Life of Landscapes

Interview with Nina Weiss 

 

Not many people can say their work is included in world famous art collections, featured in two Hollywood films, and has appeared in numerous galleries all over the country.  

 

Need a little inspiration?  Read on and learn more about Nina and what inspires her!

The beautiful and talented Nina Weiss

What is inspiration? What is Art?

I believe art is a visual representation of what inspires you most….good art stems from something you feel compelled to engage in and create.  When a personal; emotional response becomes part of that inspiration; people will be compelled to share your vision.

How did you start working as an artist? How do you get the creative juices flowing?

As I child, I was encouraged by my parents to create.  I was given the materials; time; and art lessons I craved; and so began my first formal art lessons at age eleven.

 Usually I am inspired by my subject matter (landscape).  Before I go into my studio; I  visualize how good it feels to stand in front of my easel and paint….or stand in front of a beautiful landscape and draw.  My drawing/painting is part of my connection with and experience of  the landscape.  It’s how I engage in the world.

What’s your favorite “effect” you create in your work? OR Best art tip you ever got?

The most poignant art tip I ever received was from a drawing teacher at the Tyler School of Art; when I was seventeen……….I experienced a huge “aha”! moment when he talked to me about layering colors to create visual effects of mixing; thus keeping the integrity of all your colors pure.  I use this in whatever medium I am working in; whether it’s colored pencil; oil paint, gouache; or pastel.

Who/ what inspires you to create?

I paint and draw that which I react most strongly to.  Being in the landscape; experiencing the forms; colors, drama, and power of the scenery inspires me to create.

If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

As a busy working artist, teacher, mother, gardener, etc. I always wish for more time and energy to create…..it would be great to be able to make time stand still; to  create more time; and to never run out of the energy to paint, draw; and create!

What Prismacolor products do you use and do you have any tricks for that particular medium?

I love to use the Prismacolor watercolor pencils.  I sketch out my landscape with pure-colored lines, and create first layers of color washes; then build up those colors with hatchings and scribbles of optical color mixtures.  I love the pencils because you can create using both tonal and linear methods; using both transparencies, opacities; gesture, and line.

Do you ever show your work to others before its finished? Are you ever self-conscious about your work?

Yes; sometimes I share works in progress with my students; it is interesting to them to see different stages of the layering process.  No; never self-conscious; but I often wish that I could view my work non-objectively….sometimes it’s difficult to see what you’ve really done when you’re so close to the process!

If you could have dinner with one person, living or dead, who and why?

It’s very difficult to pick one!  Instead; I would like to attend a dinner party seated along side the women artists from art history whom I admire:  Marie Laurencian, Paula Modersohn- Becker; Gabrielle Munter, Emily Carr; Rosalba Carriera, and Artemesia Gentileschi, to name a few!  They represent different eras and art movements; but all were dedicated and successful artists; against the odds of their upbringing and art history.

Favorite Prismacolor product:

Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils.

Finish this sentence: “ I am…”

Happy to be an artist.

 

 

 

Check back for more on Nina, as Laura, Prismacolor team member, is participating in one of Nina’s workshops this weekend and will be sharing it all as our guest blogger next week!