Turning Personal Challenges into Creative Opportunities in Art – Angela Burson

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yes, that is correct hi I’m very well how are you good and thank you for having me on your podcast.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Perfect welcome to the podcast Angela how are you I am very well thank you so much for joining me on a beautiful afternoon my afternoon. Absolutely.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Ah, yeah, my early early morning. Yeah, it is 5 no six oh two? Yeah yes I would probably wake up at 7 Ah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh what time is it for you. Oh my goodness did you wake up specifically to this or you’re an early riser. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much now when I see through your window. Ah 1 or 2

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Dark.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I see the video that’s still dark. Thank you so much for doing this Angela can you introduce yourself who you are what you do for everybody who’s listening to this episode right now.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Who.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, my name is Angela Burson I live in Savannah Georgia and the United States I’m a painter I paint mostly acrylic on wood panel and a lot of figurative or cropped figurative imagery and some interior. Faces. Let’s say I went to college at the Savannah college of art and design way back. I graduated 1991 while I’ve been painting a really long time.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, wonderful. Um, okay, firstly congratulations because you just won you were the winner for creates man. P eight magazines winner issue of women’s issue and we were one of the sponsors and I’m so glad that we have you on the podcast. Ah, big congratulations. Absolutely so Angela? Yeah, no no no please ah you’ve not been only published in create magazine you’ve been also publishing some from frankie magazine colossal.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Well thank you so much I’m honored to be in that in the magazine and yeah, go ahead, Go ahead.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, Juxtapose I think most of them. Ah, all you’ve shown your work around the world. Can you share your experience of you know, growing your career as an artist and what does it feel like today.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um I have sort of started from just showing locally in my town. Um, and with my college and then I just started entering.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Magazine. So I think my first one was I entered new american paintings and I I kept entering because I didn’t get in for many you know a few years so I just every year I just enter enter enter um.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know I didn’t let it discourage me if I didn’t get in and um, so eventually I think you know it depends on the juror of the magazine and I almost gave up with the new American paintings and then I saw that there was.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Nay.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): A juror that their work was sort of seemed like sort of southern based or I think they’re from New Orleans something like that and I thought well maybe this would be my my chance I’m gonna try 1 more time and so I entered it and that.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Then it was selected. So um I think it you know just I just kept trying and then I entered create magazines women issue right? at the beginning of the pandemic. Um, and then with having likes. Ah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, amazing.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Those things then other people would start to contact me and say you know oh I saw your work here and you know mostly I think you know from those 2 magazines specifically. But then it just started to grow because just the more people that see it the more.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yes, yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, no I think that is that is something with being published. Yeah being published or whenever you will have someone marketing you someone talking about your work. Um, the more eyes that get on in than their own network and I think ah publications do a very very well.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, um.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, and then.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Work with that when one publication you, you’re featured in 1 There’s a high probability that you start getting featuring and another another and another and another can you share your own journey. How long have you been an artist. It’s not that short I anticipate.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, no, So um, when I was a kid you know I loved drawing and painting and but I wasn’t. I wasn’t someone that you would say would be like a artsy kid that was just naturally good at it or anything I just was very I remember um when I was a little kid I had some surgeries and all my brothers and sisters are playing around and I remember having to lay on a quilt in our backyard and.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, to and.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): These little things that fall down from a tree like like these little apples that were really hard and I would just bring my paints out and like just paint on different colors and um and I remember laying on this quilt and I got paint on the quilt you know and my mom got me have.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): But I just remember like always kind of wanting to do things with my hands always drawing and um yeah, and sewing my Grandma took me to a needle point class when I was a little kid so then in high school. My sister was a.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Hands are.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Really good artist and she was like the art star in our high school and I just like the teacher didn’t even acknowledge me really at all. But I still just I still just did it. You know and I had fun and they everything I made was kind of wrong and weird and you know, um.

