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

Alright, Jacqui thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!….I learned by doing…playing and exploring. Responding to what lit me up and discarding what felt flat, inauthentic or simply “not fun”. You can take all the classes, watch all the tutorials, but unless you get in there and actually get your hands in the clay (or paint in my case) you will never really improve as an artist.
It’s like watching a marathon on T.V will do nothing to help you become a better runner.
You must hit the pavement.
I think the most essential skill for me is curiosity.
I love to try new things to see what happens. I believe that keeps my art fresh and evolving.
The only real obstacle for expansion is my own negative self talk or inner critic. It can get pretty nasty at times, but with awareness and distraction, I can usually quiet it down.

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

I am a true mixed media artist. No material is off limits. Some of my go-to materials include acrylic paint, (both high end artist grade as well as house paint I find on the reject shelf at the hardware store….great for under layers) , graphite, pastels, water soluble crayons, inks. My style is a blend of contemporary, abstract and a touch of whimsy.
I love lots of layers, texture, line and often unreadable text. As I add, I also like to subtract by wiping away or sanding.
The work I am most proud of are the ones that just sort of “happened”. I don’t like my work to be too precious or precise.
Loose and a bit flawed are my goals.

Although my subject matter and substrates vary, I believe that my “style” is always recognizable.
Bold, colorful and never too serious.
I want potential clients and fans to know that I am pretty accessible on Instagram and can assist them in finding just the right piece for their space.
www.instagram.com/jacquifehl

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love being my own boss where I can choose how I want to spend each day. I have a home studio as well as an open to the public studio in the vibrant River Arts District in Asheville.
In addition to having a community of local artists in the immediate area, I also enjoy interacting with visitors who stop in.
I can answer questions and share certain snippets that no one would know from just seeing my work in a gallery or on social media.
The connections I can make with collectors and art enthusiasts are so fulfilling.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I don’t know much about them except my experience with an abundance of scammers on Instagram. There are specific platforms where NFT transactions take place.
Instagram (where I am most active) is not one of them.
It’s too bad that a few dishonest folks can ruin what might have been a more popular and innovative way for artists and buyers to connect.
I don’t know any artists that are involved with NFT’s.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.JacquiFehl.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/JacquiFehl