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

Larissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

In my experience, the creative industry is one of lifelong learning. However, there is still a foundational knowledge that one can acquire before pursuing specific areas within the arts. Especially when it comes to technical subjects like painting or drawing, having a strong understanding of the craft provides a necessary advantage in the field and the studio. I have found that I am the most successful when I intentionally set time to practice drawing or painting. It is really easy to fall out of routine or become an apathetic artist! When I make time for drawing in my sketchbook, even if it is just for 15 minutes, I notice my creativity transfer into critical aesthetics and my efficacy increases. I remember in the beginning years of my art practice how there was a turning point in my paintings once I had mastered the medium in a way that felt natural to explore. Once this happened, I found it easier to express meaning and provoke emotion through the paint. Also, once you are comfortable with one medium it is important to try others and not stay stuck. I wish I had explored some other mediums earlier, but now in my life I am trying to practice printmaking. I think the hardest part about learning something new is getting over the initial milestones of the basics. It can be hard having ideas that you cannot convey due to a technical mishap! Always taking that time to practice creative endeavours is so important to the life of a creator.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Like many creatives, I started my art-making journey when I was young. In the beginning it was more about playing, it wasn’t until I finished high school and attended an art university that I became more structured and focused. I attended the Alberta University of the Arts where my practice expanded into more critical themes and my technical abilities flourished. Once my painting and drawing skills were heightened, I found it easier to convey meaning and fully express my creative thoughts. I trained myself to be proactive when it came to painting, as a “bad” painting is still better than no painting. I am quite proud of the art I made at the end of my schooling, it reflects the artist I once was as well as the artist I have grown (and continue to grow!) into. I have carried that idea into my professional life, even 15 minutes of drawing in a day can help an artist “break-through” their thoughts. Sometimes it is during the “in-between” moments where I find the most clarity as an artist. In my artwork, Though I have worked various jobs outside of my art, I have always come back to creating as it is something that never leaves an artist. Whenever I sell a painting or drawing, I feel like I am giving a piece of myself as well. I feel a connection to the buyer/client, as if they have peeked into my diary and found something that has resonated with their own unique experience. It is a meaningful experience, and that is why no matter where I am in life, I always come back to art.

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

Support LOCAL art! I cannot stress this enough. Sometimes local art is confused with mass-produced products that take little-to-no time to create. This is sadly something I have seen an increase of at local art markets, online, and beyond. Every one of my artworks is one-of-a-kind, I rarely make prints and never repeat an image. If someone can’t purchase from an artist, they can always share the artist’s page or artwork online to help them get a boost. Sadly, I have seen a major decline in the ability to grow locally on social media in the past few years, unless someone can pay big bucks for promotional ads.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I interact with other artists & creatives, and share their stories and artworks to my page. Community is so important in the artworld. It does no good to anyone to silo ourselves off and act as if creativity exists in a vacuum. Producing MEANINGFUL content, not the stuff for the algorithm, has worked for me. Stay true to yourself, otherwise you can risk becoming a “mass-produced” artist. Reaching out to others and building your audience is key. However, building your audience doesn’t necessarily mean “anyone and everyone”, it means finding those that your art resonates with and that appreciates what you have to say.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://larissamoniquehauck.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larissamoniquehauckart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larissamoniquehauck
• Other: https://linktr.ee/LarissaMonique https://flamingomarket.ca/pages/seller-profile/larissa-monique-artist

Image Credits
All images taken by myeslf.