February Artist of the Month
Meet Felicia Tuttle
Felicia Tuttle is an abstract wildlife artist and works mainly in acrylic paints and mediums. She sometimes dabbles in oils, pencils and charcoal. She went to college for Business and worked in the IT Technology/Procurement Industries for Law and FinTech firms for over 20 years. She’s a member of Howard Street Studios located in Framingham, Massachusetts.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND…
I’m a self-taught artist and have been drawing since I was a little girl. I’ve always had a knack for it. I can remember getting in trouble in Middle School for doodling in Social Studies class. I knew then that I wanted to major in Art but life had other plans for me and so I got a Business Degree. That never stopped me from creating art. I always found a way to do it whether it was sketching in class or anywhere on campus. After graduation, I worked in the Information Technology industry, got married and found my 1st studio at Fountain Street Studios in Framingham, while raising 2 boys.
At work, I always found a way to do something art related and even encouraged co-workers to follow by hosting creative projects and events like designing/coloring well wish post cards for a charity while promoting health and wellness by practicing mindfulness. I believe that creating art is something that all of us can do. We just need to revisit/rediscover that creativity within us and not be intimidated by it. I’m very passionate about this idea and have hosted many artistic events to encourage it. Art has always been my North Star. Recently I’ve decided to be a full-time artist and finally realized that this is truly what I want to do because it’s who I am.
WHAT DO YOU PAINT?…
I paint what I see, feel or just what looks right to me at that time. My subjects vary. I love to paint wildlife as well as people. I usually strive to paint what inspires me no matter how difficult the subject is. I love the challenge! I mainly work off of photos as a reference/guide. I find it amazing that a particular photo can trigger off major waves of inspiration for me.
Sometimes acts of senseless tragedy and terror can trigger sadness and anger within me. It’s during these moments that I realize that I need to paint how I feel!! The act of painting can be a great medium to use especially when words just doesn’t cut it. If something, like current news events, really upsets me, painting is usually the way that I deal with it…I find it to be very therapeutic for me.
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS?…
When I’m in my art studio, I paint what I see, feel or sometimes just what looks right. To me, the style isn’t important. What’s important is the act of painting, drawing and creating. I don’t specialize – in fact I use different styles and techniques as a way to advance my creative skills. It allows me to continue to create without getting bored and gives me a fresh perspective when I come back to a particular work.
I take photos and use them as a reference for my paintings. I love the flexibility of being able to capture a subject in a certain light in a photo and then trying to capture the same light, emotions, and feeling in a painting. It won’t be exactly like the photo but the challenge is quite satisfying.
WHY DO YOU PAINT?…
I love the challenge and the ability to create whatever inspires me. I also find it very satisfying when I have clients that really appreciate my work. It’s a really great feeling knowing that my efforts have a positive effect on others.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NEXT?…
My current work explores abstraction and wildlife, with creative mixed media/mediums, mixed in with splashes of color. I love playing with the idea of combining realism with a splash of abstraction. I use acrylic to paint this idea on different surfaces, canvas, cradle wood, paper etc.
Every painting and drawing that I create teaches me something new to get better at my art and its process. It gives me the ability to explore and find new ways to create the next painting. I don’t think of Art as a task but more of a challenge that can result in infinite possibilities and outcomes.
