the voice of Whitman Lindstrom

— q + a —

For those lucky enough to either live in or visit the Centennial State, there exists within us the inherent allure of Colorado’s pristine, yet rugged beauty. Whether it’s the easy access to four National Parks, the seemingly endless trails to uncover or perhaps the vast expanses of dark skies for stargazing, Colorado’s landscape draws the intrigue of around 90 million visitors per year. Often, that draw is so inescapable that Colorado is seen as an aspirational home for outdoor enthusiasts. 

For Boulder artist Whitman Lindstrom, it was this same allure that brought him to Colorado from Southern California. Through his art, particularly his plein air paintings, Whitman expertly captures the landscapes that inspired him to move here in the first place. We spoke with Whitman to discuss inspiration, his art style and how he’s able to honor his love for the outdoors through the process. 

  • null
    How did you find your calling in art? What drew you to it? 
  • null
    My journey to become an artist was gradual. Growing up I had great exposure to the arts, and I have always enjoyed being creative as a result. I am a self-taught artist and have experimented in many different art disciplines throughout the years, but I am most drawn to plein air painting. The connection to nature is to me the most important part of my creative voice. I think the calm meditation of observing and interpreting my environment is what intrigues me the most about art and painting. 
  • null
    What drew you to Colorado from Southern California? 
  • null
    I feel incredibly lucky that I was born and raised in Southern California. The SoCal beach lifestyle is really nice, but so is the mountain lifestyle. My wife and I have always wanted to live in and explore a new city, so we chose Boulder because we love spending time in nature and the art scene in the Denver area is exciting. I see a lot of similarities between California and Colorado, so moving here was a way to maintain an enjoyable lifestyle just with a change of scenery.  
  • null
    How does your artistic outlook integrate into your life beyond the canvas? 
  • null
    Whether I am hiking, backpacking or plein air painting, the more time spent outdoors the better. My art is an extension of that philosophy, and my goal is to celebrate nature through art. If I can generate a positive feeling of respect for nature and a message about the impact human beings have on their environment, then I feel that I have accomplished my goal. 
  • null
    What project are you most proud of and why?  
  • null
    There have been a couple mural projects in the past that I am very proud of. I really enjoy the public component and process of creating a large-scale mural. Having said that, more recently I have had success with my plein air work and received 1st place awards in 2021 and 2022 for my submissions in the Boulder Plein Air Event hosted by Open Studios. I have really enjoyed applying my contemporary artistic style to a long-standing traditional artistic practice and I love the idea of creating art that is tied to a specific time and place. 
  • null
    Your works often live in spaces that people call “home.” What is it like to have a piece of yourself in your fans’ personal residences, and do you feel a sense of responsibility when creating art? 
  • null
    I am always thrilled to see my work living in a fan’s home. I used to get very attached to my work and would hate to let it go, but after many successful projects I have come to enjoy handing my work off to collectors. I have become more confident in my work, and I know if I stick to my process that the work will be well received by the client. I definitely feel a great sense of responsibility when creating art for a fan’s home, especially in the case of a commissioned project. Seeing the joy and excitement my art brings to a collector will often give me a boost of creative energy for the next project.  
  • null
    If I can generate a positive feeling of respect for nature and a message about the impact human beings have on their environment, then I feel that I have accomplished my goal.”
  • null
    Describe your artistic process, from ideation to completion. 
  • null
    Most of my work begins outside. I will often start with a plein air study of nature in my contemporary style while out hiking or traveling. Many of those paintings end right there and are part of my plein air collection. Some of the more successful or exciting studies get brought back into the studio where I will create a larger, more refined version. Most of the creative work is done in that initial session outdoors and I try to carry that feeling of the scene into the studio. Once the painting process is complete, I usually build a custom wood frame for the painting. Crafting my own frames for paintings has become a very enjoyable part of my artistic process. 
  • null
    Your signature style utilizes a very unique balance of color and shape. How did you arrive at this style and how does it differ from your previous styles? 
  • null
    I have dabbled in a lot of mediums and styles, so my signature style is both different but also an accumulation of earlier experimentations. My current contemporary landscape painting technique evolved over time. In the beginning of my plein air journey, I strived for accurate depictions of the scene in front of me as many plein air artists do. But over time I started to experiment with highly saturated underpaintings and exciting color harmonies until I arrived at the unique style that I am known for. For me, color is king and the most important element of an enjoyable work of art. When it comes to shape and composition, I am always trying to create complexity out of simplification of the scene as did many of the artists in the post-impressionist movement. 
  • null
    Where do you find inspiration in your daily life? Do you have any recommended books, podcasts or publications? 
  • null
    Nature is my greatest inspiration when it comes to themes and subject matter. However, understanding and commenting on the effect human beings have on nature is an important component of my artistic voice as well. In terms of style, I love studying the work of artists from the post-impressionist art movement in France and it shows in my work. I will pick up any art history book that I can find as well as many works by the author Irving Stone. 

    Discover more of Whitman’s work by visiting his website, following along on his Instagram or by perusing his shop. Interested parties may request a commission by emailing hello@whitmanart.com. 

share
FacebookFacebook
InstagramInstagram
LinkedInLinkedIn