Once an Artist, Always an Artist
Reflecting on Career Milestones in the snd Quarter of 2022
I don’t know about y’all, but this second quarter of the year has absolutely flown by for me.
January through March felt quieter, slower, maybe even a little more guarded. I was deep in reflection and the painting process during this time, creating some of the biggest and most diverse work I have made to-date, and processing through lifetimes of grief (it felt like).
But then April came and the warmer weather seemed to be coaxing me out of my shell, shifting my gaze from inward to outward. I have still been painting, but my production has slowed. I can sense that I am shifting into a different stage of the creative cycle.
I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the buzz of activity, feeling as if I am always behind and getting very little done. The truth is, though, that so much has happened in the last three months and the flurry of activity has left little time for processing the moments.
As I write this, I am remembering that in the last three months I have hit multiple milestones in my art career.
In April, my mural, “Call me Crazy”, debuted at the 10th Anniversary ArtFields Art Competition in Lake City, South Carolina.
This moment was huge for me. This was my first time having my work shown in a juried show, shown alongside some of the most talented and inspiring artists in the southeastern region. I was blown away by this experience and what the folks of Lake City are doing to support southern art and artists. This competition changed me. I have another blog post talking about the whole experience that I share here.
At the beginning of May, a piece from my new collection that I have yet to share anywhere else, “She”, debuted at the Kingsport Art Guild for the Appalachian Regional Exhibit.
This was my second juried show to be entered into and it, too, felt surreal. I entered two pieces to be shown, one “safe” piece (a piece that was bold, and expressive, but what I considered to be easier to digest for the general public) and one “risky” piece (one that felt bolder and more raw). I was hesitant in applying to this show from the beginning because I have been told by people in this area before that my work “scares them”. I wasn’t sure how the two pieces would be received, if at all. Much to my surprise, the “riskier” piece was chosen to exhibit in the show. This moment felt very validating for the work I have felt pushed to pursue.
Currently, for the month of June, another new piece from my new collection, “Home in her Self”, is on display at The Emporium in Knoxville, TN as part of the Dogwood Arts Regional Exhibit.
This is my third juried show to be entered into after having been previously denied entry to this exhibition in the past. Again, this moment was hugely validating for the work I am currently feeling pushed to create, and also validating to my personal growth as an artist. While I am still struggling with my imposter syndrome as I see my work hanging next to such incredibly talented and experienced artists, I am still overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunities. (If you are in Knoxville, the show is up through June 25th! Be sure to stop and check it out.)
These were experiences that, when I was a teenager dreaming of being an artist one day, I always believed would mark the moment that I had “arrived” as an actual artist.
For the longest time I struggled to call myself “a real artist” because I had not ever done anything that I felt made me “worthy” of that title. I made art, sure, but that didn’t make me an artist! (18 year old Marcy was funny like that)
It wasn’t until 2019 that I would actually start claiming that title for myself, and even then it was with hesitation.
Now I have no problems telling people that I am an artist - but am I any more of an artist now than I was when I was 18? No, of course not.
The second quarter of the year brought with it huge milestones for me, all of which I am so incredibly grateful for and still reeling from, but it is during these moments that I have to remind myself that even if I were to never sell another painting or to never share another painting publicly ever again, I would still be an artist.
Yes, these moments are big milestones, yes, they feel very validating, but the truth is, and what I always tell my daughter, is that my relationship to my work is all that matters in the end.
That being said, I can’t help but feel like 18 year old Marcy did not dream big enough. 33 year old me has much bigger plans for the future and is excited to see where else this path leads.
And I cannot thank you enough for being here and sharing this journey with me.
What I Learned at ArtFields 2022
What I learned from competing at ArtFields 2022
In April I participated in the ArtFields Competition in Lake City, South Carolina and I have to tell you - it was incredible. I came away from this experience so inspired and for so many reasons that I will get into, but to start, let me tell you about the event.
If you haven’t heard of ArtFields, let me tell you about it. ArtFields is a 9-day-long art competition held in the small town of Lake City, South Carolina. Lake City is a small, agricultural town of about 2,000-4,000 people and ten years ago, the organizers of ArtFields decided they wanted to pursue revitalization of their community through southern art, and so, ArtFields was born.
Ten years later, ArtFields is massive, attracting thousands of artists to enter from all over the southeast. For their tenth year competition, 400 artists were selected, including myself, bringing their work to display all over the town of Lake City.
Over the course of the competition, there is art on display everywhere, and I really mean everywhere. Nearly every business you walk into has multiple artworks on display. Businesses participating in the ArtFields competition as hosts to artists and their artwork all had the ArtFields logo emblazoned on their windows and doors in bright orange. There are sculptures, murals, community art projects, and interactive art installations spread out all throughout the town all with ArtFields signs directing you to “more art”.
My piece, “Call Me Crazy”, was on display outdoors for the event. (Check out the catalog of artwork on display for the 2022 event here!)
I went to Lake City for the last weekend of the competition and I have to tell you, it was really overwhelming for several reasons - the artwork alone is something I am still processing nearly two months later. 400 pieces of artwork on display and I maybe saw three-quarters of the work that was on display. You really need the entire 9 days to see all the artwork and give each piece the time and attention it deserves.
