Life gets busy, especially when you own your own business and have a small child. Making time for art can be a struggle, but it helps to have a collaborator! I am glad I know Mary England, my artist/blogger friend who is always working on new, collaborative, creative work, so I can make art by way of collaboration.

Recently Mary organized a Puzzle Art Project, inviting 36 different artists from around the world to make art on their assigned blank puzzle piece. We all created something special on our puzzle pieces and returned them to Mary, who assembled the puzzle and affixed it to an abandoned building in Baltimore to bring a little beauty and joy to the area.

Here is the puzzle piece I submitted:

I used this puzzle project to finally experiment with some dried flowers I had and decoupage, a technique I had never really tried before. I had been saving some dead flowers for a while but didn't know what kind of project I should use them for. Luckily the puzzle piece afforded me a manageable blank canvas to attempt something new.

Here is a picture of the assembled puzzle and the work installed at the space:

Pretty awesome! The other artists and I all felt very good about working together and making such a successful piece. All the credit goes to Mary for coming up with the idea and getting us together on this. 

For more information on the project and to order a puzzle of our puzzle (so cool), check out Mary's blog directly: http://uncustomary.org/puzzle-art-project/.

My friend Mary and I have been accepted to create an art exhibition at the Top of the World Observation Level Gallery at the World Trade Center in Baltimore!  

In this exhibition, World Views: What's Your View?, we will collect and install at least 200 pieces of mail art from around the world. The goal is to inspire both the art makers and the art viewers to be curious, reflective, and aware of their own and other people's views, all while enjoying the view of Baltimore. 

We are now accepting submissions for mail art that we can incorporate in our show. Click here to view our call for mail art. Please submit work by January 24, 2015, or January 31 at the very latest, and spread the word to your contacts around the world! The exhibition will be on view February 6-March 29, 2015.

If you don't know what mail art is, feel free to browse Mary's blog, or take a look at some of the examples below:

Somehow this summer I've found myself collaborating with artist friends in more than one group projects with an environmental theme. I have always considered myself a bit of an environmentalist and included nature in my abstract works, but this year it's been nice to work with others to make some statements about man's relationship with nature.

First, I came across a fun opportunity to do a performance art piece in a pool for DC's SynchroSwim event. We had a blast making costumes and putting on a show! See my SynchroSwim webpage and my friend Mary's blog post for more.

Then, last Friday I went to my friend Michael's house to work on some puppets of dead sea animals. He went to Ocean City this Labor Day weekend with the puppets to raise awareness about Obama's approval to use sonic cannons in the Atlantic coast, a practice that uses extreme sound to search for oil that can kill, deafen, or otherwise impair animals, particularly dolphins and whales that rely on sound for survival and communication. I was unfamiliar with the issue but reading about it definitely raised my concerns.

I'm hoping Michael will have some pictures from his time at Ocean City with the finished puppets, but here are some pictures from when we were working on them:

Being a part of this project reminded me that art doesn't have to a solitary, complex, or exclusive endeavor. Team up with your friends and find your own audience!

A couple months ago I came across a great call for entry for a show featuring feminist art. The especially nice part about it was that the artist would get 80% of the sale, and the other 20% would go to a nonprofit focused on women's issues. Most artists know that it's great to get anything over 60% of the sale when you exhibit your work, so this opportunity was very appealing. 

I created a work especially for this exhibition. I called it "What She's Thinking". It was a very small collage made from handmade paper and found text in catalogs. While it wasn't an "in-your-face" feminist piece, I meant for it to be a reminder that babies and humans (and therefore females) are thinking creatures. Babies, girls, and women absorb the information, behaviors and cultures around them, so shouldn't we take a little responsibility as individuals and as a society to make sure the females of the world are happy and healthy? Shouldn't we encourage and recognize positive and powerful thinking in women? I was hoping this art piece, though simple, would provoke some important questions.  

As you can probably deduce by the title of this blog post, my piece was not accepted for this exhibition. Lately I have gotten pretty good at applying for opportunities that are relevant to the type of art I make, but apparently I was off the mark this time. I felt a little hurt and yes, rejected, in this instance that I was not accepted, but it didn't last long. 

My view is that applying for competitions, shows and opportunities is just like applying for a job every time. You have to first read carefully about the opportunity to make sure you would be a good fit, then you have to make sure your application materials show your work is relevant to the opportunity. A wise extra step would be to do a little research on the judge/jury of the opportunity. You should normally try to do this, especially with calls for entries that require a fee. You don't want to throw away your money on an opportunity you're not likely to get because the decision-makers have completely different perspectives from you. Applying for these opportunities takes time and commitment, just like when you apply for a job. And sometimes "they" like you, and sometimes they don't. It comes down to being a good fit.

