Jodie Struthers
Painter
One frequent question I get when people look at one of my paintings or drawings is “Wow, that’s beautiful! How long did it take you to do that?” My response, with a big smile often is “Since I was about 8 years old!” The development as an artist is a lifelong process and one that requires great effort so while perhaps the piece in question was completed in a week or a month, the years of training, working, and research all are a part of each piece I produce. Thus it really does take a lifetime to produce a work of art.
After nearly twenty years of working and selling both drawings and paintings on a commission basis I decided to take a year to really step back and re-evaluate why I paint and draw. During this sabbatical I rediscovered my love of the process of painting and being able to tell a story or give hints about the story through my work for the viewer to ponder. I needed to get away from all the commissioned portraiture and client directed work that has been my mainstay for the past 20 years and so I packed up my camera gear and some sketch books and headed west to find my passion once again.
I wound up in South Dakota and with a bit of nosing around found and soon befriended an old cowboy who could take me out into the mountains to find wild horses and other critters to photograph and draw. Along the way my cowboy friend taught me so many things about the horses, the geography, the environment and how they all fit together to make the remains of the wild areas of our western states so amazing and yet so fragile.
My current series titled Fade to Light is an ongoing project with the goal of helping others to see and enjoy the beauty of and better understand the nature of the wild places in our country, and maybe do some exploring themselves! Please take a minute and explore the gallery section of my site to see some of the paintings in the series. I will be adding new pieces as they are completed so please check back often.
Artist (Un) Statement:
I absolutely detest artist statements! I think artists often spend way too much time attempting to impress their audience with their educational background and accomplishments or on long winded dissertations when they really should create a comfortable way for the viewer to become acquainted with the artist and his or her current work.
Having said that I do want to take a minute to acknowledge some of the great people with whom I have worked or studied under because without them I would never have had the courage to shift gears and go about this my way!
First is my cowboy friend Dayton Hyde, the youngest and most amazing 80-something year old real live cowboy, conservationist, story teller, and walking encyclopedia who introduced me to the wilds of South Dakota and helped me find the places where the horses hide and people don’t go. My two friends Larry Butcher and Charles Breed, both tremendously talented artists with whom I have studied and been challenged and encouraged. Kathleen Sullivan who taught me the ancient arts of drafting and mark making, the terms used to describe graphite or silverpoint drawing methods used in the 16 and 1700’s. I also had the opportunity to share an exhibition with Kathleen this past year. Armin Mersmann, another talented artist who pushed me to use symbolism in my work in ways I never thought I could. Dave Morrison and Todd Warner two of my high school art teachers who helped me believe in myself and my ability to really be an artist. And finally my 8th grade history teacher Mrs. Margaret Cook who on some days I swear is standing near my easel or just behind me saying “Yes, you can!”