We were lucky to catch up with Erin Reinholtz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was my Might Be You Monday series from 2021, where I invited people to send me a photo of a loved one, offering them an opportunity to win a free painting every Monday. The way it worked was my kids would choose one image each week from all the submissions, and I then painted the portrait live on Instagram. If the person who sent the reference photo caught the live feed or saw the replay later that day, I sent them the painting for free. It was really fun surprising people every week, and while it was good practice for me with my portrait work, it turned out to mean so much for the people who participated. Several paintings had a lot of sentimental value, with some of the people no longer living. There were some wild serendipitous moments in the timing of who I painted, too, where I’d be painting someone on his birthday or the anniversary of her death. I never knew until after the painting, when the person I sent it to would share these details with me. It felt like it was meant to be, and it was very special to be able to create such meaningful tokens to honor these lives.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve loved drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, but I had a really hard time giving myself permission to work on my art after finishing graduate school and starting a family. I had worked for a few years as an Art Therapist before choosing to stay home to raise my four children. I didn’t want to miss a thing when it came to them. Everyone always talks about how babies don’t keep, and that is wildly true. I remember one time on maternity leave when I was pregnant with my oldest, I spent the afternoon in nesting mode filling his closet with tiny newborn-sized clothes. Not even a month after he was born, it hit me that he had outgrown all of those clothes and would continue to do so month after month. The tags “0-3” didn’t really strike me until he was there, filling out those onesies, and especially since painting isn’t viewed as a typical career, I felt like mothering was my one priority— art would have to wait. I dove way into my photography hobby instead, which let me savor all the details of family life and eventually lead to starting up a home-studio portrait business.

Several years later, though, I began having trouble with my eyes. I would wake up to pain with them closed, but also great discomfort with them open, especially in any kind of light. At one point, it got so bad that I didn’t know if I would ever be able to use my camera, read a book, or paint again. Thankfully, it was treatable, and I realized from that experience that I could make time for my art and still be there for my family. Time isn’t waiting for any of us, and I felt sad thinking about all those years I hadn’t created a single drawing. It left me yearning to quit taking time for granted, make more art. I was really never one to glaze over life, but this pushed me to really SEE what was around me and try to live more intentionally in the moment.

I started carving time for my work through bits of time during naps or in the evenings, and my husband has been very supportive. I think dedicating time for my work actually makes me a better person all around because I have found that creative part of myself again that I always enjoyed so much. It also sets an example for my children that the things we are good at or give us purpose are worthy of our time and for other women that you can do what you love, even if that includes being a mom AND an artist, or whatever your passion may be. I want to let my work and story inspire others to make each day meaningful, and that this doesn’t require a giant, complicated plan— just some dedication and intentional use of time.

It’s been almost three years now since I started my art business and publicly began sharing my work. I’m an impressionist landscape painter, who sometimes also dips into painting portraits, animals, and florals. Much of my recent art is painted in acrylics and is born from the act of getting caught up in the beauty of my rural surroundings. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, followed by a few years in Southern California, the contrast upon spreading new roots in small-town Michigan has helped me realize how nearly automatic it is to get tossed around in the daily hustle, particularly with the present-day’s glorification of being busy. I paint to celebrate the peace and delight in the daily happenings around me and as a way of practicing my intentional living.

I use a lot of color to express my feelings of immense joy, tranquility, and gratitude, with hopes that it spreads to everyone who views my work. I know most of us are overworked, rushed, and stressed, and I want to put more beauty into the world and highlight what is already around us in our everyday lives. I want to give people a simple chance to slow down and appreciate a colorful sunset, a glowing winter sunbeam, a green farm field, a cute wooly sheep… I hope to help others bring this peace and beauty into their homes as a reminder to be grateful for life and take a deep breath and remember that we are all part of something bigger.

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

The best way to support artists is to know that they put a lot into their art and business constantly. Many of us, like me, are not just doing the painting itself, but also managing all aspects of a small business and trying to market our work, as well. Value artists for their years of skill building— unlike commonly assumed, art is not a talent that comes automatically. It takes skill, dedication, study, and practice like anything else. If you can buy an original from an artist, do it proudly knowing you are getting a one-of-a-kind item, supporting their livelihood, and supporting the arts in general. If you can’t afford an original piece, purchasing prints from an artist vs a big-box retailer makes such an impact for that artist! Other ways to help without your wallet are encouraging the artist by sharing their work with others and letting the artist know when a painting of theirs really speaks to you.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when one of my paintings finds its home. Paintings bring up memories and stir up feelings, and often times they link us to special places and people in our lives. I love when a person welcomes home a painting and shares with me why they connect to it or what meaning it brings to their life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://erinreinholtz.com
• Instagram: http://Instagram.com/erinreinholtzart
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/erinreinholtzart
• Other: Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/ErinReinholtzArt

Image Credits
Erin Reinholtz