We were lucky to catch up with Doug Foltz recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Doug thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights 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?
Learning your craft is critical – it was for me – but I think there is a difference between craft and art… and I’ve spent most of my professional life as an artist and a photographer working to move from one to the other. Mastering your craft is incredibly important – in any pursuit – because it frees you up to focus on your art… that’s where you express, share, and connect with other people. And for me that’s what my creative efforts have always been about… finding something inside myself I feel is worth sharing… and then doing that… in the most honest and expressive way I can.
Knowing what light and color and paint, and materials or equipment do – the craft – is the essential first step. I work hard at that – still – so that it becomes second nature… almost subconscious… so that all my energy can go into using that to express what I want to express.
The only real obstacle to that kind of learning is yourself. Continual work and patience. You can’t really speed it up… you just have to embrace that constant effort to balance craft and expression.
Doug, 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?
I started my professional life as an architect. And that served me well. It taught me to see, to problem solve and think in a critical way, and it was the first lesson in understanding the value of mastering craft. But… I found out pretty quickly that the length of time between creative conception and bringing something to reality was too long for me. So, I started exploring lots of other channels for creative expression.
I started painting and shooting for a living almost 30 years ago, and love that I can do something every day that seems so authentic to me – something I’d be doing even if I didn’t get paid for it.
That’s actually one of the great things about that journey… initially, income from my painting and photography wasn’t required to pay the bills. So I created what was important to me, not necessarily what sold. That was a gift. Eventually, I developed and people began coming to me for what I did and that’s where thing really began to unfold.
I live on the coast – have my whole life – and I find most of my inspiration from the natural world I find there. I love wet light and I think that composition is king, and people that appreciate those things tend to be my clients and collectors. I don’t think I really solve problems for them or change anybody… I’m more of a channel for them to connect with themselves… to explore their own journey through what Im trying to say with my work. There’s that shift from craft to art again – if I’m true to what I want to say, and I lean on my mastery of craft to allow me to openly express that… people connect I hope find it easier to express in their worlds as well.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I’m not sure this is exclusive to creatives, but I know its been an integral part of my journey. Somewhere, a long time ago, I discovered the value of open exploration – playing for the sake of playing. Doing… without an expressed goal or result I was looking to achieve. I discover so much when I do that.
Its not always time spent completing a task, or checking a list (and yes… I’m a list maker too), but… it’s never time wasted. Not only does that kind of play send you to new places and new learnings, but it energizes you to really openly bring what you’ve learned to the work you are trying to complete… or start… or even to parts of your life that have nothing to do with your creative work. I’m not just a better painter because of that habit… I’m a better person, a better community member, a better family member and friend. I really believe the leaning, the energy and the power that comes from pure play is immense. I think its probably one of those things that we un-learn as we grow older. Any kid knows how important exploration and play is to them. Its how they learn and grow… and I don’t ever want to stop doing either of those things.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I don’t know that I can identify a single time when I had to do that… I pretty much do that every day. Knowing where you want to go is absolutely necessary. It guides your opening steps – in a painting, a business, or anything really. Make that plan and then be open – and confident enough – to take the risk of pivoting when a new opportunity or channel comes into view.
On a small scale that happens with every painting I do. There comes a time when I have to stop telling the paint what to do and accept what it’s bringing to the game. If I miss that moment, and force things, I’m sunk. It doesn’t mean giving up on your goals, but it does mean staying open to the influences that may change how you get there.
On a larger scale, I know that happens in business. It sure has in mine. I think it’s part of that exploration thing again. Caring as much about the process as the result. Do that successfully – authentically and intentionally embrace the influence that come to you – and the results will take care of themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: DougFoltz.com / SaltCrustStudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougfoltz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doug.foltz.35/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUvZ0K2gAJUOm122YkfnZz0jOn5lfp2aI
- Other: At the moment, I’m represented in Atlanta by Huff Harrington Fine Art, in Naples Florida by Gardner Colby Galleries, and in Santa Rosa Beach by both Fusion at Seaside and The Foster Gallery in Miramar Beac
Image Credits
Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles (KinderThanSheNeededToBe(48×48).jpeg)
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