WALKER — Painter Jessie Townsdin Stolzman can’t remember a time she wasn’t interested in art. She and her twin sister would get lost in drawing.
“Our mom used to say that we were so rambunctious that she would try to mellow us out and she just put the art supplies down," she said. "We'd get lost in our own world and she could go do what she needed to do.”
Townsdin Stolzman told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show that she discovered painting on her 13th birthday with her twin sister Josie Trudgeon. They both received art kits from their grandparents. One got oil painting and the other watercolor. They’d switch back and forth between using the kits and Townsdin Stolzman has been painting ever since.
She shared she constantly has a flood of ideas for new work and that she often spends her time thinking about painting. If an idea comes to her while she is busy, she said she focuses on the idea so she can paint it as soon as she has time.
“Once I actually get to the canvas, it comes out really quickly.”
Townsdin Stolzman also owns an art supply store called Peculiar Painter in Walker. The store has painting supplies, sketchbooks, canvases and Scandinavian gift items. She also features her sister’s photography and local jewelers’ and potters’ work.
The store in Walker wasn’t her original plan. Years ago, she was living in Idaho and wanted to be her own boss. She was planning to open a coffee shop in Montana and sold her house. However, before committing to Montana she went to grandmother’s house in Walker to rest for one winter.
“I saw the space where I opened the store and I thought an art supply store would do really well in Walker because there are so many painters, and it all just fell into place after that,” she said.
Townsdin Stolzman provides supplies for artists all over Minnesota, including the Leech Lake Art League that meets next door to the store. Even as the art supply industry trends to online direct sales, she believes it’s missing something for the artist community, especially beginners.
“When you don't have an art supply to go dabble and see what you like, what paint you like, get advice," Townsdin Stolzman said. "It's hard to know what you want to order online.”
She also said it’s fun to see the spark people get when they hold the paint and brushes for the first time. People would come into the store after watching art classes on YouTube, and Townsdin Stolzman would give them advice on supplies and where to go from there.
As for Townsdin Stolzman’s paintings, a lot of them have a serene feel. She says that’s how she feels when making them.
“I like to have a clean space and turn on music and paint," she said. "I find it very calming.”
She said she loves seeing the painting come together. It doesn’t feel finished to her until that last brushstroke. She shared if you feel like your painting is done, you should leave it up on a wall and live with it for a while.
“I feel like there's a point where it dances, and if you just call it done and you're in a hurry, it doesn't dance yet," she explained. "You have to have patience, to live with it and see where it needs highlights or more paint."
When asked what advice she would give to beginner artists, Townsdin Stolzman said that once you find your medium, the best work comes from artists who create for themselves, instead of trying to create something you think someone else will like.
If people want to find more about Townsdin Stolzman’s work they can visit her website. To find more on the store Peculiar Painter they can visit the store’s website.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
