Studio Spotlight: “City Slickers” by Tina Palmer

Today, the Studio Spotlight is on “City Slickers” by Tina Palmer.

“City Slickers” by Tina Palmer. Acrylic on plastered canvas, 36″ × 48″

As long as she can remember, Tina Palmer has loved to paint.

Her father was a painter, so it was in her blood. Not wanting Tina to face the struggles he knew she might encounter, however, he never encouraged her to become a professional artist. But the creative bug was in her, and would not let go. It never allowed her to sleep, she says, and she continued taking up her brushes at night, as her family slept.

After studying graphic design in college Tina started several businesses, raised two children and found herself ready when opportunity knocked — painting for a gallery, she was selling her work faster than she could create it.

For years, Tina had a policy against painting people. But as an artist, she knows she's constantly training and learning. Now Tina has come around again to the figure, and the dynamics of movement. Her recent paintings revolve around moody scenes of people going about their daily lives — with umbrellas.

I felt the need to capture the essence of random people without unnecessary details, and in my latest works I think I can say more with less. As Edgar Degas once said, “In a painting, if you make your meaning perfectly clear you end up boring people.”

Tina is represented by galleries throughout the country, but has decided to make her work available to collectors worldwide as a Charter Member of Artexpo Studio.

To see more of Tina Palmer’s paintings and purchase museum-quality, giclée prints, visit her Artexpo Studio page.