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"Pam brings a special 'spark' of contagious enthusiasm with her to each and every PSST event. Her beautiful art reflects these characteristics in her choice of subject matter and lively color pallet. As the Chair of Plein Air Events, painting outdoors with Pam is always lot's of fun! Such a great contributor to PSST!
Thank you Pam!" Liz Czerewaty |
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Interview with Pam Markham, Artist of the Month-October 2015
PSST Why are you an artist or how did you choose to become an artist?
PM: I was fortunate to grow up in a creative environment. My Dad was a superb draftsman and could draw equally well with both his left and right hands. He could freehand intricate building designs and created wood and metal etchings throughout his life. My Mother could design and make anything she wanted to and, in fact, taught me as a child to design clothes and sew them for my dolls and myself. We would drive into the city and try on designer clothes at Sakowitz and Neiman Marcus and busily sketch, measure and plan similar outfits that we would later create at my Mother’s sewing machine. I was making many of my own dresses by the 3rd grade.
I started painting in watercolors when I was a teenager and, during my twenties, I was active in art fairs, area exhibits and several art groups. During that time, I married, taught speech and drama at the High School level and had two children, so painting began to take a back seat to family. I continued to do creative projects, but did not pick up a brush (or pastel) for about 23 years.
My husband, Jeff, and I moved to Huntsville, Texas in the 80’s and opened our real estate company and our busy lives got a whole lot busier. Fortunately, about 12 years ago one of my old painting buddies introduced me to pastel painting and I fell in love with art all over again. I have also been blessed to study with some outstanding artists and am at a point in my artistic journey and life that is allowing me more time to get “brush mileage” and hopefully apply some of the “head knowledge” people have generously shared with me.
PSST; Where do you paint? Home, studio, corner of a room? How is it set up?
PM: I paint anywhere I can. As a full time real estate agent, I have been known to take a small painting set up to open houses and I try to keep some art materials in my car in case I have a few minutes to stop and sketch a scene while I wait on appointments. I am never bored! What a gift it is to see the world with an eye for creation.
I do have a studio in my home that is set up and ready to go whether I can grab 10 minutes to paint or have a whole day at the easel. That’s the beauty of the pastel medium for me. Those pastels stay ready and there are no brushes to clean, no paints to dry. I can work on a piece today and if I don’t get back to it for a while…it’s perfectly fine.
My very favorite thing to do is painting on location—en plein air—and I have a teeny little pastel box that I can toss in the boat, truck, RV or wherever and be set up and painting in minutes. So many artists have to juggle another career with their art and I have a real passion for helping us all learn to work art into life in any way possible.
PSST: What is your subject matter and how do you choose it?
PM: I will try to paint anything and everything. I enjoy the landscape immensely, figures are challenging (and so much fun) and still life pieces appeal to me occasionally.
PSST: What is your art background? Academic, self-taught, workshops?
PM: I have a Fine Arts degree from Sam Houston State University, but would have to say that the workshop environment has been the most beneficial aspect in developing a style and skill set. For years I would attend a workshop, get motivated and learn some new techniques, but then come home and have very little time to practice. But the wonderful things I learned from artists like Maggie Price, Desmond O’Hagan, Lois Griffel, Margaret Dyer, Julia Patterson and recently Tony Allain, have filled my head and heart with ideas and processes that I will always be grateful for.
PSST: How do you describe your painting style and color choices?
PM: My style is still evolving. That makes me smile because I have always known how I wanted to paint, but have been sidetracked, from time to time, trying to paint like this artist or that artist that I admire. I love loose, painterly work and strong color and, although I use a lot of neutral color, I really enjoy making broad strokes of bold color.
PSST: If you paint from life (plein air or a model), describe an interesting or funny experience.
PM: I have an RV that is my traveling studio and I have made a number of painting trips to paint scenery from life. The best trip
ever was in the Fall of 2013 when I traveled to Terlingua, Texas ( about 15 hours from my house) to paint the Texas/Mexico border with the Outdoor Painters Society. Also, painting outdoors in Jackson Hole, Wyoming was a great experience. We played Christmas carols in September to keep the bears away.
PSST: What do you consider your best painting ever and why?
PM: Hmmm. A few years ago, I was commissioned to do a rodeo scene of a 16 year old calf roper. This painting, “Yeah Buddy” was a Father’s Day gift and was a somewhat abstracted painting of the boy and his horse. I knew, the minute the family saw the piece, that the art told the story. The painting has a place of honor in their home and I am glad to have been able to save that moment in time for them.
PSST: What art events do you have scheduled?
