May Flowers

I’ve returned from my trip to NYC, a trip that was very highly anticipated, and it really couldn’t have been a more positive experience. This was work travel foremost, and on the tail end, pleasure. It was my first opportunity to meet many of my colleagues in person, and a rare chance to meet students, alumni, board members, and family members of all those connected to the institution. The atmosphere of belonging that I felt and the conversations that were had made me feel closer to the work that I’m doing and the people that I represent.

For those of you who don’t know what I do as a J-O-B, I work part time for a hybrid institution that awards PhD’s to artist-philosophers whose core study revolves around art theory, philosophy, and aesthetics. I create digital content to post across social media platforms, elevating the school and the students while keeping the aesthetics, the message, and the mission as my guide. It’s been great fun, and a great fit! The partial remote work is the flexibility I need as a mother and an artist.

As an artist, being in NYC itself is such a full body experience. The visuality of the city unfolding as you pass through it, the ample opportunities for museums and gallery shows, the restaurants, and just the overall vibe of a busy city so different from my typical environs is invigorating. I was able to extend my trip to visit my sisters who had just celebrated their birthday (they are twins). It was wonderful to spend time with them at their home. The highlight would have to be our 3 HOUR trip to a bath house, jumping from plunge pool to sauna to hot tub! A true treat.

Now, with that big trip behind me I feel I can focus on my art and pushing ahead on my figurative series. I finished a new mouse illustration, too! If you read my previous blog post you will know that this conceptual idea of mice leaving our homes and returning to their outdoor spaces had been used on a recent “failed” illustration. That failure really dug at me, and I was committed to make a new painting on that concept that was going to be my “best yet”. The result was a great piece, and I’m really pleased with the outcome, although the term “best” is too subjective to judge it as such.

This is the first of a series of larger and more detailed illustrations that I will begin to roll out. I want agents and publishers to get to know my broader capabilities to create visual narrative. I’ve been enjoying the vignette format- the blobby framing with elements of the illustration extending beyond that frame. The richness of color, the textural application of the paint, the final touches in colored pencil and pastel are all part of my process. This process has gotten to be very successful and gives me fulfillment and joy while making them. It is so so exciting to me to have gotten to this point where I feel this level of connection to my work.

With summer blooming on the horizon I have also been thinking about attending gallery openings, participating in open calls, and getting back into teaching. I’ve been doing a lot of administrative work this past week getting my website in a good spot and applying or researching for several opportunities. I also have some initial ideas about providing private plein air classes, and I’m planning to send a newsletter at the end of this month with all the updates from my studio. I do hope you join my newsletter if you haven’t yet! I have lots of ideas not only how to monetize my work, but how to help encourage other would-be artists to pursue this fulfilling (albeit exceedingly difficult) line of entrepreneurialism.

Please join me on this journey, and help me welcome this season of art and life!