Authentic Artist Mom on the Street: Abigale Palmer
With her bright colors and creative passion, Authentic Artist Mom on the Street Abigale Palmer captures the world in a style all her own. Read on to learn all about her dynamic family life and art.
Meet Abigale
Abigale Palmer holds degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. Her work explores the subtle moments of joy so easily missed in the rapid pace of modern life. Her use of unworldly color combinations applied to everyday objects and scenarios helps remind us how brilliant and delicious the ordinary can be. Abigale’s mission with her work is to bring brilliant color and reminders of joyful experiences into our daily spaces. Abigale and her husband have four children with one more on the way.
Authentic Art
Have you always enjoyed art or was it something you recently began to love?/What motivated you to start painting?
I have always loved original artwork and was fortunate to be around it when I was young. I loved doodling as a child and was very influenced by my older sisters’ drawings, from characterized people to typography and drawing games we would play. However, until college, I really don’t think I began to love making fine art, although I did well in art classes through high school. I majored in Studio Art in college and every day I felt like a little kid taking my colors to go play at school, I felt challenged as I learned new mediums and worked with wonderful professors, and fell in love with the process of making art.
After college, I continued to paint, had children, finished a Nursing degree, and moved countries. After my third child was born and we were living in America again I made a commitment to myself to paint an apple a day. I realized I am a better mother when I paint and work as well. I also decided that there would never be a “good” time to do what I love, so I made it a daily priority and found a little time each day.
Authentic Inspiration
What is the inspiration behind your work?
Color, I love color and color combinations. Colors have different relationships with each other and create different emotions and experiences. I am always inspired by daily life. I love the simple and mundane beauty created in a tapestry of daily acts that add up to a child who feels loved, a house with character, another meal that was served, and relationships built on.
What is your favorite thing/place/person to paint currently?
Plein air painting. I love getting to combine being outdoors, spending time with friends, and the challenge of painting from life!
What sort of materials do you use for your paintings?
I love oil paints and watercolor paints. Both have unique qualities and challenges. It is good for my brain to take turns working with each for a time.
Authentic Artist Motherhood
We love your motherhood series, what inspired you to paint/capture different scenes of motherhood?
I was pregnant with our 4th child, and it was a hard pregnancy. I was exhausted with 3 young children, a lot of extra responsibilities, and looking for a way to try and enjoy what might be my last pregnancy. For my motherhood painting series, I also wanted my artwork to involve my children, so I had each of them help me paint boards. Then I sanded them down to create beautiful textures for the background. I wanted to capture all of the beautiful moments of motherhood. The sweet small fleeting moments that make every hard thing worth it. I wanted to find the positive and remind myself why I was carrying another child and was so excited to have her. (I would love to add she is a magical little person I could not imagine living without.)
What are your tips for artists, especially other artist moms/creatives?
Even 5-10 minutes is enough time to make a little progress on your work.
Do you see a similar enjoyment of creativity in your children?
Yes. Curiosity, creativity, and boredom are high priorities in our home culture. I love my children to be bored and have seen how this is the time when their creativity and curiosity about the world blooms! My kids love drawing, painting, and shadow puppets. Large cardboard boxes are also a very coveted item since it provides endless creative entertainment for them.
Authentic Artist Support
Do your kids, husband, and friends support you as an artist?
Yes! They are amazing. It took time. We married young, I taught my husband to love art and see I was serious about it and he taught me to love business and see creativity in more areas of life than I imagined possible. My parents always have been so supportive and continue to be amazing at supporting me. Similarly, having artist mom friends is incomparable, hearing how they work around the same challenges and other friends who are encouraging and helpful with constructive criticism when I need it. Lastly, but never least, my children are my best supporters now that they understand it creates opportunities for them as well. We love to paint together and they have endless supplies of paper and sketchbooks for their own creations.
If so, how do they help you in your work/artist endeavors?
My husband does my taxes, thank goodness gives honest critical feedback, and loves helping me name paintings and work through new ideas. My children love to help prep my panels for oil painting. I hope to give them more opportunities as they age. And my friends didn’t let me quit when I was just starting to try and be serious about building an art business.
Abigale Palmer’s Artwork
What has been your toughest moment and proudest moment being an artist?
Toughest: the challenge of making time for my dreams. The proudest: feeling like I am contributing something to an amazing community of artists I admire.
Where can one see your work or purchase your work? (social media and/website or online shops)
My art is available through my personal website and Instagram. You can also find it at New Vision Art @Newvisionart1998, the Elliot Fouts Gallery.@efgallery, the David Ericson Gallery @davidericsonfineart, and Altus Fine Art @Altusfineart.
Family Life
What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family? Being outdoors, hiking, biking, at a park, at a pool. We also love movie night and shadow puppets.
What’s been your best family vacation? We took our 4 kids to France a few years ago, and it was magical other than our inability to find any food outside of bakeries. We could not figure out French eating times.
Best parenting advice: Firstly, laugh instead of cry as much as you can. Second, find time to play with your kids. And lastly, hide with chocolates when you need a break.
What has been your toughest moment/proudest moment as a mom? Toughest is allowing them new freedoms trying to let go without worrying too much. Like giving our oldest a bike and letting him take off for 30 min at a time to ride around. The proudest moment would be when they are kind and thoughtful to others without being asked.
What’s your go-to family dinner? Lately, sandwiches on homemade bread with fruit and veggies.
What’s your favorite family restaurant? Chinese Taste. We love authentic Chinese food.
Authentic Artist Style
Which three words best describe your style?
Unique, colorful, fun.
What are your favorite places to shop?
My sister’s closets. They love shopping and often hand off clothes to me.
What’s your best style advice?
Wear clothes for your body type and match your lifestyle preference.
What article of clothing/accessory would you not want to live without?
I love rompers!
What’s your best style secret?
Exercise and a good night’s sleep.
Stilettos or flats? Converse.
Authentic Artist Life
What’s your favorite show to binge-watch?
Brooklyn 99
What’s your favorite beach read?
My last beach read was “Malala” and “Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting.”
What song would you dance to when nobody’s watching?
Depends on my mood. My kids and I love “Shake it Off”, I also like Alanis Morressete thanks to my teenage years.
If you could go shopping with anyone from history, living or deceased, who would it be?
I hate shopping. Therefore, I would choose someone with colorful, fun taste who would pick all the clothes for me.
What’s at the top of your travel bucket list?
Taiwan and London.
What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day?
Snuggle in my bed with my planner and a good book.
Life and Style
Abigale inspires us with her love of art and painting. She understands the hecticness of mom life but has not let that stop her passion for painting and growing in her artistic style. We love the way she captures life through colors, light, and lines and embraces the authentic artist community. You see more of her work on her Instagram or website. And for more interesting and inspiring moms, be sure to check out FamilyApp’s Mom on the Street!
