Getting Back to Painting

So it's January. I haven't made any resolutions this year (and actually, I don't know the last time I did that) but I do have goals and plans and aims I would like to fulfill. One of the main aims is to really grow my portfolio of artwork. I don't exactly know where I am going to store it all as the apartment is already overrun with paintings. But there is no question that I feel that I urgently must expand my portfolio of artwork. And to develop so that my work is getting better and better.

I also have to work the snobby side of being an artist by really making myself "literate" in art. I am not really an arty person. I love museums and art galleries - always did- but do I know the difference between a Jeff Koons work and a...I don't know, whatever? No, I do not. I can identify some artists especially the old dead ones I studied in Art 101 in university. But I am not someone who is all that literate about the art world and artists, and the one thing I don't ever want to be is a "snob."

I paint because I feel the need to paint, to "express" myself. I like to call myself an "expressionist." I was talking to this guy yesterday in an art gallery in Paris and he asked me which artist is my inspiration, which one do I want to emulate. I drew a blank. It never crossed my mind to want to emulate anyone. I am just not that girl. I always was the girl who wanted to be different. I wanted to be original. I wanted to be one of a kind. It would never occur to me to emulate another artist. I can admire that artist and think he or she is a genius. But I want to paint only like myself.

On top of that, he wanted to know my style and the thing is, the one thing I don't want as an artist is to be labelled or pigeon-holed or categorized. I don't want to be put into a box to say well, "you are this and so you should paint these things." or "You painted this piece so make all your other pieces exactly like it." I hate that. I want to be free. I want my art to be the one place where I am free to just let my soul and hands to their dance and see what we end up with. I don't want people trying to label me or impose their stereotypes and expectations and limited/rigid mindset on me. Not with art. I have to deal with that everyday of my life being pigeon-holed and boxed in. With art, I just want to be free.

With that said, I do have to pick up the pace of my production of art. I think it is urgent.

Some new stuff I am working on: