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Interviews
An Interview with

Bryan Lynch

by James Leonard-Amodeo
If you're an artist and would like to be interviewed, please contact us.
Please note that there is a fee associated with an interview.
The Directories of American Art Galleries
May 2003
How long have you been painting?
          I have explored art since I was young, but I didn't seriously pursue it until I was a freshman in high school. There I took four years of art and was able to explore different mediums and styles, ranging from pencil to oil. In college, I began to explore and study different subjects and really didn't work on painting for about a year and a half. Then I really felt the tug on my heart to get back into painting. Thus, I declared Art studio as my major at Sacramento State University and studied heavily during the remaining 2 to 3 years in college. Since graduation in May 2001, I have continued to work diligently at developing my own artistic voice.


Is there anything particular you can suggest to beginners for developing an "artistic voice"? And can you define what you mean by "voice"?
          In the beginning, I do not think it is something that an artist should necessarily focus on.  It surely wasn't something that I focused on.  Rather, when I started painting in high school, I was basically trying to get acquainted with oil painting.  Then in college, I began to learn and focus on the fundamentals of what makes a successful painting such as composition, the dynamics of color, value, etc.  The reality is that you are going to do some paintings that later you view as revolting and do not want attached to your name.  But it takes some bad paintings and struggles to grow as an artist.  You've got to continue to paint and work through it.  I define "voice" as the meaning, message and purpose behind an artist's work.  I believe as you continue to grow as an artist, so does your voice.


Do you paint as a hobby or as a profession?
          It is my ultimate career goal to be a professional artist. Currently, I work on my art into the late evenings. Becoming a professional artist is not an easy road.  It takes a combination of time, persistence, dedication, and prayer to achieve such a goal. I sincerely believe that I have the talent and ability to make it as a professional.  Art is my earnest passion and I absolutely love and thrive on the challenge of creating the type of work that will speak to people in a hopeful and individual way. That is what makes art such a strong visual language in my mind.


It is certainly true that becoming a professional artist is a long, arduous path. Can you share with us some of the obstacles you've had to overcome?
          I am still trying to overcome many of these obstacles .   Exposure and networking is the name of the game, so I am working hard at trying to get my work seen by more and more people through various venues such as galleries, publishing companies, group shows, websites, personal contacts, corporations, clubs, commissions, etc.  Marketing and the business end of everything are equally important to the art itself; otherwise, one's garage will soon become filled with paintings with nobody to see them.  I try to look at all opportunities as a way to advance my name and work.


Are you originally from California?
          Yes, I have lived in CA all of my life. I lived in LA until I was 10, and then moved with my family to Auburn, CA. I have lived in the area ever since.


Then you moved to Auburn by the will of your parents and this was not necessarily a personal choice. If your art demands it, would you move back to LA or to some big city like SF or NY?
          This is the area that I want to live and raise my family. My wife, Kim, owns and operates a daycare alongside her mom, Linda Bliss, in Meadow Vista (The Kids' Place).  When we have kids in a few years, I want them to grow up in this area, rather than the big city.  We are also very close with our families and friends.  I realize that it may take longer to build my art career, but I have faith that my work will spread to the larger cities at the appropriate time.


How long have you been married?
          I have been married for 3 1/2 years.  Kim was my high school sweetheart and we were married in September 1999. I was 21 and she was 19. We have been together since we were 16 and 14 yrs old.


Sounds like a relationship out of a fairytale. Is your wife supportive of your artistic endeavors? How important is this conjugal support, do you think?
          Yes, we hear that often and it makes us smile.  She is very supportive and actually a really good critic, letting me know what is and what isn't working with a painting.  Back in high school, we were in the same art classes together.  She has always encouraged me with my pursuit.  Her support is very important because I have the freedom to passionately pursue art without her being reproachful of it.  We have a very healthy relationship because of our strong communication and respect for each other.


Which educational institutions did you attend to learn to paint (if any)?
          I didn't decide to study art until after I began college at Sacramento State University in 1998.  When I picked up the paintbrushes again during this time, I felt confident in the art program at Sacramento State and decided to stay there until graduation in May 2001. I believe I received a broad art education which, in return, has helped propel me to where I am today as an artist.


But were you thinking about art at all before college?
          Yes. During the last few years in high school, I seriously thought about studying art in college.  I explored universities around Northern CA and even private art schools like San Francisco Art Academy.  Then I was not sure if this was a direction I wanted to go; consequently after graduation in 1996, I decided to attend Sierra College to continue to study art and explore other subjects.  After my 1st year at Sierra, I decided to take a break from art.


