"I'll be in the Green Room!"
A childhood visit to my grandmother's house was not complete without me yelling that phrase as I ran from the kitchen or living room to the stairs that led to the second floor. I still remember the feeling of anticipation as I walked the carpeted stairs, holding on to the wooden railing, dreaming about what I would draw, paint or sculpt that day. If anyone else lived
here, this room would be a bedroom. Large, but not quite as large as the Master. For my grandmother, however, it was an art studio. It had a slanted roof line, and two big windows looking out over the neighborhood. The carpet was green, three walls were painted green, and one clever accent wall was papered with a green checkerboard pattern. Over time the room faded from grass to mint, but regardless, it remained "the green room." When I was younger, she would spend hours up there with me. Most days we would paint or draw, each of us working on our own projects. Other days she would break out some clay and teach me how to make a pinch pot, or coil mug. We'd later fire them in a brick-lined kiln she had dug in her backyard. As I got older, and she climbed the stairs less, I would spend time up there alone, crafting something different each time. What I loved the most was that nothing was off limits. There was never a paint brush too nice, or piece of clay to expensive for me to touch. She made art - of all media - accessible to all of us. My family has more talent that I can share on this short page. From sewing to drawing, carving to carpentry, singing to song-writing, each of us has been blessed with creativity. For so many of us, it was time upstairs in that room, the green room, where we were first encouraged to let that creativity flow. When my grandmother passed in October of 2016, I vowed to make more time for art in my life. I had majored in Fine Art in college, with a focus on Art Therapy, but my own creative energy came to a halt soon after graduating. After a 8 year hiatus, I decided that it's time to honor what my grandmother has taught me. Over time the items here will change. My grandmother never stuck to one media, and neither have I. As I move between textiles, acrylics, printing, and mixed-media I'll share my work, with hopes that it will inspire someone else as well. Thank you for visiting my page, and for reading about my inspiration. "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." -Pablo Picasso