**** – (): 05:41.46

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, oh wow.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): It’s when I look back I can see my future work in what I was doing as a like a high school student like I remember this kid sitting in front of me I drew the back of his body and his belt which had his name written on it. Um.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And that was like 1 of my pictures that you know I didn’t the teacher didn’t like it and then um I went to college and I didn’t know what I wanted to do at all. So I um I was just going to a local liberal.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh my good and what did you think you wanted to be Biden.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I had no I thought there’s nothing that fits me I didn’t like anything my mom would say oh you should be in Pr or you should you know do like some sort of she’s like you’re really good with people. You’re really friendly. You should do something with that and I was just like it’s sounds horrible I don’t know. Um, so I took an art class in college and I really learned a lot through that class and and I wasn’t good still but the teacher encouraged me and um. And he said like you know we go out to paint or we go out to a farm or some this was a Missouri so I grew up in Kansas City the Kansas City area Missouri um, and so we go and we draw and he said like can.

**** – (): 07:16.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): A a and.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know I was just painting everything like the red Barn Brown tree green leaves and he said is that barn really red you know and he’s like do you see like that. There’s like a dark red and where the light hits. It’s like lighter and you know and I was like oh wow. Or yeah I see that he sort of taught me how to look which is something I didn’t ever think about and then yeah, so ah, look at details and look at light which sounds so obvious now as an artist you’re probably.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah I will look at that. Yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But your work Currently, yeah, your work currently is a very good balance between sorry, go ahead.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know, understand that. But yeah, um, so so ah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, new, please go? Well Okay I’ll finish this little. Ah, ah yeah, okay, um, so I started.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No no I was just saying your current work I think there’s a little lag. No go ahead. You can finish your part.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): We’d have to do put our work up for critique in this class and um, ah, mine was always a little bit off but but he was like you know there’s this is not right, but there’s something so energetic and there’s something here even if you’re not like a. Great Draftsman and then over time I you know tried to embrace my imperfections and the thing that was good and not worry so much about like what I thought was.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Who.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I love that tell me about your subject matter matter.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Supposed to be good art which was like naturalistic and I just didn’t know at that time. What it? What? what? good art could be I got.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, what’s with the cut off heads and like you know there’s something always like you can feel that you know there is 1 whole thing but you always know there’s something missing. Um and what is your subject matter what? why? ah you know I love um.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And. Is this.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I Really love this style because you know it just makes you feel like there’s somebody standing like you know there’s I can see um, a woman a scart a blouse but not really a woman like it all just tells it gives some a lot of way without giving a lot of away.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Is that.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And that is completely my point I think that I don’t want it to have ah a specific I don’t want you to attach a specific identity or person to the figure. So my idea with.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh well.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): He.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, cropping the head or sometimes at first I started just to have a almost like a mannequin like there was just a collar like a empty shirt or an empty dress. But then I I started putting hands. So.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah I see him? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): They weren’t actually empty. You know, um and then all the all the details like the jewelry the bag the bracelets like the pattern that all that gives you some sort of like.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Inside or clues into who this person is what they’re doing and then I started kind of going cropping the figure I mean I still do headless sometimes but it depends because in a if you’re in an interior if I’m like painting an interior space with a.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Write write. We write.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Then.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Chair and a couch and it looks weird to have a headless person my like in that space. So I started cropping the figure if they’re you know, um and giving a close up without giving an identity with a visual face like.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah. Now.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): This is me or this is my sister This is you know some really specific person. Yes, yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, it could be anybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but why these? um, why figures in the first place with or without people or you know there’s also detail for fashion. Um.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): In here.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You know, stylized shoes these handbags and you know stylish suitcases and and I specifically because a lot of my own work also has that influence I specifically don’t know why it has a lot for me to do with my mom and how I spent growing up and I think we do share that because I also grew up in India I was highly influenced by crafts.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): This is.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But it does translate very differently into my work because you know I’m very highly influenced by embroideries and so are you white needlework and I do see that domesticity but in a very contemporary way I feel um what has drawn you to this? um.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, and 1

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Are.

