My Voyage into Art

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up.” - Picasso.

I’ve always been imaginative. In childhood, it took form by designing choreography with my childhood friend, collaborating on a play with my siblings (that we performed for our captive family audience), or just drawing for hours on end. As an adult, I’ve dabbled in so many artistic arenas, I’m losing track- needle work, painting, drawing, sculpting, and photography, to name a few. The most rejuvenating act of self-care is to be in a clean space with open windows and an art project at my fingertips.

I love creative experiences and expressive people. I love hearing about people's ideas, seeing their processes, and celebrating their final product. Despite all this, I didn’t think I had the talent or financial reality to pursue art as a career. So when I went to school I majored in Community Advocacy and Social Policy, intending to pursue social work or law school. The one indulgence I allowed myself was to take art electives from fine art drawing to film photography.

I’ve worked a strange plethora of jobs throughout my twenties (preschool teacher, health advocate, and I was even a hypnotherapist for about a year), always leaning into the creative responsibilities of those jobs. I learned (maybe a little late) that artistic talent isn’t innate. It’s practice and effort. It’s passion-driven, and fueled by curiosity to learn new concepts.

With the generous guidance of a friend, I found photography at the tail end of 2019. I spent eighteen months learning and building my portfolio. I took a few courses in family photography and business/marketing. Somewhere along the way, I found my artistic voice. I found my joy in reveling in the simple things, the small details of our day-to-day experiences, and the deep sentiment shared between people who do life together- whether they be family, friends, or romantic partners.

When I’m not working, I’m most likely spending time with my husband and our two boys. We spend a lot of our time rock climbing, piling on the couch for ruthless rounds of Mario Kart, and playing around in the kitchen. We love our tight community of friends here, and use whatever excuse we can to visit our family in Tennessee and California.

When I have the chance to be alone, I’m probably involved in researching/creating my next hobby project, reading a book I can’t put down, or watching a show I’m way too into.