We recently had the chance to connect with Maureen Dunlap and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maureen, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I consider “work” going to my studio at the Golden Belt and painting. It’s work that I love but I try to balance it with my free time at home.
I also love crafting. I feel like I always have to be making something. I recently got back into making paper crafts with my Cricut machine. I’m now into pop-up greeting cards, and I recently made a tiny interactive book for my toddler granddaughter where the pages are collapsing cubes with a hole in the top, and when you turn the top you can look inside and see a picture. So much fun to make! I’’ve made realistic flowers out of crepe paper and a wedding bouquet for my daughter-in-law. I also love polymer clay and sewing. Anything I can do with my hands is my passion,
I live with my boyfriend and our two parrots. They also bring me immense joy. These two Indian Ringneck Parrots are hilarious with their antics, and they talk! My partner, Daniel, is the love of my life and we have a routine every night of TV time at 7 o’clock, then at 8 it’s time for the birds to go to bed in their cages.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an oil painter who is a retired software engineer. I worked for Cisco Systems here in RTP from 2000 to 2011 and then for several smaller companies after that. These were jobs I loved. I created websites in the early days when they had to be coded by hand. I also did computer animations and interactive training modules for internal use. I am self-taught in coding and internet technologies.
As for my early background, at the age of 10 I stared learning to paint at a small art organization in Ridgewood, NJ. My mentor was a renowned painter named Arthur Maynard. He taught me most everything I know about painting. I continued full-time with him for several years after graduating high school.
After that I attended art school at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Art Institute of Philadelphia in the mid 70s. I then married and had 3 children.
I describe my art as “Stylized Realism”. I have always been a representational painter. I started out as a portrait painter but decided to focus more on subject matter that would resonate more generally with people. I did a large collection of ocean waves, still lifes mostly focusing on flowers, and still do portraits. Trademarks of my style include bright colors, and high contrast that make the subject matter really pop. I love experimenting with my compositions and enjoy the reaction of people who visit my studio.
I still embrace technology and always compose my paintings on my iPad using Procreate and other tools. For me the creative process starts long before the brush hits the canvas.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Motherhood has defined me for forty years. I love that my children are wonderful, successful adults. When I see them living their best lives, I’m proud of the job I’ve done. Sadly, my beloved son, Trevor, passed away at the age of 40 last year. It’s been a hard time for me, my two daughters, and my daughter-in-law.
We honor his life and reflect on the amazing person that he was.
It’s hard to stop actively mothering but I now realize that I need to focus on my own life. I feel compelled to keep creating and filling the world with color and a sense of humor.. Did I forget to mention that I have a need to find humor in every day life? I don’t take myself too seriously. My circle of artist friends are fantastic and we support each other in our artistic endeavors, bouncing ideas off each other and enjoying philosophical conversation.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Shyness and fear of not being liked. I am generally uncomfortable in large groups of people. In the corporate world I never wanted to be a manager and tell others what to do, Speaking in public is my worst nightmare. Even now I am trying to overcome it. Creating social media videos is crucial nowadays. I’ve been trying to feature myself in some of them.
Recently I recorded an online video course which was good practice for me to pretend to be talking to an audience.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m not sure how to answer this. Is there only one real version of anyone? I would like to think the public version of me is one that is liked and respected and hopefully I can continue developing that side.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I would like people to remember me for my sense of humor, free spirit, and caring for others. That I was a bit eccentric, sometimes judgmental, That I had a high bar in my belief about what makes good art.
But I do worry that they will say, “what are we going to do with all of these paintings?”
Contact Info:
- Website: HTTPS://www.maureendunlap.com
- Instagram: @maureenjdunlap
- Linkedin: Maureen Dunlap
- Facebook: Maureen Dunlap Fine Art
Image Credits
Philip Read
