Darlene Bock: Q&A

What inspiration do you take from your local surroundings? 

I feel very lucky to live in Lake County, which offers many beautiful outdoor locations, as well as city scenes. I love figures, especially people going about their business, caught in the midst of life. That is why I also love portraiture! As an avid outdoors person, I am captivated by sparkling light and shadow on landscapes in the area. But inspiration can happen when I least expect it – anywhere!

Are you self-taught or did you study art? If you studied, where did you go to school?

I have always been an artist. I started by copying comic books when I was young! It was something I was good at and really enjoyed. I was fortunate to be able to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Later in life, I gained more knowledge by attending art workshops run by master artists that I admired. They influenced my style and process greatly. I still learn from other artists to this day. There is always something new to learn! 

What are the goals for your career? 

My goal right now is to produce a large consistent body of work. Artists are more marketable, especially to art galleries, if their style is easily identifiable.

How has COVID affected your art (style, topic, materials, etc) and business?

Artists have a very solitary life, and are very introspective. But COVID has definitely made me even more so. I am much more aware of ordinary objects in my home, which has resulted in more still lifes – like the aerial view of a pot lid on the stove like my  “Stovetop Still Life”, 13″x12″, pastel. I am saddened by the lack of in-person gallery shows, but I have happily participated in several virtual shows. For those, you don’t have to worry about shipping and framing your work!

What is a piece of advice you would like to give high school students who are interested in going into an art career?

Do what you love. You have to put in many, many hours at the easel to make progress and develop muscle memory. Don’t stop! It is easy to get discouraged, but treat the failures as stepping stones, and move on. Work small, and copy artists whose style you admire, for practice (not to sell). Art schools are not the only place to gain knowledge. Seek out artists that offer classes and sign up for their workshops. These days, there are many options online, such as Artistsnetwork.com. When you feel confident, enter juried art shows, which help build your resume, and exhibit as much as possible. I have shown work at the Adler Center in Libertyville several times. Learn marketing! Many artists set aside one day a week to tackle this.