Meet Leigh Ann Van Fossan and James Van Fossan | Fine Art Oil Painters

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leigh Ann Van Fossan and James Van Fossan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leigh Ann Van Fossan and James Van Fossan, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Many outsiders tend to be surprised when we answer “I am an artist” to the question, “What do you do?” Some will even laugh reactively, assuming we are joking. Many people really don’t know what that means – “artist”. Are we musicians? Dancers? Hobby crafters? We then usually have to elaborate, “We are painters, oil painters.” Once we have established that we are artists/painters, then comes the fun in convincing someone that yes, we ACTUALLY do that for a career. Not by any fault of their own, many outsiders don’t take art seriously as a business or occupation. They don’t know about the years of training, study, the investment of time and money that goes into our studio and supplies. They may not know that it is often hard work, and extremely competitive. As a full-time professional artist, one is often responsible for inventory, studio upkeep/expense, marketing, communications, shipping, and oh yeah – painting!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Leigh Ann – I am a Contemporary Impressionist and Abstract Artist. I have been oil painting since the age of 12, and studied Fine Art at the University of Colorado in Boulder and at the Syracuse University Center in Florence, Italy. I think what sets me apart in the aesthetic of what I do is my use of color and texture in my paintings. Because of my impressionistic and sometimes abstract style, my work often feels dreamy or nostalgic for viewers. I love working with clients and designers to create custom commissioned works to fulfill their vision, when I am not working on my own pieces for our studio and other galleries. Becoming a professional artist was not easy. My husband had to convince me to start painting again around 2014. At first, I did it for fun. But as I developed my skill and individual style, I realized that the pieces were desirable to others beyond myself and my biased family. Since then, it has been endless hard work – constant communication with galleries and clients, studio upkeep, marketing to the best of my abilities, and painting — all when I am not taking care of our incredible daughter and son. But it is all a dream come true, really!

James – I am mostly self-taught, and have been developing my career since around 2005, after leaving the corporate world. With the help of some incredible friends and encounters along the way, I found myself in wonderful galleries and art shows. My greatest achievements in the fine art world are marked by my recognitions for my figure paintings at international fine art salons such as The Art Renewal Center (USA), and the Collection Beaux-Arts Realiste International Competition (Montreal), as well as my art’s presence in notable publications such as American Art Collector, International Artist Magazine, Southwest Art, LUXE Magazine, and even the New York Times.

What we learn along the way is the ever-changing nature of our business. The way that art is seen, and celebrated, and sold never stays the same. Technology is the biggest factor in change. As kind of “old school” (think Renaissance mentality) artists, the ever evolving world of technology is probably our biggest challenge in the professional world of art (cue any social media marketing geniuses that want to reach out and HELP us!). But we work together to try and stay on top of it all.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first place we take all of our visitors is hiking in the Colorado National Monument. It is truly a wonder of expansive trails and views, and it is only 10 minutes from our home studio! We are also big supporters of Colorado’s craft beer industry, and we are lucky to have Copper Club Brewing Company right here in town. It is so fun to sit outside in the Western Slope sun, and sip on their beers. And right across the street, is another gem, Hot Tomato Pizza. So to put it simply, we take our guests to burn a lot of calories on the hikes, only to consume twice the amount in beer and pizza afterwards. Let’s not forget about the wonderful Palisade wine region, just about 20 minutes away.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We both have to thank our parents, all of whom had “real jobs” 😉 , in offering us their unwavering support and encouragement over the years. James would also like to thank fellow painter, Duffy Sheridan, who shared with him his personal insight of fine art oil painting at the beginning of James’ career. We both give daily thanks to God for blessing us with this gift and the opportunity to share it.

Website: www.lavfineart.com & www.jamesvanfossan.com

Instagram: @vanfossanstudios

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanfossanstudios

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/vanfossanstudio/featured

The Lunar Codex, which includes the work of 3,000 creatives, will be the first significant placement of contemporary arts on the Moon in 50 years. While focused on visual art, the Lunar Codex also includes a substantial collection of contemporary books, stories, poetry, music, essays, and more. Set to launch sometime in 2022.

From the Lunar Codex website:  Dr. Samuel Peralta, Curator of The Lunar Codex project, explains its purpose. “The Lunar Codex started as a project to spread hope during a dark time – the years of the Covid-19 pandemic on Earth.  The Codex instills the Moon with some of the heart of humanity, our art, so that when we look to the sky, the Moon is a tangible symbol of hope, of what is possible when you believe.  The Codex is also a message-in-a-bottle to the future, so that travelers who find these time capsules might discover some of the richness of our world today.  It speaks to the idea that, despite wars and pandemics and climate upheaval, humankind found time to dream, time to create art.”

To learn more about the Lunar Codex, visit https://www.lunarcodex.com.