Boley, mastering the “art” of storytelling
Artists in Residence Part One of Two
Adrienne Boley describes her work as “all over the place” - from illustrations to commission work, such as this Pawleys Island, South Carolina, homestead draped in Spanish Moss. Examiner photos by Connie Clements
In April, the Horlock House Art Gallery and History Museum became “home” to two new resident artists, Arienne Boley and Jacob Jimerson. The collaborative effort between the City of Navasota and the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley (ACBV) is in its eighth year of providing time and space for artists to hone their craft.
For Bostonian Arienne Boley, there was no escaping her family’s innate artistic talent. Her mother majored in art and her father is a storyteller.
Boley said, “One of my favorite things to do with him as a child was that we would write our own comics, starting at like 6-years old. He’d come up with the idea and I’d be the illustrator, even though at the time I didn’t know what that was.”
Boley said, “The literal meaning of illustration is a narrative. It’s storytelling. It defines what the work looks like as long as it has a story to tell.”
Her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration prepared her well for the business side of art and the field itself.
She said, “That was really pushed in college with my major in illustration. Most people, if you’re an illustrator, you work for someone else. It’s not the typical fine art where you make something and sell it.”
She continued, “There are so many other ways to be an illustrator that’s not just children’s books or cartoony.”
Pushing through Covid
In the art world as in other professions, the pandemic yielded surprising results. The first three months, there were problems obtaining supplies.
Boley said, “You couldn’t even get a plastic paint brush for your child. It was gone like toilet paper!”
She was living in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, at the time, and while she didn’t like Covid-19, the isolation allowed her to discover a huge market for her work and become a fulltime artist for the first time.
She said, “My entire career took off. People were home and bored and they’re staring at blank walls. I probably made the most money I’ve ever made in my life back in South Carolina, and I was doing exactly what I wanted to do.”
She continued, “I also pushed myself to work bigger. Usually, I don’t work larger than 18 x 24, and I did 5 x 6 feet and giant paintings, murals – I did a child’s bedroom. I really got out of my comfort zone.”
Residency and beyond
Besides the opportunity to visit Texas, world-traveler Boley has been happy with her residency experience. She taught adult and children’s art classes, and while doing her own reconnaissance of the area, discovered the local alpaca farms.
Boley said, “I did a very large painting of alpacas. I got to learn about alpacas, and my upcoming show is going to be about alpacas and the farms based out of Navasota.”
Boley loves natural science but calls it “the hobby version of my art.” She does commission work, or realism portraits, to commemorate significant moments, places and people - weddings, landscapes, family homesteads, or of loved ones who’ve died.
Boley said, “The big thing this past year moving forward is working with companies as an illustrator. I’m doing background designs for animation. If you watch a movie and take out the actual movement, what’s left is just beautiful scenery, and I’m the creator of that for some companies. I’m all over the place.”
Recently hired by a children’s book company, Boley said, “They have a huge series, and hopefully, they’ll keep me on for it.”
Networking with former residency participants is an added perk and Boley recently attended the Plein Air Festival in Chappell Hill with AIR alumni turned Navasota resident, Rebecca Dias.
The down-to-earth Boley described ‘plein air,’ saying, “Basically, you sit outside, you get eaten by bugs and make a pretty painting.”
Family friendly gallery
Boley’s and Jimerson’s work will be on exhibit Aug. 5 through Sept. 8, and a reception will be held Thursday, Aug. 12, 5:30-7 p.m., but Boley encourages visitors anytime the gallery is open.
She said, “Everyone’s welcome to the gallery. Children are welcome. This is very family friendly. We want traffic. We’re here for traffic and communication with people.”
The Horlock House Art Gallery and History Museum is located at 1215 E. Washington. Gallery hours are Thursday – Sunday, noon-5 p.m., and admission is free.