Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Newland.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Originally born in South Carolina, I have lived and travelled all over the world. I served in the US Navy for 27 years and was able to benefit from that service by exploring different cultures and meeting some amazing people. I have been an artist all of my life, so while visiting foreign countries I was able to see art in both museums and in the street. I believe that everything I have experienced informs my visual style, in some manner. I can defiantly say that my appreciation for minimalism comes from living in Japan, and visiting other Asian cultures as well.
When I retired from the Navy I decided to pursue the things I had long deferred, namely painting, photography and writing. As a visual artist I strive to create works that are meaningful, emotional and psychological. I want to connect with my clients and collectors on a level that runs as deeply as possible. Art is important-it is what defines culture. It is the thing that, if done with passion, skill and intellect, can last forever.
I have been completely dedicated to my art career since 2009; I can’t see myself doing anything else.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being an artist requires patience. PATIENCE!
It is a lonely and discouraging practice, and one will often want to quit. I’m constantly questioning why I do what I do. All too often an artist will put forth their best work, and the world is completely indifferent. That is a fact that every emerging artist needs to understand and accept. The road will not be smooth. You will struggle, at every stage of your career. You will make the most amazing art and no one will notice. This is the market we have decided to work in.
I would encourage any artist reading this to keep the faith-we tend to be our own harshest critics and our internal dialogue will drown out any other considerations. This is why it is important to have a support system. Find the people who will speak truth to you and keep you strong when you feel weak.
It is very difficult to be seen but if you keep making YOUR art your vision will eventually shine through.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a visual artist. My studio practice includes fine art photography and painting. In the past I have painted using oils, acrylics, and watercolors on both canvas and paper. Now I’m finding that digital painting appeals to me: I can generate ideas and create paintings much more rapidly than with traditional media. I started digital painting as a way to create sketches and drafts of works I wanted to create on canvas, but soon discovered that the digitals were equally as valid as works of art. And they look amazing when properly optimized and printed on fine paper using pigment inks.
I’ve been a photographer of some kind or another since I was 16 years old. I gained a lot of experience working in chemical darkrooms, developing film and making prints, but I much prefer modern methods of photography now. I really don’t want to be exposed to darkroom chemicals, thanks very much! Also, professional grade digital cameras are amazing and I can’t see myself ever going backwards through the technology when the present, and future, offer so much promise.
What I like about both painting and photography is that they are 2 dimensional, constrained by a frame. That basic idea, work in a frame, has served art for as along as human history can be recited. It hasn’t been exhausted yet and I don’t think it ever will be. Artists constantly develop new ways to fill the frame. I hope I can be one of the people who continues to invent and explore new visions.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My mentor doesn’t know he is my mentor, which I think helps to keep our relationship free of any artificial hierarchies. He’s one of my old photography professors, and I go to him with questions when I’m out of my depth. He is a person I deeply respect, and I think that is the one thing that has to exist if you need a mentor; you cannot be mentored by someone you don’t respect. I go to others, as well, as I like to hear a variety of opinions on any topic that I require assistance with.
I network with other artists and photographers, as well. Your peer group will always offer opportunities for learning because everyone has different experiences. Life lessons are usually the most valuable, and I’m lucky in that my informal network consists of men and women with a wide variety of experiences and they’re not afraid to share.
I think that an artist also has to have a few people in their circle that they can count on to give true critical feedback. Criticism from trusted sources is one of the best ways to grow your art. Don’t go asking your mom for critique! She loves you and she is going to lie; cultivate solid relationships with people who will help you shape your art into the form you want.
Stay away from sycophants and the ignorant. They will only bring about destruction.
Contact Info:
- Email: cmnewland@gmail.om
- Website: cmnewland.com
- Instagram: @cmnewland
Image Credits
All images copyright Christopher Malcolm Newland
