We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nila Jane Autry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nila Jane below.

Nila Jane, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Clouds converging with the great Saltair at sunrise; “I must paint that!” Well, that was a long time ago…I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I’m trying to walk the covenant path. So naturally, since I wanted to paint the Saltair Castle, in the same breath I decided I want to paint Temples. And I thought I would paint all of the temples eventually, but go figure, since that heartfelt commitment I’ve painted about 10 temple portraits, and over 100 have been announced . There are nearly 300 operating Temples today, and another 100 under construction. Whoa…not just because I paint slowly, but they build them faster than I can paint them!
President McKay first taught the Saints that every home should have a picture of the Temple gracing its walls. So guess what, I thought they would be easy to sell. I was showing my temples at the Inspirational Artist Association Christmas show and received a piece of advice. He was selling like crazy, small temple images of just the steeple, with fun scripture quotes on them. He informed me that people only want to buy their own personal temple image, or one that is significant to them in some way, so even though my paintings are amazing, the chance of selling them is next to no-way. Well, he was correct of course. I sell a few Temple prints, but still own all my originals, except those I gifted to my daughters as wedding presents.
As I was struggling through those few Temple paintings, I realized I was getting pretty darn good at the architecture. But the landscaping around the temples felt awkward and amateur so I made a commitment to go paint “en plein aire” so I could understand how to paint the landscape. My camera is my sketchbook, and in the process of going with my art friends to paint outside, I gathered gorgeous photographs of my own. And of course if there is a pretty flower I take photos, lots of them. The Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival has now become a tradition, so I have a huge collection of flower photos. I decided to paint 12 flower images and create a calendar. Well…that took so much longer than it should have! But when I was done I had fallen in love with painting flowers. They just sucked me in, so now, lurking among all my unfinished plein air paintings are several flower paintings in progress. As a result, I have been invited to do a ‘One Woman Show’ at the Red Butte Gardens Summer of 2024.
I’m calling it FlowerScapes. It’ll contain lots of pollinators. The Cycle of Life is proof positive that there is a God in Heaven who is the Master Artist.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Flowers set me apart…landscapes sell the best they say; but my flowers really sell well! I love to paint the intricate details, the transparency, and the incredible colors flowers come in. Painting flowers in their natural habitat sets me apart. Oil paint is my best friend. An artwork ‘gatekeeper’ got really excited about the “fiddle faddle” he called it, of my natural backgrounds.

Teaching Art for 30 years in the public school system immersed me in the Art world, and gave me a bucketload of skills. Deciding to focus on painting with oils was actually painful…I really loved playing in the clay, and watercolor, and photography and a lot of other cool artsy stuff.

Currently, I’m preparing for my FlowerScapes show, attempting to finish a bunch of new paintings from photos gathered at the Red Butte Gardens.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As a junior in High School I took my first art class. Mr. Durrant gave us tools and techniques of creating a realistic drawing or painting. As young as 3rd grade I knew I wanted to be a school teacher when I grew up. In that high school beginning art class, and then taking Mr. Durrant’s oil painting class I found what I wanted to teach. And never looked back.

I taught Art in the public school system to Junior High and High School Students for 30 years. About half-way through my teaching career I started taking Art Marketing classes and workshops. Marketing art is a whole new and different skill set, and it has taken me too many years to actually figure it out. Now I am retired…and hitting it hard. There are so many creative and fun ways to market artwork. I’m learning to enjoy it, and finding my niche.

I have a dream…that dream is to flood the Earth with positive vibes, to share the joy that painting brings me, and the joy that my paintings can bring you. Flower lovers, I’m your girl!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There’s something invigorating, enticing and courageous about those who follow their dreams…who actually go and do. The very best part about growing my art business is the people I develop relationships with, not only collectors, but Gate Keepers, my art friends, students, and lly artists of all kinds. It can be a lonely career, that of an artist, but it doesn’t have to be, and it won’t really work anyway if you simply create beautiful art and then stack it sky high in your basement. There are so many closet artists out there, and so many who feel stuck, and need a good teacher. For 2 years now, the Utah Division of Arts and Museums has awarded me a grant to teach. It’s a Creative Aging Grant. I’ve had the privilege of working with and teaching so many lovely courageous wanna-be artists. After 9-12 weeks with me we’ve hosted a Culminating event at the local library, an Art Show, complete with an Artist Reception and a video of their accomplishments. the Art Spirit is very real, tangible, and better than any doctor or drug at healing and bringing out the best in people,

I have also helped run our local art guild…sort of an adult Art Club, for several years now. We meet together every Tuesday to do something, either figure drawing, plein air painting, or learning from a professional artist as a group. This association with other Artists and Creatives grounds me, and helps me help others. So…go find an Art Guild to join, or start one in your community. It’s miraculous!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nilajaneautry.com
• Instagram: @nila_jane_autry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EternalOilsbyJane
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nilajaneautry
• Other: Red Butte Gardens is hosting me as their featured artist this summer, from June 21-July 22, 2024https://redbuttegarden.org/events/nila-jane-autry-art-exhibit/

Image Credits

I take all my own photos