Artists Corner: Betsy Hartman

Stop by the Carrollwood Cultural Center on Lowell Road, and one thing is clear: local artists are making their mark in Tampa Bay.

One of those artists is Betsy Hartman, a Lutz resident who teaches classes at the Center and has had her work displayed there.

We talked to Hartman about how she got her start and who her artistic influences are.

Patch: How did you become interested in being an artist?

Hartman: I have always had the talent to draw, and was exposed to art in high school. I was Art Editor of the high school magazine. However, I pursued an English teaching degree in college, then married, raised a family, and art,  unfortunately, went on the back burner. Eventually, my love of art resurfaced, and I took watercolor classes, then workshops, and literally learned as much as I could about watercolor be it through reading, lectures or exhibits.

Patch: Who are your artistic influences?

Hartman: Every artist, contemporary or from the past, affects my thought process and creativity.  However,  studying the  chiaroscuro and sfumato techniques of the Old Masters (particularly  Carravaggio,  Rembrandt, Vermeer) has helped me to understand light, shading and line.

The Impressionists ( e.g.Monet,Manet, Seurat, Cassat) have taught me to appreciate spontanaeity, light and ephemeral moments.

But, I am equally influenced and appreciative of my peer's' artwork that I observe in art magazines and art exhibits.

Patch: What do you think your work says about you as a person?

Hartman: Perhaps my artwork reveals my interest in capturing a solitary moment in a day or in a life.  I like to expose a longing or solitude in the simple beauties that surround us.  One  of my favorite quotes about appreciating art and the artist is by conservationist George Perkins Marsh: "Sight is a faculty; Seeing is an art."

Patch: What are your artistic goals?

Hartman: My goals are twofold:
 
1) Take on new challenges and methods of creating, using the watercolor medium. I want to know how to paint everything I see.
2) Share my knowledge and enthusiasm for the wonderful world of art.

Patch: How can people purchase your art?

Hartman: I teach watercolor classes at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, and often participate in art exhibits held there. In addition, I participate in exhibits associated with Tampa Regional Artists, Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society, Florida Watercolor Society and North Tampa Art League.