Confessions 2: Gula Print

My grandmother, June Walker-League, taught me to draw and paint from the time I was old enough to hold a pencil. I dabbled in it throughout my life, but it wasn't until a few years ago at a point of great turmoil and stress that I discovered and experimented with charcoal. What began as a way to refocus my mind through a tactile medium transformed art into my spiritual savior. On February 21, 2016, the morning after I entered my work into my first juried art exhibition, I was told that my grandmother had died in a house fire. "Devastated" does not even begin to describe how I felt and what my family and I went through. Two of my pieces were selected for that art show, but she never got to see my work in an exhibit. Since she died, I've become more of a risk-taker where my art is concerned. I have been experimenting with paint and mixed media, trying to challenge myself more and in different ways with each piece. My style is almost the diametric opposite of hers –– she preferred colorful landscapes whereas I prefer portraits and tend to work in mostly black and white. But my interest and ability comes entirely from her and I like to think that she is a part of everything I create. Most of my work is based in the idea that a tremendous amount of mental and emotional information can be conveyed in the subtlest of facial expressions and especially eyes. I like to ask "what is she thinking" when someone is looking at one of my pieces. The responses are fascinating to me and I am humbled every time someone finds personal meaning in artwork I created. I think that's the best part of being an artist of any kind.