Behind the Spring Body Oil Artist Label
Q&A with artist Aremy Stewart
What's your name, where are you based, and what do you do?
My name is Aremy Stewart, I live in Portland, OR, and I'm a painter.
What motivates you?
After my coffee in the morning, I ask myself "what can I make today?" That question propels me into finding an answer. Sometimes it's painting. Sometimes it's making a nice meal for my family. But always with the hope that what I make will benefit the world. I start with a question and then see what I can create using the tools and experience I have at hand.
What is your process?
I make paintings using acrylic paint and mixed media on canvas, paper, and wood.
I work by mixing pigments and then pouring them in thin layers. The buildup of these layers is organic and spontaneous. I make one pour, wait for it to dry, and then respond to the way the paint dried. I don't premeditate my pieces, and I'm very process-driven. I'm here to find out what will happen, to ask questions, and to evolve.
How does nature inspire your creative process?
Moving to the Pacific Northwest 10 years ago radically changed the kind of art I was making. I find the ocean very inspiring. Spontaneous, full of change, and never the same. My art practice cracked wide open, and I began making paintings that were abstract and used color as subject, instead of relying on representation of objects or people.
Why do you do what you do?
To make sense of the world. To find flow. To add beauty. And because language and words can only take us so far when it comes to expressing human emotions. I like Wittgenstein's statement: "The truth shows itself. It is not said or even expressed in thought." Language is insufficient to describe transcendental concepts, so we have art.
“Language is insufficient to describe transcendental concepts, so we have art.”
Tell me about the process of making the label?
I made this painting in early spring when I was looking forward to the return of the sun. The winters are very grey in Oregon, and by March I feel myself pulled to warm colors. This piece was spontaneous, and the title, Prickly Pear, came to me after the piece was done. Around the same time, we started talking about a label collaboration. When we met and I saw the ingredients of the oil, I realized they included prickly pear. We decided to lean into the synchronicity and use this painting for the new spring launch.
What are some book recs / inspirational resources you recommend?
I see art-making as a tool we can leverage to be our highest selves. Through art we can access a flow state and process our complex emotions. Here's my short list of books that will kickstart a creative journey:
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
How To Be An Artist by Jerry Saltz
Your Art Will Save Your Life by Beth Pickens
Funny Weather by Olivia Laing
Learn more about Aremy & check out her art here
Photography shot by: BROOKE STEWART