| April 2009 Showcase |
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| Hank Teri |
An Interview With Hank Teri
Q: How long have you been painting?
A: I have always been interested in art but not as a full time artist. I've
enjoyed attending many art shows and exhibits around the Kansas City
area, others areas in the United States and abroad. I spent my career
working for a local engineering firm. Raising a family and working full
time which included a substantial amount of time traveling on company
business left little time to think about learning how to paint.
I did manage to find time for some beginner classes in oil and acrylic
painting at local high school evening classes. I started painting on a
regular basis after I retired. In 2002 I submitted my qualifications to
The Kansas City Artists Coalition and was accepted for my first show.
Q: How many different mediums do you currently work with and
what are they?
A: I paint in oils and acrylics, mostly from my own personal travel
photos. I look for photos with good subject matter that I can transfer to
a canvas to make an interesting painting.
Q: Do you do commission work? Can you recall any unforgettable
memory from a patron reaction after delivering the commission?
A: I have done several paintings on a commission basis. The most
rewarding one was for a lady who wanted a painting of her mother's
farm where she was raised. She had an aerial photo for me to work
from but she didn't want the same colors. With that in mind I had her
and her review the painting during the process so I could make changes
she desired. When they approved the final version she asked me about
the fee and I repeated the original price.
They were so delighted with the painting that she wrote the check for
more than I had asked for. They had it framed and is hanging on the
wall of their house for them, their children and grandchildren to enjoy.
That gave me a great deal of satisfaction.
Q: Have you ever had one of your paintings you just could not let
go of? What was it about that painting?
A: One painting I will never sell is one titled "The Store". This was my
father's grocery store and our house where we grew up was attached to
the store in the rear. The buildings, along with many other housed were
razed in 1953 to make way for the 6th street traffic-way. Photos were
scarce, very old, and none showed the entire front of the building. As a
result I had to use my imagination and memory to complete the work.
In order to get the proper perspective I used a long aluminum electric
saw guides to make the drawing on paper, using my pool table as a
drawing surface. I had the painting professionally photographed and
have made copies to give to my sisters.
Q: Can you please share your frustrations you faced with a
painting? How long did it take to finish?
A: There have been times when I found it difficult to finish a painting
because I was not satisfied with it. Some I finally finished later while
others remain unfinished.
Q: To sum it all up, what does being an artist mean to you?
A: When people call me an artist I consider it a real compliment. I
consider my art a hobby but I feel that all my paintings are good enough
to be displayed at art exhibits along with other artists.
It also gives me satisfaction when someone buys one of my paintings or
asks me to do a painting for them on a commission basis.
Q: How long have you been painting?
A: I have always been interested in art but not as a full time artist. I've
enjoyed attending many art shows and exhibits around the Kansas City
area, others areas in the United States and abroad. I spent my career
working for a local engineering firm. Raising a family and working full
time which included a substantial amount of time traveling on company
business left little time to think about learning how to paint.
I did manage to find time for some beginner classes in oil and acrylic
painting at local high school evening classes. I started painting on a
regular basis after I retired. In 2002 I submitted my qualifications to
The Kansas City Artists Coalition and was accepted for my first show.
Q: How many different mediums do you currently work with and
what are they?
A: I paint in oils and acrylics, mostly from my own personal travel
photos. I look for photos with good subject matter that I can transfer to
a canvas to make an interesting painting.
Q: Do you do commission work? Can you recall any unforgettable
memory from a patron reaction after delivering the commission?
A: I have done several paintings on a commission basis. The most
rewarding one was for a lady who wanted a painting of her mother's
farm where she was raised. She had an aerial photo for me to work
from but she didn't want the same colors. With that in mind I had her
and her review the painting during the process so I could make changes
she desired. When they approved the final version she asked me about
the fee and I repeated the original price.
They were so delighted with the painting that she wrote the check for
more than I had asked for. They had it framed and is hanging on the
wall of their house for them, their children and grandchildren to enjoy.
That gave me a great deal of satisfaction.
Q: Have you ever had one of your paintings you just could not let
go of? What was it about that painting?
A: One painting I will never sell is one titled "The Store". This was my
father's grocery store and our house where we grew up was attached to
the store in the rear. The buildings, along with many other housed were
razed in 1953 to make way for the 6th street traffic-way. Photos were
scarce, very old, and none showed the entire front of the building. As a
result I had to use my imagination and memory to complete the work.
In order to get the proper perspective I used a long aluminum electric
saw guides to make the drawing on paper, using my pool table as a
drawing surface. I had the painting professionally photographed and
have made copies to give to my sisters.
Q: Can you please share your frustrations you faced with a
painting? How long did it take to finish?
A: There have been times when I found it difficult to finish a painting
because I was not satisfied with it. Some I finally finished later while
others remain unfinished.
Q: To sum it all up, what does being an artist mean to you?
A: When people call me an artist I consider it a real compliment. I
consider my art a hobby but I feel that all my paintings are good enough
to be displayed at art exhibits along with other artists.
It also gives me satisfaction when someone buys one of my paintings or
asks me to do a painting for them on a commission basis.
"The Store"
| To contact Hank: Henry Teri 420 NE Brockton Drive Lee’s Summit, Mo 64064 816-478-0323 hankteri@comcast.net |