Meet Kathleen Swaydan | Studio Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathleen Swaydan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathleen, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind my success as an artist is being consistent. I have been making art for many years and find that keeping to what I know, that is, watercolor or oil paint and still life or landscape, makes my creative process flow better. Being consistent doesn’t mean never changing, it means honing and improving what you know.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m not sure what sets my art apart from others although, in this day and age, I am still a very traditional artist. I am most proud of the recognition I have achieved. I started by participating in local art fairs and joining groups of painters and/or artists. We all learn from our peers. And, as I mentioned before, being consistent goes a long way. Making and selling art is not an easy way to make a living. What I have done to make it work is continue with my day job and make art whenever I can. I spend at least 3-4 days in my studio every week. I also apply to juried exhibitions around the world. If you don’t put yourself out there, no one will ever see your art. I think that is the greatest lesson I have learned, continue to submit to exhibitions. What the world thinks about my art isn’t as important as what I think about my art. Nothing pleases me more than when someone purchases a painting.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are world renown museums and galleries in the area where I live. I would plan visits to The Getty Center and Getty Villa, they are so diverse. In addition, there is the Norton Simon Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Laguna Museum of Art, and the Hilbert Museum. These are just a handful of the wonderful museums available to me. We also have many great restaurants and public gardens. What is interesting and exciting to me is the art, the diversity and world class status of these monuments to the arts.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My maternal grandmother, Elsie McDonald, was an amazing, self-taught painter. I would have to say she was my first influence and interaction with art. I had several art teachers, most notably, Jack Dalton, who taught art at South Pasadena High School for many years. I only wish he was still with us so that I could thank him for teaching me about composition and art history. In college, Suzanne Bravender, who taught painting at Pasadena City College, would be the next influential force in my artistic path. Finally, Ron Rizk at the University of Southern California, was very encouraging and important in the direction my art took.

Website: KathleenSwaydan.com

Instagram: @kswaydan

Facebook: Kathleen Swaydan, Kathy Swaydan

Other: Pasadena Society of Artists