"Inspiring Artist!" Christine MacLellan

Meet artist Christine MacLellan…

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your art.

My name is Christine MacLellan and I am an artist, business owner, mother, wife and aunt. It is my passion to create art in several different mediums; including oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel, digital and photography.

I also run an art studio called Rushingwater Studios. The studio has been open for 14 years and offers fine art, portraits, graphic design and instruction for children and adults.

Currently, I am a member of several groups including: The Triangle Artist Guild, Paint NC, The Fine Art League of Cary, Daily Painters International and Artist International Gallery. It is fascinating to learn how other artists are inspired to create what they do!

Clouds at Sunset oil, 20×30
$625.00
Watch this to see the how this was painted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0RqSD9MynA

Finish this thought: “For me art is….

…An extension of who I am. It is my true passion, my solace, my meditation, my reward, my addiction.”

What do you enjoy most about being an artist?

It is never boring! I enjoy being able to express myself visually and honestly to the world and myself. I wake up everyday with a huge desire to create, no matter how I am feeling that day. Desire is something that is always with me. To see the creations that manifest continually astonishes me. When I look back at all the work I have produced, I see an evolution. I know that for the rest of my life I can watch the evolution till the day I die is very exciting to me.

I hear you have a book in the making. Can you tell us about it?

I am constantly trying to think of new ways to present my work. I am a prolific artist producing on average 300 paintings a year. I started to group my work into subjects and then take these subjects and produce books, movies and posters with them. To me, it is kind of a creation within a creation. Some of the themes I have started working on are: Water, Open Doors and Pathways and Animals. The Animal book is a compilation of animals I have painted over the past two years. I teach a lot of children and they all love drawing and painting animals. They inspired me to paint animals too. One of the students liked my paintings so much that they started to write some poetry to go with the animals. This inspired other students to write some poetry too. So the book is a true collaboration between students and teacher.

Forrest Light digital painting giclee
And cover of my book
Signed prints available.
Watch the link below for a book preview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pqggD1C-Cg
8×10 – $25 – 11×14 – $35 • 16×20 – $90 • 18×24 – $190 • 24×36 – $250

The imagery for the book is coming along beautifully. What process are you using to create such illuminated works of art?

I work in several mediums and have produced paintings of animals in acrylic, watercolor, oil, pastel and digital painting. I also enjoy combining these mediums to achieve this look, which I describe as sensitive and enchanting.

How has your work changed over the years?

I can look back through sketchbooks and portfolios that I have from the time I was eight. I always see a thread of me through all the work. It is like looking through a visual diary. I can defiantly see the work coinciding with what was going on in my life at the time. I have also seen a use of color change. I have had a blue period, a red period and an orange period. When my kids were little I did not have very much time to paint so my work reflected this with a loose, quick and intuitive style. As my boys grew, my paintings became more detailed. Also, interestingly enough, in the times that my life was more chaotic and tumultuous, the paintings I produced were more calm and serene.

What is the next step in your career?

This is a very hard question and one I have been asking myself and struggling with the past year. My life is hitting a crossroads right now. The kids are grown and moving out so my husband and I have been talking about some changes we would like to make. I have several lists going with the pros and cons. One of the things on my pro side is creating some CD tutorials. I have been teaching a lot of years and would like to take my best lessons and put them to work. The other thing I would just love to do is put together travel workshops. I love to travel and would like to combine two of my passions. I have friends all over the world! I am hoping they will help me out with this so… hint, hint to all of you reading this! One last thing I would love to do is paint a painting in every country in plein air and do a big exhibit when I am done.

Forest Run oil, 30 x 40, $995

Your ability to grow as an artist is inspiring! Who has inspired you?

First, and foremost, my immediate and extended family. I am lucky to be apart of a very creative and supportive group. My artist friends are inspiring! I am honored to be involved with such an amazing, diverse and talented group of sharing and supportive artists. Also, my students. I love watching them learn and grow. When I see their excitement and the progress they make, it’s just incredible!

Are there any other tips on living a creative life you’d like to share?

I have just one tip and I totally live by this myself… Just do it! Don’t worry about the outcome, the journey is what it is all about!

Where can we find you and your art?

In my spare time, I maintain several websites including:
www.rushingwaterstudios.com
www.rushingwaterstudents.com
www.rushingwaterstudios.blogspot.com
www.westernwakeartistsstudiotour.com

You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cary-NC/RushingwaterStudios
http://twitter.com/rushingwater8

I contribute to other websites on a weekly basis:
www.dailypaintersinternationalartgallery.blogspot.com
www.artistsinternationalgallery.com

I regulary post artwork for sale on Esty and Ebay:
http://www.etsy.com/public_profile.php
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170514190147&ssPageName=STRK:MUSX:IT#ht_591wt_1139

Thank you again for participating in this interview series. Hearing about your progression as an artist truly is inspirational!

“Inspiring Artists!” will be an ongoing series. It will run as long as there are inspiring artists out there wanting to share their stories. If you are an artist and would like to participate please contact me at jhutchins@joyfulartsstudio.com. I would love to hear from you!!