Meet Ariel Williams | Oil Painter

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

Hi Ariel, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor in the success of my art has been honest. Each of my paintings are a reflection of a feeling, event or person in my life. I find that I struggle when I am creating work that I can’t see myself in. To me it feels disingenuous to stray from work that is unreflective. I used to think that the subject matter that I desire to create would never sell, attract customers or galleries but I am beginning to see that is simply not true. Despite what I believed, the mix of honesty with the sweet nature of my subject matter does speak to other people and is an important factor in the success of my art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I got where I am today in my art by pushing through my own boundaries. I started breaking down these boundaries by creating what I want and not what is expected of me. I pushed against the idea that I am not good enough as an artist to take a risk and submit to accredited galleries and art media. I pushed against the fear of trying and learning difficult new painting techniques. It was not easy to push past the doubts in my own head but it was necessary. This type of challenge needs to be tackled every time you start on a new venture. It is not a matter of overcoming but learning to tune it out. The most important lesson I learned is not new and is actually a quote, “the worst they can say is no”. I have to constantly remind myself that rejection is not the end of my art journey but a call to come back stronger.

Something I want my viewers to understand about my work is that despite the overwhelming emphasis on food and cake the imagery created is less about food and more about humanity. The goal of my work is to examine humanity, feelings and emotions through a sweeter lens. The cakes and food item represents the body physically, mentally and subconsciously. The inundation of nature within the cakes are a visible representation of thoughts, feeling, emotions and states of being that we experience daily.

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?
As a born and raised Jersey girl I’d have to say the beach. You can’t come to New Jersey without experiencing the Jersey shore. Asbury Park boardwalk is filled with art and local shops that will keep you entertained for hours. Jenkinson’s Beach has endless food options and a small amusement park right off of the sand. But my favorite beaches are those without all the entertainment, just water, sand and the waves crashing along the rocks.

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?
My family has been the biggest support in my journey. My parents have supported my love of art ever since I was a kid, bringing me to museums, art shows and art classes at a young age. They gave me the freedom, since I was young, to create various types of art no matter how messy. They instilled a love of learning and reading that aids me to this day to create in my current art style and produce in my art process that I have developed. My big sister is who inspired me to create art as a kid and has since encouraged me to continue. Being an artist herself she continues to encourage me to take my art to the next level, including taking this interview.

Website: https://www.thepassionsdeep.com

Instagram: thepassionsdeep_gallery

Image Credits
Photos of art taken by WhitePointFineArt