Meet Rhonda Delmolino | Fine Artist & Illustrator

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

Hi Rhonda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As an Artist, I really wanted to find a way to share my artwork and spread creativity with others. So, I started my home-based professional art studio that allows me the freedom to create around my family time, art opportunities, and engage with my community. It’s wonderful to have the flexibility for a work/ life balance that I control rather than scheduled hours.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

Art comes from the soul – it inspires, elevates, and connects all of us in unique and special ways. I am a fine artist and illustrator, who focuses on making heartfelt connections with others through my artwork. My artwork is inspired by many things including travel, time shared with family & friends, and capturing a moment in time. My creative purpose is to use my artistic gifts to bring beauty into the world to connect with and bring others together.

After finishing college, I worked for a decade as a graphic designer and illustrator primarily in print media in advertising departments. Although I loved it, I chose to leave it for a while to be a stay at home Mom with my 3 boys. During this time, I discovered that I really enjoyed getting back to my artistic roots in drawing and painting once again. As my children were getting bigger, they were beginning to show entrepreneur spirits of their own and began asking lots of questions about what I did, what they could do, how businesses work, etc. So, I decided to start my own home based creative business White Owl Art Studio, LLC. This allows me the freedom to take in commissioned portraits and custom acrylic painting work with the flexibility needed to work around family life. Also, I chose to work select art & craft shows to allow my children to come along to learn about interacting with people in a polite and courteous way – which is something so important these days. My children could see what I do, why it is important to make a quality product that you can be proud of, and how creativity can inspire others. None of my children have shown an interest in art careers, but they all learned valuable lessons about being part of a community, how business works, and showing kindness to others as they move on with their own professional careers. I value the lessons that we all learned through those years together.

Primarily, I work in acrylic paint (and sometimes mixed media) to create custom portraits, landscapes and sentimental items on canvas. My subject matter varies, but I really enjoy portraiture – capturing an expression or saying something about who that person (or animal) is and what makes them special. Storytelling is also important to me; so I love painting old buildings, barns, signage, and sentimental objects,etc. When I step into an old place, my imagination wanders as I wonder what stories the old time worn walls hold? I want to bring that feeling to my artwork. My portraits & paintings are generally passed down from generation to generation in families – so I love that it connects the past, present and future families members together. It is my hope that my artwork engages the viewer and inspires their own imagination too.

My biggest (recent) accomplishment is that I have just written and illustrated my very first picture book “Good Night Owl,” which I self published on Amazon. It is a simple little story about a happy little owl family who live in a woodland tree, and they are grateful for everything around them. It was very challenging to write, illustrate (and self publish), but I loved it! Being an illustrator, I wanted to the book to be filled with engaging full color artwork that would inspire the reader. My own inspiration for the book was the memories of story time with my children, and how a certain special book would capture their imaginations and take them on magical journeys. I have always loved picture books (since I was a child), and I hope that my book will be one of those special books that spark the imaginations of the readers. I will be setting up some book signings soon (in Colorado & out of state this year) which is exciting & new for me as well.

Additionally, I teach occasional acrylic painting workshops to help others get in touch with their creative side, and I offer private lessons in person & by ZOOM. Currently, I am painting a mural inside of The Colorado Springs Therapy Center, and I have several projects on the horizon.

My brand and my story overlap by being about the journey of life through artwork. Everyone who has purchased my artwork becomes a little piece of every future painting I make – we are all on this wonderful journey together. I look at owning my own business as an adventure with new pathways, surprises (both ups and down), and heartfelt interactions with others, as I share my creative life as an artist. Primarily, I paint custom portraits & landscapes by commission, and I show my work in galleries sometimes as well. I am so grateful to everyone who responds to my artwork  and encourages me to create. My thought process behind my creative business is always shifting, learning, and evolving to new ways that I can share my artwork, to create special connections. and to inspire others with creativity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I love showing friends around town!

We would start by having breakfast at at the Omlette Parlour and talk about the cool Jazz singer whose place it used to be.
Next we would tour Glen Eyrie Castle – catch the movie & tour and walk the grounds.
We would have lunch at Black Bear Dinner or Marigold’s cafe,
Then walk around Old Colorado City, and maybe grab dinner or happy hour down there – maybe stop in The Vine and Wheel in downtown.

The next day we would check out a local museum – may be WWII, the Firestation Museum, Garden or the Gods or somewhere downtown. Then maybe shop & eat at Ivywilde School complex
Take a coffee and pastry break at Boonzaijers Dutch Bakery.

Hit some art galleries/ museum downtown or up in Palmer lake.

Dinner and margaritas at Fiesta Jalisco on Stetson Hills.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

There are so many wonderful people who have encouraged and supported my business over the years in both the Colorado Springs Area and nationally that it would be hard to dedicate this to just one.

So, I would have to first say the two biggest shaping factors in my life were both my amazing parents (who always supported my artistic nature), and to the College of ST Rose in Albany, NY, where I earned a talent scholarship for my undergraduate work that opened the larger world of art to me. The love, support and mentorship that gave me the courage to follow an art career all goes back to them. Since then, all of the people who have purchased my artwork have all become part of my story, and I am so grateful to each and everyone of them.

I am a member of the Palmer Lake Artists Group which is a delightful and encouraging group of fellow artists (shout out to them).We currently have our Winter Show at the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts in Palmer Lake, CO, (Dr. Michael Maddox), who also gets a shout out for supporting local arts. Also, Bella Art and Frame in Monument. CO for supporting local artists.

A big shoutout to the Colorado Springs Therapy Center and owner Katey Blehm. She is my biggest mentor for small business ownership. Her endless dedication, innovation, kindness to others, and community mindedness is always inspiring.

The Young Bookworm Bookstore in Colorado Springs is a wonderful community focused independent bookstore, who supports local authors and has a young authors club for kids. My book is for sale there too.

Academy Arts & Frame in Colorado Springs has a wonderful staff who support local artists. My book is currently for sale there too.

The staff at Rampart High School and RCO are amazing as well, and have been very encouraging to my art business.

The Pikes Peak Library 21C is an amazing place, and I thank them for allowing me to use the rooms there for creative workshops, and for all the wonderful art books I can check out – always inspiring!

For online creative groups, I am thankful to The Creative Powerhouse Society for giving me the avenue to learn to self publish my very first picture book, and to KaraBullockArts.com where I enjoy purchasing art workshop videos to learn new techniques.

And a shout out to Candice Kustrele / Teeth, who is an amazing dental independent hygienist who is dedicated to the wellness of others thru innovative dental wellness practices that recommended me to Shoutout CO

Website: whiteowlartstudio.com

Instagram: @whiteowlartstudiobyRhonda

Facebook: @whiteowlartstudiobyRhonda

Image Credits
All images belong to Rhonda Delmolino,