Artist Interview with Jewell Pratt Burns
Periodically on this Artistry Spin
Blog for PWAS, we will offer one-on-one Artist Interviews with our members to
learn more about them and their art. This is the first in the series of the
Prince William Art Society Artist Interviews.
A
Jewell of an Artist
I recently sat down with Jewell, and we had a wonderful
conversation on the history of the Prince William Art Society, the PWAS
Scholarship Program and about her love of art. It was a lovely time with an
even more lovely person. Jewell lives in the Lake Ridge area in a beautiful
home with lots of plants and flowers - and her home is decorated with her
beautiful artwork as well. Here is my first Artist Interview Q&A with
Jewell Pratt Burns:
1.
How long have you been a member of PWAS?
50 years, although Prince William Art Society was originally
called Woodbridge Art Guild, so since 1971.
2.
What is your art background?
I'm a mostly self-taught artist; I just started taking
classes given by local artists. At NOVA Community College (Woodbridge campus) I
took a drawing class. I was a member of The Art League at the Torpedo Factory
in Alexandria where I took figure drawing class. I had many art teachers - artist friends
like Rosemary Luckett, Linda Stead and James Lyle.
3.
How would you describe your artwork?
Realistic, impressionistic. I'm fond of painting landscapes,
florals and really love painting birds and waterfowl. I enjoy doing monotypes,
which is the painting on glass of a composition, then you press the French art
paper against the paint on the glass, pressing down to create the image. It
reverses the image and I only pull it once, but it creates a nice
impressionistic one of a kind painting.
4.
Have you ever won any art awards or recognition?
I was juried into The Loft Gallery in 2001and was a member there for 16 years and Artist of the
Month there in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2016.
I once painted a picture of a robin with a nest and eggs (and
it took a long time to paint that nest!) That Artist of the Month painting
ended up in the Art Guide booklet, the Lorton newsletter and made it to the
Washington Post in an article! I had a couple in Springfield contact me to purchase
that painting - all because of that
Washington Post article.
Some of the places I have displayed art are:
- Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, NC
- Hanover Art in the Park, PA
- MPAC, George Mason University, VA
- Events Management, Capital Expo Ctr, Chantilly, VA
- League of Reston Artists, NVCC, VA
- St Jude Summerfest, VA
- Petersburg Art Fest, VA
- Ft. Clifton, Colonial Heights, VA
- Media Show, Fredericksburg, VA
- Dumfries Charter Days, VA
- McCoart Bldg, PWC, VA
- Spittle Bldg, PWC, VA
- Chinn Library, PWC, VA
- Edgewater Gallery, VA
- Log Cabin Art Center, Orange, VA
- The Loft Gallery, Occoquan, VA (Featured Artist)
- Green Springs Garden Park, Alexandria, VA
- The Vienna Art Center, Vienna, VA
- The Caton Merchant Gallery, Manassas, VA
- The Pear Tree, Spotsylvania, VA
I was also a PWC 1985 nominee for the Second Annual
Governor's Awards of the Arts in Virginia.
Jewell was also featured in the Elan magazine in April 2007.
5.
What medium(s) do you love to work in?
My preferences are oils and especially alkyd. I've used
Winston Newton for years and have especially liked the resin based less odor
and quicker drying time of alkyd.
6.
Where are you from and do you want to share anything about family?
I am one of four siblings, a native Virginian, was born in
Fredericksburg and raised in Dumfries, VA. I was the only one in my family that
ever showed an interest in art.
7. Is
there any funny art experience that you would like to share?
The art shows that we had to travel to where we'd get
together with friends for a weekend art show far away and overnight were the
most fun. We once did an outdoor show and my Air Force friend and I had to
frantically get our artwork picked up and scurried to get it covered in plastic
"garbage" bags to prevent the artwork from getting rained on. We were
drowned rats and so wet we were not sure they would let us back in the hotel. We had to order food out and get back to the hotel to just get out of the
weather and get dry. It was a funny memory. Those away shows were the most fun
and built great friendships.
8. If
you could be or have been anything besides an artist, what would you be?
A commercial artist. In school in the lower grades, we had
art, but not in the upper grades and that was disappointing. I wanted to
continue with art but life after school meant going to DC and looking for a
job. I couldn’t really get back into art until a little later in life.
9.
Where do you create your art, do you have a dedicated studio area?
I have a home studio upstairs with great lighting.
10.
What has been your most memorial moment as a member of PWAS?
The scholarship program being named after me was such an
honor.
11.
How did you discover PWAS?
Artist involvement taking a class, led to being with and
around artists that formed the Woodbridge Art Guild in 1971 (the precursor to
PWAS).
12.
What is your most inspirational place(s) in the world, local or away?
Ireland and Spain both made an impression on me. I have a
Scotch / Irish background so that's why Ireland but being in Spain was a great
experience with fond memories.
13.
What do you like to listen to while painting?
I have a boombox near the studio and I play a variety of
music, from country and jazz to Caribbean music.
14.
What is the best piece of art advice that you have ever been given or want to
give?
You have to promote yourself. You absolutely have to when
you start out. Even those people that join PWAS with little experience, it is
up to them to promote themselves and learn the proper ways to present their
work. Presentation of an artist’s work includes the right frame, matting, and
hardware. Learn to present work that you can be proud of - the whole thing, the
front the back, the sides, not just the canvas itself.
15.
What has been your favorite art piece that you have ever created?
I have a few pieces that I have done that are such fond
memories that I would never sell them. I had a trip one time to Skyline Drive
on one of the lookouts, it was fall of the year (I love those colors) and
created a composition from some of the pictures that were taken that day.
16.
Where does your art inspiration come from?
I like creating my own compositions from photographs I have
taken, especially of birds and waterfowl, landscapes in all seasons - with fall
being a favorite.
17.
What have you enjoyed most about being an artist?
It was the interaction with all the other artists. I have
made so many great long-lasting friendships.
See Local Art:
Want to see some examples of Jewell's work in person? Visit us at Clearbrook Center of the Arts at Tackett's Mill in Lake Ridge, VA on
Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm – it’s free to see the artwork! Want to join
PWAS? https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/ and see the Membership page.
Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!
Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in photo-realism
acrylic painting on canvas. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many
other subjects. Visit her Blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/ or her
Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt
