I've been called an old soul with a young spirit. I sometimes felt I was born in the wrong
decade, or even the wrong century, always inquisitive and seeing my world
around me with eyes of a thousand allusions.
I remember looking for art in everything, from illustrations
in children’s books as I learned to read to admiring the mill outlines and buildings
walking around downtown Manchester, and am blessed with parents who fostered
that vision; even though my family did not have affluence, their insight was
rich and they instilled in me an appreciation for our surroundings and taught
me about Monet and Manet, Picasso and Sargent.
I was raised to be respectful, truthful, and trustworthy and this
naturally transferred to my love of art – even if I didn't like someone else’s
art, I could still respect their talent to create it and give positive
feedback. Where children spend hours nowadays
on video games, I spent surrounded with any medium I could get my hands on –
I’d take crayons and cardboard if that’s all there was, and the next thing you
know, I was melting the crayons in the sun to blend my own colors or shave them
(yes, we were trusted to play with pocket knives in that simpler time!) and let
the curls melt onto my work. I loved
that art had no rules.
Fast forward 30 years: after a bad marriage, a BA in
Communications from SNHU I earned at night and online while working full time,
a few classes away from a master’s in Leadership and Project Management from
Northeastern, and a path following all the rules that led me too far from art
(aside from taking thousands of photos for “inspiration” ….“in case I start
painting again”), I am embracing the things I lost along the way. I let too much time slide with trying to “set
up a studio space” instead of just grabbing a sketchbook and a pen and creating
something.
I decided after the passing of a dear friend at 43 from
cancer that life was too short and I jumped back into art with both feet. Then I lost a cousin to cancer at 47 in
December 2012. And another cousin to
cancer just this month; she was 44. What
all of them had in common was that they touched the lives of so many simply with
who they were: a friend of the community, a pillar of selflessness and founder
of a charity, and a nurse. They left a
legacy of love. I’d like to think I’ll
do the same but also leave my art behind.
And so, I create art to help others. To inspire others. To appreciate others. I love doing projects such as the FIT
paintings. I don’t know if it’s true
with all forms of art, but when I have to be accountable to complete a project
that’s not for me, I work harder. The
president of my company was retiring, and I decided to do a series of nine
canvases of key products we worked on over the years – then I realized I had
only about two weeks to complete them! I
somehow finished, and he still talks about how much he loves them with
co-workers who stay in touch with him.
That kind of feedback fuels the fire for more artwork.
Insight Retirement -- Private Collection
Acrylic on canvas. Each 16 X 20
I have a short list of projects for friends, some are in
various stages of completion, and I promised myself I would do what I could to
finish those, and find a way to share what is inside with others, and I'm quite
sure I found it with Friends of Art Manchester. My mind is spinning once again with ideas and
I look forward to this new adventure!
Thank you!
Honoring O'Keefe
Illustrator software, digital blend of two paintings
Printed on cardstock. 18 X 24
Stipple Theater Masks
India ink on painted paper
Each 4 X 6
Detail below
Abstract Icon
Ink and metallic pen on painted paper overlays
4 X 6