**** – (): 12:36.32

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And was this subject and what is how did you even arrive at it like did your work look like this before in the earlier. What were you working on.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): In the early years um it I was dealing with like some paper doll type figures which were given to me by my grandmother. Well it was like after she died they wanted. She wanted.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): To have these little paper dolls so they were little outfits with no heads because you put the clothes onto the little figure. So um, there are all these little clothes and I started doing figures and then clothes with the little tabs that you would fold.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, oh yeah, yeah yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Go behind the figure and holds the clothes onto this little paper doll and um so I was doing some paintings with the paper dolls and they would have things like roller skate or or shoes and so there’s all these little pieces of clothing and.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): That was kind of an early influence and I sort of took those figures and started putting together something a little bit different and um I was also doing these sort of toys like Tin Toys old toys.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, I get.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And then.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, you know, long ago and I think I was focused on dolls and toys and that changed into like adults I I don’t know So um I started just painting the.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, and.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I remember having a breakthrough moment in my practice. It was like 2000 and I think 4 and I or maybe a little earlier and I painted a portrait of my grandma wearing this big coat and was from a photograph and.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I ended up being kind of frustrated with the the you know like how was going and I just painted out everything except the coat and I just put a pattern all over the the board and all I left was this coat and I was like ah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): This is interesting like this and then you know I painted the interior of the coat and I give it a little tag with her initials for you know, um, and that was kind of the moment that I started like having these empty clothing.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, oh wow.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Head empty heads where do you draw your ins pretty day to day basis. Sorry yeah, just your work.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Things. Yeah yeah, and the and then it my inspiration. Oh no, um for the dresses or for just any.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Like you know how do you keep yourself like are these moments at home. You’re looking at parties or like you’re going out there or you have photographs like what are you really looking at and what really what really catches your attention and feels like okay this is something I I would like to you know, bring it on canvas.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Okay.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Well going to a lot of museums all over the world like I I traveled a lot in my thirty s and early 40 s to Europe and I went to a lot of museums and I would always look at.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Over.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I would see the whole painting. But really I Just really loved looking at like a hand and like the the way someone might have painted a cuff or Lace or like in dutch paintings like you have this very intricate white collars and lace. Oh.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I’m losing you.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Can you hear me can you hear me now. Sorry can you hear me can okay okay huh.

**** – (): 16:35.86

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, yeah I can hear you a little bit. There’s still a little bit of like yeah yeah I can hear you now.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Okay, let me make sure but I think we’re good I’m still on the good network. So um, so okay so I was looking at like paintings that had intricate Lace painted on them and um.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Buffet No I can hear you now.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know, like or like a little kid with a pet you know like this old Renaissance paintings and they’re holding a little puppy or um and I started just thinking I Love this painting if I painted this I would just paint this little part because it’s my favorite part of the whole. Yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, oh.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, this part. Oh yeah, it’s hard for you.

**** – (): 17:21.59

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): So that’s kind of how I started to be inspired to kind of just paint what I want and because someone told me like you don’t have you can paint anything you want like you don’t have to paint the whole thing and just have your favorite part. So I just started.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Whole thing. Yeah, picking your favorite. Yeah so in a bit you’re also like with.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah I just started painting my favorite parts as of yeah yeah, and then leaving out all the rest that I didn’t.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): No in the way you know I also see it in this way like you know when with each painting you are picking your favorite parts and when all those come together. You’re telling a new story your story.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, and when you have little parts and you hang them all together. They become like a hole. Ah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah, yeah, a new hole. Okay, yeah, yeah, it’s like puzzle a jigsaw.

**** – (): 18:11.95

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And depending on what you put next to each other it creates a whole nother story or composition. Yes, yes yeah.

**** – (): 18:25.40

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, what do you think? what is that you’ve been an artist a woman artist. Um, what has been your biggest struggle setback something. That’s who held you back.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I Think at first I was I have two kids that are now like in their twenty s but when I was you know a young mom. Oh thank you. Thank you.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, you look very young for that though.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): When I was like a young mom and you know when I got out of college I was having shows and everything and then I you know was sort of just a mom and I stayed home because we lived in this really small town in Missouri and there wasn’t really any great jobs for me. You know that I wanted to do and I wanted to stay home with my kids so I would just make work at the kitchen table and I would make work when I wasn’t needing to you know what? maybe they’re at school or something like that. So I was always working and.

