Artist Statement:I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t creating, drawing or painting. I grew up watching my mom, Lois Huntzicker, who is an artist, create realistic graphite drawings that captured every detail and the complete essence of her animal subjects. I developed a respect and passion for art as I watched her as an artist and helped at her art shows. Aware of this passion for art at a very young age helped me discover my path. I earned a Bachelors of Fine Art degree from Montana State University in 2009. My contemporary fine art training at MSU as well as my upbringing surrounded by local artists helped me on my path to find my artistic voice.
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Why I paint: |
Recently I had a fellow artist tell me that my paintings were “true to nature” and that it was “refreshing to see”. This was an amazing compliment, which got me thinking – why is it so important to me to me that my paintings capture an honest, unfiltered moment of nature?
I grew up with Montana’s wilderness as my playground. We lived far enough out of town that my weekends were spent playing in the mud, catching frogs and turning a densely overgrown piece of the forest into a playhouse with my sister. We were fortunate to have the best of Montana’s nature literally outside our back door. This is the first key to why it is so important to me to have some hint or aspect of nature in my artwork – simply stated, it is what inspires. Through my artwork I strive to bring a level of respect to my animal subjects, large, small, feathery and fuzzy. I am especially interested in capturing their ‘reality’, which includes every quirk and imperfection. I believe sometimes imperfections are what make them unique and special. This is key to why I paint what I paint and the subjects I choose. There is something honest and pure about someone’s character when they let their own quirky imperfections show. I work to highlight that honesty in my artwork. I strive to have my paintings be true to the subject’s nature. Without that level of honesty, I don’t think you can truly experience the subject in it’s entirety. |
Tools: |
I take pride in the quality supplies that I use. I like to ensure that every painting and print will have a long, archival life with as little color fading as possible.
Paint: I use Michael Harding oil paints, the reason I chose this specific brand is that they are made by hand using techniques which date back to the days of the Old Masters. They have an ideal texture for layering colors and creating a visual, complex color depth. Michael Harding paints are PACKED full of pigments, the greater the pigment content of a paint the greater the resistance it has to fading. I love the archival quality of this paint, as well as the vibrant color that is achieved with such a quality paint. Canvas and Linen Board: I paint on archival linen and archival canvas board. The reason I choose this surface is because the board keeps the fabric surface extremely tight with minimal flexing that could potentially damage the painting. I also like the thinner surface because it is much easier to frame. (Usually stretched canvas is slightly thicker than a frame will fit, which makes the frame not sit flat against the wall.) I am sure to use only archival quality painting surfaces to ensure there will be minimal warping and damage due environmental effects over time. Limited Edition Prints: My giclee prints are printed on fine art printing canvas. My prints are varnished with a printing varnish that locks every ink pigment into place, and prevents environmental damage and fading. |