Tera Selleck is ART123 Gallery’s newest Member Artist. gallupARTS intern Randy Vargas (and high school graduate this month–congrats, Randy!) recently sat down with Tera for a Q & A to learn more about her creative process, what inspires her doodle-like, colorful, intricate line drawings, and how she found (and continues to find) the confidence to make art

RV: What is your creative processes when making one of your pieces?

TS: I’m usually in the middle of about three projects at once. When I start really liking one of the pieces I’ll clean my office, clean up all the other projects, put them all away, and really focus on the one I like. I just never really know which ones I’m going to like in the beginning.

RV: How long does it take to make one piece?

TS: Probably about sixteen to thirty hours, and on my bigger pieces about thirty five. Those are usually two hour stretches because after two hours I can’t see anymore. In my art work you can really see are the small fine lines and small dots it takes a long time to do all of that and eventually you go cross-eyed.

Alpha Centauri

RV: What are some of your inspirations for your art?

TS: You know that’s a really hard question because if you see my art it’s very abstract and very random. I am always looking at trees, flowers, and even the curve of a fin on a car. The way things are layered, colors, lights, and angles—that’s what I look for when I see a tree. I could probably sit and look at a tree for about half an hour and just study it. I’m just very “in tune” with everything around me.

RV: What’s the most memorable response you’ve gotten from someone regarding your work?

TS: That’s a hard one because I’ve done art my whole life. It wasn’t until about a year ago a friend told me people need to see my work. So she pushed me to bring my whole portfolio down here (ART123) to show Rose. When Rose saw it she told me she really liked and after that I was inspired to start getting my work out there. I sold three pictures at first and it boosted my confidence when I realized people actually want to buy my work.

RV: What advice would you want to give someone that wants to pursue art?

TS: To just start. Every piece of art you do won’t be perfect but you learn more by just putting the paint on the canvas, just trying. You’ll eventually find your style or styles that really make you happy and feel good.

RV: Are you working on anything new?

TS: Well I just finished two big projects. I just finished the sign that sits outside of ART123. That took a couple months. I just finished the skateboard painting project that I was commissioned to do. For the moment, right now, this is my down time to recharge and binge watch Downton Abbey.

RV: What does art mean to you?

TS: Anyway you can express yourself. Whether it’s paint, pencils, pens, finger painting, poetry, singing, dancing—all of that is art to me. If it makes you feel good and lets other people understand what you are talking about, it’s art. You may not get the same message I’m sending out but we are communicating in a certain way.