Meet Erin Mcclure-dotado | Acrylic & watercolor artist
We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin Mcclure-dotado and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Erin, what matters most to you?
My art values pure unadulterated childlike ecstasy. Creating joy. Showing the world that happiness is real, it truly exists. My art is a reflection of my memories prior to the onset of my mild clinical depression. My art is colorful because I watched the world drain of color on a very mundane but very impactful day in high school. I remember a world so vibrant, but I live in a world colored in greyscale. I don’t want anyone else to lose the color, so I create in vibrancy what I lost so long ago.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think the oddest thing about me as an artist is I’ve always loved my own art. They say artists should hate everything they create and live in this weird world of tension of not being to express themselves fully. Who is this “they”? Maybe I’m a narcissist but I’m proud of my art, I think many of my pieces are absolutely stunning. I think enjoying the process and the end result are vital in any creative endeavor, especially if you want to pursue it as a career.
Currently my business includes an etsy page, a TikTok and an Instagram that I try to maintain, and a lot of practice. Practice making, practice loving what I do, and practice loving myself. While I wish I was at a point in my life where I could be a “full-time” artist, I have grown in leaps and bounds within the last few years. This past year I showed my art for the first time in 13 years, I participated in a vendor fair, and I developed my skills into a whole new level.
Everyone says this, but it’s true: do not give up. Create. Create every day even if it’s just in your brain. Ideas are art. The more you do the more you’ll love. I’m so proud of myself for committing to loving my art, loving my life, and loving what I do for a living. It may take time, but it’s worth the wait.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Garland Texas, east of the great Dallas Texas! Garland has an adorable little downtown square with a park, brewery, coffee shop, little shops, and restaurants; all the good stuff. If you came to visit we would go to Intrinsic brewery for some live music, craft beer, and Texas bbq. We would explore the dallas arboretum (especially in the spring with all the flowers blooming). We would drive down to hill country and enjoy some wine at grape creek winery (among others). Dallas can be a beautiful and inspiring place, and it would be my honor to show you around.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many nameless faces that dwell in wisps of memory that have all helped me to where I am today. A family friend who taught me watercolors (I only remember warm oiled wood, an easel and long handled soft haired brushes), my next door neighbor growing up who was the first to ever “buy” my art ( yes it was for a dollar, and yes it was a doodle on a folded piece of college ruled paper), my soul friend (anam cara) who taught me mixed media and the beauty of my body, the mother a daughter who bought a bed frame I painted with a peacock while I sold my art on the side of the road, the art studio in Albany that gave me supplies and time to paint a self portrait I still have today, my psychiatrist who helped me see medication could help more than it hindered, and a countless many others who have impacted me in small and giant ways.
Website: https://thatcatswiredart.etsy.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatcatswired/profilecard/?igsh=MWJmYXFkZHg3YWF0cQ==
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