PM: I’ll be taking my RV to Galveston in a few days for a week of plein air painting on the Gulf of Mexico. My friend, Julia, and I will be camping and painting on the beach and attending the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas (PSST) show and reception at the Third Coast Gallery.
PSST: How do you sell/show your work? Galleries, online, home studio tour, open house?
PM: I have had a number of one and two man shows and am making plans to hold an open studio tour in the Spring of 2016. Selling art on line has been beneficial to me as well. This is a great opportunity to invite you to visit my website and view my work ....www.pammarkam.com. Entering a few on line shows is something I will be doing in the future.
PM: Do you have any marketing or exhibiting tips that you would like to share?
Paint, paint, paint and then put your art out for someone to see. Facebook is good and get a website. There is a joy in sharing your art and also in seeing what other people are doing. Don’t wait, like I did, for the right time to do art. It’s like having a baby---there’s never a perfect time.
PSST: What social media, websites or art-focused groups are you associated with?
PM: I love PSST. It is wonderful to have a group of “like minded” people who are like me. Not everyone understands how it “feels” to be an artist.
I am a member of KAWA, a professional women’s art group, some out of state pastel societies and a member of several area art leagues.
I have a wonderful Facebook friend community and enjoy seeing art from all over the world in all mediums. It thrills me to message back and forth with painters from the other side of the world.
PSST: What are your goals as an artist?
PM: I want to be more and more productive and I believe that my work will continue to improve as a result. I want to help other artists on their journey to fit art into busy lifestyles.
My goal is to be the artist that God intends for me to be and I am willing to let him guide this journey.
PSST: What do you hope people gain from viewing your work?
PM: Connection.
I like for the art to tell the viewer a story, give a sense of place and maybe make them wonder a little.
PSST: Who or what has been your greatest source of encouragement?
PM: This is a tough question—so many things have kept me going against the odds. My family, collectors, friends, other artists have all responded to my efforts. Maggie Price was the first person to tell me that my art was really good. She appreciated my style, although it was different from hers. I miss her every time I step up to the easel.
PSST: Is there a single incident, a quote, or an award that will always have special meaning to you and why?
PM: Psalm 143:8 –"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you." This is my favorite scripture quote and inspires me to look at each day as a new day for whatever comes my way. I have no idea where my life journey will take me, but I am ready to step out in the path and go with it.
PSST: What is your “favorite thing” you use in painting? A special gadget or tool you have discovered or a special technique that you have developed that you would pass on to others?
PM: That would be my iPhone. Photos, notes, quotes, music to distract me so that I don’t “noodle” on my painting—my phone connects me to all things art, family, friends.
Visit Pam's website at: http://pammarkham.com/
PM: I was fortunate to grow up in a creative environment. My Dad was a superb draftsman and could draw equally well with both his left and right hands. He could freehand intricate building designs and created wood and metal etchings throughout his life. My Mother could design and make anything she wanted to and, in fact, taught me as a child to design clothes and sew them for my dolls and myself. We would drive into the city and try on designer clothes at Sakowitz and Neiman Marcus and busily sketch, measure and plan similar outfits that we would later create at my Mother’s sewing machine. I was making many of my own dresses by the 3rd grade.
I started painting in watercolors when I was a teenager and, during my twenties, I was active in art fairs, area exhibits and several art groups. During that time, I married, taught speech and drama at the High School level and had two children, so painting began to take a back seat to family. I continued to do creative projects, but did not pick up a brush (or pastel) for about 23 years.
My husband, Jeff, and I moved to Huntsville, Texas in the 80’s and opened our real estate company and our busy lives got a whole lot busier. Fortunately, about 12 years ago one of my old painting buddies introduced me to pastel painting and I fell in love with art all over again. I have also been blessed to study with some outstanding artists and am at a point in my artistic journey and life that is allowing me more time to get “brush mileage” and hopefully apply some of the “head knowledge” people have generously shared with me.
PSST; Where do you paint? Home, studio, corner of a room? How is it set up?
PM: I paint anywhere I can. As a full time real estate agent, I have been known to take a small painting set up to open houses and I try to keep some art materials in my car in case I have a few minutes to stop and sketch a scene while I wait on appointments. I am never bored! What a gift it is to see the world with an eye for creation.
I do have a studio in my home that is set up and ready to go whether I can grab 10 minutes to paint or have a whole day at the easel. That’s the beauty of the pastel medium for me. Those pastels stay ready and there are no brushes to clean, no paints to dry. I can work on a piece today and if I don’t get back to it for a while…it’s perfectly fine.
My very favorite thing to do is painting on location—en plein air—and I have a teeny little pastel box that I can toss in the boat, truck, RV or wherever and be set up and painting in minutes. So many artists have to juggle another career with their art and I have a real passion for helping us all learn to work art into life in any way possible.
