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- February 2022
10 Questions for Canadian Painter & Puzzle Artist Darlene Kulig
Jun 29, 2021
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With Canada Day upon us, we thought it might be neat to get the perspective of Canadian painter and puzzle artist, Darlene Kulig on art, puzzles and more. As many of you know, we have featured Darlene, a Pomegranate Puzzle Artist, in previous newsletters, highlighting her amazing jigsaw puzzle art.
We have since gotten to know and work with Darlene and wanted to showcase what an amazing artist and all-round awesome human being she is!! Darlene is passionate about art, yoga, and community. She is generous with her time, genuinely curious, and a pretty chill individual.
We asked Darlene if she would answer 10 questions for our newsletter, and because she is always game for a collaboration, she was happy to oblige. Lucky us!
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Do you have a preferred medium to paint in and on?
Definitely acrylics as they are fast and forgiving. I have traditionally painted on canvas and recently discovered painting on wood panel. Wood panel is a whole different kind of wonderful!
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Your works are so vibrant and colourful. Do you have a favourite colour on your palette, and why?
This is like asking if I have a favourite child…so I guess I will stick with the 3 primaries: Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, as everything is possible when you begin with these! (Do not tell Cyan and Magenta, but my favourite colour is Yellow).
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Five of your works have been reimagined and published in jigsaw puzzle form. Do you ever paint thinking that a particular work would make a great puzzle?
I have begun to ponder the puzzle possibility as I paint my paintings. My instinct is all about colour and shape first, and line had been secondary. I can see how line plays as important a role in creating a good painting and a great puzzle. Most importantly, it is still all about a painting that I have to make because it tells a story that is personal and relatable. Art lovers and puzzlers can see and feel that.
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What is your favourite hobby outside of painting?
Laughing…and connecting with people.
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What does a typical working day look like for you?
My husband says it starts with him bringing me coffee in bed. We have started volunteering with Meals on Wheels (they are really short on drivers and runners right now) so that slots nicely, 2 days a week, around my studio practice. I like to exercise first thing in the morning - Zoom Bootcamp with Peter Pereira Wellness or Yoga With Hope. I design, draw, and paint in the mornings. In the afternoon, I attend to administrative tasks or wiring and crating paintings for shipping. I enjoy the break that cooking gives me too. It is not unusual for me to go into my studio again after dinner to paint a bit…a walk is a good thing and poking around in the garden too.
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Where in Canada would you like to paint that you haven't already?
Tofino, Nunavut, Nova Scotia, Canadian Arctic.
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Tell us about your face masks and how they came to be?
Early in COVID, Sperry Bilyea of Bring Your Own Mask (BYOM) was connected to me through social media and she invited me to collaborate on a mask project. When she said it was for charity, I was all in. All proceeds from the sale of our face masks support The Craig Kulig Memorial Fund in memory of my nephew, Craig Kulig, who passed from cancer in 2016.
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What is your favourite season to paint?
Winter...it is a magical escape! Winter in Moonlight is otherworldly.
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What is your favourite Canadian band?
Tuesday Heartbreak. Check them out on Spotify, Apple Music or Soundcloud.
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Who is your favourite Canadian Artist?
I have an eerily strong connection to Emily Carr...one among so many great Canadian artists.
You can see what Darlene is up to on a day-to-day basis on Instagram @darlenekulig and Facebook @kuligart.
The Puzzle Nerds is proud to represent some of Darlene’s work in the shop. View all of Darlene’s puzzles, a selection of her face masks and our puzzle & face mask sets.
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