Alyice: While Rebecca Beal was raising her children, she spent most of her career in sales. Then, one day everything changed. After the loss of her father she experienced several health issues that resulted in over ten major surgeries, a heart attack and moving in with her mom.
Sixteen years later she talks how her life has changed-how those events gave her the time to explore her creative side, taught her to love what she does for a living and gave her the chance to create a career in arts that has placed her creations in the hands of collectors all around the world.Alyice Welcome to our studio Rebeccal Rebecca, plielise tell our viewers why did you choose oil paints as your medium?
Rebecca: Shortly after high school i began painting with a local portrait artist-that was my first introduction and experience with oil paints, i fell in love with the medium right away. I have tried others, but have sways come back to oils
Several of my contemporaries have moved to acrylics but I will probably never make that move. I love the richness of the colours
Alyice: What is the best part about working with oils? Rebecca: I love the way the paint flows, the variations I can capture, the ability
to blend colours, and layer the paint. I have tried many mediums and some of the techniques that I have learned... I come back to my oil paintings.
Alyice: How do you choose the subject of your painting?
Rebecca: A lot of my subjects are from my travels.
I am a photographer. I love Europe, old buildings and flowers are everywhere Water has always been one of my favourite things so it is a natural in my paintings.
I love to express light. That's probably the one thing I have practised the most.Whether it is a sunny day or an evening with lights shining, I try to notice everything. It is definitely the light that I want to stand out
Alyice What is your creative process like?
Rebecca I practiced certain techniques until they became automatic
I go to my easel and start drawing. I can easily change my idea while painting Quite often i finish with something very different than what I started with
I study anything and everything I can find i have successfully adapted some styles into my style and some I still struggle with today
Success is creating an energetic, but peaceful setting that I would enjoy seeing (visiting) every day-and completing this process by having someone connect with the work.
Alyice What is the worst thing you've seen someone do to an oil painting, and what do you wish you could've told that artist?
Rebecca. Overworking the paint If the colour doesn't work like you intended, use your turpentine to remove it (that's painting too) or wait unti it dries. Keep the colours clean, not muddy
Alyice Thank you Rebecca. It was great talking to you. Rebecca:Thank you Alyice.