The bottom line is, when you are rejected for an opportunity, it simply means you were not what they were looking for. Some people think that's a tough pill to swallow, but really it's not. Everyone should know by now that art is highly subjective. Just because you believe your work is "feminist" enough, doesn't mean others will. Or, the issue may simply be that your work was too big, small or otherwise problematic when grouped with the other pieces in the space. Or, maybe it was the space altogether--sometimes certain lighting, walls, and other factors would not be complimentary to your piece. Also, there are times when your art might a good choice under other circumstances, but maybe the curators have too many collages this time and want to include more sculptures for the exhibition.

Then there may be times when you should take part of the blame for your own rejection. If you know a particular exhibition aims to sell as many high-priced art pieces as possible, and you submit a work with a suggested price of $50, you probably recognize there is a high risk of rejection. Also, if your work is getting consistently rejected though you believe you are applying for the right opportunities, there may be a problem with how your work is photographed, the accompanying information you're providing, your professionalism, or maybe the work itself is not what they're looking for. When you find your work doesn't appeal to a very wide audience, that can become very discouraging, very fast. If you realize most of the world doesn't "get" or like your art, it is up to you whether you want to modify your pieces and create new work that is somehow more "mainstream", or continue working in the same manner, but just realize you'll need to toughen up and work harder to find the opportunities right for you.

Though there are times when I am rejected from exhibiting in a show that I wanted, I do think it's harder when I don't win competitions because there are chosen "winners" and that means I'm the "loser". Even in these cases, however, the fact remains that I was not what the judges/jury/gallery/museum/art buyer were looking for. Everyone is looking for something different, and sometimes I am not it. But, just like applying for jobs or anything worthwhile in life, you have to keep trying. Over time you change, the judges change, the world changes, and sometimes you just have to wait for the stars to align. 

But you have to be ready, willing, and watching for the next opportunity.  

Father's Day came and went, and it was beautiful outside! 

To my pleasant surprise, a father and friend of mine decided to get outside for Father's Day and visit Gwynns Falls Trail. He and his family checked out my piece #TakeASketchLeaveASketch, and his daughter sketched a little something to leave in the box.

Though I haven't made many interactive works in the past, it makes me very happy that people are actually interacting with this piece. From what I've observed, usually kids are the ones who leave a sketch.

One of the best things in life to me is to share my art with others. And #TakeASketchLeaveASketch is about giving others the opportunity to share their art as well. I'm glad kids are compelled to sketch something and share it, but I hope more adults will jump on board too! You are never too old to let your creativity out.

When was the last time you shared your art with others?

As I edited my website and updated my art resume today, I paused to remember what it was like to graduate from art college six years ago. MICA, Class of 2008. At the time I remember feeling pretty good about being done with school, and my only plan was to take virtually any tolerable job near my apartment that I could walk to. Once I found a way to earn income, I wanted to continue to make art and seek exhibition opportunities in Baltimore. I remember fretting over the fact that I didn't have a car, and how that might hold me back from showing my art. But worrying about how I would transport my art was putting the cart before the horse. First I would need to make the art and find the opportunities. Then I would have to be accepted for opportunities.

For anyone curious about what life looks like after graduating with an art degree, I'll summarize my years of experience for you here.

2008:

Lucky for me, soon after graduation, I came across the glamorous position of box office assistant at a live theater in my area. While I was hoping it would be my stepping stone into costume-making, props, set-design, or play writing, I mainly just gained customer service and office skills to add to my resume. However, even though it wasn't a huge step professionally, it was a step: my first full-time job. I was pretty proud of myself for being able to pay my own bills and enjoyed the other perks of working there, like learning more about the theater community and having the amazing privilege of seeing free plays for the two years I worked there. I also made incredible and inspiring friends--box office workers are basically the most fun breed of people out there! You had to have a sense of humor to deal with the "drama" (pun-intended). Lost tickets, picky patrons, cancelled shows, diva-like actors, and a bit of condescension from the other theater employees came with the title.

Meanwhile, during this first year out of college, I wasn't producing very much art. I was used to making large, messy installations at the MICA studios and didn't exactly know what kind of work to create in my one-bedroom apartment. One of my friends from MICA and I saw that there was a studio space available near my apartment, so we decided to lease it and try to get other studio mates as well. We had grand plans that we would profit from letting other artists rent the space, but to our surprise, not too many artists wanted to pay the price, or any price. We tried forming a "collective", hoping our studio would attract artists and we would host exhibitions, but the space really wasn't very large, and the best walls for hanging work were in the garage area, which was very difficult to heat, and even more difficult to pay for it. 

