Interview with Ellen Isfort

When I went to Final Friday at the Pendleton, I interviewed Ellen Isfort. Thses are the questions I asked her. -How long have you had a studio? I’ve had a studio at the Pendleton Art Center for about 7years. -Why did you get a studio? I got a studio to be able to show my work, and to have a place to paint away from my home. Having to pay for a studio space makes your commitment to producing art a priority. At the Pendleton Art Center there is a goal for me each month to show my work on the Final Friday of each month.

-How do you financially support your artwork? (through sales, salary, grants, etc.) I support my artwork through sales and commission work. -What are the problems you face in getting your artwork done? I am a procrastinator. That is my biggest problem in getting art work completed. However I have never missed a dead line. -What do you do to market yourself as an artist? Marketing is not my forte’. I do have a website on FASO, and I enter local shows. Now I am painting a portrait for the “Portrait of a Soul” Project, through Children’s Hospital. The painting will hang at Children’s Hospital with my name as one of the artists. This type of marketing works best for a portrait artist. Also word of mouth from previous clients has been very important to my business. -What type of person buys your art? A wide variety of people purchase my art. I would say from early 30s to 70s. -What are your greatest challenges as an artist? My greatest challenges are staying motivated to explore new avenues of marketing my art work, and making enough from my artwork to keep everything fluid. -What are your greatest rewards as an artist? My greatest reward is the joy of completing a painting and standing back to take in a piece of artwork that I have created. This is magnified when I see someone else enjoying my artwork, or a client that is moved and thrilled with their commissioned portrait. -What recommendations would you give to an artist who is just starting out? My recommendation is DO WHAT YOU LOVE! The work and the rest will come if you are doing something you have a passion for.