I grew up painting and drawing. I had piles of sketchbooks and took as many art classes as possible. When it came time to decide on a major in college, I didn’t doubt the path I would take. The years earning my art degree were filled with drawing, painting, and printmaking classes.
Then I discovered jewelry making after college, and was swept away.
I loved creating small wearable sculptures with shining gemstones. In fact, I was so focused on my jewelry practice that I hardly made any two-dimensional art for the better part of a decade.
In the past year, a familiar feeling has been creeping up on me- the desire to sketch and paint. I’ve felt the need to reconnect with what first made me identify as an artist in the beginning.
So in addition to creating jewelry, I have carved out the space in my studio to paint again.
It has challenged me in ways that metalsmithing does not, and forced me to flex different creative muscles.
Now here we are in 2020 with a viral pandemic sweeping the globe.
We are living in a strange, new, anxiety-inducing reality. We have hit pause on our normal daily routines to instead stay home, in hopes that our efforts will “flatten the curve”.
For me, that means not going to studio- where all of my jewelry making equipment is housed. Instead, I have brought my painting supplies home. My breakfast nook has become my small, makeshift home studio. My porch has become a place where wet paintings dry.
I can’t make jewelry right now, but luckily the universe made sure I was ready to keep creating while sheltering in place. I have my paints and brushes, and plenty of blank canvases.
This spring…
…While we try to stay healthy,
…While we hope for good news,
…While we wait for life to return to normal,
I’ll be painting.
Stay healthy and thanks for reading.
~Claire