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This week, the Kings Lens and Friends rotating art gallery exhibited works by Little Compton artist Janie Kinnane. Kinnane's mission is to create art of kindness through her company Charlie Lou (named after her grandfather). Before December 16, you can watch and purchase Kinnane's artwork at The Kings Lens. 

Follow Janie on Instagram here and read the interview below to learn more about the inspiration behind her unique and incredibly detailed prints and watercolor works.

1. Introduce yourself and your background. How did you start to create prints and watercolors, and why? 

My name is Janie Kinnane, I come from Little Compton, Rhode Island, and I come from a big creative family. When I was young, I was always asked to paint or paint portraits, but creating art was never my dream. In fact, I don't want to be an artist. Years later, with the continuous encouragement of family and friends, I feel that this is more like a calling; just as I have a responsibility to cultivate gifts from God, I have been fighting stubbornly for many years. I started to pursue art through mentoring, trial and error, and YouTube tutorials.

Now I can't imagine any other professions. 

I first started working in watercolor. I started using them because it was my mother's favorite medium, and later discovered that I appreciate their simplicity when traveling. In 2018, a friend and fellow artist Claire Bowen sent me an invitation to participate in an event called Big Ink. They traveled all over the country, printing large-scale works carved by different artists. My first woodblock print was with them. That is an 8-foot-long humpback whale. The process was amazing, and I was fascinated from there. I like learning this new media. It is shameful to venture into a new process and find that you know little about something. The whole experience is really encouraging and exciting. As an artist, it is always difficult to know when to stop working. In this medium, you can only go so far, and then you have to let go and call a block ready to print. You don't always know what you will get. Then there is the moment of great announcement when you see the final result. This is suspenseful, and when the results are good, it is beneficial.

2. Tell us something about how you developed your style and process. Have you tried any other media?

I have always been attracted to surrealism, so my style may be very compact. I try to work on as many details as possible while constantly facing the challenge of staying loose and not overworked. I have used many different materials and media. I started mainly using acrylic, pastels, graphite, reverse painting on glass, and screen printing. I also dabble in wood burning and pottery.

One thing I found in most of the media I work in is this backward thinking process. With watercolor painting, you draw and paint around the white of the paper, and then first paint the highlights. By sculpting, you will eliminate negative effects to create positive effects. In reverse painting, you have to draw tiny details first, and then draw back. I like to create. Art has many directions. The endless choices are exciting and irresistible! But this is what keeps it fresh.

3. Your company name Charlie Lou is inspired by your grandfather. What do you think inspired by or other people?

Almost everything I make is inspired by the coastal farm environment of Little Compton-from marine life to farm life and plants. 

My inspiration came from this artist, Zaria Forman. Her job is about raising people's awareness of climate change, which she records through her pastels.

4. Charlie Lou As a company, do you have any specific goals? What is your dream project or work?

To solve a purpose that is not just my art hanging on the wall. I want to make sure that my job is to raise awareness, support and funding for humanitarian or environmental charities. 

Any first-hand experience will create deeper connections and nuances for my art, so a huge dream of mine is to create a work centered on diving with whales. If I can create something from that experience that can attract enough audiences and benefit marine life in a substantial way, it will be amazing. I would love to participate in one of these projects with Sea Legacy. This is an organization that really interests me and inspires me.

5. Apart from Kings Lens, are there other places or regions where people can find your work? Do you have any special promotions during the holidays?

You can find me in my studio, Charlie Lou 26 Main Street in Little Compton, or in Art Cafe (7 S of Commons Road in Little Compton). I am currently offering a 25% discount note card (pack of 5) for the holidays.

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