dawn emerson
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PSST: Dawn, what a perfect life as an artist: your work sells; you offer individualized mentorship; you have zoom and in-studio workshops; you have recordings and books. And, you live and work in a beautiful log home environment! What played the most part in establishing your success?
DAWN: I have to say, first of all, that I never imagined I would be doing what I'm doing! Growing up, it was made pretty clear that pursuing art wasn't practical if I didn't want to starve, and there were plenty of people who were much more talented. Luckily, a very supportive spouse, moving west, attending pastel workshops, and exposure to horses and birds of prey helped me grow into becoming an artist. I attribute most of my success to having moved west with my husband 30 years ago. The pioneering spirit I found here was very different from New England, where I came from. I was inspired by the western landscape, and felt like I had the freedom to re-invent myself. Exposure to wild horses and horse photoshoots was another benefit to being in a dusty desert. Central Oregon is 3 hours from Portland, and was pretty isolated culturally. Without universities or art schools locally, and wIth 2 little kids at home, going to a workshop was the only way to learn pastels besides reading wonderful books by Flattman, Creevy, and Doug Dawson. When workshops came to Oregon, it was possible to afford attending. I'd drive to a workshop, bring all the food I could, and meet wonderful people who become life long friends. Those early workshops were with people like Harley Brown, Albert Handel, Bill Herring, and Doug Dawson. |
Painting by Dawn Emerson
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Timing was a huge factor for my success. That was sheer luck. When I started painting with pastels in the 90s, there were far fewer choices regarding pastel materials. So many new materials have been developed since then, and there's been an explosion of interest in the medium. It was a medium you could pick up and put down, that suited a life of raising kids and working. Then, The Pastel Journal came into existence, and that also was a huge inspiration and motivator. Looking back, suppliers like Dakota Art Pastels, the Pastel Journal Competitions, the work of the Pastel Societies and IAPS ..made me feel like I was a part of a bigger world. My entrance into the pastel world came from winning competitions sponsored by the Pastel Journal, and my teaching career coincided with a burst of interest in pastel as a medium. Today, there are so many amazingly talented people in the pastel world---I would have been SOOOOO intimidated if I were starting out now!
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Painting by Dawn Emerson
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PSST: Many of us remember your IAPS demo, dancing your way through a painting. It is a visual pleasure browsing your website. You said, “I hope to inspire you to dance with your easel, play, and enjoy!” Walk us through what you mean and how you came to this point in your art journey.
DAWN: When people ask me what I do in my workshops, I tell them I teach people to play again with their art. I consider my studio to be my sandbox, my innovation laboratory. ..It's a space to share ideas, to grow and learn in, to dance in, and to be inspired in. I am an incredibly shy person, and absolutely NEVER thought of myself as a performer or dancer. BUT, I have learned that if I'm not playing and enjoying what I'm doing, no one else will either. Life is too short to keep holding back, and it's important to me to take risks in front of others so they will not be afraid of doing the same. It's a way to check my pride at the door I guess. It's when I screw up and get myself into a corner that I become most creative and resourceful. No one dies from painting, so why not? Music and movement have always been part of my life, from running and dancing, to the martial art of Aikido. Dance is non-verbal, like a moving gesture.... I want to paint with my whole being, to infuse the images with energy and life. Painting is a way to put the colors to the music that is everywhere around us. |
Painting by Dawn Emerson
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