My first art show in 3 years opens in 5 days. Working on it has required some attitude adjustments. It's been scary, liberating, exciting, frustrating... There was one drawing that I had to do 4 times because the first time there was a freak accident with a glass of water, and the 2nd and 3rd times my paint was just too muddy. But I persevered!
Everything is coming together and it feels good to make a body of work that I am proud of and that fits a theme of optimism. The pieces are simple, because the feeling is simple.
The show is about something I have a hard time putting into words, because it's just something that's difficult to explain. Last summer I had sort of reached the pinnacle of pretty bad anxiety issues (mix some depression in there), and I just decided enough is enough. Something just clicked. I don't know how or why, but it did. Once I had made the decision to not let outside things dictate what I do and how I feel, well, it was like I had found hidden gems that had been dormant for 30 years. Except gems aren't alive, but maybe you know what I mean. I don't want to say that I am "cured" because I know that it will always take work to keep the gems from getting buried again. At least now I know they are there, and they are mine.
If you are in the Bloomington area, this show will be up for the month of March. The show will be up in Cincinnati at Fabricate in July, and then I will be putting all of the pieces up for sale online and will have them at fall craft shows.