Even though I had plenty of access to this studio space, I wasn't really able to make my art there. Instead of creating a thriving art hub, I was struggling and overwhelmed. Interactions with my friend became more tense, and eventually we decided to end our lease early. So, that was that.


Even though one might call it a failed venture, I learned a lot from that experience. One: going into business with a friend can be tricky--we haven't talked much since then. Two: don't take risks with money you don't have. At least I had enough money to make this mistake. And three: when it comes to making a profit or even breaking even on your own idea, it's harder than it looks. It's not impossible, but you do have to expect some setbacks and expenses, and put as much forethought in your decisions as possible. It's also true you have to know when to quit, and we did.

2009:

In 2009, I had no exhibitions to my name and was still working at the box office. I got married that year at age 23, so that was a bit pre-occupying. Life was fun and not too serious, but I knew I needed to be doing something with my art.

I started a little project, something that didn't cost me anything and that I could work on anywhere. I started hand-sewing scraps of paper together, thinking that it would eventually become a giant paper quilt. I just worked on it here and there, and hoped one day it would mean something.

In 2009, I did find out about the awesome art opportunity in Baltimore- the Baker Artists Awards. I used my senior thesis art pieces to apply for the prize since I didn't have any other new work. I didn't win, but I browsed the other artists and saw someone who was doing amazing large-scale installations with colorful tissue paper. I felt it related to my work, and left her a comment saying how I admired her projects. She ended up looking at my work online and suggested we apply for a textile show in Kansas City together. Though we never met or even talked on the phone, I sent her my images and information and she worked on the proposal. We didn't get the show, but from that experience, I learned that artists have to stick together. This artist turned out to be quite accomplished and just happened to have a collaborative and open-minded spirit. Even though I told her multiple times I was "just an emerging artist" and didn't know what I was doing, she extended a hand and gave me some hope. That meant a lot and encouraged me to keep going. 

2010:

By 2010 I was ready to leave the box office. Having to deal with customers and sitting at a computer all day long wasn't satisfying anymore. My husband and I decided to by our first car and move into a bigger apartment in a more suburban area. I applied for jobs that seemed interesting to me. I had a short stint as a summer teacher for underprivileged middle-schoolers which went quite horribly, since I was called in as a replacement teacher for someone who quit, and I was extremely unprepared and untrained. I had at one point considered becoming a teacher, but that rough experience left me completely dumbfounded and not knowing what to do.

I began looking at job ads and found one for a small nonprofit that provided work-readiness training for low-income adults. Basically, they needed someone with entry-level office skills. Basically, I had those skills since I worked at the box office. I got the job and felt pretty good about it. At least this was more of a regular 9-5 type job where I didn't have to work nights and weekends.

Even though we had a bigger apartment with one room for my art, it was more of a storage room for art that hadn't been shown or sold. I continued to work on my sewing project little by little, but was starting to wonder, could I call myself an artist at this point? I had the degree and some finished work from the past, but who knew about me and what I have done lately? I was starting to have my doubts.

2011:

My job was going well at the nonprofit I was working for. I was learning how to write grants and seemed to be doing more than just regular clerical work. My husband's job was going well too, and in 2011 we bought a house. It was hard for me to part with our savings that went toward the down-payment. I guess I had never thought of that money going to something so permanent like a house in the suburbs. Perhaps some part of me thought that those savings may be a way for me to "become an artist", or a cushion for me to pursue my dreams if there was ever an opportunity someday?

But in reality, who was I kidding? I hadn't finished a substantial piece of art since I graduated from art school, and I hadn't had any exhibitions. Toward the end of 2011, I managed to find two calls for entry for art shows that I may be eligible for. I applied for both using the images from my senior thesis, but wasn't hopeful. In my mind I was telling myself that if these shows don't work out, I probably shouldn't think of myself as an artist anymore. I should find something else to focus on, like my nonprofit work or a "real job". 

2012:

It turns out, I got accepted to participate in both of the shows I applied for in 2011! One was even a solo exhibition opportunity in Washington DC. I was never so surprised and elated in my life. I was even assigned an artist mentor who would help me prepare for that particular show. 

