Capturing Memories One Brushstroke at a Time {Kandice Pierce}
Invoking Serene Moments on Canvas
Words Janine Stankus | Photos Eric Morales
They say sense and memory are inextricably connected. Artist Kandice Pierce taps into those sensorial memories to invoke her favorite places: from the peachy pink sunrises of West Texas framing far-off cobalt hills to bands of billowy gray and deep slate pulled across the horizon of a cloudy coastal scene.
“I paint to travel, and I travel to paint,” says Kandice with a smile. “They’re very much married for me because it’s my way of capturing things that I really want to remember.” Her works are almost always connected to a story, and she hopes they’ll resonate with other’s memories of a place.
Kandice only recently turned to art full-time, after a long Covid furlough brought her back to painting. “I really wanted to try to produce things that made me happy, because when I’m creating art, it brings me peace. I hope people share in that.” While Kandice retains attention to detail, she admits she’s learning to let go of perfectionism. She believes that playtime is an important part of life and affirms, “I don’t feel like we play enough as adults.”
Still, Kandice has her work cut out for her. Recently preparing for a marathon of shows, she’s presenting a collection inspired by her West Texas travels. She spent time in Marfa, teaching painting classes and capturing the magical desert landscapes. While there, Kandice also did a residency at the Willow House in Terlingua, where locals were full of insider info on some of the most breathtaking hikes.
The process of turning a moment into a painting is multi-faceted. Kandice takes pictures to explore the scene from different vantage points. Often, she’ll do a quick on-site sketch, complete with color swatches that can catch bits of sand or dust from the site. These sketches are like visual journal entries. She elaborates, “They’re just really meant for me to have, play, and connect with the space.”
Back in her studio, Kandice throws on music (lately, it’s Miranda Lambert’s “Marfa Tapes”) and works her subject, starting with big strokes and ending with the tiny, brush details. The result is serene, evocative scenes that give the viewer a sense of having stood on that very hill or sat on that very patch of flatland, simply soaking in the experience for themselves.
Turning her passion into a business has been a delicate balance for Kandice as she works the show circuit while exploring ways to diversify revenue. “I hope I can do it all and not lose that I’m painting because it’s fun,” she says. “I’m learning that building things slowly and structurally sound over time is okay, and I’m learning to be okay with failing.”
Calling art starters. Building a one-woman art business doesn’t happen without highly qualified help. Kandice praises her “amazing intern” who has been with her since the fall, and she is currently on the lookout for summer interns. Kandice loves being a mentor and hopes to share as much as she can about both her painting process and the business aspects of working in the art world.
What’s in a name? Kandice calls her art business “Pierce and Paint” after the auto body shop her dad has owned for his entire career: Pierce Paint and Body. The horseshoe in her logo is a callback to her memories of the endless games her family played by the lake growing up.
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