We love learning more about our contributors, and an interview seemed like a fun way to hear more about the writers and artists we publish, so we gave them a choice of questions to answer. We hope you also enjoy hearing more about the artists and their works. Read on and check out issue 28 for some new art, "Eardley's Country" by Judith Skillman.


What was the inspiration for the piece published in the issue?
Joan Eardley was the inspiration for “Eardley’s Country”. I love the way she renders landscape so I riffed on that. I find her colors and mark-making extremely evocative.

Who or what inspires your work generally?
Nature is my muse, and I also draw inspiration from artists such as Dion Salvador Lloyd, Joan Eardley, Carlos San Milan, Winslow Homer, O’Keefe, de Stael, and a host of others. I strive to capture the mood of a place. One of my favorite subjects is water in its varied forms: ocean, waves, rivers, streams, and lakes.

Who are some of your favorite artists, and what do you like about them?
All of the above, and of course the greats: Van Gogh, Manet, Cezanne, Monet, Degas, Morandi, and Cassat. It’s always interesting to learn about the processes of artists through the centuries.

What is your creative process? Do you plan pieces out or let them happen as they come?
My creative process is related to writing poetry. I aim to capture the essence of the subject. Lately I have found abstraction more appealing, as I cannot paint for as long as I used to be able to. Planning is important regardless of what one is painting, but sometimes the best of plans go by the wayside, so I remain flexible and look for what happens.

If you're part of a workshop group or other creative community, tell us about it! How did it form, what all do you do, and how does it help your creative process?
I began painting with Ruthie V. at the Pratt in 2014. If it were not for her, and for her creation of the Seattle Artist League (SAL) which evolved, during Covid, to have Zoom classes, I doubt I would have continued painting. I can use my “kitchen studio” and not have to drive downtown, which has become less possible. It helps to have the excellent teachers at SAL, and to be part of the group/atelier experience.