Have you taken any workshops to help you sharpen up in your technical skills?
          I haven't taken any specialized workshops to date. I do plan on taking part in some workshops that other artists have recommended. I just have to carve out the extra time to do it.  Currently, I plan on taking part in the workshop that Charles Waldman will put on later this year. I am also applying to be a part of a mentor program with California Art Club. This is a program that provides young artists like myself great exposure and opportunities in working with nationally acclaimed artists in a variety of fashions.  This would be a tremendous opportunity. Networking and continuing to learn from masters, both old and new, is vital and necessary.


I did an interview with Charles Waldman (see elsewhere on this site). Waldman lives right by me, in Sonora. My wife has taken workshops with him and immensely enjoyed not only the workshop, but also the fact of being with many other artists. Waldman is intensively into landscapes. Is this an area you specifically want to improve on?
          Absolutely. Charles Waldman is an outstanding painter. I seek to gather as much education as I can. I want to learn more insights that will make myself a better painter and a workshop would provide an excellent way to do so.


I don't know if you knew, but Charles Waldman used to be a medical doctor and gave up the profession to become a fulltime painter.
          No, I didn't know this. Amazing!


What is your particular reason for painting? Is there any personal message you are trying to convey to the public about your life, your viewpoints?
          I firmly believe that art can still communicate in an effective and unique way to people.  There is still something magical about viewing a timeless piece of art.  It can be more than a decoration on a wall.  It can deliver a simple and/or complex message that people desire and need to hear that affects them for the better.
          For my own work, the most important aspect is "setting the mood." The more I paint, the more I realize the importance of creating a scene that sets a mood and emotion that will draw the viewer into the painting. More than ever, I approach each painting with this intention and believe that lush color combined with a painterly, romantic style can make each landscape come uniquely alive and speak without words. It is my greatest desire that they capture and comfort people in a personal way. 
          In a time where many believe that art should be continuing to change and explore new territories, I take great pleasure and joy in pursuing a universal language in art that effects people in such a positive, heartfelt way, and that they can continue to have these feelings, thoughts or memories for many years ahead.   
          My Christian faith highlights all my work. The emotions and feelings that I attempt to convey in my paintings are filtered through the hope and love that I have as a believer.


Well, the Holy Word is certainly divine and everlasting. I suppose if a work of art is inspired by spiritual motives it will survive the test of time, as has been proven by many of the Christian-oriented works of the Great Masters. But how do you convey divine "hope" and "love" through a painting?
          Great question. A person's philosophical views ultimately influences how they perceive aspects of life. When I say, "the emotions that I attempt to convey in my paintings are filtered through the hope and love that I have as a believer," I am stating that this is inherently who I am and what I believe, thus it will naturally affect how I interpret and paint a landscape. I desire to create feelings of comfort, reassurance, encouragement, joy and happiness, quietness, and having faith in what is ahead. These are aspects of hope in my opinion.  Love is more difficult to convey in landscapes. Since I work in both landscape and Christian genres, I have found that my Christian work expresses more love over landscapes because love is the central theme of the faith. I want the audience to understand and sense the emotion of what I am trying to convey and what the painting means to me personally, but at the same time, leave it somewhat open for the viewer to gather something that is unique to them.  I like to use titles as a way to give hints of what I am thinking and feeling about each painting. Some titles reveal more than others. When I talk to people about my work, I have found that they do feel what I am trying to express which is reassuring that I am on the right track.


I notice you are particularly attracted to painting sunsets or the sky over horizons. I have heard artists say that attached to paintings of a sunrise or sunset is a taboo; that artists are not supposed to paint sunsets, for example, and if they do, other artists shun them. How much truth is there in this crazy assumption?
          I think most of this is rooted in philosophical differences. I paint to be true to the person that I am and what I believe, not for the approval of other artists. Everybody has different foundations on how they view what art should be and not be. I desire my art to be timeless in its representation of subject matter for a person to interpret. I would rather have my art engage a person's heart and soul over their mind and intellect. I believe it is how I paint a scene that will distinguish myself from the next artist. Since the middle of the 19th century, countless artists have searched and explored new ideas of content and form. This is still true today, but it does not innately make their work more profound or enlightening over a traditionalist. To say that an artist is not a true artist because he or she paints sunsets is irrational in my opinion.


