Linda Hendrickson was offspring to a mother who encouraged creativity from an early age. Fearless of messes, Harrriett inspired her children to delve right into finger paints, papier-mache, and mud pies. Nurtured with such joyous enthusiasm, Linda’s curiosity and creative bent only heightened with each passing year. Upon earning Fine Arts and teaching degrees, Linda began sharing this exuberant passion for art and beauty with her own students. Along with teaching, Linda traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. On her journeys, she endeavored to seek out and explore famous objects of art and architecture. In addition to taking advantage of each region’s indigenous art history, Linda sought creative outlets for her own ideas.... including, working as a freelance designer for needlework and craft book publishers. After more than five hundred such projects in print, Linda decided to return her focus to painting and stirring the imagination of the creative child within.
Stateside, Linda and husband Jim enjoy extended trips to Glacier National Park, where the couple met while working at historic Lake Mc Donald Lodge. These much-treasured retreats to Montana provide the opportunity to reconnect with nature through skiing, hiking, and reflection. As an artist, she is constantly drawing inspiration from the glacier’s breathtaking ecosystem...Plein air painting or relaxing in the rich alpine meadows or alongside spectacular, tranquil lakes. Inspired by nature, Linda carries a moleskin sketchbook and uses snippets of time to record all around her. This hones her drawing skills and captures the essence of wherever she is and whatever she is doing.
When she is not on the road, Linda conducts workshops for aspiring artists. Her own pieces have been exhibited at various galleries, shows, and competitions. Lifelong learning is a goal for Linda. She has taken numerous workshops with Robert Burridge, Tara Funk Grim, Christine Lashley and others. Her online studies continue daily. She has also taken a course with Art Business Academy taught by Xanadu Gallery owner, Jason Horejs.
Every painting, including Plein air pieces, begins with a "doodle start". Canvas, 300# watercolor paper or boards are gessoed. Then the surface is "toned" using bright, pure, pigments applied in drips, dribbles and large brush strokes. This playful approach done in an intuitive manner creates layers. Each successive layer is allowed to dry creating paintings that are inventive, fresh and full of pentimento. Lines, texture, mixed media, sketches and more make their way into the painting. Like a hiking trail, with each step through different terrain, the painting progresses until the happy subject emerges.
In recent years, Linda has found a satisfying niche in whimsical pet portraiture. Combining her love of animals, nature, and color, she explores bold techniques to capture endearing “critter” personalities on canvas. Three of her larger than life pet portraits were recently selected to brighten and warm the walls of the DuPont/ Nemours Children's' Hospital in Delaware. Like all of her work and the beloved creatures who inspire them, Linda hopes they bring boundless joy.
studio4Linda@gmail.com
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