Darlene Gentry
Lucas is a watercolorist and art instructor; her joie de vivre is readily evident in both pursuits! It was a treat to have the chance to hear her responses to a few of my questions. ~Scott Burnett
Scott: What is the most important material you use to make your art?
Darlene: Daniel Smith Granulating Watercolors.
Scott:
What are your preferred painting surfaces?
Darlene: I love both hot and cold press paper. Cold
press is more forgiving. But, when I’m painting and emphasizing my “marks”,
then I like hot press because it is so immediate. But always, I love Arches
paper. It takes a lot of abuse.
Scott: What techniques have you developed that have
proven to be essential to your art-making process?
Darlene: Since graduate school I have used
sketchbooks to record ideas and make sketches. I usually have one 8x10
sketchbook full for each year.
Scott:
What keeps you so dedicated to your sketchbook practice?
Darlene: Sketchbooks have been part of my life since
my undergraduate days. In graduate school, my professors continued to encourage
me to use them. They are the repository for sketches, watercolor formulas,
notes from workshops, photographs from the Hubbell or Kepler
Observatories-anything that interests me. I carry a sketchbook everywhere. I’m
never bored. There’s always something to read or sketch. Later, when I want to
think about an idea for a painting, my sketchbook is a very personal resource.
Scott: Are you currently adding any new techniques
to your repertoire?
Darlene: I am always experimenting with sand, salts
and granulating watercolors.
Scott: What is your favorite art-tool at this time?
Darlene: A bridge. I have a genetic tremor called
Essential Tremor and the bridge helps steady my hand.
My other
favorite “tool” is my travel kit. It includes a small paint set, zipit bag,
travel brush, small watercolor block, sketchbook and Faber-Castell triangular
pencils.
Scott: Is there a particular reason you use
triangular pencils?
Darlene: I could tell you
it’s because they don’t roll off the table, which is true. But, I think the
real reason is the grip is more stable.
Scott: Where do you look for inspiration?
Darlene: Everywhere! But most specifically, I find
inspiration in past and present-day theories of Physics and Astronomy. I’m not
a scientist, but science is my stimulus.
Scott: Fascinating! Do you have any favorite tutors
or “tour guides” in those disciplines?
Darlene: Brian Greene and Lisa Randall; I love the clarity
they bring to physics.
Scott: Which artists are influencing you right now?
Darlene: Joseph Raffael for the liquid beauty of his
watercolors. Mark Mehaffey for his strong
composition, especially in his abstractions.
Katherine Chang Liu for the timeless quality of her paintings. And for
her enthusiasm and her support.
Scott: How would you describe the art you’ve chosen
to bring into your living space?
Darlene: I like to collect local artists. Lynn Scott,
Janis Graves, Barb Childs, Joyce Donaldson, Kathy Rinaldi, Mary Bess Johnson,
Sue Robertson, Alice Owen, Tracy Fraker, Molly Winton… a wide variety!
Scott: What would you love to add to your
collection?
Darlene: I would like to own work by Joan Archer and Nancy
Thompson.