2012 was amazing. My mentor put me in touch with some studio artists locally who gave me some awesome studio space. I had a house where I could spread out and work on new projects using recycled materials. I finally finished that hand-sewn paper piece and it did appear in one of the shows. I had two shows that went well and led to other opportunities. I created a website, something every artist should do as soon as they can. I finally felt like an artist! Of course, my full-time job was still necessary, rewarding, and interesting, but at least my art degree was getting some use.

2013:

Now that I had begun exhibiting and had finally made new work since graduating, I felt more inclined to seek opportunities. Once you start looking, they're easy to find, and once you start believing you're a real artist, you actually become a real artist. I added more shows to my resume and started branching out in new ways, even making an interactive outdoor piece.

But, life is not just about art. In 2013, I still had my full time job, had joined the board of a professional association, and became pregnant with my first child! I was being pulled in so many directions and was also especially low on energy. Even though I have always lived a busy life, my husband actually said I looked like a train wreck. While I enjoyed the success I was having in my "day job" and in other professional arenas, I knew I needed to scale back. I quit the board I was a part of and lightened my art load toward the end of the year. I reasoned it was OK to have a little time to rest and relax while I created a baby. 

2014:

We're almost halfway through the year, and my baby is 3 months old! It has been quite an adjustment being a new mom, so I allowed myself to have a small hiatus from art. Luckily, though, I found some fun opportunities recently, so I am back in the saddle this weekend, collaborating with another artist on an upcoming performance piece and also working on a small project before the weekend is over. 

As for my day job, being a mom and working full time in a demanding position just doesn't seem plausible right now. Beginning in July, I will begin working with my husband with his new business, Pest Czar, where I will once again use my customer service skills from the box office, along with the new marketing and high-level administration skills I gained from my job at the nonprofit.

In conclusion, having an art degree isn't so different from having any other kind of degree. In my experience, just possessing a bachelors degree in any major can get you in the door as far as "day jobs" are concerned, but life overall is not about degrees or moving up the career ladder. For me, life has been and always will be about improving myself and contributing to the community. It is and always will be about family, creativity, and nature. It is and always will be about happiness. I encourage anyone, especially recent graduates, to remember what truly motivates you and stay focused on your goals, but know there are many paths you can take to lead a fulfilling life. Sometimes you will be more motivated to work on your art, sometimes you will need a break. Sometimes you will need to focus on making money, and sometimes you might be able to take a break from that too. As long as you follow your heart, make smart choices, pay attention to your finances, and surround yourself with supportive people, you will be OK. 

As you may have noticed, my blogging and art production have decreased some over the past several months. That is largely due to the fact that I am expecting my first baby on March 16, so my mental and physical energy levels have been quite up and down. It's a pretty major undertaking, creating a human life!

Still, I have remained fairly active in participating in shows, making new art, and seeking opportunities throughout my pregnancy. Some artistic updates: I created a nomination for the Baker Artist Awards and also applied for the Sondheim prize. Both opportunities grant monetary prizes and shows to Baltimore area artists. If you're a Baltimorean, I strongly recommend checking out the incredible websites and exhibitions that display the work of our local artists. If you're a Baltimore artist, I strongly recommend you enter these competitions every year!

In other news, I have found that one of the most enjoyable things about being pregnant is revisiting my favorite children's books. I remember being a particularly huge fan of Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein.

First of all, I remember loving Eric Carle's illustrations. I actually remember watching a video about his creative process in one of my elementary school classes, showing how he used tissue paper to create the art. I looked at The Very Hungry Caterpillar recently with my now artistically trained eye, and loved how he used different sized pages and cut-out holes to bring the story to life. His shapes, colors, patterns, composition and creativity are an inspiration to me now.

Dr. Seuss was another serious favorite of mine. I read many of his books as a child--I loved his writing, rhyming and fun drawings. Green Eggs and Ham was my absolute favorite book when I first learned to read. I also loved The Lorax very much once I discovered it. It left a lasting impact on how I view the earth and the environment. Dr. Seuss will always be special to me because he had such a fun, rhythmic, and approachably powerful way of story telling. His illustrations were also so imaginative and unique. What a genius!

A little later in my childhood I was introduced to Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends. I remember reading the poems in the book and loving all of them. I went to my local library recently and checked out a few Shel Silverstein books, including A Light in the Attic and the relatively newly published Runny Babbit. Reading his poems now, I may love his work more than ever. Some of his poems are hilarious and fun, but many others are beautifully sad, uplifting, and touching, all while being simple and easy to read. His drawings are no-frills, but always very fitting with the witty poems he creates. My husband and I are working on writing some poems and making some Silverstein-style drawings to create a book for our daughter. We are no experts, but at least Silverstein sets an unpretentious example that is fun to imitate.

