We recently connected with Kate Dardine and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

When I quit the job that I’d been in for almost 30 years back in 2016 to pursue art full-time, I was excited to be able to devote long hours in the studio to creating paintings. I imagined that the work would just flow. That with a more consistent practice, I would eventually be able to speed up my process. This has not turned out to be true.

I am an intuitive artist, meaning I don’t have a set “plan” for a painting when I start – rather I start with mark making, random paint application, scraping, covering areas – layer upon layer, until the painting speaks its truth to me and I am able to find the imagery that it holds. This process can take days or weeks or even months on larger pieces. Because so much of what emerges is from my subconscious and is informed by what is currently happening in my life and in the world, as well as things from my past, things I’ve read, movies I’ve watched, dreams, music…it is a very chaotic start and can at times be frustrating. All this to say, my process cannot be hurried or forced. And this can cause me a lot of anxiety – when the galleries want more work, and I am trying to get paintings to them, and yet for all my hours at my easel, all I have is a bunch of chaotic “starts”.

The other issue I didn’t understand back in 2016 is how difficult it would be to set boundaries so that my work would always take a priority. I’ve gotten a bit better, but it can still be difficult to say “no” to requests from family and friends, to say “no” to my own procrastinating brain when I think I maybe should just throw in a load of laundry or mow the lawn or go to the grocery store instead of painting.

Kate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born and grew up in Connecticut, and as a child I spent countless hours in the woods surrounding our house, observing nature, from tiny insects to birds to fox and deer, to the plants that grew on the forest floor to the trees that towered overhead. I read voraciously – not so much fiction but encyclopedias and poetry. I loved animals – and was always “rescuing” chipmunks, baby birds, snakes, kittens…I never met an animal I didn’t love.

My siblings and I spent many hours drawing in little notepads our Dad would bring home from work. We’d create illustrated books, based on “dream stories” we would make up – fantastical stream of consciousness adventure oral stories that would keep us occupied for hours!

When I started college, I was interested in becoming a journalist. But an elective drawing class sparked my passion, and I began taking every art course offered. Eventually, I switched to pursuing a degree in Illustration. My thought at that time was to write and illustrate children’s books. Life had some different plans for me, and I ended up married with two children. In 1988 we moved from Connecticut to Colorado, and I began working for a company which at the time made photo reproductions for photographers and artists. I started part time “spotting” prints, and eventually became the marketing director. Along the way, I learned a lot about making a living at art and began teaching artists how to market their prints. All the while I was painting and dreaming of one day being a full time artist myself.

My paintings resonate with people who have a passion for animals, especially horses. I would say nearly 80% of my paintings are purchased by women who have a strong sense of spirit, a deep connection with nature, who are empathetic and who have faced and overcome trauma in their lives. My paintings, while acknowledging the storms of life, also inspire hope and celebrate the strength and courage of women. Horses are often used as a vehicle for that strength. A returning motif is that of the figure of a woman standing on the back of a horse. Often birds or butterflies allude to the ability to soar or change one’s situation.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I am most proud of the relationships I have gained with other women through my art. More than anything, I value the connection between myself as the artist and the viewer, and love learning how my work resonates with them. I often find the more personal a painting is to me, the more universal it’s message.

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

I think one of the things non-creatives don’t understand is the amount of time spent working on a piece – without actually painting. Much of the work is done in my head – just sitting with a piece, or going for a walk, or writing thoughts. Because so much of what goes into the work bubbles up from the subconscious, much of my creative process involves “side eye” – that is, approaching from the peripheral. If I try too hard to figure something out, I am relying too much on my logic, too much on what I “know”. In horse person parlance, it is how you get a scared horse to come to you. Not by looking directly at it with “hard eyes” (imposing your will) but by keeping your eyes soft, slightly averted, creating an open and inviting space.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://katedardine.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/totemkate
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/katedardineart