**** – (): 19:26.55

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 19:33.37

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): But I wasn’t really seriously pursuing you know, being an artist I was just making things because I like to make things and then and that is not what I’m saying is a setback. It’s just ah, my timeline was like raising the kids like.

**** – (): 19:35.38

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): A.

**** – (): 19:42.75

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, absolutely yeah.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know, having fun with them and then doing art projects and you know having my own I maybe have one show ah a year or I’d participate in a show like a group show. Um, and then as I got older and they got older. Sort of have started to do a little bit more but I wasn’t I felt like I wasn’t taking myself that seriously and it wasn’t really until like 20 I don’t know maybe 20 when I like 2006.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, okay, what changed then for you Why then growing up.

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**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): 8 I really started to think I want to be an artist and then 2012 I think my kids growing up I and then I um. I ended up getting this is personal that I ended up getting a divorce in 2012 and that freed me like from a lot of um things that were holding me back. Um for my own.

**** – (): 20:44.73

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay, okay.

**** – (): 20:55.53

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, the yeah but I think that’s also very common for women. Yeah.

**** – (): 20:57.54

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Reasons you know not I’m not saying that anyone necessarily was holding me back with that myself because I don’t think I was taking so I don’t think I was taking myself seriously and then when I was on my own I could just really focus on.

**** – (): 21:17.28

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): What you wanted? Yeah yeah.

**** – (): 21:17.44

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): My what I was like I want to be an artist like it’s now or never you know I’m like you know I’m in my late 40 s at that point like right now I’m 55 um so well I guess I was in my forty s so I thought you know if I’m going to do this I need to take myself seriously and I started calling myself an artist.

**** – (): 21:32.21

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Seriously oh Wow you didn’t call yourself before.

**** – (): 21:37.60

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And I was showing and you know just really I No I mean I said I’m an artist but I didn’t say like if you asked me what my job was or like I wouldn’t have written artists.

**** – (): 21:43.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 21:50.10

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): And and I started riding artists on everything like if I applied for a credit card or something like artists.

**** – (): 21:55.48

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, well.

**** – (): 21:58.32

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I Just started really manifesting that and I you know I feel like I’ve made that kind of happen and I also have people around me that were supporting me and saying like oh I love that or I you know I’d have people that I think were starting to believe in me.

**** – (): 22:01.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Not for you.

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**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah, like you said now I believe in yourself when people believe in you know.

**** – (): 22:18.18

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): As an artist and even even like my family was yeah yeah, so that was kind of how I became serious more. So. I took myself more seriously and other people started taking me more seriously and.

**** – (): 22:34.17

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I love that now at 55 you’ve done so many amazing shows. Amazing work. What is that exciting you and what you like what do you dream for yourself as an artist. Specifically as a woman article.

**** – (): 22:50.94

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um I think I yeah for as a woman artist I Um I mean I just want to be able to always keep making what I want to make and have that freedom.

**** – (): 23:00.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You know.

**** – (): 23:06.54

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, to have my you know ah studio and to be able to paint and to be able to afford to do that and you know I think a career comes Sometimes you’re fashionable and sometimes you’re not and like you have to sustain that and I really want to sustain.

**** – (): 23:21.28

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 23:25.86

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): My career and then I want to be able to just like make work to show to talk with other artists and have community and to help other artists if I can and you know just. So keep I Just my I guess my dream is to do what I’m doing and I just hope I can continue it. Yeah like take.

**** – (): 23:44.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Keep doing yeah to be able to I think it’s an important goal because a lot of times specifically as artists we have highs and lows and a lot of times we are aiming for the top of the peak. But.

**** – (): 23:56.37

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Is.

**** – (): 24:00.60

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): We also have to keep thinking about how to make a career that’s sustainable. That’s just not a 1 coming and going and how do you keep your practice how how am I able to do this for the rest of my life or whenever till when I want to do it and I think that’s an important and really important goal for sure.

**** – (): 24:09.38

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 24:17.93

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, and I want to always like try to keep the the part of it That’s meaningful to me. It’s not just about like success in the outer way. But that it’s like an inner you know that I’m really making the paintings that.

