Quickie Artist Interview Series
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Interview With Shelley Grund
Today I had the honor of interviewing Shelley Grund, artist and gallery owner. Shelley opened her gallery in October of 2007, complete with a studio and retail area for local artists. Shelley’s blog caught my attention when I discovered that every year she dedicates late winter/early spring to the Painting A Day Movement in which she only allows herself one hour to complete a painting. Won’t you join me as we discover the significance of painting something—anything—every single day?

How did you get started with the Painting A Day movement?
In 2005 I discovered Duane Keiser and decided to dedicate time to painting small paintings once a day.

What have been the personal rewards when it comes to one painting a day?
By painting something in only one hour once a day I improved my painting skills. Improvement in your art can only come by doing it. These little exercises really help an artist to learn the "shorthand" of painting. Slowly it is less a matter of thinking what it is your painting but more intuitively creating.

You mention that painting a day becomes an exercise, do you look for new techniques to practice each day or week? Or do you simply do your paintings intuitively and what's the benefit of the method you choose?
By doing the paintings every day you get to know your materials so well that it becomes second nature. This includes mixing colors, seeing values, reaching for the right shape/size brush. The subject matter can be the same or different from one time to the next (for instance I've painted eggs several times). I'm not necessarily looking for something new to do or some new technique. I find the subject guides me. And the world is unlimited in subject matter.

Once you no longer have to think about the materials you can concentrate on what you want to say with the painting. You can experiment with your materials, push them a little every time you work with them, learning their limits and discovering new ways to use them. Generally the creation process becomes part of you, the artist, rather than just technique. You are no longer a student learning how to use the materials, you are a "master" painter creating something with the materials.

What has been the professional benefits of committing to a painting a day?
Besides improving my overall ability and thus creating better art, those little exercises have allowed the public the opportunity to purchase a piece of art at a reasonable price. I post my paintings on my website and I have sold most of my painting a days to visitors to my website.

If there was anything you'd do different, now that you¹ve been doing the Painting A Day for awhile, what would it be?
Do it more often! It takes a lot of discipline to dedicate yourself to a "painting a day". The benefits out-weight the inconvenience. I’ve become aware of the passage of time and regret that I haven't painted more.