Conversations with Adam VanHouten

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam VanHouten.

Hi Adam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. 
I started drawing at a very young age. My mother remembers when I was preschool age; I would make small little cell doodles that I called “bebas” (short for ameba). In junior high and high school, I took every art class that I could, and that continued into community college at Northwestern Michigan College. I then transferred to Western Michigan University and began my studies in the art education department. I loved art, and teaching felt like a good option. However, I also knew that I wanted to be a teaching Artist and not only a teacher. I decided to get my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Art Education, essentially double majoring in two fields. Being a Fine Art Major set me up for life as a creative and a painter. We were given sectioned-off studio space at Western in East Hall, which was part of the original campus building on a hill overlooking Kalamazoo (the building was probably nearly 100 years old at the time). I still fondly remember those days of having a space to make large paintings and being around other learning artists (some of whom are now lifelong friends). Back then, I was doing figurative work in oil paint from 4’ x 6’ to 8’ x 10’ in size. Our instructors would visit our studio spaces and all the painting majors would bring their artwork out into a large viewing room for lively group critiques. I remember that one of the instructors required that we submit our work into two shows. A local show (Michigan) and a national show (Open to all US residents). I had no idea of any national art shows, so I submitted my work to the Cooperstown NY Museum juried show. One of my works at that show was accepted, and someone from California bought the painting. This was probably my first official juried acceptance and art sale. I finished my degree and interviewed across the state for various teaching jobs, not liking any of the areas or positions. My wife and I (it was our first year of marriage) decided we wanted to live in Traverse City, so we moved back to our hometown. My first year I was a substitute teacher for Traverse City Area Public Schools, until I was able to secure a full-time art teaching position. In the last 19 years, I have taught art to grades K-12, and I currently teach elementary art 4 days a week. In the evenings, I work as an adjunct instructor for Northwestern Michigan College, teaching Painting classes. 

Back to that thing about being a teaching artist! About five years after I started teaching and finding my rhythm in that career, I knew that I also wanted to explore my life as an artist in addition to teaching. I had young children at the time and decided that oil painting wasn’t going to work in my life at that moment, so I took up watercolor painting (faster clean-up and safer around little ones). For 5 years, I painted in watercolor whenever I could. Kids were napping–I painted, bedtime at 8 pm..I would paint from 9-11 pm or sometimes midnight. Needless to say, the more I painted, the better I became, and I started to have a body of work. I won the 2014 National Cherry Festival Poster Competition, and my work was in a local art gallery. About 2012 I heard about an event at the Old Art Building called a “Plein air Paint Out.” All I knew is that it was painting outside, and other than that, I didn’t know anything. That first event was tough. I painted on the beach and had a full carload of art supplies with me to carry. Plus, it was May on Lake Michigan, and I was fighting the mayflies. After painting for the day, we hung our work in Leland at the Old Art Building in frames. While the challenges were enormous, I was immediately hooked on painting landscapes with my feet in the sand, the sun on my face, and the sound of Lake Michigan waves. The sensory input from painting outside is such a joy! Today I have multiple plein air easels and two of my plein air oil paintings were recently accepted into online shows with the American Impressionist Society. I also work in my home studio which is a dedicated 12’ x 12’ space in my walkout basement. 

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 definitely been struggles along the way. It takes an enormous amount of willpower to be an artist. When I’m out painting, I always hear people talk about how they used to do art, but life is too busy or ‘we had kids and I had to stop my artwork.’ Life is so busy, and doing creative work often gets pushed to the side. I totally get that as a father of three and two teaching jobs. Plein air painting has taught me how to be more efficient and to complete paintings in 1-2 hours (at the max 3 hours). I have also learned to schedule time! I firmly believe that anyone, no matter how busy, can dedicate time to their art–schedule it on your calendar so everyone in your family knows this is sacred art time. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I consider myself a fine art painter. I am most known for a loose impressionistic style of landscape painting that captures the essence, the light, of my subject. In my painting, I allow the texture of the painting medium to guide my choices, drawing inspiration from the visual surfaces around me with their many layers of time and weathering. Early on in my artistic career, I wanted to emulate other artists’ styles. I have learned to trust my own voice and to create marks that can only be made by me. What is interesting about my art process is that I do not specialize in one art medium. Some artists only paint in Watercolors, or Oil, or Acrylic. In my practice as an artist, I have gained enough knowledge/experience to paint with watercolor, oil, acrylic, casein, and more! I recently started experimenting with oil pastels, sometimes even combining painting mediums. For example, I will do an initial wash (watered-down paint) in acrylic. I allow that paint to dry and finish the work with oil paints. 

I am most proud of my acceptance into two online exhibits in 2023 with the American Impressionist Society. I was so surprised to be chosen and exhibited within the organization and amongst some outstanding artists. 

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
So many people deserve credit. First, my wife Beth has always supported me and encouraged me. She helps figure out my year-end taxes and some of that other business stuff that gets complicated. We work as a team, and she has always been a support and made me realize that I can reach higher. My high school art teachers, Cherie Correll, and Dan Lisuk, inspired me to be both a teacher and an artist. (They were also my colleagues early in my teaching career). I have also taken workshops from a handful of different artists and have built personal relationships with some wonderful artists. I took a plein air workshop from Mark Mehaffey at Interlochen Center of the Arts. Mark is a highly regarded professional artist who now lives near me. I am continually inspired by his artwork, and he has encouraged me to keep painting. He will often invite me on plein air outings in Leelanau County. There is just a wonderful, thriving group of artists in our area. It’s not too hard to find inspiration and joy from artists in Northern Michigan. 

Pricing:

• $50-$3000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.adamvanhoutenartist.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluehomeartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adamvanhoutenartist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamvanhoutenartist
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClW2N7Ucse6aPIw2czo31FA