By NVOS artist Karen Lynn Ingalls
New NVOS artist Jean Cullinane describes creativity as "the edge between what I know and what I don't know." As she says, "I can be totally surprised by how a piece will emerge or change when I allow myself to be on that edge. If I can imagine just what will happen next, there is no excitement, no motivation. This is the joy of oils; I can scrape back, sand, glaze, re-work the piece until I love the final result. This is the process; this is the joy; this is why I love starting each new painting no matter the subject."Painting is a second career for Jean. Growing up here in Northern California, she had absolutely no art education. Just a few years ago, as an adult with grown children and a long bookkeeping career, she followed her deepest yearnings and went back to school, receiving B.A. in Studio Art, with a minor in Art History, from Sonoma State University.
Jean's oil paintings begin with a toned ground, frequently in the primary subject's complementary color. After laying in the composition in grey tones, she adds basic colors, then numerous layers of glazes to enhance the color and light effects. It's a time-consuming method, but Jean finds the results well worth the effort.
Although her primary work is in oils, Jean also creates both representational and abstract work in acrylic, pastel, gouache ink, watercolor, and collage. You can see her paintings at the Artists of the Valley Gallery in Napa; her work has also graced the covers of three Napa Valley College Community Education catalog covers.
During Open Studios, you can visit Jean and see her artwork at Studio #32, with Dave and Terri Courtney, at 3151 Sunnydale Drive, in Napa, California. You can also find her work online at: www.JeanCullinaneArt.com.
NVOS artist Karen Lynn Ingalls writes for this blog and our Facebook page (seen it yet?) and paints, paints, paints. You can see her artwork during Open Studios at Studio #48, with Sequoia Buck, west of Calistoga, and online at www.KarenLynnIngalls.com. She also teaches art classes and workshops, which you can find at www.NapaValleyArtWorkshops.com.
