Featured Artists Series
Meet the artists from the Bottlebrush!
July Feature: Courtney McNamara
Volant, PA
Mediums: Oil & Acrylic
Tell us about your journey as an artist.
I have always been interested in creating since I was a child, constantly drawing, painting or writing. When I was a teenager, my aunt (who is also an artist) gifted me with a book on how to draw portraits and I’ve loved creating them ever since.
What is your favorite part about your mediums?
I dabble in both oil and acrylics, and like them both for different reasons. Oils are easier to push and pull the paint with to create smooth transitions and blending. But acrylics are less finicky and, as most people, I prefer the quicker drying period. With the right mediums, you can get the blending fluidity with acrylics that you do with oils.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Advice I would give my younger self that I still have to tell myself when I’m creating a piece is to trust the process.
There is a point, inevitably, in every piece that I paint where I call it “the ugly stage”. It looks so far from what I am trying to create that it can be easy to get discouraged and want to give up on it. But I have found that sometimes the pieces I was most tempted to abandon turned out the best in the end.
– Courtney McNamara
I am drawn to portraits of people and animals because they always have a story to tell.
I want my works to tell a story when people see them.
June Feature: Leslie Mitchell
Ohara Township
Medium: Fiber Art
Tell us about your journey as an artist. What inspired you to pursue fiber art as your primary medium?
I love Navajo weaving and eventually took a few classes to learn Navajo tapestry techniques, done on a vertical loom. Some years later I also wanted to weave fabric for apparel, moving from a tri-loom to a table loom to a harness loom. I split my time between the tapestry and harness looms.
What is your favorite part about working with fibers?
The feel of fibers and how threads become a solid but flexible finished piece.
What does your studio look like?
I don’t have a studio. My vertical tapestry loom lives in our living room & the harness room lives in our spare bedroom/office.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to try what interests you. The sun will rise the next day whether you succeed or fail.
– Leslie Mitchell
Sources of design inspiration are all around if you look hard enough.
May Feature: Dan Senneway
North Hills, Pittsburgh
Medium: Digital Art
Tell us about your journey as an artist. What inspired you to enter the world of digital art?
I’ve always been drawn to places at night—quiet neighborhoods, glowing windows, empty streets, Kennywood, summer nights and the feeling of wondering what stories exist behind them. A lot of my work started while I was in college at Slippery Rock University, spending long nights alone in the studio drawing after everyone else had gone home. During that time, I became fascinated with creating scenes that felt both personal and fictional, almost like memories from another life. Digital art gave me the freedom to experiment endlessly with lighting, texture, and atmosphere. Photoshop became less of a tool and more of a studio space where I could build entire worlds. Over time, those worlds evolved into my ongoing series, After Dark, which focuses on themes of loneliness, nostalgia, hope, and the strange beauty of nighttime.
What do you wish people knew about the process of creating digital art, especially regarding your own unique techniques?
A lot of people assume digital art is fast or effortless because it’s created on a computer, but my process is actually very slow and layered. Now, with AI, it’s even harder to convince people how much effort can go into a single illustration. I treat digital illustration similarly to traditional printmaking. My work is heavily inspired by linoleum block prints, so instead of relying on shortcuts or specialty brushes, I build texture manually through thousands of lines and marks. I think what makes digital art exciting is that it allows artists to create impossible atmospheres while still keeping the intimacy and imperfections of handmade work.
What does your studio look like?
I have a full room dedicated to my work, with shelving to keep track of print inventory and other items that I sell. It is currently a work-in-progress but hopefully after the unpacking process and furniture shopping, I will have a fully functional studio to take my art business to the next level. Oh, it’s also Halloween-themed.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell myself—and every new artist—to slow down and stop listening to the pressure from co-workers, friends, family members, or the endless expectations of what success is supposed to look like. A meaningful art career is never built overnight, and there are no shortcuts, “shiny objects”, or fast passes to becoming someone else’s version of “successful.” It’s your journey, so learn to enjoy it. Celebrate every win, no matter how small.
One of the things I love most about creating art is hearing how viewers connect their own memories and emotions to my work […] At its core, After Dark is about finding light in difficult places and creating a sense of belonging for people who have ever felt lonely, nostalgic, or emotionally connected to the quiet hours of the night.
– Dan Senneway
February Feature: Shauna McChesney
Renfrew, PA
Medium: Watercolors, Pastels, Oils and Acrylics
Tell us about your journey as an artist. How did you start?
I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember, from taking after?school art classes in elementary school, pursuing every art class offered in high school, to earning a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Edinboro University. After starting a family and working as a graphic designer, I reconnected with fine arts in 2019. Since then, I’ve made time each day to learn, experiment, and grow as an artist.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from nature, mainly wildlife and botanicals. I love to capture all the colors, textures, and little details you only notice when you slow down and really look.
What is your favorite part of the artistic process?
Starting a new project and choosing which medium I want to use is the most exciting part for me. Charcoal, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, oils… you name it, each has its own personality, and I enjoy figuring out how that medium brings out a different side of whatever I’m creating.
What kinds of stories do you hope to tell with your artwork?
One of the things I really want to focus on is bringing awareness to endangered and threatened animals. I also hope to offer a sense of encouragement to anyone who feels disconnected from their creative outlet. Setting aside dedicated “art time” for yourself can be incredibly healing, it’s never too late to return to what you love.
What does your art studio look like?
Whenever I’m in the middle of a project, it’s simply… a mess. I love having a space that’s completely my own in which to create, and where I can work on several different projects at one time. Here’s a photo of my studio, ready for the next projects.
Every piece you create helps you learn and grow as an artist so keep doing what you love and showing up for yourself.
– Shauna McChesney
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