Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey NaPier.
Kelsey, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Picture a 5-year-old girl in a neon, fish-print swimsuit and a beret, slinging a waterproof camera around her neck while surfing and throwing up the shaka. That pretty much summarizes my childhood… and my adulthood!
Art has always been a big part of my life. From turning my parent’s garage into a studio as a kid growing up in Hawaii, to studying film and art at USC, I have always told stories visually. Now I make large oil paintings in my backyard in Santa Monica, still inspired by the visual splendor of Hawaii.
Most of my skills are self-taught. I immerse myself in surroundings that offer me challenging new ideas; I seek out techniques from other painters and photographers I admire, study their work, and learn how to better express my own vision on the canvas. My internet search history is filled with painting tutorials and my apartment is filled with books about painting, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Creating art has always presented its challenges to me. The technical skills of manipulating oil takes years to master and dedication to the craft. The desire to create art has always been integral to who I am, and I cannot imagine NOT creating art. I have been painting for as long as I can remember. It is important for me to protect some of my time to be creative and experimental and to develop techniques and styles that can be used later in commissioned pieces, but of course it is hard to find time in the day for experimentation and all my commissioned work.
From the initial vision for a painting to scheduling time behind the easel to working with a client, there is always something that can be improved. My goal with every new piece is to make it better than the one I made before – whether it is using a new brush, experimenting with different color palettes and canvases, or just refining my eye.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I create paintings – both by commission and selling my inventory of original pieces. I love painting large landscapes that incorporate elements of abstraction and atmosphere, ocean and waves, trees, flowers, clouds, and delicate reflections of light and shadow. Every piece has a story behind it, and I document the creative process as I go by taking photos of the work as it develops. That way I can show whoever might be interested in purchasing a piece the entire creative life of the painting.
I’m really proud of my collaborations on my commissioned work. I like to think of paintings as being alive! They start as the nucleus of an idea, which the client and I tease out into some rough sketches. Then I draft the painting using traditional mediums and Adobe Creative Suite products to begin developing the color palate, composition, and story. My skills with the software help set me apart from other painters because I can use it to develop several drafts using different sizes and designs and present the paintings in different displays for the client, so they are satisfied with the vision. Of course, the software is only used to give the client a rough idea of the final product – the painting really come to life as the oil hits the canvas, and the idea becomes art.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have been blessed with some incredible good luck- a loving and supportive family, and creative friends who push me to new artistic endeavors. On the other hand, the path to becoming a successful painter is filled with challenges, and waiting for luck to bring success will only lead to failure. I have always worked as hard as I can to create my own good luck.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kelseynapier.com
- Email: kelseymnapier@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Jeff Langlois
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