In February i was invited to be interviewed by David Dacosta on Sauga960.  David was hosting a show that featured local artists and he had seen Rock, Paper, Scissors a show i participated in at the Living Art Centre Gallery which ran from January to March of this year.  It was my first experience being interviewed.  Although nervous, it was a lot of fun; but really, the bigger benefit was some of his questions really got me thinking about my own work.  David asked me about how “repetition” plays into my work - i clearly state it in my artist statement.  In the interview, i related it to the literal physicality and the process of printmaking.  However, on further thought, days and weeks later, i realized that it is is much bigger than that.  Our lives are repetition.  Humans tend towards the repetitive, we hate change.  Much of what is happening in the world now - the closing down of boarders, this fear of others - as seen with current policies around migrants, the increase in the visibility and acceptance of far right views and of course the slow, slow, slow action toward good decisions around climate change - is a result of humans being more comfortable repeating what we know rather than making the really hard changes that are required for new patterns of being.  Repetition can also make us mindful, allowing for improvement and can open ourselves up to or make us ready for change.  

Process is where i love to be situated with my art practice.  Beginnings and endings are much more challenging for me.  Having recently finished school and now set with the task of getting my work out into a public space - the requirements for most public gallery submissions is connected to meaning.  That meaning is often dictated to be “current”; making a statement relevant to a current broader perspective.  i tend to stew and simmer in process.  Eventually, meaning bubbles up.  It tends to come from a very personal place because it has been living in me.  i am always questioning my currency.  i work slowly and eclectically.  It doesn’t help that i get bored easily which means that many ideas may be in development at the same time - often with no obvious string of thought to link them together which is where deciding on beginnings and endings becomes problematic.  My work is ongoing and meaning can get lost…or side tracked…or just so buried in process that it is a struggle to break through the surface to sort out where it is all going.  i’m in one of those spots now, trying to  to see what it all means and whether or not i am current…which puts me at a point of beginning.  

Okay, working as an artist, it is hard to really complain.  Trials…Tribulations…REALLY!  i am lucky to be doing what do.  But as with all things sometimes being creative is very difficult.  The act of creating good thoughtful and technically proficient work is actually a small part of that creativity.  Carving out the time and money to do so is where the ability to be creative comes in handy.  It, however, can leave you somewhat drained and frustrated at times.  i have the added “burden” of being a mature emerging artist.  It is a weird place to sit.  Many of the opportunities aimed at emerging artists are for those below the age of 30 or younger than Beyonce (seriously, some calls for submission have stated this).  Artist residencies require you to leave for weeks or months at a time - which, with a husband and teen still at home, is not practical…at the moment.  It is also weird because i have more in common with my 20 to 30 something emerging counterparts then with the 40 to 50 something mid to late career artists - but in amongst the 20 somethings i can’t help but feel a little like that big bird in the Pixar animated short “For The Birds”.  They too have their trials and tribulations and all artists are balancing creating our work in the spaces that are left.  What DO those spaces actually look like?  Hmmmm…idea for a series of work?