About a year ago, when my figure drawing group was a big part of my life and my art practice, fellow artist John Barney invited me to be part of a group showing that featured artists who used text in their work. I had been working on “Pirate Queens; Piracy is a Feminist Act” at the time and considered it a perfect opportunity to continue the series. And even though I am WAY into my Pirate research and paintings, it didn’t sit right. I knew I needed to work on something else even though I didn’t know what that was. I figured I would let it sit and it would come to me as part of my artistic process.
The show was scheduled for May of 2020. Each month since being invited I felt the urgency to begin new pieces, but to no avail. The new year arrived and it became even more pertinent that I get focused and get to work. But I didn’t. I wouldn’t. In January of 2020, while Corona was arriving in the states, a dear friend died and I found it difficult to do much of anything. By February I was freaking out about my lack of progress and initiative. I didn’t know what to do, I certainly wasn’t working and the deadline of May was looming closer.
At the South Broadway Cultural Center gallery space where the show was slated all the work has to be “family friendly.” I felt confined by no nudity and no profanity which comprise most of my work. I struggled with what I was going to do as part of this group show. Usually I have an idea and I get going but I couldn’t commit and I couldn’t get started. I was stressed out about my lack of vision and inspiration. I was reaching for subject matter but nothing moved me. I felt like I should bow out. So much of the artwork I see these days is of the beautiful young lips pursed; beautiful and empty. I am more interested in depicting the aging and what it took to get there, but still nothing presented itself as a solid direction.
Shortly before the State of New Mexico shut down due to the pandemic my internet went out. Unfortunately, with Xfinity, this is a common issue. Yet another technician came out to “fix” the modem. Since he was here working for a couple of hours we got to talking as he was close to my age (though he looked quite a bit younger) and he revealed he had been a rodeo bull rider. Something within shifted and I felt the energy of imagery coming to me through this chance encounter.