10 Questions with Artist Dorothy Shain — This Photographer's Life

Artist Dorothy Shain is a Southern artist to watch. She is from Greenville, SC and has been showing work for about 6 years now. I really found her through Instagram and her bikini series, which I love.

Since learning about her, I've really grown to love her landscapes, and I am 100% obsessed with the cottage work on paper featured below.

Dorothy has such a strong sense of color and shape, and last week she got got a huge break! Mindy Kaling bought a piece from Dorothy's new series (via interior designer Katie Ridder). I think that's something most artist dream about. I know I do!

When you get a text at 6 pm on a Saturday night from the team of @mindykaling of my custom collage hanging in her guest bedroom. So grateful and appreciative this project came to reality over the past several months. @katieridderinc, it was such a pleasure! @mindykaling you da bomb! 💕🙌🏻✨ My heart is racing!!

A post shared by Dorothy Shain (@dorothy_shain) on Jun 10, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

Dorothy showed the new pieces at the Greenville Center For Creative Arts, and I love them all. They are so textile-ie and Matisse-ie and Doroth-ieee. ( <--- get it?). I cannot wait to watch Dorothy's career and all the exciting things she will do!

The majority of the time I am making these, I am thinking about textiles. What would make a good layout? Is there too much negative space? I can feel if it is right or wrong or missing something. I spent days laying the hand painted pieces of the collages out & air on the side of type A about their placement. When it comes time to glue, things always shift, get lost and go MIA. Rather than freak out ( which I used to do ), I now look at it as an opportunity to "let go" in my art and practice a little improv. There's something to the planning + throwing out all the planning that totally fuels my process. ✨

A post shared by Dorothy Shain (@dorothy_shain) on Jun 1, 2017 at 4:59am PDT

Dorothy is joining us on the blog today to answer 10 questions so that we can get to know her better!

1. If you could choose one celebrity and raid their closet, who would you choose?

Emma Watson. Her style is just funky enough but still really beautiful. I love everything she wears!

2. Who is your favorite Southern artist?

I am a huge fan of Katie Walker. She is an artist based out of Greenville, SC. She is incredible & I dream of interning for her all the time. http://katiewalkeratifart.blogspot.com/2006/09/works-of-art-katie-walker.html

3. Describe your prefect date night.

I love trying new restaurants, it is one of my favorite things to do. Perfect night would be grabbing champagne & oysters at Jianna in Greenville, SC ( Grabbing seats on the inside / outside bar and people watching) + being in my sweatpants watching a movie by 10!

4. Where is your favorite local place to shop for clothes?

Augusta Twenty in Greenville, SC

Cotton dresses and gingham clutches | Tap the link in the bio to shop. . . . #apieceapart #clarev #clarevivier #gingham #cotton #boutique #augustatwenty #womensclothing #outfitgoals #personalstyle #currentlywearing #lotd #whatiwore #ootd

A post shared by Augusta Twenty (@augustatwenty) on Apr 17, 2017 at 1:13pm PDT

5. What did you want to be when you were young?

An interior designer

6. What book made a difference to you?

Setting the Table by Danny Meyer

7. What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Gwyneth Paltrow's turkey meatballs & homemade marinara.

8. What was the best purchase you made last year?

Artwork. Slowly but surely I am starting my art collection. My favorite thing I bought last year is a handmade "face jug" by a local ceramicist. It is very scary looking & supposed to ward off bad energy. It makes me laugh & makes other people scratch their head. I love it.

9. Where is your favorite place to buy things for your home?

Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, SC

May is off to a Great Start!! We've got you covered for Mothers-day! #shopA&L #greenvillesc #shopsmallbusiness #gallery #originalartwork #woodcut #kentamblerart #artandlightgallery #artanddesign #art #mothersday #may #lauracookeceramics

A post shared by Art & Light (@artandlightgallery) on May 3, 2017 at 7:30am PDT

10. What is your main goal for 2017?

Hire a team member to help me continue to grow.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King Jr. 🙏🏻 🙌🏻. Here's to a year of letting my art speak a little louder.

A post shared by Dorothy Shain (@dorothy_shain) on Jan 16, 2017 at 10:17am PST

Thank you so much for joining us today Dorothy! I'm so looking forward to following your career!

To follow along with me, you can check Dorothy out on Instagram or on her website.

follow me @blayne_art on Instagram here.