Spotlight on Teresa Kolar (Part 2) Plus Some Announcements

Sunday I posted a portion of my interview with Twin Ports painter Teresa Kolar, which currently appears in this week's Reader. There was more to be shared, however, and here's the second portion of that interview.

EN: How long have you been selling work on Etsy, and what have you learned from this experience?

TK: I have had my work on Etsy for less than a year. I am still in the learning stages with it.

EN: What kind of training have you had?

TK: I have taken classes from many people, one of the best known being Cheng Kee Chee. I attended two Golden Paints lectures/demonstrations by Bonnie Cutts. That is when I fell in love with acrylics.

EN: Where else can people see more of your work?

TK: I have original paintings and cards at Lizzard's Art Gallery and Framing. The Glensheen Museum Shop carries my cards and prints. Duluth Pack and all four Bibelot stores in The Twin Cities carry my notecards. I have a Facebook page, Purple Sun Studio. My work is also for sale on Etsy... and I have a web page at mnartists.org.

EN: Have you had mentors along the way who especially helped you? Who, and in what way?

TK: Mentors? Hmmm... I would have to say my first mentor was my mother, Marlene Cox. My mom is a painter. She has been since I was a little girl. She took college art courses while raising five small children. One of her assignments was a study of Van Gogh and his sunflowers. It hung on our wall. It was an inspiration to me in so many ways. It symbolized my mother's love for art, an open door for me into the arts, hard work and dedication in the midst of chaos. Mom was a volunteer at the Duluth Art Institute. These memories help me to feel "at home" with the arts. My mother never pushed me in any way. She just lead by example.

As a young adult I admired Jan Wise. Her watercolor and mixed media pieces had strong spiritual elements. I was so intrigued by her creativity. Watercolor was such a challenging medium. Jan's work and teachings were so inspirational while I "made my way" with watercolors.

Now, I would have to say I am continually inspired by my close friend, Lori Franklin. Her attitude about life and art is something that I aspire to. She is so kind, positive and creative. We often paint together and every time we part I have something new and wonderful to think about. It might be a story of every day life or a new art material tip. We are attracted to opposite colors in our work and our subject matter appears to be different but, we respond to the same things as if we were sisters. We have been friends for well over 20 years. I am always so thankful for her friendship. I admire her and her family. They are role models for me.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) Tonight Black Umbrella Books is hosting a Re-Launch Party @ the Underground, on the first floor of the Duluth Depot. If you bring a used book you can purchase Jeffrey Woolf's Apples of Arcadia for half price. The used books will be donated to Life House, where the author helps homeless and troubled youth get off the streets and back into life.  7:00-9:00 p.m.

2) Next Tuesday the Superior Library will be hosting a book signing for my book Unremembered Histories. Details here. More about the book soon at Ennyman's Territory.

3) It's never too early start getting events marked on your calendar as we head into spring. Saturday May 17 at the Sacred Heart there will be A Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan. This year's event will be the biggest and boldest ever. The list of musicians signing on to make this the music night of a lifetime will knock your socks off, which is what happens when you are hit by a car. Scarlet Rivera, Geno Lafond and Courtney Yasmineh will be back, but there's a whole host of others wanting to pay tribute and help raise funding for the Duluth Armory restoration. This undertaking is sponsored by the Armory Arts and Music Center along with Magic Marc Productions. Yes, not only will it be a magical night of music, but also a pair of live magicians will be performing. You might as well start buying tickets now. Proceeds will go to the AAMC Fund. More info will be forthcoming. I promise, you will be impressed.

Meantime, life goes on all around you. Embrace it.

Spotlight on Twin Ports Painter Teresa Kolar

I first met Teresa Kolar at one of the Phantom Galleries Superior openings in late 2012. Her paintings were readily distinctive and uplifting, as was her spirit. I later saw more of her work at a Clyde Iron Works event (Charlie Parr was playing that night) and it led me to want to get to know more of her story, which I am sharing here.

EN: You work in a variety of media. What are your favorite mediums to work in?

TK: Yes, I have worked in various mediums. Approximately 25 years ago I started taking classes for watercolors. I worked in that medium for several years. Then, I changed to pastels for two or three years. Finally I discovered acrylics and have been working with them ever since. Each medium has its pluses and minuses, of course. It was a matter of choosing the one where pluses outweighed the minuses.

Watercolors are wonderful because of their transparent beauty. Working with them was good for my character. They tested my patience and dedication, but I liked so much the way they looked. I just wanted to become accomplished enough to render attractive results and enjoy a positive experience while using them. That was tough! They are an unforgiving medium. Then, when you get a piece done you have to mat and frame it. Very costly and time consuming. Eventually I became intrigued by qualities of pastels. The colors were so rich and ethereal. (I had not yet learned my lesson about framing. Pastels are even more labor intensive than watercolors!) Needless to say, my relationship with pastels was short and sweet. I loved the colors, I did not like the dust and the framing. That's when I started thinking about acrylics.

I attended a lecture/demonstration of Golden brand Acrylics by Bonnie Cutts. I was hooked! I loved the richness of the colors, the variety of materials the medium offered AND NO FRAMING! I loved painting on stretched canvas knowing that when I was finished it was ready to hang! I was thrilled to be able to make changes if needed by painting over previous things. Changing my mind when working with watercolors or pastels was just never an easy option. Acrylics were my new found love.

Red Bird with Kandinsky

EN: Birds seem a popular theme of yours. What got you interested in the birds?

TK: I love animals and things found in the wild. Birds are a wonderful and whimsical way to stylistically record nature.

EN: What are some of the other recurring themes in your art?

TK: I enjoy painting horses, trees and flowers. I adore clouds but, I haven't figured out how to interpret them successfully yet.

EN: When did you first take an interest in making art? Who were early influences?

TK: I have loved "making things" since I was very young. I started watercolor painting approximately 25 years ago. I took as many workshops as I could. Some were at the Duluth Art Institute, some were out of town.

The most influential person regarding my art is my mother. She has been painting since I was a child. She would sing as she made her way through our house. She brought us to plays. My mom lives life in an artistic way. She always has and I have noticed and enjoyed that ever since I can remember.

Work on display at the Clyde

EN: Casual observers sometimes miss details that the more engaged viewer might catch. What are one or two things you'd like to see people notice about your work that they might otherwise miss?

TK: Long ago I enjoyed painting about things I had read. Stories were often inspiration and impetus for getting a painting going. Now I tend to paint about things in my life. Things that make me happy. I also love experimenting with different mediums and textures. Sometimes I will "hide" things in my work. Sometimes things show up that I didn't realize were there. This is why I believe art is magical. Things will appear that you weren't planning or intending. People will see one's work and be influenced in ways never thought of. I have connected with people through my art more times than I can count. It's as if there is a part of me out there connecting with others even though we have not met. If by chance, we should meet, it is like we already know each other a little. That is what art does--not just my art, but The Arts. It creates connections. It is like magic and that is why I love it.

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The above interview appeared in this week's Reader. I will be sharing more of her story in a follow up blog entry later this week. To see more of Kolar's work visit her Etsy store.