Today we’d like to introduce you to Colleen Hennessy.
Colleen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was trained as a photographer, but began painting in 2005, while I lived in Honduras as a Peace Corps Volunteer. My inspiration in the jungle was the plants and the people, and I often used my photographs for reference. I moved from acrylics to oils when I returned to Colorado. Oil paints allow us to create artworks with a relief surface, apply spectacular strokes, and experiment with textures. It is one of the most “tactile” mediums; you can perfectly feel each stroke you lay, which makes oil painting relaxing and therapeutic.
I was selected for an art residency at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition in Denver. Later, I received the Eric Porter Scholarship at Art Gym Denver, where I painted for three years. At this time, I work in my home studio. I participate in solo and group exhibits around Denver and Colorado.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are always challenges with any art form. Space, finances, and a lack of marketing skills have been my big ones. Overcoming obstacles as an artist requires shifting your mindset from waiting for inspiration to building steady habits. Common roadblocks like creative block, self-doubt, and lack of time can be beaten by lowering the pressure to be perfect. It’s all about the process.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Improvement in one’s craft comes through experience and hard work, but inspiration is also vital for the artist aiming to develop their talent fully. My creative fire is ignited by the people I meet. Creating and sharing my work is as essential to my life as eating and sleeping. The primary catalyst for my efforts is the joy I experience and can share with others. My creative spark is fueled by the people I have met during my travels to places like Mexico, Honduras, and Ireland. Photography and painting have truly enriched my life—filling it with endless visual excitement, as well as the challenge and satisfaction of capturing moments. They are a way of engaging with the world, of participating in life. These two mediums celebrate life’s events and wonders. People and landscapes are my favorite subjects, whether at home or abroad. To see, react, and record is my ongoing pursuit, with no shining end in sight—only the desire to keep striving.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
People don’t know that I was a photographer for many years before becoming a painter. The two media complement one another, and I continue to use special photo oils to hand-paint some of my photographs.
Pricing:
- Most of my works are under $225.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://colleenhennessy.wixsite.com/original-works-by-ch
- Instagram: @cohennes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cohennes
