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

Catherine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Yes! I absolutely am happy being an artist! I love the process of constantly discovering how to create something. For me, art is a journey, not an end goal. There is always something new to learn which is why I love it so much. That’s not to say that being an artist is easy. Creating is always filled with challenges, technically, emotionally, and mentally. As artists, we’re always striving to improve our abilities. In some ways, improving our skill set is the easiest part. What is more difficult to overcome are the barriers that we place upon ourselves. We question if we know what we’re doing, if we can do it, and sometimes we just want to quit. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve looked at a painting in progress and wondered if I even knew what I was doing. So the doubt is always there, but you ignore that and just keep pressing on. The desire to create is always there within me, and my passion to paint and express the beauty that I see around me never diminishes.

I’ve always worked while making art, and, in fact, I prefer having a job because I’m also a social person who enjoys being around other people. Painting can be a very lonely and isolating experience, so for me, working gives me the balance that I need. When I’m not working, I’m back in the studio or out in my community painting away!

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.

The process of becoming the artist I am today began in childhood. Growing up, I never believed I could draw. My mom was an art teacher, so I grew up hearing about art my whole life. Like her, I wanted to be an artist, but because I struggled with drawing, I never believed I could be.

As an adult, the idea of being an artist stayed with me. With my husband’s encouragement, I began to take art lessons. Turns out, I absolutely loved it and discovered with time that I could draw! After several years of taking lessons, I hit a plateau because I couldn’t figure out how to make art outside of the classroom, and I quit art altogether.

Many years later, after becoming a parent, it wasn’t until I saw my daughter’s whimsical drawings that I became reignited to pursue art again. Her drawings reminded me of the joy I felt creating art. I began painting in oil, and this time, art was lighting up my life.

As I painted, I made many wonderful discoveries, like taking joy in the soft buttery feel of the oil paints as I mixed them together creating a beautiful array of colors, or watching a picture unfold before me, slowly transforming the canvas from a blank slate to a finished piece, or losing track of time, forgetting about the troubles of the world, and best of all, feeling God creating and working through me as I applied one paint stroke after another on to the canvas.

While my focus has been on painting animals and still lifes, I recently began to hit a block in my art. Not knowing what I wanted to focus on, I began painting plein air. I’m discovering how much I enjoy being outside and painting nature. There’s so much beauty to portray. Just having the opportunity to paint nature fills my spirit up. When I paint, a feeling of peace and timelessness overcomes me. I hope I can paint until my last dying breath!

All of my artwork is created with professional quality oil paints and materials. My paintings vary in size from 6×8 in. to 16×20 inches. What I believe sets my art apart from others is that when people look at my paintings of animals, they feel that the soul of the animal bursts forth from the painting. I’ve often been told that I capture their spirit in a true and organic way and that the painting touches the viewer deeply and powerfully. Often, people have commented that when they look at my paintings, the artwork feels peaceful and calm. Given the challenging world we live in, I take this as a big complement, and I’m grateful that my work can offer respite to another person.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Yesterday while plein air painting, two young girls came up to me to ask what I was doing. The older of the two shared with me how much she enjoys making art. She then said that she wanted to be an artist, but that she couldn’t draw. I think there’s a big misconception by non-artists that people who make art are just naturally gifted and talented in this area, that artists have been bestowed by a divine gift that they don’t have. What I said to this young girl was that to be an artist takes three qualities: time, dedication, and consistency. I shared with her that when I started, I couldn’t draw either, but that with time, dedication, and consistency, my artwork improved exponentially, and hers would, too. I hope that what I shared with her gave her the encouragement she needed to keep making art and not giving up on herself or her dream to be an artist.

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

I think one of the most important resources an artist can have is surrounding themselves by other artists who inspire them, whether that’s in person, online or artists from the past. I would encourage my younger self to devote more time to learning, studying and copying from master painters who inspire me. I would also seek out workshops and trainings with teachers whose artwork inspires me, and. I would encourage my younger self to take a lot more risks with my art and to find ways to be bold in what I create. To achieve this, I would take classes with people whose approaches are different to mine in order to expand my creative thought processes.

Contact Info:

• Website: clancyfineart.com
• Instagram: @catherineclancyart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271116628295491