Behind the Paintings: My Meet the Artist Interview
I had a pretty wonderful moment this weekend. I opened the Forsyth County News and there I was, along with three of my paintings, featured in the newspaper.
I have to admit, it felt really good.
I felt proud. A little humbled. And perhaps most importantly, I felt seen.
Being an artist can be a funny thing. So much of the work happens quietly, often alone in the studio. There are hours of experimenting, learning, making mistakes, starting over, and wondering whether you're headed in the right direction.
And then, every once in a while, something happens that makes you think, Maybe I really am on the right track.
This was one of those moments.
The article was part of the Cumming Arts Center's Meet the Artist series, and I had the opportunity to talk about what inspires my work and why storytelling has become such an important part of my creative process.
I don't just want to paint pretty pictures. I want to capture the feeling behind a place, a memory, or a moment. I want someone to look at one of my paintings and remember something from their own life.
Lately, that idea has been taking me in some exciting directions, particularly with my new Music & Memories collection. I've been exploring the extraordinary way a song can transport us through time, reconnecting us with people, places, and experiences we thought we'd forgotten.
One of the questions in the interview was about the most important lesson I've learned as an artist.
My answer was about giving yourself permission to experiment, to fail, and to keep going.
And I meant every word.
I didn't attend art school. My journey has been a combination of curiosity, determination, classes, experimentation, and a whole lot of time with a paintbrush in my hand. I'm still learning. I hope I always will be.
Seeing my work in the newspaper didn't suddenly make me a better artist. But it did remind me that the work matters, that the stories are connecting, and that sometimes the things we build quietly begin to make a little noise.
I'm especially grateful to my friend Marilyn DeCusati, who wrote and conducted the interview for the Cumming Arts Center's Meet the Artist series.
Marilyn has been a wonderful supporter of my artistic journey and was one of the first people to collect my original artwork. There's something particularly meaningful about having someone who believed in my work early on be the person who helps share my story with a larger audience.
Thank you, Marilyn, for your friendship, your encouragement, and for taking the time to tell my story so thoughtfully.
I'm also grateful to the Cumming Arts Center and the Forsyth County News for giving local artists a platform to share their work.
And to everyone who has purchased a painting, taken a class, visited my booth, or simply offered a kind word along the way, thank you. You are part of this journey, too.
I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes next.
Art You Can Feel, Stories You Can Hang.
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