Floy Zittin

Name:  Floy Zittin
Website: www.floyzittin.com

What do you do?
 I paint watercolors featuring birds.

Where can we find your work?
 My work is shown locally at ViewpointsGallery in Los Altos and at Studio Seven Gallery in Pleasanton.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
 I consider myself a naturalist as well as an artist and I am continually learning new things about plants and animals through painting.
      

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
 I enjoy the process of painting.  My paintings evolve as I work on them and can go in unexpected directions. Sometimes these are disasters but I enjoy the journey.
   

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
 I am inspired by Japanese and Chinese ink paintings   

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
no idea

When do you get your best ideas?  
 Watching birds in my backyard or hiking with my husband

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
 I have been experimenting working with watercolor on a variety of surfaces.  For several years I was working on canvas and I am now experimenting painting on wood panels.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?  
My formal training was in biology but I studied watercolor technique under Jane Hofstetter and taken numerous workshops.  It took a while to gain confidence because I did not have a formal degree.

What would your creative work taste like?
 Fresh produce or something earthy like mushrooms.

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
Travel, hike, birding.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience? 
I began working as a scientific illustrator and later moved to selling my own creations.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?  
The more you paint the better you get and the process of learning can be a lot of fun.

Jane Ferguson

Name: Jane Ferguson
Website: www.janewferguson.com

What do you do?
I am a Fine Artist, my primary mediums are watercolor and acrylics but I enjoy experimenting with mixed media.

Where can we find your work?
The Viewpoints Gallery In Los Altos. I take part in Silicon Valley Open Studios every year. I also show my work with various local art club .Currently I have a solo exhibit of my work at the PHO 69 Restaurant in San Jose called “Outside The Lines In Side The Box” This whole exhibit will be moving to Intero Real Estate in Santana Row in February.

What inspires you to create and how do you keep motivated when things get tough?
I get excited using color and creative designs and look for my inspiration for this in unusual places when I travel and go about my daily life. I enjoy cycling and hiking and these help feed my inspiration. People also fascinate me and what they wear .When my creative juices stop flowing I start to play and take the seriousness out of my work. I reduce the size of the paper or canvas I am working on. Actually some of my best work has been done doing this.

What do you think is more important content/finished product or technique/process?
Both are need to help me grow and improve as an Artist.

Who are some people who influence and/or inspire you?
I am fortunate to belong to an excellent critique group and they have helped to keep me motivated and pushing forward to get better at what I do. Mike Bailey a local art teacher helped me find my own voice by teaching me more about design and less about technique.

If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
Robin Hood

When do you get your best ideas?
First thing in the morning as I am waking up from a good nights sleep.

What materials/tools do you use most to create your work?
I have a huge selection of pens and pencils and all manner of tools to create line in my work. I do use brushes but for my larger abstract canvases I like to use decorating household rollers.

Are you self taught or formally educated? How do you think that has influenced or affected your work?
I am mainly self taught with classes from local artists and workshops arranged by the Santa Clara Watercolor Society. I feel it has allowed me to have more of my own voice and less following a set out path with lots of rules. Although I certainly will use rules to my work when I feel things are not working.

What would your creative work taste like?
Sweet , fruity with zesty under tones and some herbal fragrances.

When you are not creating what do you like to do?
Meet with friends, ride my bicycle, hiking and hang out with my family. I love listening to music and watching a good movie. When I cannot paint creating in the kitchen is also something I enjoy doing.

How did you learn to access your creative talents and gain the confidence to put it out there for everyone to experience?
I feel it has always been there and I have a rather extravert personality . I love meeting people who enjoy my work and will even buy it .It still give me a huge buzz.

What advice would you give others just beginning their creative adventures?
Relax and enjoy what you do. If you are not having fun.....STOP!