I meditate on the canvas and infuse it with good feelings and joy. ~Rina Patel
Summer Dreaming 1
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Summer Dreaming 2
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SUMMER DREAMING 33
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In this issue,West Trestle Review is honored to include gorgeous artwork by the talented Rina Patel.
Below, find out more about Patel's background, process, and reading habits.
Below, find out more about Patel's background, process, and reading habits.
Olivia Joyce: I love your unconventional methods for creating your paintings, which you discuss on your website. What inspired you to paint with nontraditional tools, such as BBQ skewers and spatulas?
Rina Patel: I like using nontraditional tools as I have less control over them, the mark is different every time and I like to respond to those unusual marks. Makes the painting more spontaneous and interesting. The other reason is before I started painting I had an extensive career in Business Accounting and Finance. Everything was so regimented! Painting allows me to break the conformity.
OJ: I notice that one of your intentions when making art is to bring joy to others. Can you say more about that?
RP: When I paint I can take myself out of what's going on around me and into a world that is colorful and free to my imagination. It brings me peace and puts me in a zen-like state, which in turn brings joy to me. I would like to share that joy.
Also as part of my painting process, I meditate on the canvas and infuse it with good feelings and joy.
OJ: You’ve talked publicly about how you began pursuing your lifelong dream of being an artist when you were 50. Do you have advice for people who would like to change paths and follow their dreams in a similar way?
RP: I am very passionate about art, and you need that to start any career. There are ups and downs. You need to be passionate enough to push thru the down periods.
OJ: Finally, I have two book-related questions for you: In August, you participated in the Instagram challenge #augustforartists, and in your five facts about yourself, you list that you were named after a character in a romance novel. May I ask which novel?
RP: I don't know the name of the book, and I don't think my mom even asked, but my aunt liked reading Mills and Boons romance novels. She used to read them all the time.
OJ: You also mention that you listen to audiobooks while you paint. What is the last audiobook you listened to?
RP: The last book I read was The Duke and I from the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn.
Rina Patel: I like using nontraditional tools as I have less control over them, the mark is different every time and I like to respond to those unusual marks. Makes the painting more spontaneous and interesting. The other reason is before I started painting I had an extensive career in Business Accounting and Finance. Everything was so regimented! Painting allows me to break the conformity.
OJ: I notice that one of your intentions when making art is to bring joy to others. Can you say more about that?
RP: When I paint I can take myself out of what's going on around me and into a world that is colorful and free to my imagination. It brings me peace and puts me in a zen-like state, which in turn brings joy to me. I would like to share that joy.
Also as part of my painting process, I meditate on the canvas and infuse it with good feelings and joy.
OJ: You’ve talked publicly about how you began pursuing your lifelong dream of being an artist when you were 50. Do you have advice for people who would like to change paths and follow their dreams in a similar way?
RP: I am very passionate about art, and you need that to start any career. There are ups and downs. You need to be passionate enough to push thru the down periods.
OJ: Finally, I have two book-related questions for you: In August, you participated in the Instagram challenge #augustforartists, and in your five facts about yourself, you list that you were named after a character in a romance novel. May I ask which novel?
RP: I don't know the name of the book, and I don't think my mom even asked, but my aunt liked reading Mills and Boons romance novels. She used to read them all the time.
OJ: You also mention that you listen to audiobooks while you paint. What is the last audiobook you listened to?
RP: The last book I read was The Duke and I from the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn.
This interview was edited lightly for clarity.
Rina Patel: I am an intuitive painter, so my paintings change with seasons and travels and experiences. My paintings have layers and depth as I feel each painting is an individual and each layer is an experience that affects what comes next. I usually start multiple paintings at the same time. As I wait for a layer to dry I can move to the next and add little bits to each painting so they are somehow connected but distinct. Acrylic is my main choice of medium along with graphite, charcoal, color pencils. I like working with nontraditional tools like spatula, bbq skewers, toothpicks, cookie scraper, screwdrivers, ice picks and even hair picks, as they don’t behave in a way you would expect with the paint, which creates unusual shapes and marks.