A D A M W I M B L E
Borough Gallery: How do you choose the subjects of your paintings? Why that particular cat, or tractor, or person, or stream?
Adam Wimble: My subject matter is of my family and home and that is what I’m interested in painting. Plus, I live in a secluded area and that’s what I see when I step outside. I take a bunch of pictures when my dad or uncle are doing something that looks interesting. I then choose the photo with the most appealing composition to paint from. The same goes for animals or landscapes.
BG: What’s the process like when you move from the photographs to the canvas? Do you add/subtract elements as you paint?
AW: Mostly I subtract elements from the photo. First I get it drawn out, using all of the main shapes that I can see clearly and simplifying the background, like a tree line. I start out by filling in the background roughly and then working forward to my main subject, which I give most detail to. Then I concentrate on one area at a time to clean them up and tweak my painting until I’m satisfied. I try not to get too involved with adding leaves and such to the ground or designs and lettering on clothing. A couple problems that I run into while using photographs are areas that aren’t focused well or areas that are too dark. Otherwise, I’m very happy working with photos.
BG: There is an intimate quality to your paintings that one doesn’t find often in bucolic paintings these days. Many painters tend to idealize the Vermont rural/farm life and, while beautiful, they lack reality. Are you conscious of your work in relation to other painters in the area?
AW: I don’t know other rural/farm painters, but I can see how my work may differ. I think that some who paint beautiful scenic paintings, are trying to appeal to buyers, which is fine. Beautiful idealized scenes are probably more of what tourists and other buyers would want to hang on their wall. When I paint, I’m painting mainly for my own interest because it’s not a main source of income for me. I like my work to be more candid and non artificial, because I like to view things the way that they are. Even if it’s not a bright sunny scene.
BG: What draws you back home, to your family and the place you grew up? What about it sustains so many paintings?
AW: I think that a big part of that is that I was very shy as a child and somewhat now, so I don’t have very many people that I’m close to besides my family. I have many great memories from the farm with my family and it’s the only home I’ve ever known. It’s also a very beautiful place.
BGS: Do you have a painting regiment you adhere to, a certain time and place you always work?
AW: Kind of. I usually paint on my days off from work, which are never consistent. I like to start between 8-9 am and I paint up to six hours with some breaks in between. When I first start a painting, it’s usually very boring for me until I get all of the white covered. I don’t usually paint as long on those days. Once the white of the canvas is covered, I get a lot more interested as I focus on certain areas, then it’s hard to get me to stop.
Adam Wimble: My subject matter is of my family and home and that is what I’m interested in painting. Plus, I live in a secluded area and that’s what I see when I step outside. I take a bunch of pictures when my dad or uncle are doing something that looks interesting. I then choose the photo with the most appealing composition to paint from. The same goes for animals or landscapes.
BG: What’s the process like when you move from the photographs to the canvas? Do you add/subtract elements as you paint?
AW: Mostly I subtract elements from the photo. First I get it drawn out, using all of the main shapes that I can see clearly and simplifying the background, like a tree line. I start out by filling in the background roughly and then working forward to my main subject, which I give most detail to. Then I concentrate on one area at a time to clean them up and tweak my painting until I’m satisfied. I try not to get too involved with adding leaves and such to the ground or designs and lettering on clothing. A couple problems that I run into while using photographs are areas that aren’t focused well or areas that are too dark. Otherwise, I’m very happy working with photos.
BG: There is an intimate quality to your paintings that one doesn’t find often in bucolic paintings these days. Many painters tend to idealize the Vermont rural/farm life and, while beautiful, they lack reality. Are you conscious of your work in relation to other painters in the area?
AW: I don’t know other rural/farm painters, but I can see how my work may differ. I think that some who paint beautiful scenic paintings, are trying to appeal to buyers, which is fine. Beautiful idealized scenes are probably more of what tourists and other buyers would want to hang on their wall. When I paint, I’m painting mainly for my own interest because it’s not a main source of income for me. I like my work to be more candid and non artificial, because I like to view things the way that they are. Even if it’s not a bright sunny scene.
BG: What draws you back home, to your family and the place you grew up? What about it sustains so many paintings?
AW: I think that a big part of that is that I was very shy as a child and somewhat now, so I don’t have very many people that I’m close to besides my family. I have many great memories from the farm with my family and it’s the only home I’ve ever known. It’s also a very beautiful place.
BGS: Do you have a painting regiment you adhere to, a certain time and place you always work?
AW: Kind of. I usually paint on my days off from work, which are never consistent. I like to start between 8-9 am and I paint up to six hours with some breaks in between. When I first start a painting, it’s usually very boring for me until I get all of the white covered. I don’t usually paint as long on those days. Once the white of the canvas is covered, I get a lot more interested as I focus on certain areas, then it’s hard to get me to stop.
