PAMELA J. BATES

 

 

 1. Share a bit about you and how you became an artist.

 

I was raised in Hampton, New Hampshire, a mile from the beach, and about 50 minutes by car from Boston. My parents always encouraged our creativity (I am the youngest of 5) and expression. My Mom even painted a big sun on my sister’s ceiling and animals on the wall of my bedroom. They allowed us to paint on the basement walls and I have fond memories of a kid’s craft book and picking out projects to do with my Mom.

I spent a lot of time outside in nature playing with the neighborhood kids, or on the sand beachcombing, swimming and building sandcastles at the beach.

I also remember being creatively encouraged in kindergarten, when my teacher brought in a stack of old wallpaper books and gave us free-range to create anything our hearts desired. I made a set of paper dolls with the most amazing wardrobe by collaging, something I do in my work to this day, all those wallpaper patterns.

 

 

 

 Artist: Pamela J. Bates, USA

 

 

 

2. For artists who've always lived in their birth country, how does your homeland inspire your art?

Artists who born and raised in different countries, how do those experiences influence your art?

 

I have lived in the United States my whole life. Does that inspire me in obvious ways? Perhaps the expressive freedom I have in my work is somehow influenced by my country. My husband is from Dublin and I think that, along with my college experience in NYC and living with a Polish American, a first generation Cuban American and first generation Dominican, gave me first hand insight into other cultures which I fully embraced and love. It excited me to learn about the traditions of different cultures and countries.

 

 

 

 

3. Can you describe your art and your art style? What does your work aim to say?

 

I paint what I refer to as soul-fueled abstract art. It is colorful, expressive and quite free. I may incorporate fields of color or a lot of mark making in my work. It honestly depends on the day and my mood. I don’t limit myself to one style. I tend toward rule-breaking and painting the same way every day would feel very constraining.

I paint most often with acrylics, but sometimes with watercolor, and collage. I start out nearly all my work with No. 2 pencil, like we used in school. Just to get the creative energy flowing. I absolutely love adding more layer and texture to my work and incorporate any and everything I can including acrylic ink, house paint, india ink, colored pencils, soft pastels, gouache, oil pastels. The list is endless, really.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Who are your biggest influences?

 

I have been a lover of the Impressionists for as long as I can remember. I even had a poster of Renoir’s "The Swing" in my bedroom as a teen. I am especially drawn to Monet, I think likely because he leaned a little toward abstracting things beyond where the movement was at the time. If you look at his later works, they could be considered forebearers of the abstract movement to come.

I never "understood" abstract art until I began to paint. Then I saw a photo of Helen Frankenthaler sitting on her beautiful, big, bold, expressive abstract canvas and it clicked. It wasn’t about understanding it in the traditional way, but rather "feeling" it.

Soon after I discovered Cy Twombly and Joan Mitchell, both of whose work I love. Contemporary artists still working…..Ken Done, who is a legend in Australia. His work is pure joy, very gestural, but also graphic at the same time. And I love his energy, so that makes it easy to love his work.

I would be very remiss if I didn’t mention John Singer Sargent whose work changed my life. It was his painting El Jaleo at the Gardner Museum in Boston that caused me to have the epiphany that I HAD to pick up a paintbrush and paint. His work, both small watercolors, to large works like El Jaleo and the portraits he is known for are exceptional.

Henri Matisse and his use of color, whether in his paintings or his cutout always makes me want to dive deeper in understanding colors.
I could go on and on about artists who inspire me.

 

 

 

 

5. How has your career developed and evolved?

 

While I was creative all my life, I wasn’t a painter. I graduated from college in NYC with a B.A. in Communications. Though, I did remember recently that at one point I actually considered switching to art school, I think mostly because what I was studying didn’t feel creative enough. In my previous career, I owned my own graphic design/marketing/pr firm. I was a one girl show (as I am now), who was burnt out from being attached to a keyboard, mouse and screen for 23 years.

Then I went to The Gardner, was absolutely awestruck by Singer Sargent’s El Jaleo, went home and picked up a brush, used what I had on hand (crayola watercolors and copy paper) and haven’t stopped yet.

I transitioned out of my other business over the course of 2-3 years and painted as much as I could. I’ve shown up on Instagram and been dedicated to building my community and collector base. I’ve been open to opportunities and have exhibited my work in Boston, Portsmouth and Exeter, New Hampshire (one of which I created/curated and marketed myself…..yes, you CAN do that) and most recently in Newburyport, MA.

