Way back in 2011, I was an alumni and fortunate to be contacted by one of my college professors about an open call.
This was Boise during a time when the city did events were known as First Thursday. On the first Thursday of the month galleries, musicians, and local businesses would open their doors to the public and artists to socially mingle. There were some very inspiring pop artists who were doing brave and exciting work and I wanted so badly for that open call to accept my work. It was for The Basement Gallery. They were so edgy because they "weren't like all the other girls" who featured landscapes and other non-risky work. How very 2010's of me, right? As such, I created a series of work depicting humans, machines, and robot-like amalgamations were demonstrating mundane things. Three pieces were selected and it was my first experience being taken seriously as an artist. even sold a painting and to this day, I do not know who owns it.
Two others were selected for the show and altogether, it was a great opportunity that led me to making comics in the years that followed. I look back and think to myself that I should have continued with these, but that energy was going into making comics and my day job.
I got a chance to explore this work again when I was chosen to contribute to Freak Alley in 2016. It was an unpaid opportunity for exposure that I took because it was a chance to add to the character of Boise's growing downtown. It was an incredibly difficult piece to do as the hours to work were 5pm to 6am using rafters. This piece was only possible with the help of Wobblypython for their assistance in getting this completed in a timely fashion. If you get a change to check out their work, please consider supporting them. A big thanks to everyone who came to check out this work over the years and supported these efforts as they were happening. Over the years it has morphed with other artists' work adding to the piece and keeping it relevant and fresh. That's a pretty cool legacy to be a part of.
It is never too late to return to an examine something from our past because I believe wisdom and experience can only improve our perspective on the past. Not make it rosy, no. Reflect, yes. If plein air is the thing that provides me peace through nature, doing work featuring the bots provides my angst a place to work out my many complicated feelings about modern lifestyles. It's no secret to anyone that technology in today's world has greatly complicated our relationships with each other, the environment, ethics, and time. The aforementioned college professor has been re-examining his work over the decades and only improving on his original designs and if he can do it, maybe anyone else can, too.
I did not get chosen for some of the open calls and juried shows I have been recently applied for. Fortunately, this frees me up! Expect to see more of the bots kind of things. I am also working on a children's book that I won't get to share much of while it's being made. I intend to continue my plein air work and blogging of course, but if you're not a fan, feel free to step away. I don't hold grudges or resentment for that kind of thing because frankly there's enough in the world to be unhappy about. I don't need even roe baggage to carry around and neither should you. As always thanks for reading and being along for the journey!
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