Persistent Joy

What's a through line that you can identify connecting throughout your life? I like animals and have carried artist as part of my core identity. I've heard that they say it's your calling because it won't stay off your phone. While I have explored a large variety of mediums it has been the times when creative pursuits were set aside that I felt that my reality and sense of self were not aligned.

Back in college, I started a series of brightly colored animals in watercolor pastel. I started from photos I had taken of a pack of dogs. Meeting them in the countryside was a fun experience. A small Russell mix approached me where I had parked my bike. After a brief introduction they ran off into the bushes but reappeared with five other dogs. I got some good photos and did several of their portraits in the next months. My own pets then were featured in my drawings. I did most of this blue Blue while out and about. While I didn't start with this intention, it was a joy to reconnect with a style I hadn't used for a while.