**** – (): 24:27.22

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah, you know to? yeah no.

**** – (): 24:35.52

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Are meaningful to me and hopefully you know other people will see that as well and you know I mean there are like big dreams like oh I Love to show in a meet have a museum show or like you know or something you know, but like I think if you keep.

**** – (): 24:46.65

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, museums that yeah.

**** – (): 24:53.94

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, but in the heart. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thank you so much Angela thank you so much for your time. Um, and I had a great chat with you and thank you so much for sharing your story.

**** – (): 24:55.70

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Following the thing that’s really important that maybe the other things come with that? yeah.

**** – (): 25:08.25

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um.

**** – (): 25:10.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And again a big congratulations on being the winner of the women’s issue by Kate Magazine thank you for sharing this story with us and for being here one last thing if you have anything coming up any project that you want to share with us and where can people find you and support you please this is your.

**** – (): 25:28.84

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Well first of all, it’s really been a pleasure to speak with you and I’m I would love to ask you questions like you know where what are your biggest dreams like where do you want? How do you see yourself like.

**** – (): 25:29.39

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): This is your time.

**** – (): 25:42.45

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Same please do? ah that’s I love that this is a question I think um, you know. I would have answered this very differently if I was asked this four years ago um I lost my mom to covid and since then a lot of my life. How I look at life has changed um like you said for me.

**** – (): 26:02.32

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I’m sorry.

**** – (): 26:09.12

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, even though for me being creative being able to live a free and creative life is is what the biggest biggest goals and that does not mean that I I only get to be a professional creative because a lot of times when and you’re doing something professionally. Um.

**** – (): 26:17.16

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, is.

**** – (): 26:28.67

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): It is way more than what you want. It is a lot about okay you know I like you said the work that you’re making maybe you know you you get a museum show or whatever but just being able to get up and feel inspired and maybe do art for my own self apart from any other Reason. Ah because um. You know, having that center of what truly matters because um, you know when you lose something you understand that everything else did was important like you know when I lost my mom I realized okay my work was important but at the end of the day I still cherish the time I’ve had with her.

**** – (): 27:00.68

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Me.

**** – (): 27:07.51

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I I Want to live a life that is more meaningful that that whatever I do um I get to create and I don’t define that creation I Want to create a creative life. Just not a creative profession I don’t know if that makes sense. And I think also for me, Thank you? So and I think that also another aspect to my life that feels very important is um, being able to give back and share whatever I have whatever I know with other women because you know I come from a part of the world where I felt as a woman.

**** – (): 27:24.97

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, that does make sense That’s beautiful.

**** – (): 27:43.31

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Not given enough platform. Never enough voice identity and all of those things. So I think with whatever I do I keep on thinking Wendy’s you know when there are days when things feel hard and I’m like if I push through this I’m not only doing this for myself I’ll open a door for someone else too and.

**** – (): 27:44.80

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Mrs.

**** – (): 28:01.42

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Think that really motivates me otherwise I’m like some days you just feel like okay you know I’d rather just give up everything I don’t have to make so hard for myself and you know it would really matter. But at the end of the day then I realize you know, Um, if if I do this if I go through the heart today. Maybe. Teach me something for sure, but it’ll also open an opportunity for someone else and I think that really mattered.

**** – (): 28:25.46

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, yeah, that’s really good I love that and I think like even as you know someone that that um even like someone like that feels like you know you’re on the right path.

**** – (): 28:30.33

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Thank you so much.

**** – (): 28:41.94

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): As far as like showing and galleries and sometimes it it is hard and it feels hard and you’re like oh my gosh You know this seems like a lot of work and a lot of you know like I’m just you know having to I don’t.

**** – (): 28:50.45

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 28:57.00

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Like it’s just not easy sometimes and um, you know you it’s like a job. Yeah.

**** – (): 28:59.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Sometimes you know what? Angela I I feel like you know this is a discussion that I’ve been also recently having to myself to people. Ah you know I discuss these things. Um I came to ah after my mom I came to a point in my life that I started to think okay, if I do this. You know when we we are brought up in a way if you reach if you make this much money. You’ll be happy or you’ll feel worthy or you’ll have things together and all of those things and you know like artists also a lot of time we feel like if I reach this point in my. Life where oh I’m having so many galleries I’m selling so much work. This is what I want but more than often when you reach that stage you realize oh this is only something I wanted to do. It’s like a checklist because the world thought that I would I would validated I would feel um seen I would feel enough.

