Vivid, glorious colours, beautifully painted brushstrokes, Janis Tafoya’s oil artwork is full of detail and exciting!
Janis’ work covers numerous genres, including flowers, landscapes, animals, seascapes and underwater paintings.
Janis clearly has an eye for the aesthetic. She knows how to use colour and light to create mesmerising art.
The eye-catching tones in her sumptuously textured painting ‘Expressions of Love’ would undoubtedly brighten up any living room or bedroom wall.
The playful fun and inherent joy of the animals in, ‘Fish are jumping, Bears are dancing, must be Spring’, would delight art lovers of all ages.
You can view and purchase Janis’ artwork on her website: https://janistafoya.com
Janis is also on Twitter
Please talk a bit about where you are from and where you live now….
I was born in Texas, but we moved around a lot, Calif., Kansas, Texas and New Mexico when I was 11 finally ended up in Northwest NM, where I still live today. I live close to the Colorado Rocky Mountains and go there as much as I can ..We moved around so much when I was small I never had any roots…maybe that is why I paint so crazy now…
What does art mean to you?
To me art is emotions, it is going to a place where problems don’t exist…I use essential oils and music …Time stands still…to a place where there is peace, love, kindness, and everything good…it is about feelings…
What kind of artistic education have you had?
Years ago. In the 70’s I had the desire to learn to paint but the time was not right…Years later when I was alone, with some peace in my life, the time was right. I took a course at the college but was not satisfied with the instructor…. So I subscribed to several Art magazines…instructional books, videos and started to paint. After learning the basics, I took more college classes, this time I got excellent Art teachers… I took a few semesters and learned a lot but I can not paint in a crowd…Now I paint at home in my studio… I use my favorite essential oils and music and am exported to that peaceful place!!
What do you do to find inspiration?
I find inspiration from going to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado…each time is like the first time..…it takes my breath away… A picture I love…I keep a list of things I want to paint and can get inspiration from these…I have tons of reference material and I look through books…
What is it about the oil paint medium that you like?
My favorite medium is Oil…I sometimes start a painting with Acrylic but finish it with Oil…I paint with oil because I like blending with oil better….One of these days maybe I will finish one with Acrylic.
How do you feel your artwork has changed since you first started?
When I first started, I painted mostly from instructional books…And it took me forever to finish a painting…I was so slow because I was afraid I would mess it up…Now I just start painting and usually may have 5,6 or more references….I do not know where it comes from…all I know is that go to that special place and paint…when I took lessons one Instructor would ask, “Where is your roadmap?”.. I don’t have a Roadmap…I do not know how it will turn out…I believe what makes us get better is to paint, paint, paint.
Which artists work do you admire and why?
I admire Bill Hatch an instructor at the local college …. He may not be as famous as some Artists but he is, in my opinion, the best…He is a fantastic instructor, never afraid to share his secrets…. I have been to many galleries, my favorite is the National Gallery in London…I am in awe of the Old Masters….How did they do it?????
How do you market your artwork and what marketing strategies have been a success for you?
I have entered paintings in many shows, had shows myself. I do Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, Google+, FineArtAmerica, I have sold some through Twitter, Google+ and FAA… But I have had more success selling to friends…I think it is just a matter of getting exposure.
Which of your works is your favourite?
‘Hummingbirds Love Hybiscus ‘
Janis Tafoya