We recently connected with Silky Hart and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Silky, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

My art adventure began eleven years ago. Being a woman of a certain age, one might believe I began my life as an artist late in life. However, I prefer to view the timing as right on schedule.

At the time my art journey began, I was working as an expressive arts facilitator in healthcare facilities. I used art forms including dance and theater to help my clients cope with their lives. I worked with a variety of populations including psych patients, women in shelters, at-risk youths, people with cancer and young adults with learning disabilities. Working with severe populations for so many years was rewarding, but I wanted to do more with art.

Although I was familiar with Intuitive Painting from my expressive arts training, I confess that the thought of me drawing, and painting terrified me. I’ve always loved art and have spent countless hours in museums, yet never considered trying art myself. Then, my college friend, Jill Steenhuis, a renowned artist living in Aix-en-Provence offered a weekend workshop in Dallas. I took it for fun even though I was afraid of the whole art thing. To my surprise, I absolutely loved it. My husband encouraged me to take her week-long workshop in France.

The workshop in France ignited a fire in me. The magic of paining had cast its spell over me. When I came home, I completed my contracts with the healthcare settings and didn’t renew them. Occasionally, I taught creativity workshops, but I was ready for the next thing. My husband, once again, wholeheartedly supported my desire to embark on this new art journey.

Since I knew from my dance training how important it is to have a solid foundation in an art form, I immediately enrolled in Drawing 1 and Design 1 at Brookhaven Community College. It was me in a class filled with nineteen and twenty-year olds. At first, I thought, what the heck am I doing here? But it was not long before I couldn’t wait to go to class and soak up the fresh energy of my new art friends.

To be honest, there are moments when I wonder where I’d be if I had started earlier. And yet, I’m grateful for the breadth and depth of my life experience that I bring to this new undertaking. My years as a dancer greatly influence my approach to art. I was a contemporary dancer and now I’m a contemporary painter. Anyway, this woman of a certain age has learned that regret is wasted energy. Yep, I’m right on schedule.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more about your art and painting process, Can you take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers?

I grew up in Dallas, Texas. After majoring in dance and psychology at TCU, I moved to NYC and lived there for several years. Then, I got at MBA in international business at Thunderbird Global School of Management. Next, I lived in San Francisco, then back to NYC before moving back to Dallas. During these years I worked in marketing and public relations. No matter what my day job was, I always took dance classes. After many years of working the corporate grind, I longed to return to my original dream of becoming a dance therapist. I took a year-long professional training program to become an expressive arts facilitator.

My years as an expressive arts facilitator was a bridge of sorts between dance and art. The expressive arts combine the visual arts, dance/movement, drama, writing, and other creative processes to foster deep personal growth and community development. Moving from dance to the expressive arts to art feels like a natural progression.

Making art excites me. I love capturing the joyous essence of whatever I’m painting. Whether I’m capturing the high desert of northern New Mexico, a butterfly garden in my backyard, everyday objects in my home, a beloved cat or how a spring day feels, there is an ongoing dance between me and what is evolving on the canvas.

Often, I begin with field notes taken from direct observation. I look at the canyon or flowers, but not at my watercolor paper as I quickly sketch colors and shapes. In my studio, these field notes trigger the memory of being there. How did the air feel on my face?

Next, I do warm-up studies that are done quickly so that I stay loose and have fun while getting to know my subject matter. While drawing a bowl of lemons, I’ll turn the paper several times to create exciting composition ideas.

These studies and drawings are a launching off place for a painting. Spontaneous mark making breaks the blank surface and starts the call and response between me and the work of art.

Color plays a huge role in my art making. People are always telling me how they like my unique use of color.

I never know ahead of time the end point for my painting. Going into the mystery and following my intuition is the magic of art making.

Recently, I took a printmaking workshop that utilizes recycled materials on a craft press. I’m excited about giving brand new life to my paintings through this process.

Going beyond where I’ve been before in dynamic and exciting ways is reflected in my artwork. The amazing feedback I’ve received from my art collectors lets me know that what thrills me is what brings them delight It doesn’t get better than that.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There is so much to learn in becoming an artist. Besides the basic skills of drawing, composition and color theory, there is also learning the business side of being an artist, for instance pricing and marketing. Then, there is taking photos, lighting, documenting your work, writing an artist statement, social media plus finding your style, your story and your brand. Of course, the all-important website is a never-ending challenge.

So much to learn. So many art biz books. So many ideas and theories about how it all should be done. Am I doing it right? According to whom? It can be overwhelming!

Something’s gotta give. While I appreciate the wealth of wisdom that is out there for artists, I believe honoring what rings true to me is the path I must follow. When I decided to pivot to what resonates with me whether it’s what I’m painting or which art business strategy to follow, that is when I felt most aligned with my true creative calling. I felt a shift that was liberating.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Joy! To me, this art journey is all about having a friend or art collector feel the joy that I feel when I paint.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.silkyhart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silkyhart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Silky.Hart.Michero/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silkyhart/