The Birth of Venus- I am an artist.

Ok so I have decided to start a blog finally to document my progression as an artist as it is completely consuming my life. The blog is partly for me to vent, keep my thoughts organized about my work and where I want it to go, and lastly to keep my fans updated (ahem) so I don't bore you with conversations about this every time I see you. See the beauty of blogging? You can read it, or not! First let me tell you about why i chose the title. The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli hanging in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birth_of_Venus_%28Botticelli%29). This is the first painting I ever remember making an impact on me. I saw it the first time when I was 17 on an art history school trip to Italy. Still to this day it makes me happy every time I look at it, even if I understand it better now than I did then. I think it is exceptional because it is the first artwork (in my opinion) to show true creativity during the Renaissance. This is a time when literally EVERY painting depicted a scene from the bible (if you've been to Italy- you've probably scene more last supper paintings than you ever thought possible!) The color scheme is so soothing, plus the sea shell depicting Venus emerging as a grown woman, what's not to love? And it's 500 years old!

So let me bring you up to date with where I am today. I think my first art class was when I was 6 (life drawing with furry animals- I think this was also when we discovered my allergies!) I've taken art classes off and on for the last 23 years now, gosh that makes me feel old! While there was more than one hiatus, some extended for a year or more, it doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about it constantly. Which brings up an interesting point- what makes someone an artist? At what point will I say, "I'm an artist working a side job as a sales rep" instead of "I'm a sales rep with art as a hobby"? I've been reading books lately about developing your style as a painter and am currently reading one right now called "Taking the Leap: Building Your Career as a Visual Artist". And the author makes a valid point regarding what makes someone an artist. Artists can't stop. They can't stop thinking about art. And if they stop painting, for however long a period, then they are still thinking about how they are NOT doing it. I think I realized this the other day when i was looking at a tree walking to the tube and thought to myself- that's an interesting color green, how would you mix that on a palette? Or, look at the way those branches curve out, that would make an interesting pattern. Surely normal people aren't thinking this on their way to the tube? So I think now I can say, "I am an artist."

I've been actively painting watercolors on a near weekly basis for 5 years now thanks to the endless guidance and support of Judy Dougherty. To this day I think she's the only one that understands when I send her a rambling email that starts with, "Don't you sometimes just feel like switching to pastel?" I've finally reached the point where I am ready to "take the leap" and start exhibiting and selling my work. Mike has been amazingly supportive and encouraging, and has even become my biggest critic! I've been visiting lots of exhibits and galleries since I've been in London and feel confident my work is good enough now. And since I'll always be painting, why not make some money off it? A house only has so many walls! Sorry mom and dad, my paintings are now officially for sale! hehe. Oh, and i do commissions too....

so once I figure out this whole blogging thing I'll start posting pictures of works I've recently completed. Critiques are more than welcome, good or bad! Sometimes I feel like it's missing something and could use the aid of an untrained eye to help me fix it! Also, because this is the first blog entry, I feel like I should state my goal now for the next 6 months- get a website up and running with my artwork, enter a competition, and have 3 bodies of work with at least 6 pieces each completed which will include my England series (at least 4 done and sellable), and probably the New York series since I've already got a few done, and European travel highlights. These are required to get my artist packet together to send to galleries. Ready, set, go! Back to my painting....