How did you get started and then develop your career?
Tina Bohlman: My mom & great grandmother were both gifted artists and luckily some of that trickled down to me. My first and only “academic exposure” to art was in high school.
I started sketching on location back in the 70’s, before the plein air “movement”. I didn’t have a camera and money was tight; I was a single mom with 2 teenagers, and working from life was my process. I realize now that the knowledge gained from direct observation is fundamental to creating a good studio painting.
From 1970 through the ‘80s, I traveled the art festival circuit participating in about 20 events a year, wearing out 3 vehicles. I learned how to market myself as well as my work. It was a hard way to make a living but given the chance for a do-over, I wouldn’t change a thing.
My life & career has taken many turns but at the core, there’s always been the need to paint – The past 25 years have been my most successful with awards and sales; but when participating in competition events, I’m in awe of the extraordinary watercolor painters out there today.
To see more of Tina’s work, visit:
The Sycamore is one of my favorite trees. My home town has these magnificent giants along every neighborhood street
We were on a bus tour in Belize and as we passed through the town, the homes were painted in all colors of the rainbow
