Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lori Weeks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lori, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I wouldn’t change a thing about my career choices. I was painting and selling art early on in life around the age of nine, art was the only thing I wanted to do. After attending art school for graphic design, illustration, and fine art, I landed a position in print sales which led to a career in marketing/advertising agency- I learned fairly quickly that I didn’t want to hold a position with graphic design in that line of work. I held various positions within the creative department while continuing to paint at home. After a 20-year career, I began painting full time. This is when I found my support team and co-artists that I have been fortunate enough to create and grow with. The experience from my work career in advertising and marketing has been a huge help with growing my art business. It’s absolutely necessary to have learned people skills, common knowledge of the industry as a whole, sales techniques, business and finance, etc. With the support of my family, collectors, and fellow artisans has allowed me to stay inspired, motivated and encouraged to continue on this path of fine art.

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 am Lori Weeks (Pilkington), a full-time artist in Northwest Arkansas and is currently associated with popular art galleries in Central & Northwest Arkansas and now in Oklahoma City.
I was always a creative, oil painting by the age of nine with a local instructor and studying under several professional instructors. I honed my skills for graphic design and fine art at the Art Institute of Dallas and the Memphis College of Art. I am now best known for my collection of impasto, impressionistic oil paintings that incorporate unique color schemes and textures.

An Arkansas native, I spent my formative years at the lake in Heber Springs, Arkansas, enjoying the outdoor pleasures that now find their way onto my canvasses. My versatile artistic talents are expressed through an array of works featuring a variety of subject matter and painting techniques. My paintings are best known for their depth, bright, vivid colors, and thick textured paint that gives them life. Also known for more subdued paintings that represent images of life the bring calmness and peace to all who enjoy them.

I currently have my own working studio/gallery space in the downtown area of Gentry, AR. I am able to create and produce at a fast pace due to years of experience of producing fine art works on a daily basis and on demand. I work direct with clients in a no-stress atmosphere to provide a product they are happy with that will last a lifetime. I am constantly amazed how people connect with art. So many of my collectors tell me my art brings them daily joy, peace and happiness. That’s what makes it all worth it.

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

I am constantly amazed how people connect with art. So many of my collectors tell me my art brings them peace and happiness, good memories or reminders of loved ones. That’s what makes it all worth it.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

As I mentioned before, this is a tough journey and it takes a team. I stay active in the local communities with providing a work-place for creative students needing community service hours or after-school/summer jobs and internships. This helps them see the bigger picture of the “real” hard work it takes to make a career in art. There’s much more to it than creating and producing works of art, there are many other aspects to making this business successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://naturalstategallery.com
• Instagram: @naturalstategallery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556947957079

Image Credits

Julie Gayler Photography, Lori’s profile head shot