Today we’d like to introduce you to Marian Hirsch.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
There is a long tradition established by the great landscape painters of the nineteenth century of capturing in paint and pigment the landscapes most familiar to the artist. In my case that has been Texas. As the world becomes more densely populated and developed, the necessity of empty places becomes more vital to many of us. For me, transforming the essence of a landscape into a painting is my life’s work.
Making art is for me an active and daily process. It is not a sequential process where one learns to paint and then applies the knowledge. It is instead a simultaneous act where learning and doing are realized together. The skill and understanding and visual vocabulary for the task of painting landscapes is revitalized when confronted by the vistas found at every turn in each location. Changing light and changing seasons keep the vision fresh.
I am a full-time professional artist. I graduated from SMU with a degree in Fine Art. The high school scholarship classes held at the Dallas Museum of Fine arts when they were in Fair Park was instrumental in my choice of college. My passion for creating has meant an involvement as an active member of both Pastel Society of the Southwest and Southwestern Watercolor. The love of all things blooming led me to the Collin County Rose Society. I was able to design the literature that would aid our outreach efforts in educating the public about RRD.
The contacts with other Master Gardeners and Nurseries started a working relationship with North Haven Gardens, where I share my love of watercolor by teaching a series of classes – Introduction to Watercolor. Sharing the skills I have long worked at perfecting is rewarding to me on many levels.
I continue to work with Interior Designers in creating custom artworks. Gallery representation placed my paintings in a number of corporate collections including Ford Motor Company, AT&T, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Merrill Lynch, Lucent Technologies, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, Dallas Business Journal and Verizon Wireless. The years creating illustrations for the greeting card and gift wrap industry full time were joyous. Those paintings graced a variety of consumer goods and were very successful. My focus has shifted base to my own artistic growth. The creative output has been varied by choice of medium that is currently catching my fancy and that variety keeps me actively engaged.
When the weather if fine – count on me being out in the landscape gathering inspiration. I just have to drive a bit further now but we still have pockets of nature tucked into our Metroplex.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Challenges abound no matter what your profession but a love of what I do – making art – sustains me. That constant desire to be a better artist and painter is a long-established habit.
Please tell us about Marian Hirsch, Artist.
As my creative focus shifted, so has the companies for whom I did work. I spent a number of early professional years as a freelance production artist. That allowed my free time to be devoted to perfecting my skills as a fine artist. The Vendor Appreciation Award from the national American Heart Association for my work on the Scientific Sessions manuals was quite humbling. It is one of the few times that award was presented to an individual.
The next phase came about due to my watercolor paintings finding a niche in the greeting card and gift-wrap industry. My card designs were number one sellers for a variety of national companies – Gibson Greetings, New England Business Services, Current, and the then local Carlton Cards. J C Penney and Dillards both carried my gift wrap designs as did Pottery Barn. That work was all in watercolor but a revived interest in pastel led to spending more time with that medium.
Landscapes and larger works began to take more time and outlets in both galleries and a corporate representation meant devoting more time to personal creations. My diverse skill in multiple mediums has meant continued and varied sales outlets. I love the challenge of commissions as well as finding an outlet for my the art that is currently engaging my attention.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
No starting over for me. I was lucky enough to know what I wanted to do with my life very early on.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MARIANHIRSCH.com
- Phone: 972-422-2163
- Email: marianhirsch@live.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marian-Hirsch-Artist-182289255236672/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
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