INTERVIEW with John Murdoch
LOCATION: Gold Light Studios; Perkasie, PA
CAREER: Founder of Gold Light Studios and Atelier. Oil painter of portraits, angels, still life and figurative narrative paintings
EDUCATION: American Academy of Art, School of Representational Art in Chicago
Little known fact: "I love silly cat videos on the internet."
WHEN WAS THE MOMENT YOU KNEW YOU WANTED TO BE A PAINTER?
I knew I wanted to be an artist around age 6, oil painter around age 20.
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WHAT IS YOUR STYLE OF PAINTING?
Classical or realistic with an otherworldly edge.
DID YOU HAVE A MENTOR OR SOMEONE YOU LOOKED UP TO?
A few... Lou Ann Burkhardt, Richard Halstead, Michael Cavallaro.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?
Learning how things work, either in drawing and painting or in business. It’s always another adventure.
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WHAT IS THE LARGEST HURDLE IN THE ARTS YOU HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME?
Learning how to be true to my inner vision while working with others.
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR GOALS YET TO BE ACHIEVED?
Ahhh, too many to list. I generally add another 5 or 10 every year!
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM PAINTING?
Learning to trust myself about what I am putting on the canvas and having fun with it.
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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU PROVIDE TO ANYONE ASPIRING TO PAINT PROFESSIONALLY?
Have a clear vision about what you want to do and learn how to do it. The biggest aspect ignored by artists is that they will need to work with others in teams to accomplish any of their own goals.
DO YOU HAVE A BOOK OR DVD THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?
Harold Speed, 'The Practice and Science of Drawing.'
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DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PAINTER?
Again, too many. If I had to pick one, maybe JW Waterhouse.
WE HAVE TO ASK... WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NEW WAVE PALETTE?The large
Academian. It provides plenty of surface area to lay out my color strings. I also like the look of the 'squarish' shape with the 'roundish' corners.
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