Yay for colorful art!
Yay for colorful art!
I read this sweet article about the impact of colorful art on our well-being. I was immediately pulled in to it because it featured artwork by Jessica Poundstone, whose colorful artwork I've long admired.
Colorful artwork can trigger the release of dopamine,
a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward,
leading to feelings of happiness and well-being
- Dr. Shivani Khetan
If you want to make some colorful art to improve your well-being… Come to my virtual art making session! Every Thursday I host a (free!) virtual art making session called Studio Time! If you're in need of accountability and creative community - this is a great place to find it. We are a friendly bunch and everyone is welcome! Drop a comment if you want to be added to the weekly reminder list, or visit this link for more info. It would be fun to see you there!
What is Art? (A love story)
I figure most of you are here because you know me, or love art, or love my art. So, here is a story about love, and art!
Aaron and I met in the first period of our first class our freshman year of art school. It was called Methods and Concepts, a foundations of art class, Monday morning at 8am. A short time into that Monday morning class we were divided up into groups to discuss the question – what is art? Our little group of 5 or so went back and forth for a few minutes tossing out things that might be, or might not be art. It can be hard to define art. Is a painting on a wall in a museum art? What about a photograph? Are the marks the cavemen scrawled in the caves art? Is my couch art? What about music or dance? Do they count as art?
The groups dispersed and the teacher opened up the conversation to the class. What is art? One person thought that art was indeed a painting on the wall of a museum. Others thought it was more inclusive and roped in dance and music, sculpture and words. And some of us thought it was concept or intention that made art. Really, anything could be art if it was imagined to be so. A desk could be art. An idea could be art. A life could be lived as art.
Two kids nearing art school graduation, and same kids last month at the Carnegie International exhibition
Aaron and I were very much aligned in the anything can be art camp and that started our friendship. And that friendship grew into a love and that love still grows. And so does our drive to keep exploring art – it is the way we try to make sense of the world around us.
I've found the phrase “blur the lines between life and art” written in several notebooks and sketchbooks over the years. I recently went to a virtual artist talk with two artists who I deeply admire Deborah Roberts and Vanessa German – and that phrase came up in their conversation as well. Let's live life as the ultimate artistic practice and fill our lives with the love and magic of art!
What is art to you? I would love to hear.
A Year of Play – half way mile marker
Things have been busy around here – I have been carving out time to play in the studio and in the garden. Both are an investment of energy with unknown destinations – a leap of faith that something beautiful will grow in time. I am finally on the other side of a long creative drought (yay!) and am feeling like my creative well is sloshing around with ideas that have me excited to be spending time in the studio.
When I started this year of play, I thought that sounds so fun! But I'll tell you… play can be work. It is hard to play. We don't live in a culture that really values play. We are so primed to be constantly productive and playing feels like a frivolous luxury that someone in their forties shouldn't prioritize. It seems so ironic that I'm putting in effort – working – to make time for play and allowing my mind to wander. The reward is huge. I feel more relaxed. I feel energized. I feel more at ease with the uncertainty which is the most certain element of this life we are living. My creative well is expanding, growing deeper and more fulfilling, and that feels exciting and worthwhile.
I wrote in a journal a few years ago that I was allergic to words. I felt that way for a long time – those imprinted memories from childhood can really be impactful! Most of my life I have found it easy to communicate with images and impossible to find the words to round out the visuals. Over the course of the past few years, through the help of journaling, writing regular newsletters and attending a weekly writing group called Show Up and Write – I'm getting over my word aversion! Writing privately has given me the capacity to consider sharing more openly.
This month I am going to start writing out some of the building blocks to my story and sharing them here with you. I remember my grandma critiquing a coloring page that I made as a kid (in the most well meaning way) that really kind of pissed me off at the time, but recently sparked a series of sketchy patterns that have been growing over the past few years (see below!) I have deep memories of spending time after school in the sample room of my dad's architectural firm playing with color swatches and building little worlds of my own. I had a jewelry business with my mom when I was in elementary school and that sparked my interest in creating and selling things.
I have also had a few big earth shaking life events that have drastically shaped who I am and the reasons I make the work that I do. I am finally feeling ready to open up and connect in this space on a much deeper level with some of these stories. It is easy to share the bright and colorful artwork that comes out of my creative practice, but the stories that have shaped my perspective and allowed me to see the rainbows have come after a few intense storms. So, I am going make an effort to write and I'm sure in the process, I will learn some things. :)
Rainbow Connection Mural Update
The day after I sent my last newsletter, I found out that a mural design I submitted was open for public voting. I got an outpouring of love (and votes!) from you all… Thank you so much!!
The building owners ultimately decided to go with another artist. I really appreciate your support and encouragement – It means the world to me! I really love creating artwork in public spaces and finally added some examples of these projects to my website. You can check out my mural page on my website.
In case you missed it, the design is below… The site specific piece was titled Rainbow Connection, and filled a passageway between two buildings leading to a parking lot. The artwork shows a network of playful designs inspired by nature including flowers, paths and raindrops, flowing around the Erie canal and waterways that surround the area. I had hoped the design bringing a sense of optimism and wonder to the business district and spark a sense of joy for all ages. I had fun with the concept and will keep playing with it until it finds a home :)
Year One of My LLC
We just wrapped up an end of summer getaway and I snapped a pic of this sweetest heart in the sky... I wanted to share it with you, along with a rainbow doodle made during a recent studio session.
In other news, August 20th marked the one year anniversary of my LLC. This year has not gone how I would have dreamed it would go (I know I am not alone there!). However, I was able to paint 3+ murals this summer, I started journaling and sending regular newsletters. I took the Making Art Work class – giving me tools to level up across the creative board, and also met a group of lovely women through the course who inspire, support and encourage me. I joined the Art Brand Alliance – another amazing resource helping and supporting me as I work to bring my creativity into the world in a sustainable way. I started carving out time for the studio weekly and have a foundation from which I can grow... so lots of good things! I'm excited to see how the rest of this year will unfold.
Thanks so much for following along with my journey. Big virtual hugs from me to you. Stay well!