ProfessionalProfessional DevelopmentDevelopment
Beforebecominga painter,Houstonhada
highlysuccessfulcorporatecareerforalmost
20 years.Trainedinapparelandtextile
design,shebecamethefirstApparelDesigner
forL.L.BeanandlaterbecameNike’sfirst
InnovationandMerchandiseDirector.
Despiteherachievements,shespentlong
hoursmanagingpeopleandprojectsandless
timebeingvisuallycreative.“WhenI became
a parent,mycareerandlifegoalschanged,”shesays.
“Sincemyhusbandisanentrepreneurandalsoworks
longhours,I didn’twanta nannytoraiseourchildren.”
Althoughit wasa difficultdecision,Houstonquither
corporatecareerandtookuppaintingasa hobbywhich
bothsatisfiedhercreativeambitionsandallowedherto
beavailableforherfamily.Overthecourseof 10 years,
Houstontookworkshopsforpastelandoilpaintingfrom
artistssheadmired.“I’malwayslearningandtrying
newthings,”shesays.“AlthoughI nowteachworkshops
myself,I trytotakeoneortwoeachyear.I regardwork-
shopsasmyprofessionaldevelopment.”SevenSeven MinutesMinutes
“Sometimes when I’m painting
outside, I’ll see a really interesting
cloud,” says Houston. “I’ll immedi-
ately stop, grab another piece of paper
and do a seven-minute study. The
average lifespan of a cloud is about
seven minutes before it morphs into a
different shape, so I have to work fast
and be decisive. I like to call this ‘cloud
chasing.’ I’m an impatient painter, soABOVE
During an inspiring
drive, Houston
pulled over to take
a picture of the
dramatic sky (left),
and later used it as
a reference to paint
Cloud Burst (12x16),
replacing the road
with a distant
skyline.OPPOSITE TOP
When Houston
sees a sky she
can’t pass up, she’ll
often make a study
for later use. The
studies end up in a
collection the artist
keeps on her studio
walls and shelves.
OPPOSITE
BOTTOM
Exhilarated
(13½x13½)36 Pastel Journal AUGUST 2019