Welcome to Street Prophets Sunday Coffee Hour. This is an open topic thread so grab some refreshments and sit a spell and let us know what is new with you.
If I had to pick the person who had the biggest influence in my life I would have to pick my second grade teacher Mrs. Bluestein. For once in my life I was accepted as me and not a pale imitation of my older brother. She is why I am an artist today. She wrote in large letters on my report card "take a look at her art!"
I have worked in many mediums over the years. My two main ones now are computer generated art and acrylics paintings. I have a bookcase full of my paintings.
I have been told by experts that I am an expressionist painter. I don't paint from what I see in front of me rather the paintbrush is an extension of my mind. I literally have an image in my mind that I transfer to the canvas.
Art has always been my refuse. I grew up with a mother who didn't really like me and a father who liked me too much.
For me life is about creating. It is taking things and turning them into something unique. It is taking ingredients and turning them into a good tasting dish. It is taking fabric and making your niece her Princess Bride wedding dress. It is taking a skein of yarn and turning it into a colorful scarf. It is taking a white canvas and tubes of paint and turning it into art.
The painting in this diary is typical of how my mind sees things when I have a paintbrush in my hands. The sky is varied. It has stars, lights and storms all together. It also has an ocean a frequent feature of my art. I love the ocean. I use a sleep machine with the ocean sounds at night.
My real life role model was my Aunt Hazel. She was a fiercely independent woman and a brilliant artist. She had a painting of a Russian Orthodox priest that was an award winner.
For me art is something that I can escape into. When things would get too hectic and difficult I could grab my paintbrush or computer mouse and create. To create for me is to live. I'll be 76 in March. I hope I will never lose that urge to create.
You can find more of my artwork and photography at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-michele-wilson