This Week in the Studio | Learning Trust

I went on a painting jag this week. But many of my pieces ended up in the trash. They just weren't turning out the way I had envisioned. My five-year-old son, Walker, saw them in the trash and said, "Mom, you shouldn't throw your work away so quickly."

After he went to bed that night, I thought long and hard about what he'd said. I took a photo of my hand - a hand that helps me do and make everything my mind can conceive. I suddenly felt a deep level of respect for my process. Making art can certainly be a joyous process, but it can also sometimes be terrifying. Gut-wrenching insecurity seems to be a common state-of-being for artists of all walks.

I thought about my son's words, took this photo and added my new art-making mantra. "Making art teaches me to trust myself." Thank you, Walker, for encouraging me to be kind to myself and for reminding me that making art is never about the finished product.

And here is the artwork...

The following pieces are a part of my ongoing Utah Series. I've been living in Cedar City (Southern Utah) for a few weeks and will stay on until the end of June. These paintings depict some of the landscapes I've experienced here.

Red Valley - 11" x 14" acrylic and oil pastel on paper (Utah Series) - SOLD

Once Under Water - 11" x 14" gouache and oil pastel on paper (Utah Series)

Parowan Gap 1 - 11" x 14" gouache and oil pastel on paper (Utah Series)

Parowan Gap 2 - 11" x 14" gouache and oil pastel on paper (Utah Series)

Kanab  -  11" x 14" gouache and oil pastel on paper (Utah Series)

The following two pieces were created with Ophelia in mind. The titles are taken from Gertrude's speech in Hamlet Act IV, scene vii.  The reason my family comes to Utah every year for two months is that my husband works as a text and voice director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Glassy Stream - 12" x 12" gouache and acrylic on canvas

Weedy Trophies - 12" x 12" gouache and acrylic on canvas

Finally, here are two pieces I did while contemplating the idea of brain damage and the unknown aspects of how a wounded brain heals itself. As many of you know my son, Charlie, is a stroke survivor. His brain is battling a huge hemorrhage and a complicated map of scar tissue and missed connections. Also, the two-year anniversary of Charlie's craniofacial surgery and cranio-vault is coming up. I'm happy to say his scars are negligible now - just a little hint at the incredible trial this small boy has undergone.

According to the MRI  -  11" x 14" acrylic and oil pastel on paper

In Translation - 12" x 12" gouache and acrylic on canvas

Here's a quick screen shot from Etsy of the 16 pieces I've created over the past few weeks.
As always, you can see my work HERE or buy it HERE.