Meet Maureen Dunlap

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maureen Dunlap.

Hi Maureen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey. When I was 10 years old, my mother enrolled me in Saturday art classes in Ridgewood, New Jersey. While there, I began studying oil painting in a traditional setting with renowned regional artist Arthur Maynard. I continued studying with him on weekends all through high school, and when I graduated, I stayed in town for two extra years working with him full-time. I had gotten a scholarship to do this through the Ridgewood Art Association. Arthur would give lectures during our lunch hours, talking about the effect of light on objects and how to actually “see the world that we are looking at.” This was very similar to the atelier setting that has now become so popular.

After this, I was accepted into the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I majored in painting there, and although they had a very disciplined approach to drawing and perspective when it came to painting, there was no solid instruction. In those days, people were getting heavily into abstract art, and traditional painting was practically shunned.

Feeling frustrated by this situation, I decided that it would be best to look into a form of creativity that would give me skills with which to find employment. I enrolled at the Art Institute of Philadelphia as a major in illustration. I also learned about mechanicals and paste-up for printing and typography. These skills really came in handy as when I graduated, I was able to find work in various businesses, including print shops and advertising agencies. I actually worked as a phototypesetter for 13 years prior to the personal computer being released. I really enjoyed these jobs.

Eventually, I started a family, and for quite a few years, I was a stay-at-home mom raising three young children. But in my spare time, I read lots of books about the birth of the Internet and how to write HTML to create websites. Writing code became easy to me because of the phototypesetting experience that I had. From here, I embarked on a successful career which lasted about 20 years. I worked as a front-end developer for Cisco Systems here in RTP for 11 years, followed by several smaller companies in the tech field.

When I retired a few years ago, I wanted to get back to my roots as a painter. I never forgot the instructions I got from Arthur Menard and his lectures on light and color. I always loved painting portraits, still lifes, and seascapes, so I began to paint the things that I love. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to get a studio at Golden Belt Arts in downtown Durham. This has been a dream come true for me as I am now a full-time painter and have been able to share my art with collectors around the country.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say the road has been smooth. However, it has been interesting and rewarding. I am an optimistic person and have always enjoyed the period of time that I have been in during my life.

As a working artist, however, the road is not always smooth. There is a lot of competition and a lot of different styles of art out there. Sometimes I feel like a drop in the ocean. Therefore, I am constantly striving to make my work different than other people; while I am still adhering to the principles that I learned many years ago, my work is more stylized in comparison to where I began. As artists, if we want to be successful, we must learn how to set ourselves apart from others around us. I’ve learned that even if you want to emulate a particular style, you will never be able to keep yourself out of your art even if you try. I like to approach each piece with a balance of technical acuity, drama, and a bit of whimsy. I try not to take myself too seriously.

The biggest challenge, I believe is getting seen. I think many artists are introverts; I know I am. I am making it a point currently to put myself out there by entering shows and contests and doing things like writing this article. I am seriously toying with the idea of teaching, as I have gotten many comments from people who say they want to know how I make my colors pop and my subjects look practically three-dimensional.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Over the years, I have developed particular techniques for painting my subjects. I use a full pallet of colors and a full range of values. While I used to paint in the à la prima style, I had to start taking more time with my paintings because I was accumulating too much work, but also, I wanted to push myself further to see how far I could take something. With each painting, I set out to challenge myself, whether it’s with a subject, the lighting, or the amount of detail I can incorporate. I enjoy using various surfaces. Panels produce a different effect than stretched canvas. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Years ago, I felt the only “right way“ to paint was from life. I no longer feel this way… For example, If I am setting up a floral still life, I take great pains to position each flower and leaf exactly the way I want it. I also want to have control over the lighting to help the subject pop. I put a spotlight in various positions and take many photos. I then find the best photo and oftentimes will make adjustments on my computer, such as dropping out the background of a still life and putting in some wallpaper, or composing a seascape from two or more photos. For me, the creative process begins before I even put a brush to canvas.

I then begin to paint the first layer by blocking in the local colors at a mid-range value and keeping everything soft on the edges. As the layers of the painting progress I begin expanding the values and rendering the subject and determine which edges to accentuate. I leave the brightest lights for the end. These are the parts of the painting that produce that wow effect.

What were you like growing up?
As a young child, my mother jokes that I used to run around snipping pieces of paper all over the place. I always enjoyed making things, and I also used to sew my own clothing, learned how to do every kind of needlework, and had hobbies everywhere around the house.

I am quite shy when I’m in crowds; however, I do enjoy one on one conversations.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.maureendunlap.com
• Instagram: @maureenjdunlap
• Facebook: Maureen Dunlap Fine Art
• Linkedin: Maureen Dunlap