I haven't done much painting over the last couple of years... maybe longer. When I first started painting and doing shows (about 10 years ago) I became totally obsessed with it. All I could think about was how many hours I had to work and how much I could finish... I loved the feeling of being lost in the colors and the process. It is truly one of the best addictions a person can have. I would spend all day just thinking about what I was going to work on. I think I overdosed on painting and shows. A boyfriend told me once I should be careful of diluting it. He was right.
I haven't stopped being a creative person... I don't think that's a thing I could ever turn off. But, instead of painting... the last few years my creative juices have been flowing in other directions. I run a music club with monthly themed mix exchanges... the people in the group take it very seriously and I have truly been delighted by the response I received from this project. I also spent much of last year working as a co-founder of MPLS CREATES a website that features local artists doing what they do best. And, I started a polaroid photography club called Polaroid Picnic... it is what it sounds like. Also, tons of fun.
I have been spearheading all of these projects and becoming ever more involved in my day job... that I love. But... for some reason... the feeling I have that I need to painting again... came to a head this week when I was offered a few different shows/projects all within a few days. It's time!
So, I will be announcing some fun things coming up this fall. It was exciting today to dig through stacks of paintings and rearrange my painting space. I found some things I forgot were there. The painting above was one of the first self portraits I ever did... it's dated 2006. And the collage below is from 2010. I love the feeling of finding old pieces of yourself that still seem to represent you. I have a stack of old mixed cds in my car. One from 2005 and another from 2009 and others without dates at all. I still love every song... good job old self! Funny enough the one cd is titled "Some things Never Change... Don't be some thing"