Candice Rawlings

Your series Music Americana beautifully captures the soul of musicians. What initially inspired you to explore the world of music through painting?

Music has always been a place where I could feel deeply, even when I could not find the right words. After the pandemic it took on a new meaning for me. As I worked to piece my life back together and step fully into my identity as an artist, I found myself surrounded by musicians who were doing the same in their own way. Their stories were full of grit, humor, joy, and an incredible sense of personal drive. I was moved by the way they showed up for their dreams night after night, not because it was easy but because they could not imagine living without that spark. Their courage, their creative restlessness, and the fun they found in the chase inspired me to paint their world. Music Americana became my tribute to these artists, people who remind me that, even in uncertainty, passion can rebuild us, sustain us, and give us a reason to keep moving forward.

Candice Rawlings | The Crooner | 2025

Many of your works seem to tell quiet stories through light and gesture. How do you approach creating emotion on canvas without relying on words?

I have always been an observant person. My family and friends often joke that I notice everything, but for me it is simply how I move through the world. I pay attention to body language, atmosphere, movement, and the small cues that reveal who a person is beneath the surface. It is how I understand whether a place feels safe, and it is how I understand people. I bring that instinct into my paintings. When I watch musicians, I notice their joy in the subtlety of a tilt of the head, the way they approach the microphone, or how they connect with their own material. I build each painting around these delicate moments. These gestures speak with a truth and intimacy that words could never fully express, and they allow me to create emotion on canvas in a way that feels honest and deeply human.

Candice Rawlings | An Unfinished Song | 2024

The figures in your paintings feel both real and dreamlike. How do you balance realism with the poetic atmosphere you’re known for?

I like to ground each figure in realism because I want them to feel alive the moment you see them. Their presence, their posture, their emotion all come from a truthful place. The dreamlike atmosphere that surrounds them is my response to that moment. It reflects how I feel about them while they perform. That gentle haze and glow express the romance of the moment, creating a space where it feels like only you and the musician exist. Their joy becomes something you can almost hear in the stillness of the painting. It is my hope that you feel what I felt in that moment.

You often portray moments of solitude or introspection in musicians. What do these moments represent to you personally?

I have always believed that a person’s truest self emerges in the moments between action. When a musician steps out of the light, the inner world rises to the surface: the doubt, the hope, the exhaustion, the small triumphs, and the lingering emotions that never make it into the song. I connect deeply with these moments because I also know what it feels like to chase something bigger than myself. Solitude exposes a kind of honesty that most people miss, a fleeting glimpse of who someone is when no one is asking anything of them. It fascinates me that such stillness can feel louder than the performance itself. In those quiet pauses, I see the full story of the artist and painting that emotional truth feels just as important as capturing the music they create.

Candice Rawlings | La Estrella De La Noche | 2025

How has your self-taught background influenced your artistic voice and process?

Being self-taught has shaped my artistic voice in a way that feels deeply personal. I hold immense admiration for artists who have trained formally, whose dedication and discipline have given them extraordinary mastery. My path simply unfolded differently. I learned through curiosity and persistence, guided by a sincere desire to express something honest and emotionally resonant. My background in English taught me to search for meaning beneath the surface, and to really unpack the story being told on canvas. That instinct influences every artistic decision I make. Without a prescribed structure, I allowed myself the freedom to explore, to experiment, and to grow, discovering a visual language that feels intuitive and true to who I am. Each step of that journey has helped shape a style rooted in emotional storytelling, one that continues to evolve with every piece I create.

Candice Rawlings | Lena Blue | 2025

Could you tell us more about your technique — for example, how you layer acrylics to achieve that cinematic texture and depth?

I work in slow and intentional layers, letting each stage of the painting establish the emotional tone of the piece. I begin by building the atmosphere with thin washes that create the foundation for the mood. From there, I sculpt the figure with thicker strokes and subtle shifts in value, allowing the form to emerge gradually. Light is the backbone of my emotional storytelling. It shapes the structure of the painting and guides the viewer to the most meaningful parts of the moment. While I often use soft transitions to create depth, I also make deliberate choices to leave certain edges sharp or defined. Those solid lines are intentional. They hold tension, anchor the composition, and draw attention to the emotional weight of that particular gesture. By layering gradually and allowing the image to evolve, I build a depth that feels cinematic and honest to the story I want to tell.

Candice Rawlings | Strings Of Remembrance | 2024

Do you listen to music while painting? If so, what kind of music most resonates with your creative rhythm?

Absolutely. Music is woven into my process. I listen to everything from jazz and soul to country, classical, blues, and soft rock, depending on the emotional tone I am exploring or one that I am experiencing. I often listen to music while I paint. Sometimes it inspires the direction of the piece, and other times it simply fills the space around me as I work. All genres resonate with me in different ways. Each carries its own energy, whether it is movement, longing, reflection, or intensity. I do not listen for noise, but for connection. Certain songs can shift my mindset or unlock a feeling I did not realize I needed for the painting. Staying open to all styles of music allows me to move fluidly between moods and stories. It keeps me grounded in the emotional world I am creating and helps guide the rhythm of my process in a way that feels honest and intuitive.