Meet the Artist: 20 Questions Style
Hey there friend,
It feels like it’s time for an introduction. Instead of a boring biography I thought I’d spice it up 20 questions style!
Full name: Ella Claire Deutsch. Ella Claire Anderson is actually my maiden name but it will always be my artist name. I got married last summer and changed my legal name to Deutsch (pronounced like the word “german”, in german. Not like douche, which is unfortunately how a lot of people pronounce it).
Enneagram number? 1w2- Full type A personality (but I’m working on that!)
Where do you live? Right now, in Nashville, TN! I’ve spent the past 6 years in the south (before Nashville I was at school in Alabama) but I was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin. While I love going home to Wisconsin in the summers, the winters are too cold for my poor circulation & seasonal depression. The summers really are amazing though.
What kind of art do you create? I primarily paint in acrylics with touches of mixed media such as watercolor, charcoal and colored pencil. My style is more abstract and I like to play with colors and shapes. Landscapes, florals and figures are my most frequented subjects.
Where is your studio? Right now, my studio is in the second bedroom of our townhome. It isn’t glamorous but I’m super lucky to have the entire space to spread out. You can see a studio tour here. In a few months however, I will have a “traveling studio”. We are spending 10 months between 4 different cities (Denver, Portland, Phoenix, Austin) so I’ll be setting up shop in our temporary airbnb homes. It will be a good test in flexibility that’s for sure. But totally worth the exploration, views and of course painting inspiration!
Left brained or right brained? Split. Maybe even a little more right brained which seems counterintuitive to being in a creative field. Both of my parents are engineers and I really am a numbers person. Who says you can’t be an artist AND be good at math? Even in my artwork my compositions take on a very geometric, technical abstract style.
Are you an early bird or night owl? Early bird! Please don’t ask me to have a coherent thought past 6pm. While I can paint in the evenings, I am most productive between 7-10am. I also get between 9-10 hours of sleep per night.
What inspires you? Much of my current inspiration comes from my more recent efforts towards mindfulness. As a chronic busy-body I’ve been putting a lot more emphasis on slowing down and enjoying moments. My favorite moments for painting inspiration are usually out in nature. I love noticing how light comes through the trees, flowers blow in the wind and colors change depending on the time. The colors and shapes of nature are what I find myself consistently coming back to in much of my work
Who are your favorite artists? Oh my gosh so many. There are artists I have been following for years, such as Teil Duncan and Lulie Wallace and then there are artists that I’ve discovered more recently such as Sarah Ella Cole, Mary Frances Carter, and Katherine Corden.
Do you have any hobbies besides art? 2020 has given me a lot of time to explore hobbies. I have been really into cooking this past year. I also go through phases of being interested in yoga or running. I’ve also gotten more into home DIY projects- we redid parts of our living room, bathroom and kitchen this past year as our “first-timer” projects.
What is something that you are very bad at? Anything that involves a lot of hand-eye coordination. Also, playing piano. I took piano lessons for 10 years and was never any good. Sorry mom and dad!
Who was your first celebrity crush? Daniel Radcliffe. I had a Harry Potter poster in my room of him from the first movie. Still adore the Harry Potter books to this day. If there was a fire and I could only save 7 books, it would be those.
How often do you re-decorate? The better question is how often am I NOT re-decorating. Everything in my home is a constant evolution of rearranging. Although, I do have my staple items and favorite pieces that stick around through every phase. There is nothing I love more than a good FB Marketplace find and DIY project.
Audiobook or physical book? I listen to audiobooks and podcasts almost the entire day while I’m working so I definitely enjoy a good audiobook. The only time I read physical books is when I have a large chunk of free time. I get very into stories and when I start a book I usually end up finishing it in the same day. Which usually leads to headaches. Huge fan of Audible.
What colors do you wear most often? Neutrals- white tan black. A lot of muted colored sweaters and leggings are my go-to outfits.
What is your favorite thing about being an artist? The freedom of exploration and the number of possibilities. There are so many more opportunities for artists now than even 15 years ago with the accessibility of the internet. I don’t feel like I have to choose between a career that I love and a life that I love. AND I get to provide something that is unique to me. I’m not just filling a space and completing a job that can be done by any number of people. My art is me and vice versa which feels so special.
How long have you been in business? January 2020 is when I applied for my business license. But when I was young I did have *two* other creative businesses. When I was in sixth grade my friend and I started a card making business. We made greeting cards out of layers of card-stock, scrapbook paper and stamps. It was a whole thing. In 7th and 8th grade I started a jewelry business, making primarily earrings with funky wire designs.
Any pets? YES, my precious studio doggie Rosie. If you follow me on Instagram, I’m sure you’ve seen SO many photos and videos of her. I have an entire highlight dedicated to her. She turns two in a few weeks which seems crazy. She’s a field bred english cocker spaniel. Her favorite thing ever is playing fetch (we do this 3x per day). The rest of the time she is laying in the most comfortable spot in the house she can find.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an interior designer for the longest time. Then I thought about being an architect. I used to draw out house designs on graph paper in my free time hah what a weird thing to do when you’re 12. I thought through a lot of details of my dream house and still stand by most of them today. Overall layout is the same but style has definitely changed. Anyways I ended up going to school for marketing and got my masters in marketing analytics which I really enjoy so it all worked out well!
What are a few of your big artist goals? I actually have a list of my art career goals right next to my desk! I’m a planner at heart. I even have specific goals written down for the next five years. But my biggest goals are to create a sustainable art career, have a *real* art studio, and do a collaboration with a highly recognized brand such as Anthropologie or West Elm.