A brief history in my art

photo credit: flickr

A friend commissioned a piece for her daughter to reflect their Japanese heritage in 2009. And I worked my butt off for that project. And I am proud of the pieces I made for my friend.   

I have painted a few more pieces since that first commission. Mostly pieces for my apartment, or for family gifts. But slowly over the course of 2-3 years, my paints dried up, my supplies got dusty, and I went on to other craft projects.

In January 2013, I decided I wanted to paint again. So I bought canvas and began to love putting paint to a blank space again. But something wasn’t working. I wasn’t happy with what I was producing. It wasn’t intuitive.

There were definitely great quotes I wanted to work with and was inspired by, but the ideas weren’t flowing. So after a few days, I put it all away.

Then in February, I saw a print of a painting that another friend had purchased and was in awe. I asked her who painted the beautiful, inspiring multi-media piece and she said Kelly Rae Roberts. 

I poured over the website, and fell in love with the ideas, the methods and how open Kelly is with the way she does what she does. And her story was incredible, as well. 

So inspiring for what following your heart can do in your life when you let things flow instead of fighting against or ignoring your soul’s calling. I was brimming with ideas and better—the ways and methods to accomplish the look I wanted.

When I got off work, I immediately went to the craft store with a list of what Kelly uses and was terrified to buy my first gel medium because I didn’t really know what it was. But I did it. 

I bought new acrylic paints of specific colors (mixing is fine, but it’s easier to just buy purple than to try to mix that perfect shade, ya know?), stamps, stencils, pens, scrapbook paper, a brayer, sealer (for after I was done with the paintings), new paintbrushes, and of course, the gel medium.

And when I got home I made the “C” from the previous post and began on the paintings I’d set aside the month before. And in about 4 hours, they were completely transformed and I was totally proud of them and what they said.

I was really clear from the beginning that I didn’t want to copy Kelly completely. I wouldn't paint girls or figures. I didn’t want to add wings to people. I didn’t want to steal. But I wanted to find something that shouted that it was my style. And that was what led me and still does. I do what feels right and I believe I’ve found a unique way to express myself and hopefully inspire others.