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

Lynne, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

About 10 years ago, I found myself creatively repetitive with my ceramic work. I wanted to create with a mindset that pushed me outside of my comfort zone, giving me new perspectives and processes. I began taking workshops in encaustic painting, which I knew little about. I felt that diving into a medium with no experience or knowledge about it, would make me uncomfortable enough to foster processes differently. I believe an artist needs to be a bit uncomfortable to breakthrough with new concepts. I set up a studio space for painting in my home, and continued learning what this amazing medium is about. The learning process came with constant practice and experimentation. With encaustic painting, I had to embrace the limitations of not being able to move and manipulate the medium as I can with clay. I soon realized that I can still accomplish those altered approaches by using the heat strategically along with carving through the layers of wax to create depth and adding accretion (texture) which is a cornerstone in most of my work.

Lynne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have worked as a ceramic artist for over 40 years. My encaustic work, I have fostered for the past 10 years.
Together, they have broadened my perceptions and creative boundaries.
I am proud to go down new and bold paths to learn, experiment and grow. My work transforms and that is the journey which excites me the most.
I work with interior designers and galleries with regards to showing my work, and create commission pieces for clients. Art influences mood and mindsets. With that said, unique subjects and colors can be specific to each space, commercial and or residential. It excites me to be aware of what energy is desired and work with that influence.

I work with contemporary ceramics and encaustic painting which lends an approach to a cohesive space. This can blend the mediums into coexisting in a specific area. I am not limited to one medium which offers imaginative ideas and projects that might not have been recognized during the creative conception.
I allow myself to be open to new creative possibilities within each creative endeavor I partake in.

OBJECTIVES

Create works of art that inspire through texture, color and subject.
Generate emotion, interest, and thought through my perspective.
Create aesthetic contributions to spaces in both residential and commercial spaces.
Elevate a stronger sense of recognition and understanding of my art processes.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

When you are “stuck”, it is up to you to rectify that situation. It is not personally productive to fear failure or what ifs. I chose to make a bold decision to explore something I knew nothing about (encaustic painting) in hopes of leading me into a exciting creative directions. Was it frustrating? It was! Honing in on what I was learning catapulted me into new spaces. You have to be vulnerable and brave to learn and grow from new experiences. After 40 years as a professional artist, it was humbling to begin anew with something fresh to me, however it’s been so exciting and successful. My contemporary ceramics has taken on a new life because of my leap of faith.
I personally cannot play in the same playground for a long period of time so I am constantly learning new approaches. It has enhanced my growth as an artist and as a contributor to my industry.
Lessons for this thing called life.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Early in my career, there was not You Tube or social media. There was classroom learning and limited time to do so.
The learning and experimentation was inclusive in a nine week course and then I moved on to something else. I was to choose two disciplines and foster those as a focus study. There was not a lot of time for overlap and combining mediums and processes from the classrooms. If I knew I could combine and transition what I absorbed in each classroom experience and open up the playing field to unlimited creative endeavors, my level of creativity would have expanded earlier. Take advantage of what you can learn from what is online. It’s extraordinary. I am not saying you shouldn’t take classes or further your education. I am saying further that education with the resources that are available in the present moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lynnesarnoff.com/ https://abowlofgratitude.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lynnesarnoff/ https://www.instagram.com/abowlofgratitude/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynne-sarnoff-christensen-14b39a9/

Image Credits

They are my images
Copyrights belong to Lynne Sarnoff-Christensen