Customer of the Month: Honoria Starbuck

Honoria Starbuck, a talented teacher and Austin-based artist, 

often graces the Jerry’s frame shop with her lovely artwork 

and we can’t thank her enough!

Check out more of her work here!

When did you first realize you were an artist?

As a little girl I played with oil and watercolor paints with my amazing uncle James McGibbon Brown, aka Uncle Laddie. Uncle Laddie was a well-known artist in South Florida where I grew up. Uncle Laddie and I mixed oil paints together on a palette and dabbed the colors onto a canvas. When the canvas was full Uncle Laddie asked me what I saw in the abstract colors. I told him what I saw in the patterns and he drew contour lines that made what I envisioned come into focus. It was magic! It is a technique that I still use today with my students.

What are the mediums you work in?

I never met a medium I didn’t like. I love art history and contemporary art too. I will try anything if I see something that inspires me to try something new or even retry something from my past. I enjoy new art supply chemistry that is always changing such as interference colors; iridescent colors; matte, textured, and glossy mediums; acryl gouache; water soluble oil paints; Intense blocks; Yupo paper, and many more. I love traditional mediums too, and especially love Arches 300 lb paper and Frederick’s watercolor canvas.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Art history and contemporary art inspires me. I am an active participant in the mail art network so the many themes of mail art inspire me to do small works to send out. Seeing the work of others, going to museums and galleries is inspiring. On my vacations I try to hit great art. Last year I got to go to the Biennale in Venice. Now THAT was inspiring! Also I am always learning from other artists at Naked Lunch and Dr. Sketchy and I learn much from my students too.

What is your favorite thing about Jerry's?

The best part of Jerry’s is the people. The people who work at Jerry’s are also artists with a treasure of collected knowledge. I sometimes come in to the store just to be around other artists. I advise my students to shop at Jerry’s so they can get real information and artist-to-artist opinions on art supplies for any given project.

Check back soon for another installment of Customer of the Month from Jerry's Austin!