Blog: The Light Is Always On

Featured image: Jackson's Lucky Pink Rabbit's Foot

Everyone is not an artist. Making art takes years and years of dedication and that requires a way to support yourself as you are figuring things out and actually becoming an artist. The word artist is used like the word Kleenex. All of the tissues that were used to blow your nose on were called Kleenex for the longest time but there was only one Kleenex. The same thing has happened with the word artist. There are many who call themselves artists but really, they are only a pretend Kleenex.

For me, my means of support was teaching. It allowed me to put food on the table and buy art supplies. I kept practicing and practicing to be an artist. I didn't have a clue what an artist was, but knew that I loved to create. For me another means of support was working with interior designers. I spent over 20 years of my life learning how to be an artist, learning how to paint, learning how to freely paint while not worrying about the work but enjoying the process.

I worked hard, and I dedicated my life to it, along with raising a family and doing other things along the way. It was hard work and no one else could do it for me. I loved it and I learned every day from it. But make no mistake it was hard work and it did take dedication.

I am not In a place of learning to be an artist today because of a naive way of thinking that everything would just happen because I could draw. I am still learning to be an artist today because it's where I am happy  and want to be.

I am not ignorant and think that everything I create is a masterpiece. That's impossible.

I was not and am not privileged. I earned where I am today all by myself. Would I like to be different? I wouldn’t know how. I just keep plugging away, looking for the fresh, looking for a re-mixture of what is and looking for and trying to understand what is real while enjoying life along the way.

But there is one strange thing about me and my work. I don’t feel there is anything special about it. But it is authentic. Folks tell me, when I share that tid-bit with them that my work nourishes their soul and they like coming to my studio where the light is always on.