, my husband and I moved to Colorado and that is when I started my present fine art business, Abby Creek Studios.

What is your media of choice?

Currently, it’s painting with acrylics on canvas. I do love variety though so really enjoy working digitally and with oil pastel as well. I find that changing mediums helps me to keep things fresh and gives me the opportunity to express myself in different ways.

What are your motivations for creating?

To create is to express myself in a very honest way. With the Dog Paintings...it makes my day when I can capture a dog’s essence for the person that loves him/her; with Still Life, it’s all about capturing simple beauty and light; with Digital Art...pure, raw emotion motivates me.

What other artist’s or movements inform your work?

So many artists have inspired me...Leonardo Da Vinci, Amedeo Modigliani, Paul Klee, Frida Kahlo, Marc Chagall to name a few. Some contemporary artists that I have really admired and learned from are Richard Diebenkorn, Inez Storer and Nathan Olivera.

What do you find visually stimulating right now?

The way light hits an object and makes it feel alive and the way complementary colors can pack a punch. Sometimes when I’m driving around rural areas here in Boulder County, Colorado...I see color combinations that take my breath away.

What’s the last book you read?

I just read two of Augusten Burroughs books, "Running with Scissors" and "Dry"...which were preceded by David Sedaris’s book, "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim". All three were great. Both of these authors have a dry wit that I seem to enjoy...and I love reading about dysfunctional families! The next book on my list is "A Brush With Darkness...Learning to Paint After Losing my Sight" by Lisa Fittipaldi

Any regrets leaving Industrial Light + Magic. What did you take with you from that experience that you’ve brought to your personal art?

I don’t regret leaving at all although it was one of the best work experiences I’ve had. I learned so much...particularly how to paint digitally. My title there was "ViewPainter" as the technology used to paint color and texture onto 3D models was called ViewPaint. It was developed by ILM and was especially suited to paint creature models with large, highly complex colors and textures. It taught me how to combine technology with fine art.

What would you like your fellow EBSQ artists and collectors to know about you and/or your work?

First, I hope that people enjoy my work. The biggest thrill for me is when my work touches people in some way.

I’m a California girl at heart...but now I live in Colorado with my husband, James and dog, Abby. We really enjoy it here and I get very inspired by the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

It’s also a pleasure to be a part of EBSQ. I have grown and learned a lot as an Artist by being part of this community. Thank you for the support you have given me.