Arts IN Focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.

Coming up, we'll talk with artist Whitney, Klare and dancer Torion Pickett.

It's all next on Arts IN Focus.

Welcome to Arts IN Focus.

I'm Emilie Henry.

Whitney Klare is a fine artist working out of her home studio here in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Inspired constantly by the colors and textures of the natural world she creates using a variety of different mediums, including watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, as well as pen and ink drawing.

The results are intricately detailed pieces of different types of flowers, plants and animals.

Whitney states that living in northeast Indiana, I am blessed with vibrant seasons throughout the year, therefore never being at a loss for inspiration from nature.

Whitney Thank you for inviting me to your studio today.

I want to know how you describe yourself as an artist.

You work in so many different mediums.

So take me back to the beginning.

What medium did you first start dabbling in that made you feel like, Oh, I'm good at this.

I really like it.

I imagine you were a kid.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've always had a natural artistic talent, even as a child.

And I don't know, I've just always been interested in a lot of different mediums.

So probably watercolor, watercolor and pen drawings.

I've always had a high appreciation for, like, those botanical drawings, the scientific botanical drawings, like, know where they super detailed everything and, you know, all the different forms and stages of all the plants and stuff.

That's kind of what I have in mind when I do my mixed media pieces.

So when you study that type of piece, the really intricate analytical drawings, does it does it come naturally to you to recreate that, or was it a learned skill?

How did you go about kind of honing that?

I think it kind of comes naturally because I love being in nature and I'm always looking at, you know, tiny little plants and things on the ground and flowers and that kind of stuff.

And so I think when I look at, you know, reference photo or whatever, when I'm getting ready to start a piece, it comes pretty naturally.

So all the little details, all the zoomed in stuff, you know, and Yeah.

Let's talk a little bit more about your mixed media art.

What inspires that your your creations the most?

Just things I see in nature, like while I'm out working or hiking or just outside in general, it's like probably the next piece I'm going to work on is the Catalpa is just finished blooming the catalpa trees.

And last year I saw up close for the first time like a catalpa blossom.

And they're so intricate and they're very cool.

And then when I saw them blooming this year, I was like, Oh yeah, I do want to do that.

So that's going to be my next piece.

You know, just a cool blooming catalpa montage kind of thing.

So yeah, really, any time I'm outside, like I'm always looking at stuff, observi and that's where I get the inspiration in taking pictures of things.

So I'm a, I'm not an artist.

And it what kind of amazes me is that you can look at something like a catalpa tree or blossom, realize how intricate it is, and sort of even know how to start when it comes to drawing that.

Yeah, usually I start like it's either with reference photos I've taken myself like I've been hiking in the woods or, you know, at work, even like people's landscaping.

I'll be like, That's an awesome pet flower meant to take a picture that real quick.

Either reference photos that I've taken myself or if I like with the catalpa trees, like I couldnt, there up so high, like there was no way to really get a good one.

So, like, I will pull images off, you know, Google or something, and then I just kind of take little bits and use that as my reference to create the piece.

So it just depends.

So you arent drawing the literal image that you found.

You are piecing together sort of your own creation.

Right.

Yeah.

Very Cool.

Like my most recent piece with the morels and the wild leek and the oak leaves, the wild leek.

I took the same day that I took some of the morel photos, but then some of my morel photos that I referenced were from like a year or two ago.

And then the oak leaves were from a little branch of oak leaves that I found while I was out working.

And I'm like, Oh, that's really cool.

Im like, going to draw that at some point.

Yeah.

And so I had that, you know, in my stash of photos and stuff.

So you can take what you find to be the most beautiful aspect of each thing.

Okay.

Now when it comes to the morels how long start to finish, does a typical drawing like that take because they're so detailed?

Yeah, it depends on the size.

You know, if it's like the last piece I did, it's pretty large.

So I worked on that.

You know, probably over the course of a month, you know, sometimes just a couple of hours.

Sometimes I'd be up here all day working on it.

What is the hardest part of creating for you?

It sounds like in general, it's a pretty joyful, fun process, but is there a part that is less so?

Staying motivated sometimes, you know, you get busy with other life stuff or work or, you know, you just are your mind is willing, but the body is weak, you know, and you want to come up and work in your studio and you have all these ideas and you want to do it so bad, but you're also just tired.

So that to me is like the biggest struggle, you know, like kind of finding that balance.

