Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Turetzky.
Whitney, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My goodness. Where to start? As a creative person, I cannot recall a time in my life when I wasn’t making or designing something. About six years ago, I began making things that friends and family labeled ‘art’– a sentiment that felt strange at the time, like when a mother tells her child that they are a good singer and we end up laughing at them in the outtakes of American Idol auditions. I liked my early ‘art pieces,’ but I wasn’t quite convinced they were worth sharing.
In 2013, my family moved to Austin from central Arkansas where I had been an elementary school teacher for five years. Feeling completely unfulfilled, was ready to leave the profession completely. It was my husband who encouraged me to pursue art as more than a hobby. When we arrived in Austin that summer, I immediately enrolled in art classes at Austin Community College to get my feet wet. I quickly fell in love with being in the studio and knew that I had finally found my path.
About two years later, the company my husband was working for was in the process of being acquired, and it seemed as though his position would be terminated. In a brief moment of panic, I took a job as an ELA Curriculum Developer at a small educational assessment company. As you can imagine, that role wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. In the meantime, my art career really took off. I was participating in several art exhibits a year, continuing to create a body of work even with my nine to five.
In May of 2017, I left my job as a curriculum developer, trading in a desk and strict time clock for paint and brushes. It’s the best decision I have ever made professionally.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My artwork is contemporary and conceptual. I work with black and white photo portraits of women of the past and turn them into badass haloed goddesses. I use acrylic paint, gold leaf, embroidery thread, pastels, and collage as part of my process.
Inspiration for my work comes from past experiences, stories that people share with me, and the woman in the photo that I choose to use for a particular piece. A few years ago, I created a body of work titled “The Matriarchs” with the intention of honoring Victorian-era women. That is where my current style originated. Now, I work with bolder colors and more striking women, which makes for louder work about feminism and the power of women in modern society. I’ve titled the body of work I’m creating now “Glowing Neon Goddesses”, but still feel as though that title misses the mark.
I am a visual artist telling stories of feminine grandeur.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
You said it! Choosing an artistic path comes with the commitment of being an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to make sacrifices, in the beginning, to get started. Being an entrepreneur of any kind comes with long hours, late nights, lots of sweat, dealing with rejection, etc. My advice is to ask yourself how far you are willing to go to make a creative career a reality.
Going back to the part of my story where I left my job last year and dove head first into things, I asked myself the same question, “How far am I willing to go?” For me, the answer was pretty damn far.
In September of last year, we decided to sell our 1,200 square foot home to reduce costs. We purchased a Class A motorhome with the thought we would travel and see the country with our young daughter. It turns out, we don’t really care for being on the road that much, so now we have a permanent spot in an RV park for our 300 square foot home in the heart of the Arts District in Austin. My husband is pursuing a creative career right now as well, so this makes sense for us at this time.
Now that we’ve been in our “tiny home” for almost a year, it feels totally normal. This is just an example of one of the sacrifices we have made to be able to chase our dream careers. Others include canceling our Spotify and Netflix subscriptions, not ordering new iPhones when they are announced, not eating out as much, etc. You know, first world problems.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I love collectors! I continuously exhibit my work at various pop-up art events in Austin. Pop-up events are amazing experiences for me to directly connect with patrons. I currently have a studio space for June and July at Soma Vida Wellness Studio (Austin, TX) as their first Summer Artist in Residence. The residency culminates in a solo exhibition in their gallery, with an opening reception on August 4th.
People who are interested in my work can find more details about upcoming events on my website, whitneyturetzky.com, and on my Instagram account @whitneyturetzky. I am also available for commission work. Anyone can email me at whitneyturetzky@gmail.com to inquire.
Contact Info:
- Website: whitneyturetzky.com
- Email: whitneyturetzky@gmail.com
- Instagram: @whitneyturetzky
Image Credit:
All photos by Whitney Turetzky.
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