Local Artist Lowdown: Olivia Whittington

Name: Olivia Whittington

Artistic Style: I am still searching for my own artistic style. I’ve been trying to experiment as much as I can. Right now, my artistic style in painting is influenced by abstract expressionism mixed with realism, and in photography I focus on the human form.

Hometown: Blue Springs, Mississippi

How long have you lived in Oxford? One year

Early art experience: I participated in High School and county art shows, as well as Nikon’s International Photography contests.

Favorite visual artists: William Eggleston, Cesar Biojo, Alec Soth, Benjamin Garcia, Cristina Troufa, and Michael Carson.

Art school? University of Mississippi Meek School of Art

Favorite book or author: Poets E.E. Cummings and Philip Levine

Favorite quotation: “What you think, you become”-Buddha. I like this quote because it’s not just something to be mindful of on a daily basis, but also in art. How an artist thinks about themselves, or the world, will find its way into their artwork, and it can affect their work in unforeseen ways. What an artist is thinking or feeling plays a large role in the artistic decisions they make in their art.

Do you work out of a studio? Most of my photo shoots take place outside of the studio but painting usually keeps me in the studio for several hours.

How many hours to you spend in your studio each day? Five to seven hours depending on the day.

Most productive hours? As much as I love sleeping in, I do my best work early in the morning. Usually, I go to bed trying to solve art problems and then I wake with possible solutions, so I want to get started on the process right away.

Favorite project you’ve completed: My favorite projects I completed were in my Advanced Photography class, because it was completely up to me to decide what direction I wanted to go in. With no limitations, it gave me the opportunity to really challenge myself as an artist.

Three ideas you want to explore in art: Psychological issues, philosophical ideas, and photographing reflections using mirrors and glass.

Where can we see some of your art on display? You can find most of my artwork on my Tumblr page: http://oewhitti.tumblr.com

Do you have a “day job”? If so, where? No day job right now.

Favorite music/bands: Kid Cudi, The Lumineers, Alt-J, Childish Gambino

What are some of your other hobbies? I enjoy running, knitting and crocheting beanies, and reading 19^th century and early 20^th poetry

Where do you hang out in Oxford? I like to hang at the Blind Pig, the Shelter, Joe’s house, and of course my studio.

Aspirations: To own my own photography studio and gallery.

Tags: art, blue springs, Local Artist Lowdown, Mississippi, olivia, Oxford, painter, The Local Voice, tlv, whittington

About the Author

Brittain Thompson Brittain was an associate editor of The Local Voice from 2015-2018, ex-journalism student, and bad noise maker from the highway town of Brandon, Mississippi.