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

Hi Arianne, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

The learning process for artists probably looks unique for everyone. I find that all of my experiences within the art world have served a purpose in one way or another. All the jobs I’ve taken on, passion projects, even the internships & volunteer work along the way, have led me to make the artwork I do today.

I don’t know that I would do much differently other than making more art consistently over time, without judgement of not being ‘good enough’. There’s no way to study or observe someone else creating that will help you become a better artists until you DO the work yourself.

The skills vary & so does the process, so I think that trying many different things led me to find what I loved doing most. It helped me notice patterns in my work, such as my greatest inspirations being drawn from nature, & also, that I loved color theory. I wish I would have trusted my own skills more- I stood in my own way of learning more than anything/one else possibly could.

Arianne, 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?

It has taken me a very long time to fully identify as an artist. I have always been known as the “artsy friend”, but for some reason, I would always just say that I made art for fun. I would get friends of friends (or their parents) noticing my work & showing interest in having my art on their walls. I would enter my pieces in school shows & get some recognition for it, but it never felt like I could really just go for it- be an artist.

I studied psychology & art during my undergrad years- my two favorite subjects of all time. It helped me realize that I needed to be a creator to some degree above all. My post grad degree was in Child Life & Developmental Disabilities. While in graduate school, I kept taking art classes for fun at a local college & volunteering with a wonderful nonprofit called Art Cares for Kids, where we would visit children’s hospitals weekly to do art with them. I also worked part-time at a frame shop. From there, I got a job at a school for children & adults with special needs as an art teacher. All of these roles served as valuable life experiences that I appreciate immensely. It just happened to be that I was so busy I barely had time to make my own art. I lacked motivation to create outside of what was necessary.
After a few years, I moved to a new city & began working at an art studio. At first, it was a slow start, not enough to just teach classes, but I loved being in a creative space on a regular basis. Eventually, I gained responsibilities & truly enjoyed being surrounded by current/budding artists every day. The best part about it all was that I found myself more inspired to create my own work because of it. What started as simple projects to hone in on various art skills, turned into a deeper exploration of new materials & techniques.

After years of taking on commissioned based projects only, I finally came to realize that I needed to give my art a chance to shine on its own. To create from someplace deep within myself that I struggled to tap into consistently over the years. Encouraging family & friends have helped me stay inspired, while motivating me in ways I could not really begin to explain.
Something that has remained consistent throughout is my love of color & inspiration from our natural environment. I used to work with oil paints & loved how they seamlessly blended, but loathed how long it took them to dry between layers. Meanwhile, my fascination with watercolors quickly grew as I found them to be quite satisfying to work with; once you understand that you have to see the final product & work backwards throughout. There is something exhilarating about knowing you simply can’t fix most mistakes, so you might as well learn to accept them.

I now combine my love for all of that (and more) with my large acrylic abstract paintings. My work is a fusion of techniques learned from my previous artwork: the layering is crucial- something watercolors taught me, while blending using varying degrees of transparent to opaque colors was my favorite thing about oil painting. As I paint, I let color be the driving force & call to mind what I love most about our world: whether it’s the patterns created by the sun shinning through trees or the reflective shimmer on a body of water, organic designs & patterns are always floating in my head.
Ultimately, I hope to create a collection of pieces that remind people of the beauty that is in abundance all around. I want my artwork to make you feel calm & recall that comfortable feeling only nature can provide.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

In this fast-paced, instant-satisfaction seeking society we currently live in, I think the arts are becoming even more crucial for living healthy, balanced lives.

I think we need to all slow-down & consider what makes life special: focus on it & do more of that. I also think it’s primarily the company we keep & the art we consume that really lights up my life. Knowing that I can support a creative community by experiencing/purchasing their work & sharing their gifts makes me happy. And I don’t mean just fine art, it’s about ALL thoughtfully ‘hand-made’ things- food, music, literature, etc.

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

Art-making has become a pretty sacred practice for me over time. It’s where I find myself sharing a very intimate part of my mind without needing words. Knowing that what I have poured a part of myself into makes someone else FEEL something is invaluable to me. If people see my art & connect to it on any positive level, I find that to be a reason to stay inspired.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Areduch
• Other: Email: [email protected]