We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Toni Newhall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Toni below.
Toni, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
When I was a young child, my grandfather was on the school board and we had access to massive amounts of discarded, single-sided paperwork which left the other side available to draw and color on and cut up. My parents recognized my interest and a talent so they arranged for private painting lessons for me. Later on, when I was in high school, I was able to take classes in drawing, ceramics/sculpture and printmaking.
Many, many years ago, I graduated university with a BFA with a weaving concentration. At that time, at that school, all fiber arts were still under the weaving heading but I learned about soft sculpture, screen printing and paper making too and those held a lot of appeal to me. I loved weaving but the innovation and freedom in the other areas drew me towards a mixed media path.
My main focus all along has been about learning and evolving as an artist. If I see a process that appeals to me, I want to learn it and give it a try. All too often, this has led to criticism that people can’t recognize my “style”. That is probably a marketing problem but that doesn’t really bother me.
I would say if I know then what I know now I would have probably gone the multimedia/fiber route earlier, but I, also, would’ve misses out on a bunch of things I learned before settling on this course so I don’t know.
Toni, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
When I was still in college, I had a friend who was going to work for Hallmark and asked me if I wanted to take over her job painting needlepoint canvases for a shop she worked for in Denver. At the time it was a way to make extra money on my schedule without having to leave my home so I said yes.
For 32+years I designed and painted custom needlepoint canvases for other people to stitch. That was my introduction into making a partial living from doing “art”. Over the years I’ve learned to ask questions and listen to what a person wants but also to lead them to a successful design that would work within the parameters of the canvas grid. During that time I got married and we raised a couple of great kids and that work made enough to subsidize some of the extras in our life.
About 15-20 years ago I just got burned out with working for other people, it wasn’t enjoyable anymore. I was at a point that I could start doing what I wanted without money making being the priority. I wanted to learn more of the things I was interested in like shibori, encaustic and wire wrapping which I have incorporated into my process.
I feel that fiber arts are finally starting to get the attention they deserve. I also think there has been such an expansion of what constitutes” fiber” and “art” and I’m excited to be a part of that.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
First, I think we all can be creative in something. Like the anecdote about asking a child if they can sing, or dance or draw they will always say “Yes”. It’s about developing that “muscle” and that might be something others might not understand about my way of thinking. I’m a bit of an introvert and that can sometimes come off as being disinterested. However, I’m always observing and thinking of ways to make every day artful and creative. If I have a piece of candy, I play with ways to fold the wrapper. If I’ve soaped up a pan I’ll draw in the film before rinsing it off. I eat my food, especially sandwiches, into designs. It’s something I do almost unconsciously, it’s just the way my mind works.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
Learning and teaching are probably the main things that drive my craft. I love to learn new techniques. I have to say the internet is great for that. When I participated as a mentor to students in an internship program, it was so rewarding for me to have young people who were interested in art. Only two of them were going to further their studies in the visual arts, but they all had that desire to learn how to create art. Instead of teaching them about my craft I let them try whatever they wanted. For me it was about expanding their experience of what art could be. And I learned a lot from them, too.
When I was in junior high school we had an oil painter come visit for a presentation to the whole school, I think.(It was a long time ago!) But what I did remember from all the information he gave us was that Anyone Can Became an Artist. If you want to be a painter start, work hard and it will happen. You might not become a Monet or make a million dollars but you will be a painter. I’m sure he was talking about the visual arts back then but that can apply to anything. If you want to be a writer write! A mechanic? Take classes and work on cars!
Anyway, my point is I love to work with fiber and other art “stuff”. I’m sure most wouldn’t call it my career, but I am, oh so, lucky to be able to do something that makes me happy and stimulates me with the added kick of some monetary gain.
Contact Info:
- Website: ToniNewhall.com
- Instagram: @Toninewhall