Artist Statement

My mom once said
I probably had a paintbrush in my hand
before a fork.

I grew up around art.
It’s a family tradition-
my mom makes art,
her mom makes art,
and I’ll probably teach my future child to make art.

At my core,
I feel like an artist
and a teacher.

But I also believe
art is something you can just do-
not necessarily something you have to be taught.
I say that, ironically,
as a professionally trained art educator.

It’s not something you have to be good at.
What even is good art?
What does it look like?

If you’re picturing photorealism right now-
(boring)
in my humble opinion.

Art is for everyone.
Art is good, bad, ugly, beautiful.
It’s everything
and nothing
all at once.

Art is bread.
Art is my body.

…any former Christians processing religious trauma get that?
No?
Read it again.

If you want my opinion on art,
look up Bread and Puppet’s
Why Cheap Art? Manifesto.

Did you do it?

It took me a long time
to call myself an artist.
I’d say I was studying art,
in art school,
an art educator-

but an artist?
That felt beyond me.

I thought I needed the degree first,
to sell the piece first,
to build the website first,
to document the portfolio first,
to do the market first,
to master the skill first.

But why can’t it be simple?

I make art.
Therefore, I am an artist.

I make, therefore I am.

My background in education
tells me to be a lifelong learner-
and I hope that stays true.

Never stop learning.
Never stop trying something new.
Never stop asking questions-
even the ones you think are silly.

It’s okay.
It’s okay to mess up.
It’s okay to not be the best.

It’s okay.

Art is for everyone.

I love you.
Thank you for being here.