After a few gallons of sweat and some sleepless nights, we did it! The SMA Octopus Gallery had it’s debut. My greatest event challenge of the year is marked off, and I regret nothing. Each artist’s fantastic community rallied, making our burden light. This event proves that when creativity and grit do some good belly bumping, they give you a child named achievement.
For those able to make the show, many thanks for coming out. You are part of our success. For those unable to attend, here is a glimpses into our wonderland.
Want to know what my studio looks like right now? Sorry, I can’t show you. I tried to take a picture but my camera broke. Seriously, it’s that ugly. Paint, chocolate wrappers and resin blobs are everywhere. And let me tell you, postartum depression is real. It’s been five days and I haven’t darkened the door to my studio. Netflix is a singing siren and I have no earplugs. My phone has turned into a black hole; as soon as I unlock it I’m sucked in. Maybe by the end of the week I’ll develop a healthy case self-loathing leading to a burst of willpower that’ll jump start the next push. One can always hope!
Fixin’ to Leave for the Great Wide Open
It’s adventure time!
Are you familiar with the term artist residency? Like many things in the art world, they are cryptic, slippery, and like to elude definition. To put it simply, they are programs offering artists resources and time. Residencies move the artist from a known, daily routine to a foreign, focused environment. This frees the artist’s mind from distraction and helps the artist fully immerse in the creative process.
Residencies come in all shapes and sizes. Some are old and fat, like the prestigious Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. (It’s like the Yale of art residencies and acceptance is a big deal.) Some are lean and tough like the west coast Headland Center for the Arts. And some are young, like the the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Artist-In-Resident Program. Since I’m young in my artistic career, I find it fitting that I participate in a young residency. Oklahoma, here I come!
Stay tuned for my adventures in “everything deep fried” country!
