Sit Down With Our June '20 Featured Artist
Alice Coles
Instagram / @HulloAlice
YoutTube / HulloAlice
Featured Artist / June 2020 ScrawlrBox
I’m Alice! I am a watercolour and mixed media artist living in beautiful Colorado.
I make YouTube videos focused on educational and motivating content for aspiring and intermediate artists.
In my spare time, I love to travel, read, and spend time with my Border Collie, December.
How did you get into the world of art?
My mum is an artist, and my dad is also very artistic. I was drawing from birth!
Have you always known you wanted to be an artist?
I always knew I would be an artist, but I didn’t always want it to be my career. For a good portion of my life, I wanted to be a journalist.
What is the greatest challenge you have overcome in your artistic journey?
Self doubt, and I am still working to overcome it every day.
Do you have a favourite medium to work with and why?
My favourite medium is water based mediums, like watercolour paints, pencils, and sticks. I enjoy the spontaneous and unpredictable way the colours mix and settle into the paper, and the texture it creates.
When did you start your Youtube Channel?
I started my YouTube channel in 2013, when I was out of college.
Do you have a favourite artist?
I am very inspired by classic artwork. My favourite artist is J.M.W Turner, a Romantic artist from 18th century England, as well as Degas. I am also particularly partial to the Pre-Raphaelite painters, including Millais, but am also a huge fan of John William Waterhouse and William Morris, who followed the movement.
How do you stay motivated and inspired?
I try to keep creative energy flowing. I find that if I stop, it is much harder for me to start again, so if I focus on coming up with new ideas, taking reference photos, or even practicing my ukulele for 15 minutes, continuing to keep creativity a daily part of my life helps me make it routine.
What are your favourite videos to make?
I love making videos where I get to share things that have helped me personally in my life and art, so basically advice and educational videos.
Is there a particular painting that you are most proud of? If so, why?
I am most proud of my painting “Nostalgia.” It is one of my older paintings, but I worked extremely hard on it. The process was completed in a study centre in Italy, and I have fond memories of creating the piece over weeks and weeks. I worked with new techniques using some inks I had, and the piece itself represents my own personal dream of just being surrounded by old books.
What are your go to snacks that keep you going whilst working on art projects/videos?
Haribo Starmix Gummies!!
Tea or coffee?
Definitely tea, I don’t like coffee!
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
I get to listen to podcasts the entire time I work!
