Featured Artist: Janine Adamo

Today I am delighted to feature Artist Janine Adamo, an intuitive acrylic painter, whose work is soulful and beautifully textured. Her work has been displayed in several Georgia galleries and recognitions include a winning piece in the John’s Creek Block Party art contest, and a featured article in the Northside Women’s Magazine.

I interviewed Janine and here are the highlights:

1. How does my creative process work?

I am a single mom of 2 little girls, ages 7 and 9. So by day I am a freelance graphic designer and by night I am a painter. Some days I get to paint during the day when I don’t have work to do or house work or chores. Before I start painting I like to light candles, I have an alter with candles and stones on it and my sage. I then like to sage my space, clear it of anything negative and it feels good, to start new each time I paint. I sage my space, my paint and my canvas and me of course. I then choose my paint, it depends on what layer I am on. I like to start with my warm colors and just put paint on the canvas, dance around and be free. Then when dry I add the cool colors. I learned this process from Flora Bowley. I just put marks on the canvas, all different kinda and I use a ll different kinda of things too like dice and round caps and things I find at the hardware store, anything that will make an interesting mark. I do a few layers and then I may see something in the paint or I start sketching on my canvas with chalk, I like to keep all of my painted marks when I can, it adds depth. OH and you can’t forget the texture! I LOVE texture, so I add joint tape to my pieces and also moulding paste. I paint right on top of it an it gives it that extra something. You want to touch my paintings because of the texture. I also add collage like book text or what ever I can find. Sometimes I need to sit and sketch in my sketchbook and it brings out what I am wanting to paint. But the big thing for me to remember is that their are no mistakes, that is the beauty of Acrylic… you can paint right over it when it dries and acrylic paint dries fast! That takes away the pressure of having my marks having to be perfect the first time around. I also like to go to galleries, art shows, botanical gardens, anything to get my creative juices flowing. I guess my process is something I do when I paint and when I don’t paint because being an artist you also get influenced by many day to day things, that is the beauty of art.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I feel like everyone has something unique to share. No two people are alike and no two artist are alike. Yes, their are similar techniques and styles and even with in them, I feel that each person brings their own spice to the mix, weather its their favorite color palette or subject matter. My work depicts my life, you ask me about any of my paintings and I will tell you what was going on in my life at the time. It always amazes me how I never know what my piece are going to look like when they’re done but when it is done and I sit back and look at it, it is telling me something, it is showing me what I need to see or hear at this point in my life. Sometimes I don’t get it right away but eventually I do.


3. What am I working on now?

Now I am working on 2 canvas’s, only marks at the moment. I will be blogging about them to show my process. I am excited about 2 courses I will be taking in the future, one is Tracy Verdugo’s Paint Mojo course which started in September and then Flora Bowley’s e-course which starts October 13. I took Floras course a year ago and wow, how my work has changed ever since. I continue to take e-courses, I am learning what is for me and what is not. But I want to continue my education, I want to continue to learn, learn new techniques and styles and how other artists go about their work. It helps me grow and become a better artist. It also helps me create my own style and look. I pick bits and pieces from each person I learn from and make it my own.


4. Why do I do what I do?

I do what I do to stay sane. I get this feeling, a nudge inside when I have to paint. Its in me, it makes me happy, it’s my meditation, my release, my everything. You see, I was in a deep depression about 2 years ago, what got me out of it was painting. I had not painted since art school. And I signed up for the Sketchbook Project, did my sketchbook on depression and that was it, I could not stop creating, I could not stop painting, doing anything I could to keep the creativity flowing. I started painting again and have not looked back ever since. It has always been a dream of mine to have a studio and paint and share and now I am doing it and loving it. I also participate in arts festivals and I love doing them, I love talking to people about art, getting their immediate input and see the way my art moves them and how they react. And then I get inspired to paint and some people get inspired to go home and paint which I love. Each of my paintings has a big of me in them, I can’t help it and the more I paint the more I have to give. It makes my heart happy.


You can find Janine's inspiring work here:

Blog:http://janineadamo.com/blog

Website: http://janineadamo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanineAdamoArt

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JanineAdamo

Instagram: http://instagram.com/janineadamo