For the sake of this blog post, though, I am going to list my 5 Biggest Takeaways from the ArtFields Competition.
Artist Appreciation:
Right off the bat, the thing that stuck out to me the most was the way Lake City values artists. Their goal for their community is to “Make Lake City and Art Town Year-Round”. Coming from a place that regularly overlooks the arts community to a place that not only values art and artists, but is also actively trying to recruit them into their community brought me to tears on my first day.
Community Support:
The entire Lake City community was pumped for this event. Nearly every business I walked into, I was greeted by business owners showing me the art that was on display in their building. Let’s just say that where I come from, there is not nearly the same level of enthusiasm for community events. Witnessing this had me wondering what all it took to get the community on board with supporting this event.
Talent in the South
Y’all, the art that was on display for this event was incredible (one of the reasons my imposter syndrome was raging over the weekend). Southern artists have historically been overlooked by museums, especially self-taught, black, southern artists. To anyone questioning the validity of southern art, I would encourage them to attend ArtFields. For a large part of my young-adult life I carried shame about the region where I grew up (for both personal and cultural reasons). I, at one point in time, did my best to eradicate any hint of a southern twang in my dialect. This show reminded me that, although the south has a troubled history, there is much to be proud of that is coming from this region - especially the brave souls creating bold and challenging work.
4. Imposter Syndrome is a Bitch
Speaking of imposter syndrome, mine was on high alert the weekend of the competition. As an “informally educated” artist (I don’t claim to be self-taught, because I have learned from other people, just not in an academic setting) with no formal training, I struggle with the validity of myself and my work in the presence of artists further into their career paths or that have formal training. I don’t know if this is something that will ever go away, and I still struggle to manage it, but one thing I try to do when I hear the voice of my imposter syndrome is to ask myself “what’s behind the story?” What is behind the story my imposter syndrome is trying to tell me? My imposter syndrome wants me to believe that my work is invalid compared to the work of others and doesn’t deserve to be in the company of such talent, but behind that story is the insecurity, envy, and grief of a vulnerable part of myself that is scared of being seen. Instead of listening to the story of my imposter syndrome, I choose to lovingly hold those feelings with both hands and give myself the comfort and assurance that I need in order to commit more fully to the work that fulfills my heart and soul.
5. Long-term sustainable support
My biggest takeaway from this experience was the work that ArtFields is doing to support artists in a sustainable, enduring way. ArtFields announced that their next phase of growth includes establishing affordable artist studio spaces and long-term artist residency programs in order to “make Lake City an Art Town year-round.” Because of their full-commitment to supporting southern artists, it inspired me to dream bigger for the mission of Bristol in Bloom and the ways in which Bristol in Bloom can grow to support Appalachian artists more sustainably.
I don’t know that I will truly know how deeply this experience has impacted me for some time, but I do know that I came away from it changed - not just by the experience as a participating artist attending the event for the first time, but also by the art that I consumed while there. For so long I have feared being noticed which resulted in me staying small and “playing it safe”, but after my weekend at ArtFields I made a promise to myself that I would no longer allow that fear to hold me back.
5 Steps to Creating Joy
Sharing the 5 steps I take to creating joy daily!
5 Steps to Creating Joy
At the beginning of this year, I committed myself to creating daily rituals around joy. Of course, life gets in the way and I don’t always make space for this ritual every day, but I make time for it every week at the minimum. After all, what is the point of having a practice if you can’t sustain it?
I made this commitment because, well, my relationship with joy is complicated. As someone who lives with C-PTSD, much of the work I am doing around healing involves learning to regulate my nervous system, and joy can feel very disruptive to my nervous system. In essence, joy can feel like a threat and trigger my trauma response. I decided to commit to this practice as a way of acclimating my body to the experience of joy, retraining my body and mind to feel safe in that experience, and in turn, safe in the expression of joy.
What I am learning from this practice, though, is that there is a close relationship between joy and freedom and I think for many people the art of freedom is something that gets lost as we age and responsibilities take over.
I know it may sound counterintuitive, but sometimes we have to schedule time for freedom.
When was the last time you scheduled time for play? When was the last time you scheduled unstructured time to explore and be creative?
I am going to share the 5 steps I take for finding freedom and creating joy in hopes that this inspires you to do the same!
Here are the steps I follow:
*disclaimer: this is not an affiliate post. I do not receive any money or paid benefits by sharing the following links.
1. Make a hot matcha latte with oat milk and coconut sugar with my super fancy (and also affordable) milk frother.
Apply it at home: What gives you comfort? Is it your favorite pajama pants? A cozy robe? An organized work station? Start with what gives you comfort and makes you feel at ease.
*This step is very important. I do not ever skip this step! If you want to delight in making your own fancy hot beverages at home, check out the frother here.
2. Set the mood with music.
Apply it at home: Check in with yourself and how you are feeling, then select your music accordingly. Choose a radio station on your streaming platform that captures the vibe you’re going for, but take caution not to go down the rabbit hole of curating the perfect playlist.
