The following excerpts are from my Adirondack Review Interview, from a few years ago. A very special thank you to Caroline Junker and The Adirondack Review; one of North America's longest-running online literary magazines.
Adirondack: Do you ever pair painting and poetry?
Cierra G. Rowe: I do, though sometimes I prefer to focus on one or the other. My poems ‘Fall of Man’, ‘The Great Sea’, and ‘Deep in the Forest’ were written during or after my paintings, ‘The Adamantly Evil Tree’, ‘Sea Serpent of Ivorelle’, and ‘Anxiously Awaiting’.
Adirondack: Were you trained or self-taught (or a combo)?
Cierra G. Rowe: I am wholly self-taught. Art is something that has always come naturally to me. Art school never appealed to me, due to my rigid belief that art should not be directed(or interrupted). When I first picked up the paintbrush, it was spontaneous and that spontaneity fed my enthusiasm. I never desired anyone to tell me that I was an artist. I always felt like one. As an outcast, it was nice to feel like something other than unwanted.
Adirondack: How did where you grew up influence your painting style and subjects; do you think it would be different if you had grown up in a vastly different setting, like a city?
Cierra G. Rowe: I think that it gave me a real sense of self. The countryside will do that — help you to understand who you are. As an artist, that is invaluable. My paintings are thoughtful and that is partly because of my rural surroundings. As a young girl, I travelled a lot with my parents. That travelling had a special way of nurturing my imagination and in time, it nudged me to paint outside of my region. What I see everyday and what I enjoy seeing inevitably penetrate my canvas. This area is teeming with inspiration and because it is quiet here, I can focus on what I want to paint. My style of painting reflects my comforts. Overlapping color and creating quirky or snazzy scenes is an extension of my personality and the exuberance that often accompanied my early adolescence. I have noticed that the countryside grows on you and when you’ve been somewhere for so long, it is often a challenge to wonder how you would fare someplace else. Rural life is different — It’s not for everyone. Had I grown up in a city or elsewhere, I think that everything would have been different.
Adirondack: How does nature influence your art?
Cierra G. Rowe: I know where I stand with nature but with most other things, I never can. Nature doesn’t change for anyone, it just simply is. Nature doesn’t shun you, it’s always there, always inviting you. Nature’s influence is not being an influence at all. I can’t think of a more serene backdrop for painting.
Adirondack: What motivates and inspires your art? Is there something in particular that you try to capture in your paintings?
Cierra G. Rowe: Because things change from one day to the next, I have no solid answer for this. It is hard to explain but to keep things simple, I will say that every painting is a release for me and sometimes when I observe my own art, I enjoy not considering the specifics of why or how it came to be. As a kid, I scribbled awful sketches onto paper, lectured my stuffed animals and dressed up in tacky, colorful clothing. To my knowledge, no one ever questioned why I did those things, It was only ‘’Cierra being Cierra’’. As I grew older, that changed. Throughout adolescence and into adulthood, I have been expected to justify nearly everything about myself. My unwillingness to change for others or ‘’conform’’ to their ideals have given me an abundance of confidence to paint unrestricted, create things outside of the box and give myself a break. People, I have found, often pervert the things that they don’t understand. My paintings are, chiefly, only Cierra being Cierra.
Adirondack: How does your “distaste of imitation” (from your bio on your website) dictate how you interact with the work of other artists? Have you ever tried to replicate a certain style or feeling?
Cierra G. Rowe: I rarely ever have the chance to interact with artwork outside of my own but I appreciate meaningful art. I loathe superficiality, both in art and artists. Imitation is trite and art without meaning is sterile. That being said, my beliefs regarding imitation are personal and typically, I keep those beliefs to myself. Aside from commissions, I have never tried replicating any kind of style or feeling.
Adirondack: Do you ever think about your audience when you paint — do you ever paint specifically to try to show them something, or just a scene that you find meaningful? Is art more of a personal relationship with yourself?
Cierra G. Rowe: My relationship with art has always been personal and the scenes that I brush into focus certainly carry meaning. I can’t say that I ever consider my audience, being that I paint for myself, though I am appreciative of people who take the time to view my art. Painting is generally private for me but I do value my husband’s opinion. I like hearing how he interprets my paintings. His sincere perspective has a heartfelt way of making me laugh while polishing my ego.
Adirondack: How does your background in poetry inform your visual art?
Cierra G. Rowe: I began writing poetry around the same time that I began painting, so they’ve always been sort of neck in neck. I think that my hunger for writing influenced my fondness for color. With writing I can only say so much. With painting I can say it all.
Adirondack: What is your favorite genre of art to paint?
Cierra G. Rowe: Lately I have found landscapes and flowers to be quite exciting and they are proving to be my favorite subjects thus far to paint.
Adirondack: Do you have any advice for new artists?
Cierra G. Rowe: Do not wait for permission to have confidence in yourself or your abilities. Being yourself is enough, even on the days where it feels inadequate.
Adirondack: Why did you choose The Adirondack Review to publish your art?
Cierra G. Rowe: I like reading literary magazines and stumbled upon The Adirondack Review by chance. When I had the opportunity to revisit past issues, I enjoyed the assortment of unique material that was included within each. That is what reeled me in.