We recently connected with Alexandra Hurney and have shared our conversation below.

Alexandra, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I think graduating high school and deciding to go to art school was when I wanted to do art for a career. That thought was more solidified when my husband and I moved to Fairmont MN. It was a new city to me and I picked up a couple part-time jobs and continued to pursue my art career. It’s been 9 years and I’m loving it. I continue to grow, I’ve recently been working on bigger mural projects within the community. I accept commission work, doing portraits, pet portraits and a landscape here and there.

Alexandra, 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’ve always been a creative. I can’t think of anything else do be doing other than creating and bringing smiles to others. I graduated from Augustana University with a BA in Fine Art, focusing on drawing, painting, and printmaking in 2011.

I work primarily with acrylic paint and pencil or pen currently. I still love printmaking, but it’s kinda been put on the back burner. I should start back up again now that I’m thinking about missing it! I’ve been doing mostly commission work. A client picks the size and medium for the project and then supplies a few reference photos for me to work with. These types of works are mostly straightforward and my client and I know the outcome will capture the person or animal exactly. Getting just that right amount of twinkle in an eye can just bring the image to life. There are challenges with creating a portrait. Faces are hard. One wrong line and the person looks nothing like themselves. I have grown to enjoy the challenge. I love and am always amazed when a face appears with a few marks on the page and shadows and highlights. It’s fun!

I’ve also been working with clients to bring their vision to life on a wall. Murals can be challenging too. One thing, they are big, I can’t fit them on my easel at home. Second, it’s hard to make a visual representation of the clients requests when they aren’t entirely sure what they want until they see a mockup that they know they don’t want. It’s a back and forth game for awhile. Adding, moving, changing, eliminating things until we land on the perfect design. Once we’ve got the design is go time. I use a projector to get the initial outline and then it’s time to add color. At the end of a project it is rewarding to step back and take it all in. When my client is happy, I’m thrilled!
I’m looking forward to more murals in the future. The challenge has always been worth the reward.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is having other enjoy something I created. If I do a commissioned project, I always hope that I will deliver only the best for my client. I love to see the joy on their face when I show what I’ve created for them. It never gets old. The joy spreads like wild fire! It’s just great. When I create for myself I’m not thinking about what others will think. That’s not why I create. Each piece has it’s own story, its own connection to me growing and changing, or maybe just how I was feeling. Sometimes it’s drawing that doesn’t really mean too much more than I was enjoying what I was doing. But when that piece, wether a big back story and meaning or a doodle, makes a viewer stop and look and enjoy, it makes me feel good. Like, I’m glad you are enjoying it. I’m glad you get something out of something I created. Some people might not like it and that’s OK. Art is a neat thing though, it brings people together. All sorts of people can meet and connect with art.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Firstly, don’t let art go away in the school system! Art cannot be eliminated from school! Children thrive with creatively. They have the best imaginations around! I love to make art with my 5 year old daughter. She loves to bring her art home from school and show me. She is so proud. That create outlet at school, at home, is so important to growing and learning. Plus it’s fun! School isn’t just reading, writing, and arithmetic. Keeping art in school will definitely help keep the creative ecosystem surviving. Those kiddos will grow up and some of them will continue with art. They will support other creatives. They will pass there love of art to others and get them passionate about art too or at least interested.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @al_hurney_artist.thewickedfox
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/alhurneyart/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-hurney-the-wicked-fox-89897857