Hyper Realist Artist.
“I want my paintings to grip people on a primal level.”
For many, the transition from formal education to the real world can be frightening. This was even more true for former art student, Erin Rothstein.
“When it became time to face the real world and support myself through my artwork , I panicked. Toronto is an expensive city, and as wonderful as my schooling had been, I had never learned how to be a full-time working artist.”
At 16 years old, and living in Montreal, Erin would go from gallery to gallery, handing out catalogues of her work in search of the perfect opportunity. “I knew that if I’d knock on a million doors, someone would eventually say yes.”
When a prominent Montreal gallery accepted her work, Erin felt that she had gotten her big break. “It helped my confidence tremendously.”
Erin completed a Masters degree in Art History while pursuing her art career on the side, and after moving to Toronto, she worked as an art consultant for a brief time, before deciding to pursue her artwork as a full-time career. “My soul needed me to pursue this path. There was never any other choice.”
Erin began creating paintings of food to spark her creativity. “I saw it as a fun outlet, and I was curious to see what would happen once I started. It was a scary choice to make, but I decided to trust my instincts and work harder than I had ever worked before. I think that when you combine passion with hard work and bold choices, anything is possible.”
Erin’s paintings took off, and she has been painting hyperrealistic paintings of food (and more recently, fashion) ever since.
“I try to focus on subjects that trigger a strong emotional reaction in people. I want them to think “OH, I love that!”, or “Now I’m hungry”. I want my paintings to grip people on a primal level.”
With an obsessive attention to detail, no aspect of any painting is unattended to. “I am obsessed with capturing detail… I’ll get really lost in the details of a button, a stitch, a crumb… I don’t stop until I’ve gotten to the level of detail that satisfies me.”
Erin’s paintings are accessible enough for anyone to interpret, and that’s just the point. “I want everyone to be able to enjoy my work in their own way.”
An advocate for choosing what people do with their lives , Erin encourages others to be brave enough to do what they love — to make bold choices and follow their own paths.
“My art makes people and me happy, and that means everything to me.”
RANDOM RAPID FIRE WITH ERIN
1. Night Owl or Early Bird?
2. Solo or team player? BOTH
3. Save or Spend.
4. Party trick? Cool portrait drawing with ketchup and a knife on a plate.
5. Useless talent? I can do a mean alien voice!
Erin Rothstein grew up in Montreal, and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master’s of Art History at Western University. She is a hyper realist artist based in Toronto, creating paintings of food and fashion.
www.erinrothstein.com
Instagram: @erinrothstein