I think I need to paint. Like I need to breathe. Like I need to eat. Painting is my way of portraying the world as I see it, or in some cases, want to see it; colorful, expressive, sometimes breath-taking.
When I am working on a commission and the client is explaining to me their vision of what they want, I get such satisfaction out of turning their dream into a reality on either their wall or on a canvas for them. I get to take what they have in their head and then turn it into a piece of art for them. Wow! That is so powerful. So it’s a win-win. They get a physical painting of the vision in their head – something tangible – and knowing that I have played a part in that process is incredibly rewarding for me.
I am also a teaching artist when I am not doing commission work. I get the same satisfaction when I can help a painter learn a new technique, or see things differently, or understand something they did not understand before. Especially with new painters, I understand the intimidation, the jitters, and the lack of confidence that a new painter might feel at times. But if they can just have fun in the process of creating, then often times those scary feelings can melt away, and the painter becomes more confident and more relaxed.
I think we all are happiest when we can be of service to others in some way. I am so thankful to be living my life as an artist; in service to others who have visions in their heads that they want expressed on walls and on canvas. Like a kid with a box of crayons, I get to play every day. Yeah!
