DK Palecek

Artful Painter Podcast

Jul 24

Written By Carl Olson

Painting Curiosity

Episode 39

Episode length: 1 hour, 4 minutes

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DK Palecek is a painter who embraces her left-brain-centric worldview. Starting with degrees in both Math and Finance, she worked as a mathematician, served as an investment banker, became a venture capitalist, and is a serial entrepreneur. In that career trajectory, painting fine art was the farthest thing from her logical, left-brain mind. And yet, she was smitten by the beauty of fine art. About ten years ago she began painting outside and in the studio. It wasn’t long until she was on the plein air painting circuit, represented in several galleries, became a member of several painting societies, and began teaching workshops.

Deke, as she is known by her painting friends, became fascinated with brain science and the power and plasticity of the brain. In this edition of the Artful Painter, Deke discusses the implication of brain science for artists seeking to improve their painting skills. She talks about the importance of setting specific goals and turn those goals into specific actions that lead to learning new skills. Deke warns of the perils of the mental-energy sapping act of indecisiveness. An artist must decide and focus on executing that decision.

Of course, Deke is not all left-brain. Her expressive paintings captures the beauty of everyday scenes. Deke’s left brain and right brain unite together in an exuberant collaboration of painting curiosity.

“My ambition is to find that place where a single brushstroke becomes a solitary building or a whole street; a simple path or miles of landscape; the difference between warmth and comfort or solitude and empty space.”

— DK (Deke) Palecek