Tell something about your family, where you grew up, went to school, etc.
I’m the youngest of six, my father was a Baptist minister and my mother was an LPN; I was born in southern Vermont, and raised in northern Vermont, with annual summers in Maine, so I grew up exposed to a lot of beautiful landscapes. I was plagued with ear infections throughout childhood (and actually in to adulthood), and temporarily lost my hearing a few times, so when there was nothing left to read, I copied the illustrations, which sparked my love of drawing.
What were your early childhood influences regarding art - family, teachers, etc.?
I had a sixth-grade teacher who gave me my first classical recording and my first charcoal pencil; she was a great encouragement to me in the arts as a whole. My brother was a bit of a rebel, and painted murals on his bedroom floor, he also did a lot of sketching; at ten years my senior, I was always intrigued by what he was up to!
Did you go to college? Where? Major? Any mentors?
I have my bachelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam, Crane School of Music in music education, and my master’s degree from SUNY Oneonta in Reading. Music students have little time for anything other than practice, so I had no art training at all until I was in my thirties.
Which artists have you been most influenced by?
I have a lot of favorites for various reasons - Thomas Cole’s landscapes, Andrew Wyeth for his story telling and muted palette, Monet (and all the impressionists) for his mark-making, expression, and use of color and Van Gogh for his profound expression.
What type of art do you create? Has your style changed over time?
I’m a pastelist, having no formal training, it’s really all I know how to do! I started out as a landscape painter, but now I love switching between landscape, still life and my birds.
What inspires you to create art? Are there real-life situations that inspire you?
I’m inspired by little things - a saturated color, a unique lighting effect, an engaging texture. I love to create a piece with a little spot that will make you smile - the light through a flower petal or a really peaceful sky.
What do you want to express through your art?
I want my art to stir up feelings in my viewers. I love to hear ‘that looks just like the place where I grew up’ or ‘my grandmother had those bottles in her kitchen window’. I want to share a feeling with the people who look at my art.
What is your most favorite artist tool?
My favorite artist’s tool....tricky question. I swear by paper towels, masking tape and an old paint brush (for erasing), but there’s nothing better than the buttery feel of a pastel stick - Mount Vision pastels are my favorite by far.
How important are titles to your art?
Honestly, I hate titles. They’re extremely hard to come up with. I recently got in to a show where the juror told me that some pieces literally got selected because the titles added a new dimension to the work, so I guess I’m stuck with them!
What are the hardest and best parts of creating art?
The hardest part about creating art is being satisfied and confident in your work. I’m rarely happy with a piece when it’s newly finished, and maybe half of them eventually grow on me (I have boxes full of pieces that don’t see the light of day). The best part of creating art is finding one of those little ‘special spots’ that make you smile when you put it down - a well-executed bird feather, a really vibrant,
saturated spot of color or creating most any cloud.
Where can people go to see your art? Do you have a website or Facebook? People can see my art in the OCAC Rotating Art program and the Canandaigua Historical Society Museum. I’m represented by Railroad Street Artworks in Fairport, New York. My web site is nallenfap.wixsite.com/pastels
Do you accept commissions?
I do accept commissions, but not often (I find them pretty stressful). The client needs to have a very clear idea of what she or he wants and provide at least two clear, strong photographs of the subject to be painted.
Do you have a piece of artwork that you’re most proud of? Why?
I have a few pieces I’m pretty fond of (proud I guess); one is a painting of the Moose River in Old Forge that I won an award for twelve years ago - I was really surprised and honored with the award, and I really like the color palette, the mark-making and the mood of the piece - everything seemed to fall into place for the first time. My other favorite is a portrait of a raven I did a year or so ago. Honestly, I think it’s very well rendered, and I never (never) say that about my pieces. It has a lot of expression, and I get a lot of compliments on it, though it’s been rejected from every show it’s been entered in!
Professionally, what’s your goal?
I have a few goals, some basic and some lofty - minimally, I swore years ago that I needed to make as much money as I spent in order to keep creating, and so far, I’ve been able to keep up with that. I do want to continue to make my name more recognizable in the art world, which I know will take a lot of time and hard work; my biggest dream is to be designated a signature member of the Pastel Society of America; that one may never happen, but I will continue to try.
Do you have a dream project that you’d like to create?
I don’t know that I have a dream project - I have a list, my ‘painting queue’ that I’m always adding to,
things I need to do for shows, or for fun, and there’s always something I’m itching to try - next is a still life of silver goblets with one tin cup; I have a great title all picked out; I just need the time to get to it!
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