This summer I have a solo exhibit in York, Maine at a lovely new gallery that I’m looking forward to creating a body of work for, currently letting ideas flow. I am the feature artist (again) next month at a really lovely shop.

One way that I’ve connected with my Collectors is through my Collectors Club that I created as an homage to my Dad who had a knack for bringing people together to have fun. Collectors Club takes place on my Instagram feed and sometimes features art auctions, gratitude pricing, new art drops, or collection releases. I think of it as an online art exhibit where we get together and connect through art. All in all I just keep taking the next step.

 

 

 

 

6. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?

 

I see myself continuing to paint. I’d like to try some 3d/sculpture work. I want to keep learning and growing as an artist. If the right opportunities to exhibit my work more or be part of a gallery roster c opened up to me, that would interest me. I would have to be the right fit- there has to be a positive, happy vibe and a good person-to-person connection. I want to paint larger and larger.

While I DO paint large, I have storage constraints in my studio that is based in my home, but am working on a way to solve that. I would like to collaborate with more artists on projects that feel like a bit of an adventure. I’d like to work with more organizations, because it has felt so incredible to make a difference with my art.

Most of all I want to continue to make art, teaching my approach and process (in the backyard modern barn studio and gallery space I dream about), inspiring others to make art, and sharing the radical joy soul-fueled art has brought to my life.

 

 

 

 

 7. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?

 
I think the best piece of advice was from my parents, my husband, family and friends who all said to me, "of COURSE, you can do this", when I told them of my plan to make art my full-time career. I use that advice in everything I do in my art practice and career. If there is a technique I want to know, I find a way to learn it. Because "Of course, I CAN do this".

I like to think out of the box, get out of my comfort zone and try new things. I look at challenges as reasons to find new ways to do things. I take one step at a time and create my own opportunities and say yes to others.

 

 

  

  Artist: Pamela J. Bates, USA

 

 

 

 8. How do you balance your personal life and your art practice?

 

When I transitioned from my old business, part of what I wanted to do was be in nature more after having been attached to technology so much.
I take the dog out to the woods behind our house almost every day and give him a good run, and get my nature fix. Getting outside sets me up for the rest of the day. I don’t have kids, so I don’t have to deal with that balancing act.

That said, my Mom is 90 and I’m one of her go-to people and she is a priority in my life. As is my husband, my family and friends. You have to remember what is most important. Treat your business as a business. Show up every day, have a set time, and then at the end of the day, check out the best you can.

Sometimes I go back into the studio but usually after my husband’s gone to bed. Also if I am doing business end tasks, especially ones that don’t make my heart sing, I will set a timer and work in time blocks. That helps a lot.

 

 

 

 

9. How do you balance social media and your art creation?

 

I am on my phone more than I would like, editing video and photos and creating reels and posts, responding to comments and DMs, supporting other artists. I do my best to recognize when it’s too much. An art friend of mine says create before consuming. If I have too, I put the phone in the other room so I can get painting. That works really well. It’s kind of like the work blocks. Needless to say, art as a business, is a juggling act on so many fronts including social media

 

 

 

 

 10. Can you share your favorite quote and what it means to you?

 

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." -Ralph Waldo Emerson I’ve always loved Emerson. This quote always reminds me not to forget what feeds your soul. THEN bring that back to the studio and express it!

 

 

 

 Abstract painting by Pamela J. Bates, USA

 

 

 

 11. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists or those thinking of starting an art career?

 

Do the work, the rest will follow. If you do the work……get in there and paint and explore and look at art as an adventure, your style will reveal itself to you. When you see art that you love, dig deeper. Ask yourself what it is about the work that makes you love it…..is it the colors? The freedom and energy? The composition? The medium? The texture? The subject? Hone in on exactly what speaks to you and then try to capture THAT in your work.

As far as the tough parts about being an artist, especially today, is that social media can be a double edged sword. You connect with so many people that way but I have had my share of people (that I don’t know) feel it is their responsibility to critique my work and tell me that a 5 year old can do it. If you are going to be a working artist who shares their work, you MUST have thick skin. You need to be concerned with making what YOU need to make. Not somebody else’s opinion of it. Get stuck into the process because that is where it is at; that is the art. The painting is the result.

 

 

 

 

12. Where can people find your art?

 

Answer: You’ll find me nearly every day on Instagram at @pamelajbates, on Facebook at @pamelabatesstudio, online at http://www.pamelabates.com 

Currently, my work is at Windows On Water Gallery in Exeter, NH.

I am the Featured Artist at Apotheca in Goffstown, NH for the month of March and will be at Blue Door Gallery in York in July & August.

 

 

 

Contact Details: