Darren Umbsaar
What first inspired you to try art?
Art has always been a part of my life since I was a kid; around the house we always had paint sets, markers, and pencil crayons to mess around with. Even on family road trips, my siblings and I would pass the time by drawing weird caricatures of movie characters or made-up Pokémon in our sketch books.
I think I gravitated towards art because; 1) I find the feeling of creating something new based on my own ideas and experiences to be very thrilling and rewarding; 2) I’m also an introvert at heart, so I find it easy to lock myself away and get lost in painting for hours at a time. Of all of the mediums I’ve experimented with, I find acrylic painting to be the most intuitive. The expressive, dynamic nature of mixing and applying colours is a lot of fun, and it allows me to create most closely to my artistic vision and temperament.
Was there ever a moment you wanted to quit art all together, and if so what brought passion and inspiration back?
I have definitely experienced periods of exhaustion and apathy where I don’t feel like creating for a while, but I’ve never considered outright giving up. Painting is too integral to my heart and soul to ever quit.
Speaking of times when I feel a lack of inspiration, I believe it was Picasso that said, “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” This quote definitely resonates with me because it reminds me of the importance of perseverance, and the long-term work ethic that is necessary to keep my art practice going. Good ideas rarely appear out of thin air, they often take a bit of work to materialize. For me, I feel most inspired once I’ve sat with an idea for a while, sketched out a concept that excites me, and I’ve gotten to the brink of starting to paint. This is when I have the clearest vision, and the confidence to bring it to life, and I can feel the buzz of inspiration running through me.
Additionally, I have also found attending art events like shows, museums, and get-togethers can be excellent ways of breaking through the creative drought. Staying physically active is also super important; going outdoors, and taking breaks can drastically improve my mood and overall passion to create. The majority of my paintings are directly inspired by hikes and scenes that I have experienced, so getting out to into nature is vital to keep my passion thriving.
Have you gone to art school or are you self taught? If you’re self-taught what resources or exercises did you use to learn?
I am self-taught, so I have learned painting mostly through a combination of online resources, books, experimentation, and practice. One of my all-time favourite online resources that I highly recommend is a YouTube channel called “Draw Mix Paint” which is run by a great art teacher named Mark Carder. Mark teaches everything regarding painting realism effectively, including courses on value, colour theory, composition, reference gathering, and plenty more. His videos involve oil paints, but the concepts are applicable to any medium.
One of the ways that I improved my workflow over the last couple years was by learning digital painting in Photoshop. It was a rocky start (believe me), but over time I feel that my understanding of colour/value nuance, and composition have massively improved as a result. I am now much more confident in transitioning from reference material to the block-in stage. It’s also a great non-destructive method for making edits to works-in-progress. I understand digital may not be for everyone, as it’s a totally different beast than traditional painting, but if you have a tablet and a program to run a sketching software (Procreate, Photoshop, etc.), give it a shot—you may find it useful! Just be patient with yourself. There are lots of excellent digital creators out there; some of my digital idols are artists such as Zac Retz, Jordan Grimmer, Imad Awan, and RHADS, to name a few.
Another method that I found to be exceptionally helpful in improving my art was working on master copies of established artists. For example, I did a copy of one of John Singer Sargent’s landscape paintings, “Simplon Pass”, and it absolutely changed the way I saw colour and shadows in rocks. When you do a master copy, I would strongly suggest do not cut corners or put your own spin on it. Meticulously mixing every colour you see will not only train your eyes to see clearer, but will dispel your own faulty biases and assumptions. The point is to learn to be keenly observant, and to hone your colour mixing skills. I think it’s like learning an instrument; you can’t just start by writing your own songs and expect them to be any good, so it’s better to play along to music that someone else has written first. Same with painting. Don’t underestimate master copies! You will make leaps and experience revelations in your understanding of colour and value particularly.
What is the most challenging part about being an artist for you? How did you overcome that challenge?
I think that the most challenging part of being an artist is maintaining a diligent and disciplined work ethic in times when negative emotions run high. As artists, we spend countless hours stuck in our own heads, alone in the studio, and inevitably we experience periods of self-doubt, disliking our own work, procrastination, etc. It’s an immense joy and privilege to be an artist, but the ups and downs of the job can be fairly mentally draining at times.
Now, despite these challenges, I strongly believe the life of an artist doesn’t need to be one of total suffering (just a little bit). After all, life is about trade-offs and sacrifice. If you want to make something beautiful, you have to be willing to fight for it.
How I try to stay diligent and focused on making art:
Paint consistently, but not excessively: generally, a handful of hours at the easel each day is enough to keep me on track. Too much can lead to burnout. Everyone is different. Find your groove.
Be mindful of social media overuse: doomscrolling = not good
Maintain a long-term vision: The inherent highs and lows of the business mean each month is different. I remind myself to trust the daily process and keep the whole year in focus.
Listen to podcasts or music: to stimulate the creative juices
Go for walks/exercise: I find it better to take breaks if progress is flatlining. Come back later with fresh eyes.
Ask a friend or family member for an honest critique: helps me get out of my head and solve problems more effectively.
Have deadlines: committing to shows or exhibitions is an excellent way to keep me motivated.
Attend art events: these are great ways to connect with other artists in person, escape the studio echo-chamber, and find new inspiration.
What does art mean to you?
It's very hard to give a precise meaning to such a complex and visceral activity as making art, but I think creating art, to put it succinctly, is about expressing my admiration for the incredible beauty of God’s creation in nature. Whenever I’m out exploring in nature, no matter where I look, there are always beautiful sights to see that invigorate me with emotion and wonder. Painting is an act of appreciation, where I have the freedom to combine my personal experiences, emotions, and soul into a visual format for the world to see. It’s vulnerable, challenging, yet deeply fulfilling.
The urge I have to create art is innate, and incredibly strong, and I think it’s partly because I’ve seen firsthand how making art and sharing it with the world is an immensely good thing. If nobody created any art, there would be nothing appealing about our society, no innovation, no emotion, no life, no beauty, no discussion, no shared experience, and I think we would all just die of heartbreak. When we encounter amazing art, our lives are enriched, challenged, humbled, and uplifted because it gives us a chance to see life through the eyes of a different person who dedicated themselves to their craft; to see the results of heartfelt emotion, passion, and masterful achievement.
Good art can absolutely change the world, no matter how small or large the project. I know for myself I get an immense amount of satisfaction knowing that I get to connect to nature, God, humanity, and myself through an activity as mentally stimulating and culturally significant as art.
What drives the inspiration in your paintings? How would you describe your style?
My paintings are largely inspired by the magnificent mountain landscapes of the Canadian Rockies. As a born-and-raised Calgarian, I have had the privilege of exploring the wild, mysterious, and invigorating realms of the mountains for most of my life. Specifically, I find inspiration from the interaction of light and atmosphere in the landscape; when I am out hiking, I keep an eye out for these moments, whether it be sun landing on the fronds of forest foliage, or shadows of clouds drifting across an endless sea of mountain summits, or the dazzling, rainbow ripples in an alpine lake. Light gives life to the world, and it changes the emotional story of the environment. That emotion could be one of hope, melancholy, strength, endurance, etc. It really depends on how the place feels in the moment when I’m out gathering reference material, and how I engage with my ideas in the studio. I like to stay open to different directions that a piece can take me, plus it leaves room for multiple interpretations of a locality for future paintings. There truly are endless ways to paint a single subject.
I would probably describe my work as impressionism, since I like my work to have fresh, lively brushwork with a focus on value accuracy and colour harmony. In a given session, I like working relatively swiftly to maintain an expressive and abstract quality to my mark-making, which also helps to simplify complex areas. Some of my strongest influences are the work of Russian, European, and Canadian impressionists, both contemporary and traditional.
What would you recommend to new artists trying to build a career? What are the keys to success?
Prioritize painting: seems simple enough, but sometimes the logistics of running an art business detract from time at the easel. Let painting be the priority. This goes especially for hobbyists just emerging. Worrying about marketing, Instagram follower count, or website clicks is pointless. Focus your energy on becoming a practiced, diligent painter and the rest will be easier to manage down the road.
Attend and sell through art shows: this is honestly a great way to get traction in the local art world, and it was how I started out as a hobbyist. It will help you gauge how your art is objectively received by the public. These are also great places to meet fellow artists and to network. Be consistent with your shows over the years so buyers can expect you.
Be engaged on social media: creating a healthy following on social media is a great way to build connections and get more eyes on your work. You never know who you’ll bump into online either, whether it be buyers, mentors, galleries, or simply friendly commenters (to help keep your squishy dopamine factory churning).
Be Patient: Realistically it will probably take many years of practice and attending shows before you can commit to art as a career. You will inevitably experience rejection and disappointment. Keep going. Each year you’ll improve.
Be Willing to Think Through Criticism: I recently had a few experiences where I thought my paintings were the bomb, and then I received critiques that I hadn’t expected. At first, I was frustrated (peeved, even), and then as I went back to make changes, I slowly realized… they were right. That DOES look better. Obviously, you can’t please everyone, and not everyone’s comments are necessarily constructive, but if you can treat criticism as an opportunity to genuinely think through problems rather than simply “get pissed”, you will see big improvements.
Don’t burn bridges: Maintain loyalty to your galleries, buyers, and fellow artists. Having a healthy network of people that you trust and respect is better for everyone, and likely means more opportunities will come your way.
Keep asking yourself, “What if…?”: Asking “What if?” is so important for improving your artwork and making leaps forward. (E.g. “What if I completely changed the foreground of this piece? What if I only used a palette knife this time? What if I tried watercolours? What if I bought a different type of yellow? etc.). The more you ask yourself, “What if?” the less likely you are to fall into stagnation, and the better of a problem solver you’ll be, which is arguably what painting is all about.
What would you go back and tell your younger artistic self if you could?
I would probably recommend experimenting more and pushing beyond my comfort zone. The biggest leaps I’ve had were when I did exercises such as master copies, black and white only paintings, loosened up my brushwork, painted a different type of subject, pushed my colours further, painted on a huge canvas for the first time, etc. I think when you are first learning to paint, finding your “style” is way less important than improving at the fundamentals of painting. Learning tone, colour theory, and the basics of composition are so important, no matter what style you come to land on down the road. A good understanding of those fundamentals will manifest in any subject and any style.
Also, my younger self would definitely benefit from this: don’t be so skimpy with supplies. In order to get good at painting, you’re going to have to (spoiler) actually use your paint.
Where do you see yourself in the future? What are some of your goals?
I am planning to apply to the Western Oasis showcase at the Stampede next year (2024). It would be a big investment, but I think I’m ready to give it a shot! I really want to visit Europe someday to see the amazing art museums as well. Another dream I have is to one day have a huge open studio space, but with the current market that dream will probably take a while. In general, for now, I’m just taking it one painting at a time, staying focused on the process, and supplying work for my galleries and shows.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I hope my answers were informative.
