We recently connected with Valerie McMullen and have shared our conversation below.

Valerie, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

There are some things we can’t change in life one being the past. However, if I could go back, I would have loved to have started my creative journey sooner. After college, life took a different path, and I spent over a decade in the airline industry as a flight attendant. This didn’t give me the opportunity to create art, but it did afford me the ability to visit museums in cities abroad and see the works of masters I had studied while in school. The creative seed was being planted and nourished so it could bloom at a later date. That urge to create was always there and even though I wasn’t painting at the time I was still being creative and inspired in a different way.

Valerie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a child growing up in Phoenix, AZ I was always doing something creative or making things with my hands. I loved drawing and sewing and making a mess with colors. My father was a talented watercolorist who painted detailed works of tropical birds and flowers which provided an early inspiration. I took an art class in high school and my teacher encouraged me to continue my education in art at Arizona State University where I ultimately graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art. Upon graduation I took a creative detour and worked for American Airlines for over a decade. After years of not painting, I soon had the urge to return to my creative roots, so I enrolled in local art classes where I painted traditional watercolors.

After taking many classes and painting watercolors it was a workshop with noted Pennsylvania artist Nessa Grainger that led to a new outlook in making art. In this workshop, I was exposed to mixed media and collage which opened the way for exploration of media and ideas. I continued to push the boundaries and landed in the world of abstraction. Painting non-objective art provides unique challenges. When I start a new work, I have no preconceived notion or idea of what the finished product will look like. I let the painting guide me as I build layers drawing and scraping, adding and subtracting until I feel there is nothing more to say. My goal is to provide the viewer with a deeper understanding of what lies beneath.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

One of the biggest areas in the creative journey that I think holds artists back is the business side. We are often so focused on perfecting our craft and learning all that we can that the business of art takes a back seat. Many schools don’t emphasize this so it can be a stumbling block to moving forward with your career. I found I had to learn a great deal along the way whether through trial and error or asking fellow artists. There are so many aspects to consider from websites, to photographing your art, packing and shipping, entering shows and writing an artist statement. I’m still learning new things every day but if I can offer some advice it would be to make sure you learn all that you can so when your art is completed it can be sent down the business road with as few hiccups as possible.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding things about being an artist is the opportunity to interact with people who have made a personal connection with your art. For all those hours spent in the studio where your creativity and vision come to life, sharing it with others and making someone happy is truly a rewarding experience. As artists, when we create something it can give the viewer a personal glimpse into how we see the world. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions all spill out onto the canvas. It can be a bit scary to share your work but it helps you grow as an artist and build confidence when those human connections are made. Turning a blank canvas into a visual story that resonates with others is a thrilling ride!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.valeriemcmullen.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeriemcmullenart/

Image Credits
Valerie McMullen (artwork photos) Krisie Ramsey (profile photo)