And it's always a work in progress for me, finding that balance like I can come up here and neglect the rest of my life and do nothing else.

But also it's like, okay, you got to like do the other stuff though too.

So for me, that's the biggest struggle.

And then sometimes there is, you know, like writers have writer's block, you know, artists do have artists block too.

You know, you get working on a bunch of stuff and you're going hard for like, you know, two, three, four months.

And then you just can't, you know, and you got to take a break.

Yeah, you have to take a break sometimes.

And that's okay.

When you are working on a piece, do you definitively know when it's done?

Sometimes.

Sometimes you have to walk away and then look at it again a couple days later.

Other times you look at it and it's like, Yep, that's it, That's done.

No more.

Because, I mean, most artists could pick apart a piece for eternity until we ruin it.

Yeah, and that's I hear that all the time.

But I'm always interested to know, are you the type of artist who Who knows?

Yeah.

Especially knowing that you work in so many different mediums.

Do you have a favorite piece you've created?

Probably my most recent piece.

Is it always that way?

Or is it just that way this time?

Sometimes it's like that, but this one I pushed myself in a whole new area with that.

Like I drew it out and then I started it and I'm like, I really didn't know I had I had kind of an idea of what I wanted it to look like.

But then as I started drawing it, I started adding different textures that I've never done before on other stuff.

So it was a lot of like, Screw it, let's try it, let's see what happens.

And I'm like, That's awesome.

That turned out really great.

Going to keep doing that.

Yeah, and it turned out to be probably, in my opinion, one of my best pieces to date.

Like when I get started on that Catalpa piece that I was talking about earlier, I do want to incorporate some of that new texture that I've discovered that I love and it looks really awesome.

So.

Can you tell me about the texture?

Like what?

What do you do to create it?

Just a lot of lines, a lot of line drawing.

Patience.

Yeah, patience too.

And really like looking at your references and seeing where shade shading is, you know, where bright spots are, you know?

Okay, that's a little bit darker here than there.

It's really it, it really all just boils down to shapes and textures.

You know?

It's really that's all it is, which I think I'm learning as I interview artists over the years is either you have it or you don't.

When I look at a piece, I don't I'm not dissecting the shapes and the shading and the lights and the darks, but I think visual artists really do.

Yeah.

So is that something that you just always had?

I think it's something I always had.

But, you know, with art school and just experience and trying new things, like I think I've honed it in a lot more, you know, as I've gotten older.

Sure.

So.

So what's next?

Do you have a different medium you want to try?

Do you have are you going to continue to dabble with this kind of new texture work you're doing or what's on the horizon?

Probably more of the mixed media, new stuff really jamming on that.

Yeah.

So I want to try it out some more and see where it goes and keep working in larger format.

It's been a long time since I've done that, so I really liked it.

So I want to because I tend to work kind of small sometimes.

For some reason it's like I want to push myself and stretch and, you know, stretch out.

Yeah, of course.

Yeah.

What is the best part about being a creative?

Probably seeing the finished product, you know, And I like, you know, the process is fun too, you know, because like as you keep going and you step back and looking at siding, that looks good, you know, it's like and that inspires you to keep going.

And then when it's all done, you just you feel so proud.

And it's like sometimes I look at stuff and I'm like, that came out of me.

Like I blow my own mind sometimes because I step back or I'll, you know, go downstairs and I'll come back up and look at it again.

And it's like, I did that.

Like, yeah, how did you did that?

Like, how do you do that?

Like, that's insane.

Like, it's insane.

The talent that people have that they can create, the things that they do.

I'm so glad to hear you say that, because I think some artists are reticent to give themselves that credit.

Yeah, but it's so true.

And what a legacy.

I mean, you you literally created something that didn't exist before and added some beauty to the world.

Yeah.

So that's pretty incredible.

What have you learned about yourself, thanks to art?

To give myself a break, you know, to go easier on myself because there's so much in the art world, you know, in social media and how things are now than they were 20 years ago.

There's so much pressure and it's okay to enjoy slow art and to take your time.

We're not machines, we're not robots.

Like we can't just crank stuff out.

I mean, some people can, but for me personally, I enjoy the process.

I enjoy taking my time, being slow.

And you enjoy the finished product.

That's so cool to me.

Yeah.

I wish every artist could say that.

Whitney, you are a pleasure.

