My "WHY"

In last week's post, I discussed art appreciation, and the importance of knowing WHY an artist does the things that they do. Is there a reason for the colors/materials they use? The surface they paint/draw on? The things that they put into their compositions?

My current style of artwork is not the style that I started with. I started out studying animals and drawing/painting as realistically as I could. When I went to study art in college, I shifted to painting things like this:

"On Deaf Ears"

After graduating, I hit a wall. This happens all the time to artists who get cornered by their "style" of artwork. My style was surrealistic--frequently including hands. When I graduated, there was a time when I was completely frozen in fear of creating something new. I tried numerous times, but literally couldn't figure out where to begin. If someone asked me, "Are you an artist?" I would guiltily fumble around with my answer because  I knew that to be an artist, I had to actually be producing art!

In 2012 something amazing happened. I was surfing the web for new ideas for my elementary art lessons when I came across a do-it-yourself stencil project of a bird on a branch with a collage of magazine pages in the background. This project inspired me to try mixed media collage, and led to my first painting in my current style of art:

Since this first piece, I began creating a piece every week or two--a habit which I continue to this day!

So... What is my "WHY?"

I LOVE stories--particularly fiction/fantasy/fairytales because while they are not real events, many of the characters and situations resonate with real life truths and situations. The tradition of oral-storytelling particularly interests me--passing down history, events, and human truths through fictional characters and events; The act of story-telling IS a form of raw human creation. I enjoy folk art for that same reason--the raw/unrefined creations have a human touch that many fine art pieces are lacking.

My paintings capture fleeting moments of a story--just a snapshot. My work is not meant to tell a complete story, it is meant to encourage storytelling! It is my hope that viewers will be inspired to tell their own stories and find a connection with the story that a specific painting is telling. I frequently use text from old book pages in my work, as a connection to the written word. In addition to the storytelling aspect, it is my hope that my characters and colorful compositions bring JOY to those who are in need of a reminder of the beautiful and happy things in life.

May this weekend bring you inspiration and joy!

Cheers,

"A Journey's End" (2014) 11"x14"