Eric Westman is a Seattle-based artist who creates with acrylic on canvas or wood panels.
Seattle Refined: How long have you been creating? What mediums do you work with?
Westman: I’ve been painting for as long as I can remember, but recently decided to see if I could make a career out of it. I took a painting course to fulfill a prerequisite while I was going back to school to get my Bachelor of Software Engineering at UW. The class changed my thinking about landscapes as a subject. I also learned a lot about color and was reinvigorated to get back into painting after meeting local artist Kurt Solmssen at Linda Hodges Gallery, as well as working with very talented students in the class.
I mainly work with acrylic on canvas or wood panels, but I have also worked with oil paint, pastels and pencil on paper. At times, I am also a shutterbug, taking photos of nature, life in the city or whatever catches my eye.
Can you tell us about your artistic process and how the different stages work into it?
My creative process adapts based on the subject matter. For landscapes, I typically begin with a photograph that I’ve taken or visit a location to photograph and sketch a rough draft. For abstract pieces, I may sketch ideas on paper or design digitally before translating those concepts into paint. To explore shapes and colors for other works, I’ll often create small 3×3″ test paintings in an art journal. Recently, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with layering paint, scraping and sanding on wood panels, which has yielded exciting results. Though my methods continue to evolve through experimentation, I find joy in applying paint to canvas and discovering the possibilities that emerge.
Tell us about where your inspiration for your art comes from.
My current inspiration comes from nature, good friends who are also creative in music and art, and local artists like Chuck Close and Kurt Solmssen. I also admire artists such as Wolf Kahn and David Hockney for their vibrant landscapes. In the past, I was driven by a desire to understand art. While I’m still exploring the meaning of art, I’m tapping into the depths of landscapes, with their ever-changing shapes and colors, to grow my body of work and individual style.
Do you have a specific “beat” you like best – nature, food, profiles, etc.?
I prefer to create works that are based in nature. I used to like doing abstract work for the sake of being weird. I’ve since evolved beyond that phase, using it as a foundation for my current landscape focus.
Do you have one piece of art that means more to you or is extremely special to you?
Each piece of work is unique and has a particular feeling. I put a lot of myself into each work, with an obsession over colors that sometimes can become overwhelming for me. I do have some favorites. No single work holds more meaning than the others. I don’t like to tell people which ones I prefer or even what the deeper meaning may be, as I like to leave that up to the viewer.
What experiences in your life have affected your art the most?
After experiencing significant life changes that forced me to re-evaluate my path, I rediscovered a passion for creating art. At the time, I was at a crossroads with what to do with my life — follow the same path or do something that I’ve always loved to do. It turns out that furthering my education led me to the same conclusion, where I rediscovered my love for painting. I’m not sure if the circumstances affected my outcome, but I feel like I have more purpose in creating art now more than ever.
If we want to see more of your work, where should we go to find it?
Instagram @eric_westman_art.
What is next for you? Anything you’re working on right now that you’re really excited about?
I’m going to keep painting while I work towards my goal of 30 landscapes to show locally. Although I’ve been sidetracked on a few abstract and still-life works recently, I feel like the diversion has helped me grow as an artist.
I’m always excited about the next thing I’m working on, and right now, I’m working on an abstract landscape based on a photo I took locally. I’m calling this work “Fall” and should be done with it soon!
Lastly, how do you take your coffee? (We ask everyone!)
At home, black coffee with a bit of oat milk creamer. When I go to a coffee shop, Mocha or Americano. Depends on my mood, and the coffee shop.
About ‘Artist of the Week’: This city is packed with artists we love to feature weekly on Seattle Refined! If you have a local artist in mind that you would like to see featured, let us know at hello@seattlerefined.com. And if you’re wondering just what constitutes art, that’s the beauty of it; it’s up to you! See all of our past Artists of the Week in our dedicated section.
