Where ART Lives Magazine Volume 2 Number 2 | Page 34

Rebecca Zook
January 2016
What is your first memory of creating art?
The earliest memories that I have are of creating art. I can remember spending hours at the desk
in my bedroom either drawing on blank paper or playing with a spirograph. I was somewhere
between 3 and 4 years old. Art was a huge part of my life even then.
Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? What makes it special to you?
Honestly, I try not to get attached to my work and usually my mind is already on the next piece I
have planned when the current one isn’t quite finished yet. There are a few paintings that have
added personal meaning to me. One particular piece is called “Hands by Candlelight” which
was part of a larger series focusing on hands, but came to represent overcoming medical and
emotional hardships in my life. I donated it for an auction to raise money for Primary Immune
Deficiency awareness.
What do you listen to when you paint?
I will often have the television on for background noise, but I don’t listen to anything in particular. When I’m focused, I’m oblivious to everything else around me.
What tool in your studio could you not live without?
I paint in acrylics which dry quickly. This is an aspect of them that most artists hate, but I love.
To keep them wet while mixing I have an inexpensive plastic, closable palette that I line with wet
sponges. This is most definitely the tool I couldn’t live without.
Do you have a favorite subject matter?
It can be difficult to hold my attention when it comes to subject matter, but I do keep gravitating
back to 2 types of subjects. First is landscapes. I love capturing the movement of wild grasses
and the majesty of clouds. Growing up, if I wasn’t painting, I was probably outside wandering
along the trails and creek near my parent’s home or laying in the grass staring up at the sky.
Secondly, animals have a huge place in my heart. As a child, I would seek out books about all
types of animals to learn everything I could then draw and paint them. I still often find it easier
to relate to animals than most people. Forty-some years later, painting animals still brings me
great joy.
What is your preferred medium?
Acrylic on masonite board that I’ve sanded and prepped myself. I like the quick drying time of the
paint and working on a hard surface.
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http://rebeccazook.com