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When did you set up your business and why?
I have always had a creative side, and painting has been a really important part of my life for over 10 years now. In 2020, I decided to move to Ireland to complete a masters degree in studio art at the Burren College of Art.
This course, along with having a number of exhibitions and being awarded an Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, gave me the confidence to pursue art as my full-time career at the beginning of 2023.
Can you explain your creative process?
As a landscape painter, I love spending time in nature and getting to know my subject before making the paintings. My love for the outdoors likely came from having grown up in a small town near the mountains in rural Northern New York.
Now, I spend time outdoors walking in my local landscape, often documenting what I see using photos and sketches.
In the studio, I use oil paint to make the paintings and I like to play around with colour, emphasising certain hues that I feel represent the personality of a place. Along with making the paintings, I build my own frames and paint them in colours to coordinate with each individual piece.
What inspires you?
The natural world is my main inspiration. A few years ago, I made a series of paintings inspired by a 600 kilometre walk from the east to the west coast of Ireland. Now, I find my inspiration more locally in the landscapes of Clare and Galway.
I love any scene related to water, and you’ll find that most of my paintings are inspired by some body of water, whether it’s the Atlantic coast, the Burren’s turloughs, or small rivers and streams.
What were your biggest achievements of 2023, and what are your hopes for 2024?
I had my first solo exhibition this side of the Atlantic in January 2023 at the Ballaí Bána Gallery in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Belfast. Since then, I have also exhibited in Cork, Balbriggan, and Galway, where I currently have a show at the University of Galway.
I also had the pleasure of teaching my first landscape painting workshop at the Burren College of Art in August and look forward to teaching more workshops this year.
I was grateful to be awarded a grant from the Arts Council in September to help make a new series of paintings, which I am looking forward to continuing to develop this year and hope to exhibit them by the end of 2024.
Last August, I launched a new venture - my wedding painting business, Gestures by Love, which has been such a joy to nurture. I am beyond excited to see what's to come for both my wedding painting and landscape painting this year.
Is there any advice you’d give to someone interested in pursuing an artistic career?
Make work that’s authentic to you. If you are passionate about what you are making, it will shine through in the work and people will naturally gravitate towards it. And don’t be afraid to put yourself and your work out there!
As a naturally introverted individual, I know it can be difficult, but it's so important for artists to connect with others and share what you’re making with the world.
For more information on Tiffani's work visit: tiffaniloveart.com
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