As a child, I always wanted to be a children's book author and illustrator. Looking at these books now, I see them as real artistic masterpieces. As I continue exploring paper-making and collage, I believe you will see some of Carle's, Seuss', and Silverstein's influences in my work. I am looking forward to discovering new children's books, sharing them with my daughter, and gaining new inspiration on combining words and images. 

My new exhibition, Basics, is now on view at the Notre Dame of Maryland University. Thanks to everyone who came to the opening; it was so nice to have such support from friends from all over Baltimore.

This exhibition features a mix of older and newer works, with some that have never been seen outside a classroom or studio. I will also have my first-ever Gallery Talk on November 13 at noon, so please spread the word and attend!

If you're on this site, you probably know I am an artist, but I also work at a nonprofit, Maryland New Directions (MND). At MND, we help low-income adults make positive changes in their lives through employment. I first began working there 3 years ago, looking for a decent full-time job where 1) I could make a difference 2) stay in Baltimore and 3) still make my art. It has been a good fit over the years, and I am proud to say the job has held up to my expectations.

I believe everyone deserves the chance to earn a comfortable living and enjoy what they do. That is what most people want, myself included. At this organization, I have witnessed many individuals gain not only jobs, but confidence, self-esteem, happiness, and security. Our clients sing our praises and share their success stories with us every day. I am extremely proud to work here, as I love this city and want to be a part of the positive change in our communities. About 25% of Baltimore City residents live in poverty. That is not good enough for us as staff, and we work very hard to help break the cycle of joblessness and poverty.

Since starting work here, I have learned a ton about nonprofits and what it takes to run them. Our job-readiness services are free to those in need, but it does take blood, sweat, tears, and ultimately funding to have a lasting impact on the lives of others. Part of my job is to make sure we have enough funding to keep our organization running, and this year we have launched a campaign inviting people from the community to give to our cause. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to change a village.

Please donate to this campaign. Your gift will help others discover their talents and interests and earn income for themselves.

It has been quite the summer. Some highlights:

I did another class at Mesh Baltimore, one of my very favorite groups in Baltimore, where people gather to share knowledge and skills with each other. I taught about making art from recycled materials- it was a blast as usual and students got to take some scrap materials off my hands!

Also this summer, I enjoyed having my first show in Frederick, Westmaryginiasylvanington. As the name of the show suggests, this was a regional exhibition featuring artists within a 50 mile radius of Frederick. Andrea Pollan was an excellent juror and speaker for the show, and Adam Farcus from Hood College did a fantastic job of putting it all together. I really loved the art from the rest of the artists, so it was great experience!

I also finally installed in a new, stable mailbox for #TakeASketchLeaveASketch at Leakin Park at Gwynns Falls Trail. People have been leaving sketches, too! Check my page to see the updates on that.

Another highlight of the summer was visiting my home state Colorado. We went at the end of August before the big rains hit. The flooding is mind-blowing, by the way. For those not familiar with the Colorado climate, it is generally dry throughout the state, even desert-like in many areas. Heavy rainfall is not common at all, and I literally cannot believe my eyes seeing how much water landed over the state. I think this article does a good job explaining how unusual this type of weather is.

Anyway, while we we visiting, some attractions like the Royal Gorge were closed due to wildfires since there has been a severe drought until just recently. But,we did get to see many other areas of the state that are quite beautiful. I particularly enjoyed going to Seven Falls, which has always been within minutes of where I have lived, but I had no memories of actually being there before.

Though my hometown of Colorado Springs was spared the worst of the flooding, I learned from my parents recently that many trails have been washed out by rain, and Seven Falls actually did flood. Anyway, I recommend that everyone visits Colorado, it is a beautiful state with a lot to offer, and, despite the extreme weather, most days are so nice there.

Another thing I really enjoyed this summer was participating in some flash mobs. My friend Mary is doing awesome things as a blogger and an artist (see blog here), so I decided to participate in her Human Rainbow flash mob and Sidewalk Chalk flash mob. Both were at the awesome Federal Hill Park in Baltimore.

I love Mary's projects because they're always fun, bring people together, and I get to see Mary, who is such a positive, joyful, creative leader.

Well, that's it for now. As far as news goes, I will my first solo show in Baltimore this fall at the Notre Dame of Maryland University from October 21 to November 22. I am very excited about that and am currently working on some new projects for it. Also, make sure you visit my #TakeASketchLeaveASketch page to see the latest sketches.

How was your summer?