Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelica Spears.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I grew up in Tucson, Arizona. From an early age, I enrolled in every school art program that was available. While in high school, I received a few private lessons from local artists such as Victor Navarro and Clement Scott. In 2014, I enrolled in Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) in Laguna Beach, California, where I graduated with a BFA in May. I have participated in several group shows such as LCAD’s A Sojourn in France in 2017 and LCAD’s Juried Student Show in 2015. I have won numerous awards for painting such as the Plotkin Memorial Foundation Award for Fine Arts in 2016 and placed third in the 17th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational in 2015.
Please tell us about your art.
Earlier this year, my body of work consisted of small multimedia studies of artists’ portraits that were lit by colored bulbs. I choose to keep this body of work small in hopes of them feeling more intimate and personal to the viewer, as if having a one on one visual conversation with the subject he or she is observing. I work with a variety of mediums such as oil paint, charcoal, ink and chalk pastel. The portraits begin as faded monoprints on paper, which are later resolved through the application of mixed media such as watercolor, colored pencil, and gouache. The use of colored light brings opportunities to interpret and alter the realities of the subjects (photographs or people). This work explores the balance between seemingly opposite concepts like escape and immersion, representation and imagination, precision and looseness.
Since my graduation, the concepts within my work have evolved. While they are still related to other artists, they have become more personal in their content. Those who I connect with in this new series are artists from the past. These works focus on my relationship with masterpieces by peers who are long gone that had a significant emotional impact on me. I use this correspondence to depict and reflect on, important memories or experiences in my life. These introspective works explore the emotional landscape between art and me. Through adopting aspects of others’ work, implemented in my paintings, I expose this emotional landscape and elucidate the connections between my work and art of the past.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
As an artist, my personal definition of success is doing what I love, and making things that I am proud of. Success doesn’t have to be making a living off my work; it can be discovering a new and exciting way to express an idea, or finding out a new way to paint something. It can be making a visual connection to something that’s important to me, whether it is a place, person, or idea. A characteristic that I believe is essential to become a successful artist is to be dedicated and consistent in your creative process. It’s okay to make a bad painting sometimes, there will always be better ones in the future. Being afraid to make mistakes or failure can lead to frustrating paintings and makes the process less enjoyable, which can lead to a block in an artist’s production. I, of course, have experienced such blocks more times than I can count, but I realized that in order to progress as an individual and an artist, I need to let things go. By doing so, my quality in life and my work has significantly improved. I also think it’s important to network and connect with other artists. It’s good for your mental health and your creative growth!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
If you’d like to see my work, you can visit my website angelicaspears.com, or visit my Instagram (angelicaspearsarttt). My Instagram contains more images of my work and is updated often. I occasionally show in galleries as well, but I don’t belong to any specific one. I am also always happy to welcome anyone who’d like to see my work in person into my studio!
People can support my work in many ways! I have many paintings and drawings that I would love to find a new forever home, so if someone is interested in buying my work, I can be reached by email (angelicaspearsart@gmail.com). However, people don’t have to buy my work to support it! They can also keep up with what I’m doing by following me on Instagram, or sending me emails regarding any questions about my work or life that they may have. I love engaging in art related conversations, and I’m a huge fan of receiving people’s opinions about my work, whether it is constructive criticism or positive feedback. I also occasionally take commissions, so if someone would like a portrait of a loved one or their pet, feel free to get in contact with me!
Contact Info:
- Website: angelicaspears.com
- Phone: 520-392-4250
- Email: angelicaspearsart@gmail.com
- Instagram: angelicaspearsarttt
Image Credit:
All photos are my original works.
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