**** – (): 29:44.75

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Is.

**** – (): 29:52.31

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): I Want to check this off a lot of times a lot of our goals sometimes are influenced by what people we need to feel ourselves worthy versus what we truly want I think that takes a lot of more knowing ourselves spending time with ourselves and you know digging deep. Truly know. Maybe I don’t really I I don’t really care if how much I sell but I really care if I stop making if I reach a point where I get so discouraged or so overwhelmed that I stop making that is a bigger failure for me than any other success.

**** – (): 30:19.12

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): He.

**** – (): 30:27.51

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, yeah, that is that’s really true and it feels good to be validated and there you can get some like you know motivation from that and also.

**** – (): 30:31.80

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 30:39.34

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 30:42.89

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know when people want you to show you have to make more work and you know it it almost forces you to go into your studio every day and really you know, even if you feel like it or not like you’re going to go in there and just see what happens you know? So it’s.

**** – (): 30:45.31

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Smooth.

**** – (): 30:51.79

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, and.

**** – (): 30:57.31

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): How amazing yeah I.

**** – (): 31:01.39

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Um, it can be motivating in that way. But then it can also feel like you’re forcing. You know yourself like you’re forcing yourself to have um, a lot of ah empty time in the studio where you’re not, You’re filling it exactly but it’s good to I mean I always feel like it’s.

**** – (): 31:16.27

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Yeah.

**** – (): 31:20.72

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Good for me just to go in and even if I’m sweeping the floor or something you know I am looking and I’m thinking and you know, but okay, yeah, yeah, and um.

**** – (): 31:24.98

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah there so many more ways like there are more than one ways to be creative to be creating. Yeah.

**** – (): 31:39.67

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, and I think procrastinating is one of those ways. But.

**** – (): 31:45.54

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Ah, yeah, it’s good at some point till some point and when it crosses that it becomes it has more little more to take away than give.

**** – (): 31:45.80

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): The.

**** – (): 31:54.57

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, that’s true, look the sun’s coming up. Yeah.

**** – (): 31:58.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): But yeah, yeah I we’ve it was dark enough and I can see the sun out there already and all bright in bin window. But thank you so much I Really appreciate your time and you making it through the early morning and we have a you know to be. To be able to have this chat.

**** – (): 32:19.43

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, it was really nice. Um, so you asked me about what I have coming up. Um, and I I have ah a solo show in October at hashimoto contemporary in San Francisco um and then i’m.

**** – (): 32:23.10

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, yeah, yeah.

**** – (): 32:28.91

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): A.

**** – (): 32:36.63

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I’m not 100% sure but I might have something in Miami for the um like an affair that’s not the main fair but like so anyway I don’t know if that’s 100% yet so but um I’m definitely going to be making paintings. Regardless.

**** – (): 32:48.13

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Okay.

**** – (): 32:56.70

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): You know, whatever, whatever comes up so I’ll have some work because right now my studio is just pretty much empty which is you know daunting but good I.

**** – (): 32:56.38

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Amazing.

**** – (): 33:03.73

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, oh Wow calling for you. Also.

**** – (): 33:13.17

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Yeah, and I have a show up in Spain right now at Galleria rapfael Perrez Hernando that’s ending I think this week and that’s been a really I went there and it was it was so beautiful to see. Um they you know I was I went.

**** – (): 33:22.30

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Um, oh wow.

**** – (): 33:26.64

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): See us of that.

**** – (): 33:31.71

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): I Went to the show and I just thought this is as good as my work can look like they did such a great job and I was just like really happy and it made me. Yeah, so that was a real good win. It was like Yay would.

**** – (): 33:35.80

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): Oh wow congratulations where can people find I’m asking where can then people find you on Instagram if they want to look at all of these images and your shows.

