We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cori Derfus a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Cori, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always been drawn to visual arts. When I was little I spent many hours drawing cartoons and horses over and over. So many horses! My mother was a single mom and didn’t have much time to pursue art herself. In the past, she had done some watercolors and worked in an art department of a local major printer. She valued art and supported my interests. When I was little she signed me up for art classes at a local art museum and I had such a blast. I went to a very small middle and high school, so we didn’t have a lot of art classes. I took what was available. We had a photography class available in high school that I enjoyed. We developed our own film and photos and also explored painting on top of the black and white photos. When I got to college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I was at a very small school. By the middle of the first year, I decided to transfer to a university that offered more art classes. I started taking drawing, life drawing and photography courses and that’s where I felt most at home. I moved over to oil paints and watercolors and have been doing that ever since!

Cori, 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 am a watercolor and oil painter. I received my BFA in Painting from the University of Wisconsin and participated in art shows in local and international galleries and museums. Before moving across the country I was heavily involved in my local art scene and enjoyed supporting our local community of artists. I currently work out of a studio in my home in the Pacific Northwest, US. I moved just prior to covid and so my practice has turned more online and into growing a more online community.

My work tends to be narrative or have a touch of surrealism. I love animals and nature, and use these images in my artwork alongside exploring the relationship humans have with one another and the world we live in. I also share process videos, teach classes on technique and take commissions. Most recently I’ve begun to make my own paints and will soon be offering these to others interested in using handmade, high-quality paints. My first paints use locally sourced pigments from the Pacific Northwest. I recently took a trip that allowed me to see the areas the pigments came from and I’m looking forward to sharing new paintings with the paints made from these pigments. When I began painting, so many of the materials were toxic and the air filtration systems were not very good. As I’ve continued in my practice, it’s become very important to me to find healthier and non-toxic materials, both for personal health and for the health of the earth.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist has been the amazing people I have met on my journey, hands down. Art is a communal experience and it isn’t just one person sitting in their studio creating work and sending it out. It is a means of communication and my life wouldn’t be the same without the amazing people I have met through my work as an artist.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

The advice I would give is to be sincere, don’t stress over numbers, and post as consistently as you can. Be yourself. It is very easy to get sucked into the mental drain of trying to grow things in a constantly changing environment where engagement can be fleeting and you’re comparing yourself with others continually. You will do better with a smaller number of engaging followers vs a large following who may or may not be engaged with you. Give back, share with others and have fun!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artofcori.com/index.html
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinna_beena/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artofcori