Today we’d like to introduce you to Aileen Fitzgerald.
Hi Aileen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been painting since I was a little girl! I spent many late nights and weekends painting away. I chose to pursue nursing in college and focused on being the best mom and nurse possible during the last several years. When the pandemic started and our social activities paused, I suddenly had many free nights and discovered my brushes again. I painted a landscape inspired by the drive between Austin and Houston, and at that moment, I felt my entire world shift. It was such a powerful feeling of coming home to myself, and I realized how long I’d suppressed the tug in my heart to create. I haven’t looked back since! My creative drive has busted the seams wide open.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think anything worth doing is ever on a smooth path! Financial risk is a common struggle to face, and I luckily have many people in my life that encouraged me to take the risk- and believe in myself. I never wanted to take out a loan, so my profit was always returned right back to the business to purchase more, and I took bigger risks each time. I was slowly building this business up while being a mom and a nurse when I left the relationship I was in. I had the very scary decision of choosing to go back to my RN job full time for financial security or pursue art as my full-time career (what I wanted to do!). I read Glennon Doyle’s book “Untamed”, and her quote, “Because once we feel, know, and dare to imagine more for ourselves, we cannot unfeel, unknow, or unimagine. There is no going back.” helped solidify my decision. I couldn’t go back. I fully submerged myself into my passion and am still blown away by the universe’s support and response to it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I paint landscapes with a mood. My primary focus has been to sit with the “hard” emotions- grief, anger, loneliness- and transform them through my painting process into something quiet, serene, and beautifully still. My process involves applying layer after layer of watered-down paint, and eventually a landscape naturally forms. Lighter areas of the canvas turn into horizon and sky, bodies of water, and light-filled fields. I then paint using a dry brush technique to enhance the details and bring the story into focus. Imagination is a huge and very fun part of the process.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Anytime my family took us camping. My brother and I had no idea when my parents were going through tough times financially because they always made such an effort to bring magic to our childhood. I learned so much about the simple joys of life while camping with my family.
Contact Info:
- Email: aileenfitz@aileenfitzart.com
- Website: www.aileenfitzart.com
- Instagram: @aileenfitzart
Image Credits:
Photographed by Madeline Harper Benavides
