Ever since I was a small child, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be an artist. So, I took the personal initiative at the ripe-old-age of 10 to practice drawing every day. I had some minor skill, but mostly a glue-like tenacity to stick with it day after day year after year. Self-taught is how I would describe myself back then, although I had some minor direction from an oil painting grandmother. Even still, I was thrilled to be accepted into Advanced Art in High School. Although my teacher was a dud and taught us absolutely nothing, I was ready to benefit from the huge amount of amazing tools and supplies the great state of Minnesota threw at high school art classrooms. We were using miter saws to cut our own canvas frames and heavy canvas to stretch tight across those crooked corners. We painted earnestly on those handmade canvases to share the thoughts and ideas lurking around 1980s teenagers. It was magical-we found our purpose, our direction our life purpose in those back rooms of Thomas Jefferson Senior High School.
Honestly, it is truth when we say I AM AN ARTIST or I AM AN ARCHITECT. It is not simply what we do for a living. It defines who we are. I knew I had found my life calling and I was all in. I went to art school for eight straight years and came out with a high school art teaching job and a husband artist who I could banter with daily about the ins and outs of our very different forms of art. He being the graphic designer and comic book artist and me being the elitist snob gallery-bound fine artist. A match only made in the art classroom.
Now I look back 25 years later and realize we have stuck to our art life calling. The term starving artists has not been lost on us, but we have persevered and won. We wake up nearly every morning to do a little art each day. We have been full-time artists, art professors and art guides for the next generation. (Of course our 2 sons are manic comic book artists like their father.)
Every year at Comicon in San Diego, I sit at our art booth and I reflect, think and take inventory of our art career. Every year I am grateful for our art life even in the tough times. I think…We did this! We created this art, this name this logo and all this art brings us so much joy. The art is loved and well-received by our fans. That in turn brings us joy, because art is meant to be shared. We are in the best career possible and we know we have heeded a call and we have to follow through. At the end of the day, that carries so much meaning.
Recently, I told some of my art students that we need them to be full-time artists and to do whatever it takes to make that their life calling. In every way possible I try to impart my passion and love for the lifestyle of the artist. It is a challenging path and very hard lifestyle, but like all worthwhile things in life, it is so worth it. Art touches us at the level of the human soul-we need that. It makes us think and feel and even question our very existence-we crave that. From time to time, we all need creative outlets and moments of artistic expression. So I say to all, whether you be a trained artist or not, it does not matter. BE SMART, MAKE ART.
