Meet Renée Noël | Artist & Small Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Renée Noël and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Renée, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“I slow down to be grateful, as I cast my eyes on the beauty that surrounds me.” -Renée Noël. I created this quote as a reminder to myself to never take anything for granted, especially the natural beauty here in Northern Colorado. I grew up in concrete jungle where I was surrounded by city life, full of traffic and noise. Living in Northern Colorado for seventeen years has been a dream. I don’t have to wait for a vacation to find tranquility and breathtaking vistas. I can literally walk a few steps from my home and view the front range and all the beauty that goes along with it. When I “slowing down” I’m being intentional, savoring what I’m experiencing in nature. The practice of being grateful has positively changed my life. Being grateful has allowed me to be consistently inspired in my creativity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What is my muse? My acrylic paintings are greatly influenced by the Western United States. The West is unique in its diverse terrain, broad skies, textures and array of hues. From the intricate and illuminating skies and rivers in Colorado, to the vibrant cactus blooms in Arizona and still to the breathtaking mountains of Montana. The authentic and unconcealed charm of the west enchants me, leaving a creative as myself enveloped with renewed inspiration. What sets me apart? I have a background in both fine arts and graphic design. I haven’t always been a fine artist. I actually made a full circle. I began my college career majoring in fine arts however, in the middle of my college years, I became interested in graphic design and applied arts. I took a risk and transferred to another university and studied in the school of Communications with an emphasis in Design. It wasn’t a smooth transition as I lost several credits and I lengthened my college years, however I persevered and graduated with a degree in Communication, Design. For several years I worked for corporations doing graphic design. I evolved into married life, raised a family and continued to work in-house by freelancing for corporations and side projects. In the early 2000’s I moved to Northern Colorado with my family and I realized I had a craving for a more organic way of creating. In 2010 I began painting with the medium of acrylic full time. I  worked on my creative skills and started to develop my own style and new techniques of painting. After hosting several studio events I discovered that there was an audience for my talents. This prompted me to establish my business, Renée G. Noël Paintings, LLC. in 2014. Was it easy? Being a professional artist is not easy, especially when your trying to do things respectfully, while still being a wife and mother (which is my very first love and priority). Many hats are worn as any small business owner can tell you. Since establishing my business, I have taken as many art opportunities as I can, to gain credibility and positive exposure. I have been invited to several art venues, juried art events and featured artist opportunities, where I was fortunate to earn awards. In 2021 I was invited to be part of The Walnut Gallery in the Creative District in Longmont Colorado which has been a true blessing. What have I learned? Too many lessons to tell, however as a business owner and an artist I try to think of ways to diversify and ask myself what’s working, what’s not and how can I improve. I try not to get too caught up with “what sells” or become frantic if I don’t get several likes or positive comments on my social media. For me, it’s all about having a balanced life, putting my family first, staying active, remaining grateful for every opportunity, enjoying the artistic process, being authentic, staying positive, being part of my community and treating others with kindness.

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?
If I had a guest visiting me from out of town I would try to be impromptu. Depending on their mood and what season it was in Colorado, the first place we would go visit and hike would be the Rocky Mountain National Park at least two days out of the week. If I wasn’t making them a home cooked meal or having fun baking, I would visit the Tangerine for breakfast or brunch followed by a visit to The Walnut Gallery across the street. We could enjoy lunch at The Pumphouse and The Roost for dinner. For fresh produce we could visit a local farm where I would take them to Ollin Farms and Ya Ya farm and Orchard and enjoy fresh apples, apple-cider doughnuts and cider. Later to work off the doughnuts my guest and I would go for a run in Lyons up at Picture Rock. To wind down the week, if we wanted to hear live music and have a beer I would take them to Oskar Blues or the Bootstrap. If we wanted a more elegant atmosphere where we could enjoy superb cocktails and appetizers my choice would be Sugar Beet .

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are several people in my life that have helped and encouraged me throughout my artistic journey. My earliest memory of encouragement was from my paternal grandmother who I remember as a child. She would sit me down at her long dining table and provide me with crayons, pencils, a stack of blank paper with milk and cookies. That bit of special attention, gave me a sense of freedom to create whatever my imagination could muster up. The second person in my life who I can’t thank enough is my high school art teacher. She was a plethora of knowledge and was truly my friend. Her guidance allowed me to spread my wings artistically. With her assistance, I won several monetary awards and scholarships that ultimately funded my college education. She helped me believe that I had a gift that was of value. Next, my mother and father who never discouraged me from being an artist. I’m so thankful for the transportation they provided me to get me from one art class to the next. Sometimes they would have to travel lengthy distances and they never complained about the inconvenience. Coming from a large family, our budget was tight, their sacrifices allowed me to buy the needed art supplies so I could create. I still remember the first real large portfolio case my parents bought me for my high school graduation. Lastly, I’d like to thank my husband. When we bought our home here in Colorado and finished our basement, he made sure that I had the best place to create with natural light and a sink area to wash my brushes. His abundance of love, loyalty and patience is more than I could ever ask for.

Website: renee-noel.pixels.com

Instagram: @reneenoelart

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rgnpaintings.72

Image Credits
John Noël