I love your work.

I love your space.

This has been really fun.

Thanks for having me.

Yep.

For more information, visit Whitney Klare dot com.

I'm joined now by dancer Torion Pickett.

Torion, thank you so much for being here.

I want to dive into your your dance ability and your athleticism.

I was watching some videos and you are incredible.

When did you start dancing?

I started dancing my freshman year in high school.

I started dancing.

Yeah, I started pretty late, so.

That's insane.

Okay, you started with dance team.

What did that entail?

So we competed throughout Indiana with, like, regional competitions, and I started off with just hip hop and then started taking, like, ballet classes, lyrical jazz, and it just grew from there.

So clearly, you were meant to be a dancer because I think that you can start that late unless it's really in you.

Did you feel right away like, oh, this is home?

For sure.

I definitely felt like after I learned a couple more styles, like I just fell in love.

I would have again, with my limited knowledge of of what you do.

Just having watched the videos, I would have thought that you'd been dancing ballet since you were a child.

How how long did it take you to get to the proficiency where you are today?

So it definitely took a while, especially having to learn how to work my muscles in my body and competing against some kids who have danced since they were three.

Yeah, but it definitely took a lot of time, a lot of care and attention.

And I just wanted to really develop as an artist.

So I think that's what has to be forward and in my growth a little more.

So that's what I was thinking as I was watching you, that, yes, you're a dancer, but also an athlete, but also an artist.

There's so much it's so evocative.

There's so much emotion that comes through your work.

So when did that start to creep in?

When did you feel like you had to get, like, all the technique down?

Or were you an artist first and then a dancer?

Oh, a great question.

I, I want to say I was an artist before I started.

I loved the storytelling aspect of dance, and I was able to, like, just dive deep into my emotions and be able to portray them through movement.

Yeah.

Okay.

Tell me about, you are able to balance on your head.

It's crazy town.

When do you when do you think to yourself, I know today I'm going to attempt to balance on my head and I'm going to make it look cool and beautiful.

So I really try to abandon fear when I'm trying new things.

Because a lot of times, like you said, when you start young, a lot of kids don't have like that fear.

They're like, let me go flip around and go on my head.

And as you get older, you like, I dont want to hurt my neck or I don't want to hurt anything.

So I definitely just try to abandon fear and not be afraid to fail at something.

Okay.

But is the fear of getting hurt there?

Yes, it's still present its still present.

I just kind of like push through it and even like strength training to help sometimes.

So.

Okay, let's talk about that.

I have mentioned your athleticism, so how much of what you do is also just athletically training?

Definitely a lot a lot of teachers try to encourage cross training for dance because it prevents injuries, helps with like mobility and just strength in general.

So I'm constantly in the studio working out, working on technique, things like that, just to keep growing, keep my endurance up.

So yeah, okay.

You were saying that right after this.

You are going to dance.

Yes.

What does that look like?

Are you are you training?

Are you choreographing?

Are you what is what does going to dance look like?

Yeah.

So all of the above really.

I teach at a competitive studio as well as an outreach artist for the Fort Wayne Dance Collective.

So I'm involved in a lot of shows where I'm choreographing or dancing in, and I also choreograph for the competitive studio as well as Sheekri.

And so I'll go in sometimes Ill improv to music, stretch warmup, maybe even create some choreography for the day.

Yeah, but definitely just working 24 seven because there's always another show or another routine.

So.

Yeah.

Do you fear burnout or do you ever feel burnout or does it always feel like an artistic expression?

Yeah.

So I do get scared that I'm going to feel burnout, especially picking up so many different projects.

But I'm very emotionally driven and sometimes sometimes I'll be like, Oh wow, I don't know if I can do this.

And then if I'm emotionally attached to it, I'm like, Oh, you know what?

This is incredible.

I have to do it.

Yeah.

Okay.

So what happens when you're emotionally driven to do something but your body's just tired?

I mean, I can imagine that when your body is your instrument, sometimes there is a fight between wanting to rest or needing to rest and wanting to express yourself in that way.

Does that happen?

Yeah.

Oh, for sure.

So many dancers I know.

Like, if you push yourself too hard, you get to a point where, like, it takes like the passion and the joy out of it.

So I definitely believe in taking time for yourself.

I'll take days where I'm like, you know, I'm not moving at all today.

I'm just going to exist.

I think, that helps a lot.

