We were lucky to catch up with Elizabeth Marin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I have always loved painting and creating, but it wasn’t until I graduated from college and started working full time that I realized how important it was to me. I would spend all of my time after work creating, and it give me so much more satisfaction and happiness than my legal career ever gave me. I grew up thinking that art was a nice hobby, but never something that you could pursue professionally. In fact, I did not know of any full-time, professional artists until I moved to Charleston, South Carolina. Living in Charleston has shown me that not only is it possible to be an artist, but it has also allowed me to meet other creatives who have given me amazing advice and inspiration. Once I realized that it was possible, I decided to be more intentional in my art practice and start the transition of art from a hobby to a source of income. There is definitely more administrative work than just painting all day, but truly any time I spend in pursuit of art – painting or not – does not feel like work. While it is very much a work in progress, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that being an artist is what I am meant to do with my life.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Elizabeth Marin and I am an artist based out of Charleston, South Carolina. I typically paint with acrylic on canvas, although I am constantly expanding the tools I use and the type of visual art that I create. I would classify my work as ‘impressionistic’ because I portray a feeling or impression, rather than a photorealistic image. This is shown in my ‘magnolias’ series, which was based upon the hope and relief I felt after coming across a blooming magnolia tree after the longest winter of my life. To do this, I took a number four filbert brush and dragged it across the canvas to leave the impression of a blossoming flower. My magnolia paintings are some of my favorite – they are simple, expressive, and focus on color and composition.
I think that my ability to embrace imperfection sets me apart from other artists. I have never found happiness or satisfaction in forcing myself to paint a thing exactly as it appears and, in fact, it feels dishonest. Also, there is something so liberating about embracing the chaos of the creative process rather than forcing a painting to become something that it is not. This is something that I have figured out in my artistic practice, but I feel that it applies to all of life.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Being an artist has allowed me to become the most authentic version of myself: it allows me to express myself, embrace imperfection, and create something that brings other people joy. I enjoy every part of the creative process and gain so much from learning how/why other artists create as well. Sharing my work has also connected me to so many people and I think that connection is a result of sharing this genuine and vulnerable part of myself.
While any artistic pursuit can be frustrating (creative blocks, comparison, messing up, etc.), it is important to trust the process and focus on enjoying what you are doing. Even on the days that I end up throwing everything that I made away – I learned something and spent my time doing something that I love.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
At the moment, my goal is to be a full-time creative. Everything I do is for this purpose: whether it is spending time in my studio, connecting with other creatives, learning how to run a small business, or even embracing failure – it is all for the aim of doing art full time. This goal can at times be overwhelming, but I know that I am doing this to get to a point of being able to focus more of my time to creating. I have found that trying new things, being patient, and creating art that I care about is the best way to achieve this goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: elizabethmarinart.com
- Instagram: @elizabethmarinart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethmarinart
- Twitter: @elizmarinart
Image Credits
@elizabethmarinart