studio.space

I can't say this enough, I LOVE my studio. It's a dream come true in so many ways. I feel at home in these 600 square feet. The white walls, the bright light, the tree top view, the creaking pipes, the dusty smell, the warm air are blessings each day. Never has a physical space of my own been more inspiring, more conducive for creativity. The head space helps, but I find myself being pulled here from the moment I wake up. There are few places I'd rather be. For the first time in my entire life, even during graduate school, I can tangibly feel what it would be like to paint for a living. It always felt so far away, but it is here, I am in it. Not only can I feel it, but I finally know I can do it, I could sustain it and I want to. It consumes my every thought, I want to be creating, I want to be painting. If I'm not painting I want to be reading and generating ideas. I have found myself in the cycle of passion, to be honest I worried my time had passed me.I am happily wrong. I feel so blessed, so grateful, so overwhelmed with bittersweet emotions. I see the manifestation of intentions and dreams before me. How could I have known that it would have taken this path? How beautiful, how heartbreaking. This is my way of accepting what is. Still, I find myself wishing I could share....so I write this. Maybe it will be read. I can not run from myself, in fact this could not have happened with out diving into solitude. I used to fear the sense of separation that could come from locking myself in a studio, but I feel more connected and more alive than I do in a coffee shop full of people. I now have the "art residency" I was looking for and the "other reasons" for uprooting. It never ceases to amaze me how life unfolds.

manifest.destiny

familiar territory

On the eve of starting new paintings, I find myself in touch with familiar feelings. To commit to an image is a vulnerable process, just as most commitments are. I see two blank canvases in front of me waiting for me to choose from all the ideas and options. Which ideas are strong enough to give form to? Will the best ones rise to the surface? Which path do I take? Do I express a broader theme or one that is close to my skin, straight from the heart? What are the consequences of this articulation? What are the benefits? Who will see it? Who won't?

I had a conversation not that long ago about my fears and concerns about this very process. I wanted to be honest about the vulnerability it stirred in me. This is the very struggle that I feel right now rising up, the same emotions I have before I embark on my loudest and most passionate work. Unfortunately, that conversation ended up being a pivotal moment in my recent past, it pushed me here. I found myself at one point wishing I could take the truth back. However, it was genuine and more than that, it is what makes art important for me. It is the space that presents me as a whole being. It isn't easy, it isn't comfortable, it asks me to say things I'd rather keep inside, it makes me visible and obvious, appreciation is not guaranteed, it beckons the question "are you strong enough?" Somedays I don't really know, and that is a healthy exploration to make before any commitment. If this process was without fear and doubt what would I learn from it? Would it be worth the time and effort? Would it even interest me?

So here I am asking myself "why does this feel familiar?" and "is it ok?" This is what makes art so beautiful and so terrifying. It not only speaks profoundly but it asks of you, it asks for all of you. I can not escape by hiding behind comforts and security blankets, it strips me to the core. Sometimes it scares me, it's easy to run away. However, I know that although it may not always be pretty, when it is, it's well worth it. So, I am approaching my fears yet again. It seems to be a common occurrence for me lately. I can finally see these fears and vulnerabilities for what they are, just pieces of the whole. I can embrace them and I will move past them....as I have done before. Art is a practice...as is love, as is life.

A Room of One's Own

bathed in light....

white walls

New Studio!

Below:
This is the building to my new painting studio. It's kind of a dream come true! I'm on the 4th floor, the wing on the left. My windows face the other side.

Bottom left: Huge and bright, the dream begins here!

subjective concerns

i've never painted myself as anyone other than who i am
yet each viewer has their own interpretation
independent of the artist's intentions.
there is meaning in the space between.
in the end that is the risk of art
the beauty of art, the beauty of life
the risk of love.

"Hanes her way" and "Between Us"

the yes-sayer

This is my newest painting, it's still in progress. It's only about a week old at this point. Working title is "....I am" (Feedback would be appreciated.) I'm back to doing self portraits, I'm my most available and consistent model!

My intention is to try to paint more positive images. Nothing is more affirming than "yes", right? Granted the image may make some people uncomfortable. Implied nudity will do that. The color palette is pretty cool and subdued at this stage, I'm kind of liking it but I'm worried that the flesh will look lifeless. I'm unsure how the background will develop at the moment. I'm liking the grey wash, it's kind of symbolic as to what I'm currently feeling. That could change.

More writing on the body, I can't help myself. (side note: If you haven't read Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson, I highly recommend it!) This "yes" idea has been floating around in my head and my notebooks for quite a while now, at least 6 months. I like to think of it as "yes is the answer to your question".... is the subject male, female, happy, sad, peaceful, alive, meditating? Is the subject aware of what is written on their chest? Did the subject put it there? Is the subject a willing participant to this "yes"? What does the nudity imply? Is this meant to be sexual? Is there a personal narrative involved? To that question I can say.....YES!

Written on the Body....."A Love Story"

This painting is finished, which is appropriate. So is the message, the original intention. Now it acts as a symbol of transformation, change, manifestation. It is a personal narrative of what was, what is and what I wish would be. I decided at the last moment to add 'I' and 'U' to the heart, a choice I am happy about, it adds a lot more meaning (personally and compositionally). "I love you" carries weight, it implies. As evidenced in my other work, text is a tool for me. The idea of words and meaning being written onto the body, whether literally or metaphorically, really interests me. In this case: is this a message from the artist to the subject? from the subject to the artist? from the artist to the viewer? the subject to the viewer? how do these words make each participant feel? Is there vulnerability in this kind of declaration, is there seduction? discomfort? Also, why is this written on the body? Is it a tattoo? is it graffiti left over from an exchange between lovers?

The element of concealment is often at play in my work. I'm interested in its societal and personal implications when it comes to sexuality and gender. It can be a subtle or blatant element in my work. In this case the hoodie both conceals and reveals. I find that idea interesting, when it comes to how homosexuals interact in society, voluntarily or not.

I am very proud of this painting. It marks a return of confidence in my work and about my application of paint. There is less struggle in my brushwork. This painting looks very different that any of my other work, it's technically more superior than most of my other pieces. Unfortunately, the digital picture doesn't do it justice. Personally it is very significant as well, it's been a challenging process, I wanted to see this painting through, to make a beautiful ending...after all.