Doreen Bates

eMuse's Jennifer Hudock took some time out to speak with artists Doreen Bates about her inspirations, creative flexibility and becoming the rainbow instead of trying to get over it.

eMuse: First of all, I'd like to thank you, Doreen, for taking time out of your schedule to grant us an interview. Let's start out with a simple question. How long have you been painting?

DB: I have been painting ever since I was a little girl--probably as soon as I could get my hands on some paints! Funny you should ask--I recently found, in my late mother's things, my first oil painting (no, not paint by numbers!) that I did when I was 7 years old--and to my surprise, it really wasn't too bad! Rather an impressionistic seascape--I was in my "starstruck by Van Gogh" period at the time!

eMuse: I noticed that you sculpt and make jewelry. Are you a self-taught artist, or do you have formal training?

DB: Well, I had a terrific art teacher for 3 years in high school--the kind who sees promise and helps unlock the doors to the cage, so to speak. But after that, I was determined to give myself formal training, and have been ever since. By that I mean that I have studied art history extensively, as well as color theory, composition, techniques, etc. I continually read and practice to strive to improve my techniques, expand my knowledge and tap into the Creative source.

eMuse: What inspires you to create?

DB: (Laughing) What doesn't? Seriously, though--I find inspiration in traditional subjects, especially nature--no one does it better than the Master artist! But I also find inspiration in the ridiculous--the mundane--the "cutesie-pie"--and I love ruins and old architecture. Really, just about anything you can think of that catches my eye, I'll paint!

eMuse: You include such a wide range of material in your paintings, from landscapes and rustic buildings to unique fantasy creatures. What is your favorite subject to paint and why?

DB: This is a tough one--like asking someone to choose a favorite among their children! You know really, when it comes down to it, my favorite is always the one I'm currently working on! You really need to stay in the "NOW", the present moment, to be truly creative. Whenever I'm painting (or sculpting, or making jewelry, for that matter) I am completely absorbed in the now--in letting that medium talk to me and tell me what it wants to be when it grows up! Now, that's not to say that I don't ever plan my paintings--some are very carefully planned--in my head for days or weeks, and then sketched out roughly to play with the composition. But many projects seem to take on a life of their own once I'm in the now of doing them--and, needless to say, those are the things that turn out the best!

eMuse: What is your favorite piece you've created and why?

DB: There you go again, asking me to choose favorites! There's just no way I could name one piece...I'm proud of all the work which I let the public see! I will confess a particular fondness for Marvin--my avatar sculpture for my Etsy shop. He'll never be sold, cuz he makes me smile every time I look at him!

eMuse: If you were going to teach an art class to young children, what would be the first thing you would want to teach them about art?

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DB: Well, as a matter of fact, I DO teach art to children and adults at the Lee Academy for the Arts in Paris, Tennessee. And the first lesson is all about COLOR--there's not much reason to paint if you don't have a love for, and basic understanding of, color!

eMuse: One of the things that attracted me to your paintings was the nostalgic quality they seemed to hold. What do you think makes you as an artist stand out?

DB: Without a doubt, VARIETY! It's against all the "rules"--artists wanting fame are always encouraged to stick with one style, or one narrow range of subjects, I know. How boring! My painting is an expression of various aspects of myself--and I'm interested in far too many things to stick with either one style or subject. My colleagues always say they're going to have my brain pickled and analyzed after I die, to see where I get all my ideas!

eMuse: Do you hope to convey a special message, emotion or feeling with your art?

DB: Sometimes there's a message, yes. But always a feeling! I want people to share what I feel about the subject--whether that be reverence, nostalgia, or amusement, I'm all about the feeling. Probably comes from my INFJ personality type(less than 1% of population) that makes me always paint from my heart.

eMuse: When you paint, do you paint from photographs or real life?

DB: Both. I paint from "real life" (sorry, that term always makes me chuckle) whenever I can, but use photos extensively, too. Then there are those ones that come purely from my imagination straight to the canvas!

eMuse: Do you paint every day?

DB: Gee, I wish I could say yes (You're supposed to) but the sculpting and jewelry making demand their time, too. I bounce back and forth--one day clay, next day paint--although when I'm really "into" a painting, I'll paint round the clock until it's done!

eMuse: How long does it typically take you to complete a painting?

DB: That's another hard one, cuz it depends on the subject, how fired up I am over it, etc. I often sell pieces that I've done as classroom demos, that is, within a 3 hour time limit. Then again, some may take weeks. Those that take a tremendous amount of time (like the Cedar Deer in my Etsy shop, for example) are worked on obsessively, 10-14 hours a day til they're done.

eMuse: You have your own Etsy store, how is that going? Have you had a lot of hits and inquiries? Is it something you would recommend to other artists?

DB: Well, I just started listing items on Etsy in August---the month that retail sales began plummeting to an all time low! I'm working hard on marketing--trying to increase traffic to my site, because it's definitely a numbers game. So far, I do better at local art shows, consignment sales, etc. But I am hopeful that with time, Etsy sales will pick up again! And I would definitely recommend Etsy to other artists--It's a great, friendly, helpful community! It's a wonderful place to get lots of feedback--and we artists are always in need of that!

Artist Bio:

Doreen Bates began studying art and painting nearly 50 years ago in her small home town of Highland, Michigan.  As her world expanded to include living in seven states, so did her art. She now teaches oil and acrylic painting at Lee Academy for the Arts in Paris, Tennessee.

To find out more about Doreen Bates and her work, visit her website:

http://www.DoreenBatesart.etsy.com

or contact her via email: lavenau@aol.com

eMuse: Are you working on any special projects right now that you'd like to share with us?

DB: As a matter of fact, yes. I've been fascinated with the steampunk parapernalia lately, and no sooner had I decided that I'd like to design some jewelry on that theme (like the next day!) a fellow artist from the Tennessee River Fine Arts League approached me and said he'd been thinking of me lately. Seems he had a whole bagful of antique watch parts, and could I possibly use them? The synchronicity of it hit me hard--one of those little clues you get from the Universe that you're on the right track! So I've been happily playing with clay and watch parts! Also in the works--I really want to do an "Oz" series...the 1939 movie has become deeply embedded in the American subconscious--it resonates with us all! It's highly personal to me, as well. I once remarked to a dear and wise friend that I've spent my entire life trying to get over the rainbow...the reply was, "Doreen, you don't get it--you ARE the rainbow!"