My game plan as an early adult was to be an actor. It didn’t pay well. The art crept up on me slowly, and now is a huge part of my life. I owe some of this to a sublet apartment I had in my early 20’s, which was entirely pastel pink–possibly the only colour with which I ever had issues (chronic early childhood gender misidentification coupled with embarrassed parents). I spent my time in that sublet frantically drawing large pastel artworks to lean against the offensive wall colour in order to try and feel more comfortable. It had less to do with expressing myself and growing as an artist than it did with hiding the pink. However, I started to really get into it. Then the city contracts to teach summer camps came, then teacher’s college and a renewed desire to explore other media.
I now find that my students are a constant source of inspiration. Everything they see is through fresh eyes. Without even realizing it, they push me to push myself. Technically, I am their teacher, but it really is a two way street. I think that’s how all art works, ideally anyway; writing, music, drama, any visual media; it’s a synergistic construction within a group of people. Give and take, question and challenge, push and explore…
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