**** – (): 33:51.40

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): Oh yeah, it’s at it’s at Angela Burson a and GELA b you are a someone and then I have a website that’s Angela Burson Dot Com

**** – (): 33:55.84

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): And perfect. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much Angela thank you so much for your time and I am so glad we spoke. Thank you and I’ll see you soon.

**** – (): 34:13.18

**** – (): Angela Burson

**** – (): It’s been a pleasure all right? Thank you bye.

**** – (): 34:17.90

**** – (): charukaarora

**** – (): You’ll have to hold for a moment. Sorry.

About the Guest(s):

Angela Burson is an accomplished painter based in Savannah, Georgia, who predominantly works with acrylic on wood panel. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Angela’s artistic journey spans over several years, during which she has achieved recognition and publication in various prestigious magazines like Create Magazine, Frankie Magazine, and Colossal. With a focus on figurative or cropped figurative imagery, Angela’s work delves into themes of identity, presence, and personal expression.

Episode Summary:

In this enlightening episode, Angela Burson shares her inspiring artistic journey and creative process. From starting locally and overcoming rejection to international recognition and prestigious publications, Angela discusses the evolution of her art and the significance of staying true to oneself. She delves into her unique style of painting figures with cropped heads, exploring themes of identity and appearance. Through personal anecdotes and insightful reflections, Angela provides a deep dive into her artistic mindset and aspirations for the future.

Key Takeaways:

• Angela’s artistic journey began with a passion for drawing and painting as a child, leading to a unique style focusing on cropped figures and intricate details.
• Overcoming setbacks and self-doubt, Angela found her calling as an artist and embraced her imperfections, leading to recognition in renowned art publications.
• By focusing on meaningful work and staying true to her artistic vision, Angela aims to sustain a fulfilling and creative career, driven by personal fulfillment and expression.
• The importance of self-validation and artistic integrity is highlighted as Angela shares her experience of transitioning from creating art for validation to creating art for personal fulfillment.
• Angela’s upcoming solo show at Hashimoto Contemporary in San Francisco and potential future exhibitions reflect her dedication to her craft and commitment to sharing her unique artistic perspective with the world.

Notable Quotes:

• “I feel like I’ve made that kind of happen, and I also have people around me that were supporting me and saying, ‘I love that’ or ‘I think you’re really starting to believe in yourself.'” – Angela Burson
• “When you have little parts and you hang them all together, they become like a whole. Depending on what you put next to each other, it creates a whole another story or composition.” – Angela Burson
• “I just started painting my favorite parts as if you know what I mean.” – Angela Burson

Charuka Arora is the founder of the Arts to Hearts Project and Host of the Arts to Hearts Podcast. She is also an acclaimed Indian artist known for her contemporary embellished paintings. Her unique blend of gouache, collage, embroidery, painting, and drawing explores the intersection of art, culture, heritage, and womanhood. Through her work, she tells stories of female strength and encapsulates them in pieces that can be treasured for generations.

Charuka’s work draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, recognizing women as vessels of Shakti, the cosmic energy. She beautifully portrays powerful goddesses like Durga Maa riding a tiger or lion, symbolizing their unlimited power to protect virtue and combat evil.

Through her art, Charuka invites us into the world of women, showcasing their beauty, strength, and resilience. Her creations not only exhibit exceptional talent but also serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for those challenging societal norms.

Arts to Hearts Podcast is a show delving into the lives and passions of renowned artists. From running creative businesses and studio art practices to cultivating a successful mindset, Charuka Arora engages in heartfelt conversations with her guests. Experience your personal happy hour with your favorite artists, right in your studio.

Through candid discussions, Charuka and her guests reveal the joys and challenges of a vibrant creative life, both within and beyond our studios. Get ready to be inspired and uplifted as you tune in.

Angela Burson is an accomplished painter based in Savannah, Georgia, who predominantly works with acrylic on wood panel. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Angela’s artistic journey spans over several years, during which she has achieved recognition and publication in various prestigious magazines like Create Magazine, Frankie Magazine, and Colossal. With a focus on figurative or cropped figurative imagery, Angela’s work delves into themes of identity, presence, and personal expression.