Okay You teach and choreograph.

Do you have and dance as as a dancer, Do you have a favorite component of of your work?

Definitely.

I love dancing and performing, but choreographing has just came so easy for me.

I love being able to take an idea or a story I'm trying to portray and placing it on someone else.

I just think seeing like the end result is always so magical and it's a great process.

Okay, tell me.

Tell me about that process.

So how does it start?

Do you start with the music?

Do you start with an idea?

Do you start with dancers that you want to create something for, or all of the above?

Yeah.

So definitely all of those factors can be considered when choreographing a piece.

Sometimes people improv to a song or they'll find an outfit and be like, I need to find a song for this outfit.

Oh, that never even occurred to me.

Yeah, Yeah.

I'm definitely someone who I like search through music and whatever song or piece I find, if it clicks for me, like the ideas just start flowing.

Yeah.

And then sometimes I'll even look up an outfit and I'll be like, Oh, yes, I need this.

And this is going to happen.

Okay, so this is random.

But speaking of outfits, in some of your videos, I'm watching you and I'm like, You are barefoot and I that is fascinating to me.

I don't understand how you could be so mobile without any sort of this probably doesn't make sense to you because you are a dancer.

But to me, I'm like, doesn't, wouldn't that be easier with with like, jazz shoes or something?

For sure.

For sure.

So my feet definitely arent in the prettiest condition neither are mine, but not for the same reasons.

But like half soles, jazz shoes, all of that definitely make turning easier.

You were turning like nobody's business.

And I was like, I'm pretty sure he's barefoot.

Yes.

Thats wild.

Yes, I definitely prefer it a little more personally or, like, control of my turns.

Yeah, but it does come with a price with my feet looking how they do.

Okay, tell me about.

I mean, you're like you're you're doing splits in the air.

You're doing like, all of the ballet athlete stuff.

Did you start doing that in high school or did did it take a while to work up to that?

So I definitely feel like I have grown the most these past five years after like really getting into like choreographing and teaching.

In high school, there definitely were like those tricks that came like, easier to me, but I've always struggled with like, flexibility.

I just was at like off the bat able to pick up my leg.

Yeah, So I've just worked a lot on that.

And like the Acro components of flexibility and it's been a learning process.

Is there a style that you haven't tried that you are scared of or I know you don't you don't go there with the fear.

Is there a style that you haven't tried that you're like, oh, okay, Well, that might be a challenge.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

So I haven't taken ballroom, which I want to get into, as well as tap, which I'm getting into this year.

Yeah.

So those intimidate me a little bit.

I saw that you do partnering.

What is that like to to be a dancer who is expressing himself and then also have to take this other person into account.

Is that a challenge?

Is it a joy?

Is it both?

Yeah, definitely.

I always say to my students, like duets are like the hardest dancers to compete because there's only two people on stage and they're looking for that connection.

Yeah, and just that authenticity.

So I definitely think it can be a challenge at times, but the payoff is very rewarding.

Having that connection with someone and your partners.

Yeah.

So what is the hardest part of being an artist?

Definitely the like, vulnerability of it all.

Putting yourself out in front of people to see and judge and perceive.

That's like the scariest part, I think, because you never know what the feedback's going to be.

Yeah.

So I definitely think that's the scariest part of it all, is taking that leap.

What's the best part?

What makes it worth it?

What makes it worth it?

I would say seeing smiles on people's faces after their daughter or son walks off stage for the first time at their first recital.

I just think it's very rewarding.

Yeah, Art is such a universal language.

Is it hard sometimes when you are speaking your language, when you are emoting in the way that only you can, and to know that you're putting it out there and people may or may not understand your language, is that hard or do you does that not matter?

It can be hard sometimes because definitely when you're like creating pieces or performing, you want to portray like every emotion or every reason behind this piece.

And like you said, some people may not understand it, and that can be hard.

But at the end of the day, as long as you inspire one person in a room of 100, it's okay.

Your work is so beautiful and it's inspiring.

I watch you and I go, I can't move my body like that, but I would love to at least express myself like that.

So thank you so much for being here.

I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

For more information, find Torion Pickett on Facebook.

Our thanks to Whitney, Klare and Torion Picket.

Be sure to join us next week for arts IN focus.

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And in the meantime, enjoy something beautiful arts IN focus on PBS Fort Wayne is funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne.