We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chloe McEldowney. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chloe below.
Alright, Chloe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My mother noticed early on that I was a creative. I always had projects going on around our home – chaotic collages, sewing projects, sculptures, etc. I would save bits of fabrics or magazine clippings to use for creative schemes. Despite the mess, my mother never complained. She saw that these creations were important to me and how I understood the world. She supplied me with paints and art tools when she could, and helped me to enter many of my projects into local competitions and fairs.
It would have been so easy to become overwhelmed by the mess. I had essentially turned my childhood bedroom into an art studio. But she never once told me to stop being so messy or to stop collecting scraps of trash for projects. Now as a parent, I can see just how impactful this attitude was in my artistic journey. I adopt this mindset when parenting my own son and his creative collections.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
“Painting is my endless pursuit of understanding. Drawing on dual roles as an artist and mother, I explore the oft-conflicting tensions that exist in the work of painting and of caretaking. Through painting plants and people, I explore the dual needs for solitude and connection. For self-sacrifice and self-care. Growth as excitement for newness and growth as grief for what is lost.
Reflecting those dissonances, my paintings are a fragmented, disrupted environment. I layer moments of realism, impressionism, and abstraction onto the surface. Each new layer proceeds from and responds to what came before, and each fragment serves the whole while remaining discrete, unique. Divergent elements converge into something singular, and the pieces that would shake and fall from each other are bound together with threads of color.”
I began painting as early as I can remember. Painting and sketching the farmland of Ohio and caring for stray animals was how I spent most of my childhood. In 2014, I earned my BFA in painting from the University of Dayton. Deciding graduate school wasn’t financially on the table for me, I went on a several year journey of honing my artistic practice while working random jobs to support my life (dog walker, babysitter, K-8 art teacher). I attended art residencies and painted in workshops with artists I admired. Soaking up every bit of painting time and knowledge that I could while also building my art business.
In 2019, I decided to quit my side hustles and pursue my studio practice full-time. I haven’t looked back.
My painting studio/business is a celebration of nurturing what you love. My works focus on plant life and nature in a way that is chaotic and vibrant.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The ability to share my artistic practice with my son. Being a creative with a home studio means I can be working while also exposing my son to the arts and a creative life. I share many of my supplies with him and involve him when I can. My studio floor is covered in toy turtles and cars, and I have a tiny easel for him (made from the wood of my old painting easel). I’m so grateful for this freedom of being my own boss and raise my son in this creative life.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I have a growing collection of books in my studio bookshelf and I always love talking about them! Some of my favorites on painting/creativity have been:
Hawthorne on Painting
– this book was given to me by my painting professor when I graduated. I’ve read it more times than I can count, and each time I take something different away. It is packed full of observations and notes on painting.
Daughter of Man by LJ Sysko
– This is a book of poetry by LJ Sysko which I created the cover art for! It’s hilarious, biting and a quick-witted portrait of womanhood.
Figure Drawing for All Its Worth by Andrew Loomis
– Any book by Andrew Loomis! He is a master of drawing and illustration. I have many of his books and they are all full of practice information on drawing. I always recommend his books to anyone interested in beginning illustration or drawing.
Some of my favorite books for business advice have been:
Art/Work: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melbe
The Creative Business Handbook by Alicia Puig and Ekaterina Popova
– for anyone starting their business
The Artist’s Guide to Grant Writing By Gigi Rosenberg
– This book will save you so many questions and headaches if you are doing any grant writing.
Some of my favorite books overall:
The Bell Jar
– A classic for so many reasons
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
– Such a creative book of short stories that still has me thinking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chloemceldowney.com
- Instagram: @chloemceldowney
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mceldowneystudio
Image Credits
Meghan Marie Studio
https://meghanmariestudio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/meghanmariestudio