A Piece of me

As an artist, one of the things that has helped me the most in my creative projects is my approach to my work. I try not to identify too closely with my paintings and other projects, because I am not what I make. I am simply a maker, and my work is separate from me. I may succeed or fail, but that doesn’t define me or my value as a person. Instead, it’s my commitment to showing up and doing the work that speaks to my character.

It’s this separation that allows me to approach my work with a sense of play. I let go of my ego and take risks, even if it means sometimes starting over or painting over my work. This playfulness allows me to be critical of my ideas and my work, and to see them as coming from a place beyond myself. I like to think of ideas as being out there, searching for makers to bring them to life. And as a maker, it’s my job to evaluate and shape those ideas, to be honest and objective about their potential and their limitations.

Working alone in my studio is a peaceful, meditative space where I can get lost in the process of creating. It’s a place where I can quietly struggle with the frustrations and challenges that come with the artistic process. When I’m working on a piece, it’s not about me – it’s about the thing in front of me, and my role in shaping it, combining colors and forms to create something new. It can be hard to know when to stop or when something is finished, but that’s all part of the process.

When I have a visitor or take a painting to its new home, something special happens. All of a sudden, the work becomes mine again. I see the painting in its new home and I am flooded with memories of all the moments I spent working on it. I remember the hidden layers and all the decisions, big and small, that went into it. Sometimes I work on a painting for years, adding layer upon layer, and now those years are becoming decades before I know it. When I look at a painting that has become a time capsule of a particular period in my life, with all the highs and lows captured within it, I feel a deep sense of connection to it.

When I sell a painting, it becomes more mine than ever, because it carries so much of my personal history and emotion. I am grateful to the people who support my work by buying and sharing my art. Their enthusiasm and kindness mean so much to me, and I feel seen and understood in a very real way. Their support allows me to continue doing what I love, and for that, I am deeply grateful. I am fortunate to have found a way to express myself and share my work with others, and I am grateful to those who make it possible for me to do so. Thank you for supporting me and my art.