The opinion that it is irrational is sound. But the prejudice may have come into being because at one point too many artists painted the same thing; call it a redundant and boring phase of western art, if you like. The taboo idea may have been just a negative, reflexive response to the overwhelming uncreativeness that abounded. I remember when big department stores carried an abundant array of sunset paintings which flooded the market. In any case, sunsets are beautiful. They portray, I think, a very deep desire for the beautiful and for the awesomeness of the Creator who created it all. Do you attempt putting on canvas any of this divine awesomeness a sunset inspires? Then again, how does an artist go about depicting such a powerful experience?
          I agree with what you are saying. In art history, as artists began to explore new areas, I understand why they may have had a negative response to artists painting certain subjects that have already been done. If people look back at specific times of history, and attempt to gain an understanding of what was taking place in overall culture, they can begin to understand how this culture influenced different art trends and why perhaps sunsets or landscapes did not fit the time. This is important because it will provide them a better understanding of all the "isms" that took place over the last century and beyond.  But today, I think that so many directions have been explored that I question if there is really anywhere new an artist can go that is more effective and ultimately better than what has already been done. This is my own opinion and I know many artists disagree with this, but that is what I feel.
          For myself, painting landscapes is more than just capturing the physical beauty of the outdoors. It is also about capturing the divine sense of perfection from God's hand. This influences and serves how I create the mood of an individual painting as I talked about before. Sensing the mood is different from painting exactly what one sees.  It will influence color decisions and brush strokes. Some of my favorite brush strokes are ones done in the beginning of the painting while I am loading the paint onto the canvas.  I believe this helps serve a greater experience rather than trying to create an exact photographic image of what one sees.


Why have you chosen to paint skyscapes, seascapes and landscapes, in particular? Is this by choice or influence, do you think?
          I have always been drawn to paint in this genre. I have explored painting other subjects, representative and abstract alike, but to this point in my life, they do not captivate me like landscapes. I believe it is my own choice and something that is inherently who I am.  When I do work outside of landscapes, it is in Christian themed subjects.


So what do you try to project onto a landscape that originates in your faith? Is your interpretation of the external grounded on emotions alone? Is there anything else;  grace? thankfulness? a sense of powerlessness before an All-Powerful One?
          To answer the first part of your question, I basically try to project onto a landscape the feelings that I have described above. I want the painting to spark individual feelings in people that are personal to them. With some people, it may be something subtle; while with others, it can really move them in a significant way. I would say that yes, a big portion of my interpretation of a landscape is upon my emotions at that moment. But greater than that is the foundation of my faith and what I believe to be the truth of why I am here in existence. So yes, I desire to also show respect and admiration to God, my creator. I am in awe of who He is and his love for me. Because of his great love, I am deeply thankful for how He has blessed me in so many ways and can do nothing more but serve and honor him with my work.


How often do you go plein air painting?
          In reality, I don't do a lot of plein air painting. There are a few reasons for this. The first is because, since painting is not my day job, time is a factor. I always carry a camera to take photos of scenes that I come across. Sure a photo cannot recapture the exact mood that was felt, but I always remember the experience. I focus better and am more comfortable when I work in the studio. On my travels, I tend to plein air paint the most.


You have a "day job"?
          I work for Pinnacle Telecommunications as an Engineer Associate. I have worked there for 2 years following my college graduation.

So you're not making a living with your art, then?
          Well, I'm an "emerging artist" and still working hard to establish a name. Maybe once I achieve this I'll be able to paint full time. I'm working toward this goal.


Do you have a basic "materials kit" that you take with you when plein air painting?
          I typically take my easel, a dozen basic colors or so, 6 to 10 paint brushes, palette, rags and paint thinner.


How do you setup outside, in plein air?
          I have everything centered on my easel. There is a small window of time before the mood changes, so it is important to work fairly fast.


Do you paint in bad weather to get the natural effect of the gray skies or the crispness of a cold winter morning, for example, or....?
          I typically do not paint in bad weather. I would probably get more flustered than anything else.


When is your favorite time of day/evening to paint outdoors? Does it make any difference what time of day one paints?
          I like to work at sundown preferably. I love this time of day because the colors are vivid and rich all around me.


Have you ever painted outdoors with a crowd standing around, watching you? Some artists feel intimidated by this experience and some feel exhilarated. How do you feel?
          Yes I have. I think I like the immediate high of people watching and taking an interest, but at the same time, I feel slightly uncomfortable, which in return affects my concentration.


Do you have a personal approach to colors?
          I love the simultaneous effect of colors reacting against each other and the use of complimentary colors. I try to be sensitive to color hue, saturation, and value. Trying to balance between the three is a delicious challenge.


