Alexis St. John Claremont, CA Age 61
What keeps you excited in the studio? Learning and improving motivate me; making handmade paint saturated with rich earth pigments feeds my soul.
Looking back at your trajectory as an artist, how would you say your work has developed? My work developed from a balance of travel and study. My growth was the most noticeable when I challenged myself to live outside my comfort zone.
What role do you think the artist has in today’s society? To lead by example, exemplifying qualities such as critical thinking, compassion, and living from the perspective of seeing the bigger picture.
What’s the most important advice you could give to an aspiring artist? Be flexible, open-minded, and listen more than you speak.
Does age matter in art? Why or why not? Yes. I just completed my MFA. My life experience kept me grounded through the program, and since I’ve put in years of thought about my work and process, I was able to get a great deal more from the program than if I had gone through it when I was younger.
What can we look forward to from you next? I’m currently finishing a body of work that I started in grad school, and plan to start searching for galleries next month.
Is there anything else you would like to share about being an artist later in life? I am so grateful that I stuck to my dream of being a full time artist. It has been difficult, but worth the effort. My younger self would be so happy to know we made it.
Strata, oil on canvas, 30”x30” 2024 photo by Alexis St. John