We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Paul Chizik. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Paul below.

Paul, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?

By Studying under two great professors in the United States. And having a mentorship with them for years. And studying at a couple of the ateliers in Florence was essential. And having access to great drawings and paintings at the museums was priceless. As for speeding up one’s learning process. Simply having less interference from life. Life interferes. And the most essential skills were understanding mark making. And the rheology of the material. Mainly having to work for a living outside of painting always interferes with one’s learning process.

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?

Well I consider myself primarily as a painter. Although I’ve been an educator for the last 20 or 25 years. And as for the works. The paintings that I do. I try to have both a mix of studio work and plein air work. Both essential for different ways for growth. I try to work as much as I can from life. I’m mixing things up. Both in subject matter and the way that you make your marks on canvas. I think it’s essentially important. Often staying stylized, keeps one stagnant from growth.
Simply. I try to keep learning and changing as much as I can. The subject should tell you aesthetically how to approach the canvas.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I had learned earlier to study and learn from the old masters. We have hundreds of years of great painters to look to and study from. I cannot stress enough the importance of going to museums as much as you can and to take notes and carefully observe what those painters can tell you. There’s absolutely no shortage of what you can learn from them. And it’s a great mistake not to do so. And if you’re living in cities where they have great museums. There’s simply no excuse that I could think of except ignorance as to not repeatedly look at the past. By doing so. You move forward.

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

Doing what I meant to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.paulchizik.com
• Instagram: Paul Chizik