Naomi Taitz Duffy -- a Sketchbook Conversation

Today's Sketchbook Conversation is with Naomi Taitz Duffy.

Here's her story:



My name is Naomi Taitz Duffy and I live and work in Washington DC. I always have a few sketchbooks around that I go to when I don't feel like working on a larger painting or when I need to work out ideas.

I also go to my sketchbooks when I want to play with specific materials that work best on paper. Sketchbooks and small paper pieces are much less intimidating and a great place to make lots of work that can either be kept or thrown away. I find that when there is absolutely no pressure is often the best time to come up with fresh ideas.

I've always loved drawing with pens and markers. These were really my first medium beginning as a child because they were what I had around. I would spend hours with a pile of white computer paper and a box of markers making images out of shapes and patterns.

Now that I've moved on to paints I appreciate that I can still use markers and pens on top of acrylics and go back and forth between the different medium to achieve interesting layers.

My advice to someone just starting out would be to follow your instincts even when you're not quite sure where your work is headed. I think many of us have a feeling when we're first starting out that we need to find our style right away, but I believe this is something that happens completely naturally over time and can't be forced.

Just draw or paint whatever feels interesting to you in the moment you sit down to work, and keep doing that. Eventually you'll look back at your work and see a style emerge. Sketchbooks are a really great place to begin because there is no pressure and no fancy canvas or board to feel intimidated by. My motto to myself when I'm feeling stuck (which is all the time!) is to make what interests me, what challenges me, and what I find beautiful.

Thank you, Naomi, for sharing your story with us today.

Dear readers, you can connect with Naomi and see more of her work:

on her website: www.naomitaitzduffy.com

and on Instagram at @naomitaitzduffy 

Missed the other Sketchbook Conversations posts? It's even easier to catch up now that I've created a web page just for the series.

And for more inspiration, check out my Artist Interviews. I'll be back on Friday sharing my latest Artist Interview. Hope to see you then!

*Photos in this post © Naomi Taitz Duffy. Used with permission.