7 minute read
I was a fan of Bithia Bjurman’s art before I ever spoke to her. I had seen her piece at the PSWC’s collaboration exhibition with the Hilbert Museum in the Fall of 2022. I had the pleasure of chatting with Bithia during my preparation for this issue of the PSWC Magazine. This is when I found out that she had the same pastel teacher as me − Sandy Jones of San Jose, California!
As an artist, Bithia has a meticulous approach to getting the concept onto paper. She uses drafting tools to draw everything out perfectly, as you can see in the piece, Browsing, on our cover.
She calls herself a baby artist, but she is very accomplished and works in several mediums including clay. She is represented by the Perfect Piece Gallery in Oregon.
Bithia has two children, a grown son and daughter, and her family recently moved to Oregon upon the retirement of her husband.
Q: Did you always consider yourself an artist? Or was there one day, when you realized that you were one? Tell me a little about that shift in awareness.
A: I definitely did not consider myself an artist! I grew up surrounded with music and always considered myself a musician and even began my college major with music. However, I eventually changed majors and graduated college with an engineering degree and worked in the tech industry. Much later, I began working at a small, private school and they needed help developing their Fine Art program. I thought it might be
something I would enjoy, so I took a number of art classes in order to stay ahead of the students and figure out how to develop their art program. That’s when I discovered soft pastels and fell in love with the medium.
It was in the spring of 2022 that I decided to take the plunge and work seriously as an artist. I developed my website, created my Instagram art account, started working with a gallery, and actively entered juried shows. So truly, I feel like I can only call myself an artist for about a year now.
Q: Who or what has had an strong influence in your work?
A: I began soft pastel lessons in 2018 with Sandra Jones, in San Jose, California. She introduced me to soft pastel technique that helped set the foundation. Once I moved out of the area, I began to passionately delve into the world of pastels and
absorb as much as I could online and in books. I was voracious in trying to learn. From the start, I was awed by Liz Haywood-Sullivan. Her ability to paint with purpose and express color and light is inspiring. I now admire her because she gives so much back to the pastel world. She generously shares the knowledge and wisdom she has gained with decades of experience. Now, I would say that I am influenced by the work of Michael and Julie Freeman and Michele Ashby for their attention to detail and the freedom in expressing their own point of view, particularly in the area of realism.
Q: What other jobs have you done?
A: As mentioned previously, I used to work in the tech in Silicon Valley. Specifically, I worked in the disk drive industry as an engineer who brought prototype products to production overseas. After the birth of my two children, I began working at a school eventually becoming the Department Head of Math and Science. Once I took on the challenge within the fine art department, I also became the Director of Visual Arts.
Q: Do you work exclusively in pastels?
A: I would say that I am proficient at other mediums including graphite/charcoal, watercolor and acrylic, but honestly, I am a soft pastel artist at heart. Outside of 2D media, I am also a ceramic artist. I’ve been “doing pottery” for over 20 years and also have a pottery studio. It’s been an interesting balance trying to focus on two different mediums!
Q: What other mediums do you use? How do you feel about pastels versus the others?
A: I would love to see pastel receive the kind of instruction, attention, and seriousness that other
mediums receive in the art world (I’m looking at you oil paints!). While I believe there is momentum moving forward, particularly with recognizing that pastels can produce serious work, I think introducing and educating our youth and college level students is paramount to making that happen.
Q: What do you think about when choosing multiple pieces for a show? What do you look for in a piece to be selected for a show?
A: I try to find work that has something to say, is unusual in its point of view, and differs from the rest. Before I start a new painting, I assess whether or not it is a fresh or unique take on the subject.
Q: For many artists, the idea of entering a juried show or competition is terrifying. What advice would you offer to artists contemplating an entry in a show?
A: I was indeed terrified when I first began entering shows! I would send family and friends a series of pictures of my work and ask them to rank the pieces. From their results, I would create a spreadsheet and mathematically figure out which one was the “winner.” Looking back, I have to laugh at the engineer in me. Eventually, I discovered that I need to ultimately be at peace with my submissions instead of trying to find work that appeals to masses of people. I think an artist always knows which pieces are the best representation of their own work regardless of what people may say.
Q: What do you wish people would ask you bout your art and what advice would you give to your 20-yearold-self regarding art?
A: I’ll answer this a little differently by sharing what I wish I could tell people when they ask about becoming an artist (Art wasn’t on my radar when I was 20!). I don’t believe I have natural talent. I watch other artists draw and paint with awe. That kind of raw talent is amazing. I’m a determined artist. I work hard, I try hard, and I keep on learning, experimenting, failing, and putting myself out there. It’s a journey. If you genuinely want to be an artist, do it, but be willing to work for it
