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

Dorcas, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

I started painting when I was very young. It was my outlet. My place to go where I could be creative and also at peace. It gave me a sense of who I was and who I would always be . An artist. A creative thinker and different. This was a road that has taught me many lessons and has not been easy .
I learned early that not everyone would like my paintings and accept them . I did some realistic paintings at the beginning but I was always drawn to the abstract.
Art teachers you about life. It also gives you a way to express your feelings without words .
I was able to gain insight from other artists through work shops.
Showing my work in galleries and museum shows helped me to gain confidence and experience in my field.
I don’t feel I will ever stop learning. There is always something new to learn and that keeps things fresh.
I am grateful for the challenge.

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?

I started painting at the early age of 7 and knew that it would become my passion. It was all I wanted to do. I learned soon that there was more to it if I wanted to make a business of it and that was a lesson that wasn’t always easy. Discipline was a necessary element in my everyday life and in my art. To this day it is the key to accomplishing my goal . No matter what …you have to show up and paint.
If you wait for inspiration to hit you may never get anything done . Being in the studio everyday is essential.
I also feel because I was mostly self taught that workshops and sharing with other artists is so important. I spent time at Texas Women’s University in Denton Texas.
Have done workshops with a variety of artists. In 80s I went to work for an artist in Austin Tx and learned print making. While there I worked with artists from all over printing their work and also my own.
From there I opened a print studio with another artist In Arizona. Print making was a turning point for my painting.
I still use some of those techniques today.
Showing my work at Art Shows and Museum shows got my work noticed.
It is not always an easy road but a rewarding one. The journey is what we make it . To follow your passion is the key to any successful business. I have a studio in the Hill Country in Texas and sell my work to decorators largely Mann Designs /Houston and through Mecox Gardens in Houston Texas.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I found early on that there was a business part to being an artist and even though I wasn’t good at that part of it …I had to address it if I wanted to make a living at my art . Thought out my journey with being an artist I have had to learn to navigate this road and adjust as it changed. It’s a necessary part of the experience if you want to be successful. I learned from the mistakes I made along the way and still do . You have to get up each day with a goal and a direction. You always need a plan and then follow it through. Being an artist can be a solitary journey at times so it’s important to take yourself out of your comfort zone often and do something new and interesting.
I have never been able to just paint the same thing over and over again. I am board quickly with that . So I follow my creative senses and Change things up.
To survive in life on a daily basis we have to be able to adapt to change. It’s the same with art .
Change is the only thing we can count on.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have been inspired by many spiritual leaders and teachers along the way and that has inspired me and also changed my way of thinking about my art . No matter if you are a writer a sculpture a painter etc . What you are creating gives you a voice. It’s a way to invoke a feeling …relay a message..provide a positive message. Being an avid reader I found this to be a profound avenue for inspiration.
Books by Joseph Campbell ,Louise Hay and visionary Lee Harris have shaped my feelings and my art. Books by Erich Von Daniken and also watching programs like Ancient Aliens showed me that others felt as I do. It’s important that we find people and experiences that keep us positive and inspired . Painting has been my passion and it’s important to me to keep it on a positive note.

Contact Info:

• Website: dorcasathertonart.com
• Instagram: Artbydorcas