Most artists, heck,  I think all artists, will tell you that painting helps them to express their emotions and what’s going on inside of them. Okay. That’s all fine and dandy but while painting those feelings can be cathartic and therapeutic, what happens when the person or persons become enlightened that they are the object of your self expression.

For instance, this is a painting I’m working on at the moment. It’s meant to convey the utter frustration and often anger I feel while dealing with someone who absolutely is trying my patience. I know I’ve done all I can do to help this person yet nothing seems to be moving forward and our relationship is suffering because of it. However, if this person knew the painting was about them, I think it would make matters worse and I would hurt this someone very badly.

How do you explain your art without hurting people you love? You know that eventually they are going to want to know or they may hear it along the grapevine what this piece is “really” about. How do you present it tactfully? Do you even explain it at all? People always want to know, what this piece is about, or what that piece means, or what is your motivation behind those pieces?

I think I kind of answered the question myself in just trying to explain this particular piece in my blog. You leave out names, you skirt around the actual issue and you hope that person never figures it out. But isn’t that just another form of suppressing my self expression before, during and after the situation exists?

I think I need to paint some more and more and more and not even try to explain . Just do and be, be and do and stand back and admire.

I’m also going to create a signature now.

gimme two cents, Justy

No 229 Robert Motherwell.

I belong to many groups. I like being surrounded by creative people and I like to surround creative people with ME! I am VP of a an art group called Scattered Minds. My friend Josephine and I created it way back in 2009 or thereabout. It’s been lively and its been super quiet but we always meet very interesting people. We work as a group on our individual projects in one room. It’s actually a meeting room in Josephine’s apartment building but we like to call it the Scattered Minds Studio. I’ve done some great work in that room and I’ve made some very good friends too. We are currently recruiting for this group if anyone is interested in just hanging out with other artists as you work on your various pieces. It’s always a positive atmosphere and I rather enjoy the age differences in all the women present. We are always looking for a few good men but so far no luck!

I also belong to a group called the O-Town Bombers. I founded this group in 2012 by recruiting local knitters and crocheters to come help me cover a bus in crochet for Nuit Blanche 2012 .The group is still going strong and we are ALWAYS recruiting so come and join in the fun, find us on Facebook .

Groups have been the most satisfying experience I have ever encountered in my art life so far. My father and step mother actually travelled 12 hours to come and be part of the bus project. They dug right in and helped out for 10 hours, covering that bus. My father is a very good photographer and he was snapping pictures all day long. For the first time in my life I felt that my father saw me as an Artist! A true Artist and  I saw him as a true Artist too! I relish his photography and he is currently building me an easel for my new studio which leads me into the third group I belong to, The Loft Artists .

I’m enjoying this group tremendously. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in yarn and wool for the past three years so it feels great to cover my face, arms, hands, shirt and pants with PAINT! I joined this group and am now renting my first studio space with them at the Enriched Bread Artists building. I never thought I’d get here, but here I am. It’s been an amazing journey and when I look back at my childhood dreams I can honestly say that I’ve achieved them all!

While I typed my little heart out in typing class in high school I dreamed of becoming a glamorous receptionist in the big city. CHECK

Since I can remember I’ve always wanted to be an artist. My father (unknowingly) steered me away from it when I was a teenager when I showed him brochures for art schools. Out of fatherly concern he made me see that Artists don’t make much money and that I would always be hungry. Yes, the dreaded “starving artist” stigma and I bought into it. No way did I want to be poor! So I conjured up the white picket fence dream and guess what? That was totally the wrong dream. I mean, I have a great son from this particular dream but I wasted a lot of years on a marriage that sucked the very creativity out of me.  So, after the kidlet flew the coop, I picked up my paintbrushes again. And my crochet hook too!

Dream of becoming an Artist? CHECK!

And I could never have done it alone. All of these groups that I became part of were my rock, my support, my inspiration and my joy. It had me become not only a true Artist, but a leader too! I’ve mostly been a follower in my life so this was a new unexpected accomplishment.

Leader? CHECK

How many art groups do you belong to? What do you get from it and is it something you recommend to other Artists? Do you work all together on one project or do you work on your own projects within the group?

I do, for sure, hands down. I especially recommend that you become part of MY groups (shameless recruitment plug tee hee).

I’ve been told that as an artist you must do a bunch of series. I don’t really have that many variations of what I do. I just paint and appreciate and move on. But as an artist who wants to grow, I must listen to the coaching of the universe and try on a pair of shoes before I toss them in the “won’t ever wear” pile.  So, I’m going to give a series a go.

Then I was told that I must take art classes to expand my skills and learn new techniques. I would like to do that but then when the hell would I fit in any time to actually paint? Or, what if the teacher I get is really not very good at all or I don’t understand the concepts or techniques and….okay , I hear myself. I’m what iffing all over my self. So I guess that will be the next suggestion I take on this year.

Finally, I was told that I must have a blog. I did what I was told right away on that but I’m finding it difficult to blog twice a week. I’m forcing myself to do it just to get into a habit. I do hope I am not boring your fine people (who am I kidding I have very few followers lol) too much.

I’m boring myself…off to the studio I go!!