Today we’d like to introduce you to Alley Auchter.
Hi Alley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I’ve been an artist my entire life, from the days of Lite-Brite and Etch-a-Sketch. Both of my parents are artists – my mom designed board games and my dad was a potter – so I grew up in a home where art was already a staple. Art was always my favorite subject in school, and I was an art major for my freshman year of college. I ended up changing majors after that for various reasons, and for the rest of college, I didn’t have much time to devote to art.
I didn’t really get back into traditional art until a couple years after college. I did create in other ways during that time – I’m a full-time graphic designer so creativity is a daily practice. However, I still felt a hole in my life, and I grew to realize that despite my design work, I wasn’t fully fulfilled unless I was creating with a traditional medium, like paint.
I picked up my paintbrush again at the start of 2020, and shortly after that, the pandemic gave me plenty of free time to fill with painting. Painting gives me a satisfaction that nothing else does. It feels instinctual, like if I think too much my brain will actually get in the way. That’s part of what I love about it too – it’s a space for me to slow down. Instead of thinking about painting, I find myself appreciating the colors and shapes, and emotions in the subject. I paint things that bring me joy, and painting them gives me an opportunity to study them in detail, which in turn gives me even more appreciation for them.
Now I am finally finding my way as an artist and I can’t imagine my life any other way. I have a studio space, I’m in local galleries and shops, and I have art collectors in countries around the world! It’s a lifelong, constantly evolving journey, and I’m just enjoying the process.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I struggled for a long time to find my medium and my “style”. I tried everything from colored pencils to ink to embossing foil to printmaking to painting (with many types of paint). I wanted to find the one that felt most right for me and devote myself to becoming really good with that medium. While trying all of those different things I felt a lot of frustration because while I enjoyed all of it, I didn’t feel like I’d found what I was looking for yet and I almost felt like I was wasting valuable time. That stage spanned from middle school all the way past college, so it was a long time of trying to figure out what was “right” for me.
But now I think all of that exploration was very important for me! I still enjoy trying new mediums and I think it’s valuable for artists to always continue exploring! I also highly recommend that anyone interested in art try as many creative mediums as possible because there are SO many out there and I truly think there’s something out there for everyone, you just may not have found it yet.
“Style” was probably an even bigger struggle. For a long time, I felt like I had to be doing something unique and different from anything else out there. But that just caused everything I created to feel very forced. Usually, I’d start a style phase thinking “woohoo this is it; this is new and different and my own!” and then I’d discover that there are already tons of people out there doing the same type of thing. It was exhausting.
It took me a long time, but I finally realized that doing something totally unique is not what will make me feel fulfilled. Creating in an authentic and natural way is what makes me feel fulfilled. Once I stopped trying to force a style is actually when I found it. It doesn’t even really feel like a style because it’s just how I naturally paint, but sometimes I’ll be told by people that they find my style so interesting. I’m always pleasantly surprised by that because I don’t feel like I’m doing anything particularly different. But that’s how I know I’ve found it because I’m not trying to find it. It is the little nuances that are just naturally there, in the brushstrokes and the creative choices, almost like a fingerprint.
If you’re someone who is looking for your style my advice is to just create. Over and over again. Hundreds of pieces. You can’t force it or rush it or skip to the end, but in time it will naturally reveal itself. Style is also constantly evolving. My style now may not be my style in 10 years. Because as you change and grow, your style will too. It’s a part of you!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I currently work mainly in water-mixable oil paints. They are basically oil paints but they are altered so that they mix with water. This allows me to avoid harsh solvents that are normally used with oil paints (and avoid buying them!). I have been painting mostly on small wooden panels for the past couple of years, but my goal is to start painting larger.
I paint anything that brings me joy. Often that is landscapes and florals, but I also find myself painting food, animals, and the occasional still life. I haven’t explored portraits yet but maybe down the line! I paint both in my studio and outdoors en plain air.
I don’t take on many commissions but I do take floral commissions! I paint wedding bouquets or any other flowers that have special meaning that someone wants to remember forever. I also hope to start painting live at weddings and events! Please reach out to me through Instagram or email if you are interested in a floral commission or live painting.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I wish I had a better answer to this! In general, I try to limit my digital consumption, but I do follow a lot of social media accounts that I find inspire or uplift me. My favorites are art accounts, mental health accounts, and dog accounts for a daily dose of cuteness!
Contact Info:
- Email: alleyauchtercreative@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alley_auchter_artist/
