Sheila Wolk Fairies

An interview with the fabulously successful artist, and a sampling of some Sheila Wolk Fairies!

Image of Sheila Wolk The Fairy Artist An interview with the fabulously successful artist, and a sampling of some Sheila Wolk Fairies!

Not only is the artist an amazing creator of fantasy fairies, that make you think - wow is that a real fairy? She also paints mermaids that draw you into their world.

What follows here is an interview with an artist that makes you realize the depth and breadth of this fantasy art genre we are entering.

Sheila has done a lot to have this form of art really excepted by the art world. We can all aspire to create an enormous body of work such as hers. She has paved a path for the rest of us.

Her interview is just fascinating.

Fairy Painting - Called Call Of The Wild

Sheila Wolk Painting Call Of The Wild

The Interview - Enjoy!

Me - First do you draw in pencil before you begin your paintings?
Sheila - I do preliminary sketches with Koh-I-Noor sepia sticks on tracing paper. Since I work 4 to 6 feet large, the sticks are a better choice for this size. I laytracing paper over the tracing when I need to experiment with layout and design to see the changes without ruining the first sketch. When I do the overlay, and if I like what I did, I add that part to the original sketch on the first tracing paper. Sometimes I do 5 to 10 overlays.
When all done and I like my composition, I add a darker sepia tone to the back of the tracing paper. I then tape that paper to edges of good paper, and with a no.2 pencil I trace every line onto the good paper. In essence I made a carbon paper sketch that is easy to transfer.
Now the important thing is after I have laid my composition down with the tracing sketch, it becomes a guide for me to redraw the composition with sepia again on the good paper and add more details where I so desire.
The trick with pastels is NOT to have the under drawing interfere with the pastel colors applied later.
So now I take a kneaded eraser and erase the entire drawing. It doesn’t disappear all together but it leaves a “stain” of the drawing, and when I apply the pastels, there is clean color and the under drawing disappears.

Me - What medium do you use primarily?
Sheila - Rembrandt Soft pastels.

Me - Your paintings look like photographs - is that what is meant by hyper-realism?
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - I do preliminary sketches with Koh-I-Noor sepia sticks on tracing paper. Since I work 4 to 6 feet large, the sticks are a better choice for this size. I laytracing paper over the tracing when I need to experiment with layout and design to see the changes without ruining the first sketch. When I do the overlay, and if I like what I did, I add that part to the original sketch on the first tracing paper. Sometimes I do 5 to 10 overlays.
When all done and I like my composition, I add a darker sepia tone to the back of the tracing paper. I then tape that paper to edges of good paper, and with a no.2 pencil I trace every line onto the good paper. In essence I made a carbon paper sketch that is easy to transfer.
Now the important thing is after I have laid my composition down with the tracing sketch, it becomes a guide for me to redraw the composition with sepia again on the good paper and add more details where I so desire.
The trick with pastels is NOT to have the under drawing interfere with the pastel colors applied later.
So now I take a kneaded eraser and erase the entire drawing. It doesn’t disappear all together but it leaves a “stain” of the drawing, and when I apply the pastels, there is clean color and the under drawing disappears.

Me - What medium do you use primarily?
Sheila - Rembrandt Soft pastels.

Me - Your paintings look like photographs - is that what is meant by hyper-realism?
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - What medium do you use primarily?
Sheila - Rembrandt Soft pastels.

Me - Your paintings look like photographs - is that what is meant by hyper-realism?
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Rembrandt Soft pastels.

Me - Your paintings look like photographs - is that what is meant by hyper-realism?
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Your paintings look like photographs - is that what is meant by hyper-realism?
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Marcel Marceau (the great Mime performer) gave this name to my art. He said in France they do hyper-realism all the time but I was the first American he ever met who did it.
This was many years ago when we were doing a project together, and so I kept this title for the series I was doing at the time. It basically means taking a painting further than what a camera can do…like radically real.
I was not doing Fantasy Art back then. The work was more for Museums and Galleries only.

Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Are they actual paintings?
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - When you apply pastels and don’t rub it into the paper, it’s considered a Pastel Drawing. When you blend and rub the pastels into the paper, it’sconsidered a Pastel Painting.

Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - When you are starting a drawing or painting, do you ever have that doubtful feeling? - How would you explain the mindset that makes you push through to completion?
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Doubt has never come into my mindset.
I have the painting basically finished in my mind when I start. The trick is getting it on the paper to meet my minds eye, and more often than not, the finished piece is far better than what I originally planned.
I use a lot of references, usually 100 to 400 photos of references to help me along. My models may take up at least 50 of those references, and I change the pose if I need to. Being that I know my anatomy, I know how to change the body positions quite easily.
When I start to paint after the sketch is in place, I add so much more to the painting, so the drawing is basically implemented, so I can have fun creating more into the art as I go.
I always slow down near completion because I want it finished so badly yet I know that’s the crucial decision time and mistakes can be made.
Sometimes I will turn the painting upside down to see if anything abnormal pops out, then I know that area needs correcting! Other times I will cover it up and look at ita few days later with “new eyes”. That way if something is “out of rhythm” to the composition, I will see it immediately. I know the painting is finished when it tells me so.
When there is no other mark I can make on the piece that will beautify it, or enhance it, it’s done.
The very last thing I do is sign it.

Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - What major things have you noticed about your own work as you have progressed?
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Each piece has to be more important than the last.
As I get older I feel time running out and I know I will never be able to paint all the paintings I wish to, before I die.
I have done some very complicated paintings in the past, and that’s hard work, but so enjoyable when done.
A series I am working on now has a bit of humor, and this makes me happy while painting. I start laughing while working and I have never done that before, so that’s new.
BUT, all the quality is there, I never waiver from my integrity of high quality.
My successes and many failures have taught me to be a better artist, and I love reflecting on all those things. It has made me a more serious painter in the long run, and yet a thankful one.

Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Suppose someone has the urge to draw an unusual fairy or fantasy creature? Any advice?
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - First and most important is to learn Anatomy. You can’t draw something unless you understand it.
Don’t copy or do what other people are doing. Be unique and different. See what others are doing and do better. Do what hasn’t been done.
Try to imagine yourself as a fairy or fantasy creature…what kind of mischief would you get into for that day? What beauty did you discover while flying around? Imagine yourself in that world, and then paint your world as you see it.

Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Did you have formal training, or are you a self-taught artist?
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - I don’t believe in self-taught. It’s like never going outside of the box!
You need to learn all the tricks to art in order to create better and faster with no boundaries. Never be that arrogant to think you know it all.
It’s also very important for mind expansion. To learn different mediums and techniques and then later choose which you prefer for building your portfolio.
I had formal training from 7 to 32 years old. I even took night-time classes way after I graduated while I was working for a living.

Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Are there any lessons or instructions that you used to increase your ability in drawing and painting?
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - I learned anatomy first.
Then I learned sculpting, drawing, painting (Oils, Watercolor, Acrylic, Pastels), etching, wood blocking, and photography.
All this enabled me to be a better fine tuned artist. It all meshes together later.

Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - What would you recommend to someone who thinks they cannot draw?
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Take classes in anatomy…then they will have an open road to success as an artist.

Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - A lot of artists I have talked to like to work at night - when is your favorite time to work?
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Night. I am a night owl, always have been. It’s quiet and I have no interruptions. I always felt that when the rest of the world is asleep, I collect on the pure energy that’s not being used.

Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - Do you use an eraser? Some artists say they never erase.... boy I sure do...
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - Always…I even draw with the eraser too, now that’s fun!
I will use anything I can get my hands on to draw. There are no rules when it comes to drawing materials.
I was an exchange student in England, and I will always remember the day we all landed there, a bus took us to a school and the room we were led to had nothing in it but earthly materials, mud, clay, sticks from trees, stones, tar, coal, etc… and paper.
Then the Professor said to us “Draw your trip”!
We were all so exhausted from the trip, no sleep from the excitement of learning in England. We all started to work and in the end of the night we all thought our creations were fabulous!
The next morning the Professor was there and gave all of us a negative report, he slam dunked it all then told us to destroy our art. The room was loaded with huge metal trashcans, where we were instructed to rip everything up and throw it away and then burn it.
So we did, some students cried but I thought that this was an adventure to higher learning and so it was.
Professor said “You’re not an artist until you have used everything, and you’re not a Professional Artist until you learn that when something isn’t good, you throw it out”…now this was wonderful knowledge!

Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~: Me - What is your favorite part of the work? Some people like the sketching, some applying the color, some prefer the final shading.
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~
Sheila - My favorite part is in the idea that sparks a new painting.
I write the idea down on paper, then add notes while I am doing research. Then I mentally build on it to make it come alive in my mind.
Cultivating a fantasy painting to bring people into a very special world, is not an easy thing to do. It has to be convincing enough to get people to surrender their lives for a few moments and step into mine.
This feeling is what I get throughout the entire painting I am doing at that time.
They are feeling and breathing my idea, my art, my world, and remembering my creation as beauty added to their lives…what joy that is to me!
Thank you for asking me to be part of your interviews, I hope I have shed some light on what it takes to become a successful and accepted artist.
Good luck to everyone ~

Barb Cederberg's - Editorial

I thank Sheila so much for allowing me to interview her. I have been a fan of hers for quite some time.

Her paintings just take my breath away.

Just take a look at this Fairy Picture...

This one is called Once Upon A Dream

Image of Sheila Wolk Painting Once Upon A Dream

There are so many things that I can relate to in the way Sheila thinks. I love the fact that she erases, and even goes into how there are no rules in drawing and painting.

Make them up as you go.

However, she is very strong about how an artist should get the basics. I agree that if you are going to draw and paint figures you should be armed with as much knowledge about anatomy and figure drawing as you possibly can.

I think she is saying the more we know the less limited we will be.

Makes me think.

I also love the fact that she is a night-owl - I will think of her the next time it is three in the morning and I tell myself that I better get some sleep.

Oops - that is the problem with being an artist - then we want to work during the day too!

Sheila also paints some gorgeous mermaids... in fact she is known for them... Look below.

Here Are Some Of Sheila's Amazing Mermaids! .. or Mer People

Image of Sheila Wolk Painting Eternity

Image of Sheila Wolk Painting Metamorphosis

Check Out Sheila's Site

To visit Sheila's Site and find much more to look at go to...Sheila's Site

From Sheila Wolk Fairies Back to Learn To Draw With Fairy Artists

From Sheila Wolk Fairies Back to Back to Fairies - Home

Follow @fairiest

Sheila Wolk Fairies

Fairy Painting - Called Call Of The Wild

The Interview - Enjoy!

Barb Cederberg's - Editorial

This one is called Once Upon A Dream

Here Are Some Of Sheila's Amazing Mermaids! .. or Mer People

Check Out Sheila's Site

Drawing
Instruction

Pretty Drawing
Practice

Dark Side
Drawing

Coloring

Fairy Info!

Other Stuff

Sheila Wolk Fairies

Fairy Painting - Called Call Of The Wild

The Interview - Enjoy!

Barb Cederberg's - Editorial

This one is called Once Upon A Dream

Here Are Some Of Sheila's Amazing Mermaids! .. or Mer People

Check Out Sheila's Site

DrawingInstruction

Pretty DrawingPractice

Dark SideDrawing

Coloring

Fairy Info!

Other Stuff

Drawing
Instruction

Pretty Drawing
Practice

Dark Side
Drawing