Can you share with us your personal way of laying out the order of colors on a palette?
          I prefer to layout my warm, vivid colors such as yellows, oranges, and reds in a row down to my darker colors such as purples and blues. This keeps me in order as I begin to mix colors on my palette as well as directly on canvas.


How do you mix your grays; what combination do you find works best for you?
          For my grays and blacks, I prefer to mix combinations of alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, and violent. I like how the combinations of these colors bounce off the canvas when painted against colors of similar hues and/or complimentaries. I love the greater richness of these colors mixed together over tube black. I do use pewter gray as well.


Does your studio palette differ from your plein air palette?
          With my studio palette, since I am working on a bigger canvas size, I tend to work with a greater range of color hues and values.


Some artists have a "favorite palette" and won't divulge their "secret". I suppose this wise because a palette can be an important ingredient in determining some aspects of your voice. Do you have a "secret" palette or are you still in the experimental stage of your development?
          Yes, I would probably like to know some artist's "secret" palette as well.  The biggest thing that I have found is how important Titanium White is. I use lots of it to help build the canvas, which in return helps build overall feel of the painting when I go to mix colors on canvas, etc. I love the effect. I prefer to have a substantial surface build up and using white helps me to achieve this.


What are your favorite paint brands?
          I prefer Windsor-Newton.  I love the feel of their oils.


What is your favorite medium?
          By far, my favorite medium is Oil.


Do you do most of your work in this medium?
          Yes, all my landscapes are in oil. The exception is when I work on Christian themed subjects; I sometimes combine mediums such as pencil and computer enhancement.


Why this medium, specifically, and not another?
          For two main reasons, one being the color richness is unmatched by any other medium.  I personally feel that I wouldn't be able to convey the emotions that I strive for in any other medium. Second, I want the paint to stay wet and tacky for when I blend and mix colors on the canvas. I don't get along too well with acrylics. With this medium I find myself more frustrated than anything else because it dries very fast on both the painting and palette. Also, acrylics lack the richness of oils in my opinion.


Some painters almost meditate before approaching their easel. Others do it whenever they're "in the mood" to paint. Do you have any particular mental attitude before approaching your easel? Is there a sort of preparatory phase you go through?
          For the most part, I am always in the mood to paint.  When I have an idea or scene in my head, the sooner I start the better. I try to keep an open mind as I start the painting. I do not want to force an aspect of the painting that is not working, but look to the strengths of the composition as my guide.


Have you ever had a painter's "block"?
          When I am in a position where the painting is not working in a specific area, whether it is a compositionally, color, or value aspect, I have found the best thing to do is walk away and do something else. It can even be simply working on another painting.  It is difficult though because part of the challenge is balancing the elements of the painting so you naturally want to work through it and resolve the problem immediately. But sometimes, the best thing to do is to remove yourself.


Do you have a disciplined work habit or do you paint whenever time allows?
          I work everyday in the evening whether it be painting or networking. Yes, I am disciplined in my habits because I do not have time to spare.


How many hours do you spend on one painting?
          Size obviously determines the amount of time. Lately I tend to work bigger, typically in the size of 24" x 30" up to 36" x 48". I can spend anywhere from 5 to 10 hours on a painting this size. Sometimes even more. It just really depends on the type of scene I am doing.


How many hours do you paint in one sitting?
          I like to keep my eyes fresh, so I will not paint over 2 hours on a particular painting.  This is when I will rotate paintings to be effective with my painting time. I have really found this to be important.


How many paintings per week do you produce?
          I typically complete one larger sized painting, 24" x 30" or larger, per week. Smaller paintings 11" x14", for example, typically are completed in a few hours.  I continuously work on different paintings. I spend at least half my time marketing. So it cuts into my painting time. It's a sacrifice that I believe will pay off in the long run.


How do you divide your time between doing business and painting?
          It takes focus and discipline. Lucky for me, I enjoy the business end of it all, so it is easier to put the time in this area.


Can you share with us some of the things you are currently doing to market yourself?
          I have been exploring different facets of marketing for sometime. Briefly, with my landscapes, I continuously explore possible gallery situations. I investigate different galleries to see if there may be a fit now or perhaps down the road. I want to know what is out there. I was contacted by Art Gallery of Kingwood in Texas (Houston area) about showing and shipped some paintings to them in April. Lately, I have been exploring different publishing companies as a possibility. I also really try to utilize the Internet as a tool to reach new people. I focus not only on my own personal website, but other art related websites that generate high traffic. With my Christian work, I recently worked a deal with Dickson's Gifts. They are one of the main distributors of Framed Christian Art in the country. They purchased a great number of prints of 2 of my images. These will be apart of their upcoming gift line and I look forward to working with them as time goes by. It excites me that my work will be reaching new markets across the country.


