Priscilla Urban
Artist Statement
I am inspired by great works of art in particular and by good design in general. However, when I face a blank canvas I, too, go blank. I have no plan. But I do have faith and something always happens. I work fast, colors get put down and forms emerge. Things move quickly and then all work stops. Is the painting “finished?” Usually not. The painting will call for something. It will say something not very profound like, “Help, I need some brown” or “Where is my main focus?” This “call” comes the next day or the next week or even beyond that. My paintings begin with random energy and they are finished when sometimes just one insight emerges.
In the actual process of painting or making pottery, the emotion and the compulsion to get it down are the only things that matter to me.
My advice to someone who would like to be an artist: First, know, love and respect art history. Know the best that has been done because the best works are the greatest human gifts. They are awesome. My second piece of advice is, do not be afraid of making lots of mistakes. This is sure to keep you humble and curious. Oil painters are lucky when it comes to mistakes. They understand the artist who received a compliment on his/her work and replied, “thank you. And there are a lot of paintings underneath that, too.”
Whether we are officially artists or not, we should be mindful of aesthetics in everyday life. This mindfulness will definitely make us happier and our greater happiness will enrich the planet tremendously.
Autobiography
I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. Via the bus and attired in outfits which included hats and white gloves, my mother and I made frequent pilgrimages to the National Gallery.
Later, I lives in Paris with my parents and I traveled in Europe, Africa and Asia. I attended Lake Forest College (B.A.), Boston University (M.A.) and University of Chicago (Ph.D. dropout). All of this education was primarily in anthropology.
I have painted on and off for 30 years and worked as an interior designer in Lake Forest, Illinois, during the 1980’s. We moved to Fayetteville in 1994. In 1997, I began taking art classes in every conceivable medium.
Now I primarily paint in oil and do some pottery.