We recently connected with Rebecca Noelle and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Painting has been a love of mine for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t begin to study and practice seriously until I retired from the dance world at age 30. It was frustrating at first that I did not have the time and money to attend an art school or an atelier, but I soon found that I could learn a lot from local teachers, workshops, books, and online videos. My first oil painting teacher was seascape painter John Sparks, who taught me the basics and encouraged my natural interest and ability. Soon I began to study plein air painting with Saim Caglayan and David Fairrington, learning how to move quickly with the sun. I took classes in various styles and mediums through the La Jolla Athenaeum, at the Art Academy in North Park, and some creativity and art history classes through ASU online. I traveled to New Mexico to study with one of my heroes, Kevin Macpherson, who teaches a step-by-step plein air process that has been invaluable in my work. Next month I will fly to Vermont for a workshop with another hero, master garden painter Kathy Anderson, whose Liliedahl garden painting video alone has greatly affected the way I paint. When I’m not directly studying with these incredible teachers, I am at the easel practicing and attempting to understand what I’ve learned and what it means to me.

My learning process may have moved more quickly had I gone to an art school or atelier, had I not been raising my three kids and working other jobs. But I actually enjoy taking learning at my own pace and seeking teachers whose work really interests me. Also, I think sometimes when we try to speed up our learning process, we run the risk of losing the artist we were when we started and we knew nothing. Sometimes I look at my early paintings and hope that some day I can get back to that kind of freedom and creativity! There is an innate sense of self-expression within us that can be overshadowed when we spend too much of our lives being instructed. It is incredibly essential that an artist develops the skill of soaking in knowledge from teachers while also maintaining an inner vision and autonomy of opinion.

Rebecca, 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?

Coming from a family of artists, writers, musicians, and performers, art in all forms has always been prevalent in my life. I began dancing professionally at age 16, touring in ballroom and tango shows around the world, and spent many years performing in film and theatre productions. Burned out at 30, I desperately needed a new passion in life. My mom encouraged me to take out my old oil paints, and miraculously enough that ignited in me an unshakable passion for painting that has kept me working obsessively for a decade so far.

My favorite way to paint is in person on location because I want to see the richness of colors and values that cameras don’t pick up. I want to feel the breeze, smell the moss, listen to the birds…to experience what it’s like to be there at that moment. I apply my painting process to all kinds of subjects, depending on what is calling me that day. Whether I’m painting a portrait of a friend, a delicious dessert or a beautifully scented bouquet of flowers, I like my art to be influenced by all my senses, to be created during a real living moment in my life. Being in nature is one of the things I look forward to most, so I try to get outside a few times a week to paint landscapes, seascapes and gardens. Mostly I take cues from the weather and my own energy levels and interests when determining what to paint. Recently I woke up to a foggy morning that put me in the Autumn mood, so I got all the apples out of the fridge, lit my favorite fall candle, put on a Stephen King audiobook, and set up an Autumn still life in July. The next day I was outside in the warm summer sun listening to Surfaces and painting sunflowers and rainbows at Balboa Park. I like to go with the flow and make my best effort each day while having as much fun as possible.

My paintings are available to purchase at various galleries in person and online, and I also set up my pop-up gallery booth at art fairs throughout the year. The best way to find my galleries and exhibitions is through my website or Instagram. I also created an Etsy shop, Divine Punk Home Store, where I sell paintings, prints, travel posters, home décor, and lots of other fun items.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is designing a life that is constantly flowing with creativity. I wake up every day excited about what I might end up painting and I thrive on that. For me, there is no better life than to study, practice, and teach painting, and then sell my paintings to people who cherish them and want to look at them every day.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

Just two books are my business bibles—books that I’ve read and/or listened to multiple times. The first is The Martha Rules by Martha Stewart, a handbook full of great advice and inspiring stories for entrepreneurs. I love Martha because she is this beautiful mixture of talented artist and smart businesswoman, and she has managed to create a great balance in her life with a ton of success. The second book that has greatly influenced me is Small Giants: Companies That Choose To Be Great Instead Of Big by Bo Burlingham. This book is also full of great stories, all of which remind us that nourishing relationships and community can be a more fulfilling focus than chasing numbers, even if that means we have to build slowly and stay small.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.RNoelle.com
• Instagram: @divine_punk
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rnoellepainter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-noelle-1abb9419b/
• Youtube: Rebecca Noelle https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEWvwJTFkD8rwEN_7jZ-V8Q

Image Credits
1st photo-Orisha Franklin Photos of paintings-Rebecca Noelle