PSST: What is your subject matter and how do you choose it?
PM: I will try to paint anything and everything. I enjoy the landscape immensely, figures are challenging (and so much fun) and still life pieces appeal to me occasionally.
PSST: What is your art background? Academic, self-taught, workshops?
PM: I have a Fine Arts degree from Sam Houston State University, but would have to say that the workshop environment has been the most beneficial aspect in developing a style and skill set. For years I would attend a workshop, get motivated and learn some new techniques, but then come home and have very little time to practice. But the wonderful things I learned from artists like Maggie Price, Desmond O’Hagan, Lois Griffel, Margaret Dyer, Julia Patterson and recently Tony Allain, have filled my head and heart with ideas and processes that I will always be grateful for.
PSST: How do you describe your painting style and color choices?
PM: My style is still evolving. That makes me smile because I have always known how I wanted to paint, but have been sidetracked, from time to time, trying to paint like this artist or that artist that I admire. I love loose, painterly work and strong color and, although I use a lot of neutral color, I really enjoy making broad strokes of bold color.
PSST: If you paint from life (plein air or a model), describe an interesting or funny experience.
PM: I have an RV that is my traveling studio and I have made a number of painting trips to paint scenery from life. The best trip
ever was in the Fall of 2013 when I traveled to Terlingua, Texas ( about 15 hours from my house) to paint the Texas/Mexico border with the Outdoor Painters Society. Also, painting outdoors in Jackson Hole, Wyoming was a great experience. We played Christmas carols in September to keep the bears away.
PSST: What do you consider your best painting ever and why?
PM: Hmmm. A few years ago, I was commissioned to do a rodeo scene of a 16 year old calf roper. This painting, “Yeah Buddy” was a Father’s Day gift and was a somewhat abstracted painting of the boy and his horse. I knew, the minute the family saw the piece, that the art told the story. The painting has a place of honor in their home and I am glad to have been able to save that moment in time for them.
PSST: What art events do you have scheduled?
PM: I’ll be taking my RV to Galveston in a few days for a week of plein air painting on the Gulf of Mexico. My friend, Julia, and I will be camping and painting on the beach and attending the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas (PSST) show and reception at the Third Coast Gallery.
PSST: How do you sell/show your work? Galleries, online, home studio tour, open house?
PM: I have had a number of one and two man shows and am making plans to hold an open studio tour in the Spring of 2016. Selling art on line has been beneficial to me as well. This is a great opportunity to invite you to visit my website and view my work ....www.pammarkam.com. Entering a few on line shows is something I will be doing in the future.
PM: Do you have any marketing or exhibiting tips that you would like to share?
Paint, paint, paint and then put your art out for someone to see. Facebook is good and get a website. There is a joy in sharing your art and also in seeing what other people are doing. Don’t wait, like I did, for the right time to do art. It’s like having a baby---there’s never a perfect time.
PSST: What social media, websites or art-focused groups are you associated with?
PM: I love PSST. It is wonderful to have a group of “like minded” people who are like me. Not everyone understands how it “feels” to be an artist.
I am a member of KAWA, a professional women’s art group, some out of state pastel societies and a member of several area art leagues.
I have a wonderful Facebook friend community and enjoy seeing art from all over the world in all mediums. It thrills me to message back and forth with painters from the other side of the world.
PSST: What are your goals as an artist?
PM: I want to be more and more productive and I believe that my work will continue to improve as a result. I want to help other artists on their journey to fit art into busy lifestyles.
My goal is to be the artist that God intends for me to be and I am willing to let him guide this journey.
PSST: What do you hope people gain from viewing your work?
PM: Connection.
I like for the art to tell the viewer a story, give a sense of place and maybe make them wonder a little.
PSST: Who or what has been your greatest source of encouragement?
PM: This is a tough question—so many things have kept me going against the odds. My family, collectors, friends, other artists have all responded to my efforts. Maggie Price was the first person to tell me that my art was really good. She appreciated my style, although it was different from hers. I miss her every time I step up to the easel.
PSST: Is there a single incident, a quote, or an award that will always have special meaning to you and why?
PM: Psalm 143:8 –"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you." This is my favorite scripture quote and inspires me to look at each day as a new day for whatever comes my way. I have no idea where my life journey will take me, but I am ready to step out in the path and go with it.
PSST: What is your “favorite thing” you use in painting? A special gadget or tool you have discovered or a special technique that you have developed that you would pass on to others?
PM: That would be my iPhone. Photos, notes, quotes, music to distract me so that I don’t “noodle” on my painting—my phone connects me to all things art, family, friends.
Visit Pam's website at: http://pammarkham.com/