Conversations with Raemi Anderson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Raemi Anderson.

Hi Raemi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a native Coloradoan. I grew up in the suburbs of Denver Colorado, Northglenn Co to be exact. My parents came to Colorado in 1963 and have lived in the same house I grew up in. They came from humble beginnings in a very small town in Northwestern Illinois. My dad fell in love with the mountains, and while in college he hitchhiked across the US in hopes of reaching Alaska in the 1950s before reaching Alaska, ran out of money.

He had a great and very influential friend, who invited him to work with him in the Grand Tetons/Yellowstone area to earn money so that he could get back home and return to college. Once he arrived in the Tetons, he fell in love with nature and this is where his friend taught him photography, fishing, and loving the wilderness through conservation. When he returned home after that summer, he knew that the mountains were calling him and he would one day return to them, to live and raise his family. That break came eventually after he met my mom and together, they came to Colorado.

All of these wonderful influences in his earlier life were shown to his 3 girls, which meant I grew up camping, and traveling across the US, and by the time I was 13 years old, we had covered half of the US, camped, hiked etc. and often, these locations were off the beaten path. My dad gave me my first camera as a child, and he often would give me a slight critique of my work and just a ton of encouragement along the way to improve my skills. I cannot thank him enough for how he encouraged me to see nature using a camera, for going to unique places throughout the US, to National Parks, and for showing me why we need to appreciate and care for nature as much as we can. These lessons have impacted my entire life I guess one could say and this in turn has influenced my photography and art.

I went to college at Fort Lewis, in Durango my first year and later transferred to Metropolitan State College where I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology. It was in my last year of college where I did an internship that I discovered how important art is to the human psyche. My internship was under a renowned addictions professor by the name of Doctor Harvey Milkman, who believed that intervention and introducing young people to art, as well as other healthy pursuits, could impact and change the trajectory of their lives and addictive behavior if given a chance to discover themselves and expressing it through the arts. My job during the internship was to be the program’s photographer, document their changes, as well as help in the various classes we offered, art being one of them. Those important lessons that we taught these juvenile delinquents would later come back to me as I began my journey into art and photography.

After college, I pursued becoming a counselor and later, I worked in Human Resources. With that, I witnessed a huge shift in society with layoffs, etc. About 14 years ago, I was laid off from my as a Career Counselor for a local college. While lecturing to my students one day about pursuing passions, and adding value to their chosen professions, I was telling myself that I needed to take my advice and start pursuing what I wanted out of life. I was being tapped on the shoulder by the Universe, (saying do you hear yourself?) that maybe I needed to pay attention to what I truly wanted in life, and low and behold, that was my childhood dream of pursuing photography. The universe responded and I lost my job due to layoffs. From the ashes of losing my job and with the encouragement and support of my husband, and encouraging friends, I opened an online shop through Esty’s platform in 2010 and created what I would like to call my second child, Smokin Mud Productions.

In the beginning, Smokin Mud Productions offered more than just photography, handmade jewelry, pillows, cards, etc. These days, I have been concentrating on selling my landscape photography and will soon be adding my artwork in pastels which are also focused on landscapes, watercolor and possibly doing more of the photo encaustic photography work. As I have evolved since 2010, so too have my passions for both art and photography, which gets me excited to get up in the mornings.

When Covid 19 hit, I was given an opportunity while at home to try other artistic pursuits and a couple of mediums continued to pull on my heartstrings watercolor, pastels, and Encaustic Wax which was used with some of my photography. This is probably the best thing Covid brought to my life as it forced me to entertain my brain with other pursuits and a calling that has been there for a very long time, I just wasn’t listening to it.

Today, due to various time constraints, I am having to stay closer to home and do a lot of work in my studio. My studio is set up more for pastel work and I am very focused on finding local landscape scenes nearer to home, Standly Lake in Westminster Colorado is a place where I often seek refuge because it is so close by. When time permits, and because I am so into nature, I am taking myself and my studio outside. Often, I have my camera with me and now my art gear to do what the master’s did which was Plein Air studies, Monet for example. Sitting outside with my art gear, my pastels, and sketchbooks, has forced me to slow down and it uses a different part of my brain.

I find myself studying nature more in-depth, I look at the way the light hits the tops of the trees, or a tree trunk, a petal on a flower, the way the clouds have a variety of colors in them, the smells of the earth and the sounds, etc. I believe that this in turn is captured in my paintings, and it’s made me a better photographer. Photography has impacted my art skills and my art skills have made me a better photographer.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been the smoothest of roads. I think as a creative spirit you must be willing to look at yourself and what you are putting into the world and how what you do, can very much impact how others connect to your art. I would say that a lot has changed in society, especially in the past 4 years since Covid. People have less money to buy art or to spend their hard-earned cash on what could be called a luxury item.

Being a woman, raising a family, working full time, and pursuing my craft, has forced me to be a good multitasker. This has not been easy, but necessary to pursue my passion. I often ensure that I am up early during the work week, and use one weekend day to dedicate time to my studio. (Thankfully, I have a husband and my now grown son, who have been very supportive of my creative pursuits). At night, while I am sitting with my husband, I often work on thumbnail sketches, and at bedtime read a lot of photography and art materials.

When I walk, which is generally about 4 to 5 times a week for exercise, I am constantly, without even knowing I am doing it, studying the composition in my landscape, taking quick study photos with my phone camera, and studying the color all around me. It can be stressful to make time but it’s necessary when pursuing a dream. I will not let that dream die. I must keep going for it, even if it means I will be 90 when the time comes.

What does success mean to you?
Such a great question. This is a moving target. I say this because, over time, we evolve and change, and with it, our needs and aspirations. Success to me with my photography and art has more to do with my ability to make other people connect to a scene. Maybe it evokes a childhood memory, maybe it makes them feel at Peace or maybe they decide that the piece you made, just speaks to them. They may not be sure why but they can’t take their eyes off of the photo/art piece.

Success also means being able to balance my life’s demands with my husband, son, mom, friends, and a full-time job. It’s ensuring that I connect with or try to connect with them, not making them feel neglected when I pursue my passions. I am not as successful in this area of my life right now but doing my best to honor those relationships. It’s been a particularly hard year, due to my momma’s ailing health challenges but I still make time for my art.

Success would also mean that more people start to see my work and would not only connect with my work but also want to own it. When someone purchases your work for their home, it’s a huge honor. They are welcoming you into their home OR if they give a piece to their loved ones, knowing that they would love it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Smokinmudproductions
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smokinmudproductions/?hl=de

Image Credits
Raemi Anderson