DREI FRAGEN with Artist Jeanne S
Artist Jeanne S shares her artistic wisdom.
Each Wednesday, I ask a different artist the same three questions.
This week's featured artist is
, we met through and THE who not only got me into Substack, but his three questions prompted my return to art after 20 years. Jeanne is a bloody talented artist and writer, I often laugh out loud when I read her writing. She drew the most stunning charcoal artwork of me and my dear dog Bruno, which I have the original hung in my home (Well, I'm in the process of hanging all of my art at the moment!).
1. What first sparked your interest in creating art?
From my earliest memories, I enjoyed drawing and coloring. However, I didn’t like art class in school because we only did “projects.” There was no specific instruction unless you took more art classes, and I wasn’t very neat with glue, scissors, and paint. Consequently, my projects weren't good enough to be recommended for further instruction.
At home, I started drawing faces in pencil from album covers while listening to music. Joni Mitchell’s Blue album cover was the first I attempted. I liked it because it was one color and only shadows. Pleased with the result, I then drew James Taylor and Cat Stevens, and those turned out well too.
I started sketching more as I headed to college. There, I saw several superior sketches and felt discouraged, so I didn't enroll in art classes. In my last year of college, basic art was required, and while I still struggled with paint, I found encouragement in drawing and enrolled in a drawing class in my final semester. I learned to draw with charcoal, but it didn't become a regular part of my life. I only drew for my children’s school festivals and advertising needs. I didn’t have much free time and rarely drew. When I did, they were mainly pencil or charcoal drawings, almost exclusively portraits, and I always gave them away.
After my youngest went to college, when I was in my late forties, I enrolled in an oil painting class at my local Y. Our teacher was a good instructor, and she finally showed me how to achieve what I wanted with paint. She was in her seventies and still passionate about painting. I credit her with finally helping me overcome my fear of paint.
2. What are your regrets?
Generally, my life outlook doesn’t include regrets. I suppose I should have started earlier and had more confidence. But I can only guess what might have happened. I do so enjoy art now, I might have been ready to retire if I had started earlier.
3. What wisdom would you offer someone beginning their art career, or exploring art for the first time at any stage in life?
You can create at any time in your life ( I will be 69 soon). Don’t be discouraged by what a system considers art, what is popular, or in demand. Your vision is yours. It may connect to someone and it may not, but it is yours. You can only do you. Also eat well and exercise or ill health might overtake you. Nothing feels better than becoming absorbed and losing track of the world while creating. ( except maybe sex in your forties and that is all too fleeting; my memory is not that good nowadays) I have no advice on an art career. I would suspect it requires thick skin and persistence.
Check out
’s wonderful art and writing below.
If you'd like to explore more Drei Fragen interviews, please click the link.
…or if you’d rather. Please share this post with a friend.
Thanks Slart, you're the best.