Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Krieger.
Teresa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In September 2008, I was working as an Occupational Therapist at Baylor Medical Center in Plano. My husband called me to tell me that he and his entire team had been laid off. I was shocked and worried; he had never lost a job. He was an honor graduate of USC, he had high-level military training and had briefed general officers at the Pentagon. I was thinking: He is not the type of person to be laid off!
That was, for my family, the beginning of the Great Recession.
We have four children. One was already in college and one was set to start college the next year. I was home-schooling our high school student and working on an as-needed basis. I was not making a great deal of money, and I began to wonder how we were going to keep up with expenses. We were thankful that a position opened where I could work weekends and achieve full-time status.
I began my artwork out of necessity. The stress was mounting and I needed a means of channeling that stress. I set up a table with lighting in a corner of our living room and began to paint. At first, I just copied a few paintings from books where the author walked the reader through in detailed steps. Instead of leaning over my husband’s shoulder as he looked for work, I had something very positive to do.
My family members who were at home encouraged me with praise for the simple landscapes and ocean scenes. One of my daughters, however, who was visiting from college, had a few questions. She wondered why we were looking at the sky and trees so intently. My older son was even reading a book on cloud formations, and this daughter thought we had all gone a little crazy over art.
I continued reading books and painting for the next 2 years. It was a wonderful hobby, but I did not want to invite any external criticism of my work. I had studied art in school, and I knew that I would have to give myself time to learn before allowing more people to see what I was doing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
First, I have struggled to even call myself an artist. The field of art is very broad, and the expectation is that studio painters will have a degree in Fine Arts. I have analyzed my strengths and weaknesses. I have learned to compose a harmonious work of art whether I’m working on a representational piece or an abstract piece.
Second, I struggle to divide my time between creating art and helping to lead a fast growing organization (Visual Arts Guild of Frisco). The VAGF has doubled its membership over the two years I have been involved. I feel responsible to the artists that need a guild home in Frisco. I’ve been working with the other board members and with community leaders to give artists opportunities to exhibit their work.
Third, I struggle with the idea of branding that is, finding my particular niche. When I travel to California, I paint plein air because of the natural beauty there. I am too accustomed to the particular beauty of Texas, so California opens up new opportunities for me. This last year I ventured into abstract art. I feel that large, abstract works are better suited to the tastes of people in Frisco and in the DFW area in general.
Teresa Krieger Fine Art – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My first love is plein air painting, and that is probably the thing for which I am best known. One of my works in this area is called “Cliffs of the West Coast.” This painting was done partly on site and then finished in my studio. It has been featured in Frisco’s Arts in the Atrium brochure, and it has also been reproduced on a large metal sheet and displayed in Frisco Square for the past couple of years.
Painters working en plein air are less common in this area, and those who practice it generate more than usual interest. During the first Frisco Arts Walk, a photographer took a picture of me working with a French easel. This picture has been used several times for promotional purposes, but I have to laugh a bit about it. The picture is taken from the back, so my face is not visible! I am nonetheless happy to have contributed to the cause of painting in this way.
I love plein air painting because it allows me to capture the sense of awe in a particular scene. I believe that art has a role in encouraging and inspiring us. People that have my paintings in their homes tell me that they look at them every day and associate them with happy memories from their own lives. Natural subjects especially remind us of our Creator, who is the original Artist of the scenery that we enjoy.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I already feel successful as an artist because I have been accepted into a group of creative people. These people are, like me, on their own creative journey. They are willing to be leaders for the arts in their communities.
My work on the board of the Visual Arts Guild of Frisco has been hard, but it has been worth it. Our activities involve monthly meetings, three exhibitions a year, and an annual week of art instruction with Frisco Family Services. All require planning and recruitment.
The relationships I have made are the biggest measures of success for me. I am thankful for working with Tammy Meinershagen, Executive Director of Frisco Arts. The VAGF collaborates with Frisco Arts on events such as the Arts Walk.
I am also thankful for working with Annie Royer, who is Executive Director of the Arts and Music Guild in McKinney. She has supported the development of the 1-2-1 program, which encourages nursing home residents to create their own art.
To the extent that we can collaborate with other cities, I also count that as a success. I really believe that artists can work together to create the change that is needed to allow the arts to flourish in the North Texas region.
Contact Info:
- Address: The COVE- exhibits every weekend by member artists;
402 North Tennessee St.
Mckinney, Tx. 75069 - Website: teresakrieger.com
- Email: kriegerta@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresakrieger/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresa.krieger7
- Other: http://www.thecovemckinney.com/
Image Credit:
Frisco Arts for image of painter with easel
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