Lillie Minnifield

Lillie Minnifield

Painting [Birmingham, AL]

I have been fascinated by art as long as I can remember. I have never studied art formally, but have taken internet courses I am simply consumed with reading as much as I can about famous artists, art techniques, other artists etc.

Unrelated to art, I have degrees in Sociology and Psychology. I currently work for a nonprofit organization which works with youth in underserved communities.

My body of work represents a corpus of artwork that covers a span of 15 years. My interest in art dates back to my early childhood.  I am inspired by a miscellany of what life has to offer. I am interested in architecture, still life, flowers, human anatomy, as well as human activities.  I work mainly with acrylics, but also work with oils and watercolor.  I find that my interest is difficult to confine to a limited style. I paint what I feel and enjoy painting.  I will paint on anything that will hold paint. I transform or recycle glass bottles into art pieces. I also enjoy painting old furniture pieces. 

I especially enjoy creating art about African-American musicians, and capturing unique qualities about them. My work proceeds through a series of sketches, which is transferred to canvas, wood, paper, and hard boards. My technique involves several thin layers of acrylic paint to achieve my vibrant colors. Many of my pieces contain bright colors and elaborate beading, which is done with acrylic paint. I sometime use intricate designs and no two works are exactly alike…one-of-a-kind.

I work from a small art studio, located in the rear of my home. My studio brings me comfort, ideas and energy, like no other place.  I spend many hours there just creating…painting and enjoying every moment of it.  If I never sold one piece of my work, I would still paint.  It is in my soul, it drives me.