Of what nationality were your parents?
          My dad is Irish and Italian. My mom is a mix of English, French, and Dutch.


Were your parents artists?
          No they were not. I am aware that I have a great, great uncle that was a painter in France on my mother's side. I do not know anything about him or how successful he was, but I've seen a few paintings that stayed in the family. They look like they were completed at the turn of the 20th century. His name was Armand Wargny.


Do you consider yourself a "Fine Artist"?
Yes I do. There is a meaning and message behind the work I do.


What fascinates you about the arts?
          I simply love the visual language and how a painting can make time stand still.


How do you explain that some people will purchase a particular piece of artwork and not another?
          I think it is rooted in the individuality of a person. I do not think there is a simple answer that can be assigned to every person who has art on their walls on why they chose to buy what they bought. Ultimately, there is something in that piece of artwork that captivates them to where they want to own and display it.


Who are some of your favorite artists?
          Currently some of my favorite contemporary artists include Ovanes Berberian, Danny Hahlbohm, Ted Goerschner, Charles Waldman, and Robert Wee to name a few.  As far as historical landscape masters, I love Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, and Paul Cézanne.


Are there any specific reasons why these artists are your favorites?
          With my favorite contemporary artists, I love the painterly feel and sensitivity that they paint with. They know how to bring you into a painting and keep you enthralled.   Specifically, I love how they use color and a variety of different brush strokes, tight and loose, to form the overall landscape. If I had to summarize, it is not only what they are painting, rather how they are painting it, which in return strengthens and allows their paintings to speak uniquely. When it is difficult to articulate why you like something, it is affecting you in a special way. With historical masters, there is nothing new I can say about them that is not in the history books. They were brilliant.


Should you paint artwork that fits into a gallery or find a gallery that fits your artwork?
          I believe that an artist should find a gallery that fits his or her work. I am not in a frame of mind to change the style of my work to fit a certain trend of a gallery. When one is approaching a gallery, there should be a level of sophistication and maturity to an artist's work, so to change and move in a different direction to fit a gallery does not make sense to me. There are so many galleries that an artist should be able to find one that fits his or her genre of work.


How should an artist go about finding a gallery to represent him? How did you find your first gallery?
          An artist should approach a gallery in a professional manner. The first thing is to visit the gallery you are interested in (if possible; if not, look at the gallery's website) and confirm that it is a type of gallery that your work will fit with. This will save an artist time and effort.  I have found that galleries are fairly straightforward with artists.  I found my first gallery by being contacted and approached.  She had previously bought a painting from me so we had developed a relationship.


Once a gallery accepts you and starts selling, do they expect you to paint in a similar style or...?
          Yes, I would assume that galleries would expect an artist to continue providing the same genre of work that is selling well. I would want to keep the gallery happy with me, so it wouldn't make sense to me to send work of a different genre as an experiment.  If sales are down over an extended period of time, then it seems fit to perhaps try a new style of work.


Do you consider yourself a successful artist?
          I believe that I am becoming successful in expressing what I want to convey in a painting and that it is communicating in a heartfelt way to the viewer. I am also becoming more successful with marketing and approaching the arts with a business mindset.  I do not ever want to become complacent with my work.  I want to continue to grow with my abilities and do not want to put any limits on myself. I desire to gain more exposure and continue to have my art reach more and more people.


Do you have any tips for artists who are just emerging and want to make of their art a financially rewarding career?
          From my experience, an artist needs to be dedicated and willing to sacrifice time and effort.  Nobody is going to do it for you. Be creative and try to think outside the box to bring your work more exposure. Spend time marketing and reinvest in your career. Success is not going to come overnight, so have a plan for the long run.

_____________________________________

The following galleries represent Bryan Lynch:
a.  Generations Fine-Art Gallery, Napa, CA
b.  Stonehorse Gallery, Roseville, CA
c.  Art Gallery of Kingwood, Kingwood, TX
d.  Andrew Michael's Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL
e.  Missionary Arts......www.missionaryarts.com

His Christian work is also on exhibit in bookstores across the country

Visit Bryan Lynch's website: www.absolutearts.com/bryanlynch
If you're an artist
and would like
to be interviewed,
please contact us.

Please note
that there is
a fee associated
with an interview.
">
">
">
">
You can get
exposure
right here,
on this website!
Please contact us
for more info.
What all artists
need is exposure.
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">
">
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