Conversations with Connie Pulliam

Today we’d like to introduce you to Connie Pulliam. 

Hi Connie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Based in Grand Rapids, I work as a visual artist across a variety of physical and digital mediums. As a child, I spent hours drawing, painting, and creating knickknacks with what I could find around the house. This multi-faceted approach to the act of creating art has inspired my current practice because I don’t impose limits on myself in terms of materials. 

Studying photography at Grand Valley State University and mastering in graphic design at a school in Paris, France, my work is informed not only by my personal artistic exploration but through combined principles and inspirations from the photographic and graphic realms as well. The most recent mediums that I’m excited to continue exploring are oil paints and pastels both of which are quite different from my past work of watercolor, colored pencil, and ink. I love the ways that different materials force you to view the subject through a new lens and adapt accordingly. I believe one of the best things we can do as artists is to free ourselves from the idea that we need to be tied to one type of art or one material. The materials that I use can change from one day to the next depending on my mood and what type of visual effect resonates with my subject. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been ups and downs along the way but it’s the difficult moments that make me appreciate every success. Creative blocks and rejections happen but so do incredibly complimentary clients and exciting opportunities, like this interview. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Ongoing themes in my work include fresh food, French architecture, and portraits. The last two years have been primarily spent working with watercolor which lends itself very well to dreamy Parisian rooftop views, marbled Art Nouveau bakery exteriors, and mottled, veiny cheeses. 

This year starts a new chapter of exploration in oils and a greater focus on portraiture and facial expressions. For my first oil painting, I painted a self-portrait and fell in love with the textures and tactile quality of the canvas and am currently in the conception phase for a portrait series. 

Pricing:

• Boulangerie Bo $390
• Dej Sur Montmartre $440

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.conniepulliam.com
• Instagram: conniepulliam_art