We recently connected with Rhonda Deland and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rhonda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I always like to think that everything happens for a reason. the paths that i chose before the one i am on today led me to this present moment of creating in my own space. i chose early on not to pursue a degree in art because i felt that a degree in communications and design would give me more of a foundation for business. i knew the art would always be there inside me. my choice led me to some really great jobs as an art director in advertising and fashion. which led me to working on a farm and a pastry kitchen. that path led me to health and wellness which eventually led me back to art. without all of these different career paths and meeting all of the people that inspired me along the way, i am a better artist because of it. with all that experience i can run my art business with plenty of time to create and explore. i am content with starting my art business later in life because i know i am ready for it now. i see it as using those first 25 years after college as a way of finding myself as a creative person and i can create with confidence. experience took away the self doubt, the harsh inner voice that i had when i was younger.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

anyone who reads my bio might think, wow she has worn many hats, and its true, i have. i was an art director and graphic designer for many great brands in advertising and fashion retail. i worked for 15 years in the agency and fashion retail space for brands like saks fifth avenue, victorias secret, avon and kitchenaid, to name a few. this was at a time before e-commerce was even a thing and paper format was king.

but i saw a shift in the marketing world. things were starting to become too much. it started to affect my health. i realized i wanted to be a part of something bigger and better. so i started working on an organic farm outside ny city and freelanced in graphic design to make ends meet. it opened my creative thinking and gave me the urge to start painting in watercolor again…something i had not taken seriously in my childhood, but always loved to do. however, having a family was something my husband and i had been planning so i put my new creative aspirations on hold. 2 kids later i decided i should finally go back and freshen up my painting skills. i attended night school at the new york academy of art in tribeca, ny. i attended workshops at the art students league in midtown. i took private watercolor lessons with a master watercolor artist to hone my skills. all while raising 2 little ones. i explored acrylics for a time and painted still life’s, landscapes, botanicals…even dabbled in figurative art, but watercolor kept calling me back.

when we made the move out east to montauk, ny, i decided to take my art more seriously. i developed a body of work and honed my techniques of abstract watercolor paintings. i love the fluidity of watercolor and using the water to control the separation of pigments. i designed my own website, developed a social media page and started an email list to talk to potential collectors. i participated in art shows and gallery group shows and expanded my network and artist community. after 5 years of living in montauk i finally leased my own space. a little studio/gallery space to call my own and i love it. i finally have the room to work big and was commissioned for special restaurant projects and pop ups.

i am definitely not the typical artist. i don’t have a fine art degree, but my background has molded me into the artist i am today. my abstract watercolor work has evolved into my marble artwork. i use a variety of techniques to create my marble watercolor paintings. my background in graphic design is a huge influence on how i approach the creative process. i’m inspired by old architecture, vintage tiles, old and new interior design elements, mixed metals, and organic shapes like half moons and rounded edges. i use neutrals and earth tones, but i also love them mixed with pops of color and/or metallics. i use a lot of gold in my work because i think it makes everything a little more special.

i’ve noticed that most of my collectors are people who love design and depth of layers. they can appreciate all of the aspects that goes into making a painting. they like something thats unique and has a lot of history in its thought process. my goal is to create more work for places like restaurants, boutique hotels and interior designers. my brand is about creating a unique approach to wall art that has depth, layers and has the viewer questioning how it’s made..

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

for me, enjoying the journey is the goal. i don’t like to see the goal as some sort of finished product or end to something. when i am in process mode – creating, developing, exploring, pushing, surprising myself – that’s the goal. at the end of the day, if i am not loving the journey of creating, then i have failed myself. i try to find new ways to push myself while staying true to my own style. what drives me to keep creating is to constantly create what i believe is beautiful and surround myself with it. if i can do that for a client or collector….even better!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

the best thing people can do to help support all creative artists is to stop supporting big box stores pumping out cheap art on cheap materials. an artist uses their hands with good materials to create something that they want to last for a lifetime. it is a hand made artisanal product that has meaning, a story, and history. the artist spent time sketching, researching, creating each piece of their art. talk to artists about their process and their story. follow and like their work on social media channels, sign up to their email lists. share their work with others. visit their open studios. and if it compels you, purchase a piece of work from them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rhondadelandart.com/
• Instagram: @rhondadeland.art

Image Credits

in-restaurant image by Noah Fecks
2 images rendered using artstage app
all other photos using my iphone