*My go-to playlist moody and melodic with the majority of the songs (and by majority, I mean all of them) coming from Florence and the Machine and Amythyst Kiah. Give it a listen here!
3. Light a candle.
Apply it at home: Mark the moment you begin. Ring a bell, take some cleansing breaths, put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” - whatever you choose, signal to your body and mind that you are starting now and any interruptions or other distractions will have to wait until you are done.
*My favorite place for dreamy candles is Bohicket Apothecary. Check them out here!
4. WRITE IT OUT!
Apply it at home: Write whatever is on your mind at that moment and for however long it takes for you to stop worrying about what you are writing and, instead, get to the heart of the matter (usually about 3 pages for me, or 10-15 minutes). If this is your first time journaling, set yourself a timer for 5-10 minutes; you can always adjust if needed!
5. PAINT IT OUT!
Apply it at home: Joy and freedom go hand-in-hand and those two things can be found through PLAY! Consider this your permission to play. This step is all about freedom and play. Don’t have paint supplies? No worries! Do something else that helps you find a similar sense of freedom: Dance around like a wild person, go for a walk outside, do yoga, connect with the limitless expanse of your own consciousness with meditation; whatever you choose, make sure it is what you want to do, not what you think you should do.
*Painting over top of the words you wrote releases you from the fear that someone will read what you wrote in the future! This step is all about freedom and play. Don’t think about it, don’t judge it, JUST DO IT! If it gives you too much anxiety, BURN IT WHEN YOU ARE DONE! Need a journal with sturdy pages that can hold all of your feelings in the form of paint? Check out my favorite I have found so far!
These are the steps I am deliberate about scheduling into my week (you can check out some of my process videos on instagram here) to be in the practice of joy. For me, this ritual is as much about inviting more joy into my life as it is about retraining my body and nervous system to feel at ease in play again. I hope this helps you to do the same!
If you are interested in exploring this process further, keep an eye out for upcoming Paint Your Feelings Workshops! I’ll be updating my website here with in-person classes as well as virtual options in the future!
Paint Your Feelings Workshop
“Can you be aware that as much of the beauty you want to create, so too is there a need for things that are antithetical to it - so too is there a need for something gruesome, or ugly, or strange, or put together in ways that our mind can’t quite understand…” -Chani Nicholas
Paint Your Feelings Workshop
Monday, April 4th 2022
“Can you be aware that as much of the beauty you want to create, so too is there a need for things that are antithetical to it - so too is there a need for something gruesome, or ugly, or strange, or put together in ways that our mind can’t quite understand…” -Chani Nicholas
I have a young daughter named Searsha who will be turning 5 soon. She currently goes to a daycare where she gets to play, make art, make messes, and just be a kid for most of the day. Of course, there are still rules, and manners, and procedures she has to follow, but on most days, she absolutely loves it. Most of the time when I pick her up, she’s in good spirits, still riding the high of whatever game or activity she was doing with her friends, but there are some days when I pick her up that she falls into pieces the moment I get her buckled into her car seat.
On those days where she falls apart, it usually doesn’t take much to get her going. For example, there is a free library right outside of her school that we usually stop to visit at pick up. We take a book from the library and when we get to the car, I read it to her before we head home. Then, we return the book the next morning at drop off for another family to take home. One day she had a mega meltdown in the car because I told her I would read her the book after I buckled her into her seat instead of before.
The dramaaaaa
I’ve heard several other moms share similar experiences - speaking about the meltdown that comes shortly after pickup. This isn’t an uncommon thing for kids. It even has a name - the “After-School Restraint Collapse”.
The idea is that kids are trying so hard at school all day to “be good” or, in other words, to keep their shit together. So, after they have been on their absolute best behavior all day, once they get to a place where they feel safe to do so, they let it all go. It’s like a bubble just waiting to burst.
On the days when Searsha is having a harder time than normal, we make sure she knows all feelings are welcome and we prioritize low-key, soothing activities once we get home.
Just don’t make any loud noises
What I now recognize as both a parent and a human myself, though, is that adults are not very different from kids. Many adults that I know, myself included, come home exhausted by the end of the workday because the truth is that the customer isn’t always right, but having to pretend like they really are because your job depends on it is absolutely exhausting (or maybe you’re just tip-toeing around the delicate ego of your boss, or you really want to correct the coworker who keeps getting your name wrong, or maybe you’re waiting to hear back on the more-than-reasonable raise request that you should’ve gotten ages ago).
The difference, though, between adults and kids is that kids are really good at airing out all of their frustrations - maybe even a little too good sometimes. (Oh, did you want to actually hear the teller in the drive thru line of the bank? The screaming toddler in the backseat said IDGAF.) They don’t hold anything back out of “social obligation”. When kids are mad, sad, scared, or all of the above, they feel it, they express it, and next thing you know, they’re fine! It’s like it never happened.
As adults, I think, we get really bad at this. We get so conditioned to hold ourselves together and put our “best foot forward” in every setting. And don’t even get me started on social media and the role it plays in all of this - but to be clear, it plays a major role. It’s like we learn to hold our shit together in so many different social settings that we forget how and where to let ourselves fall apart, so we, too, become the bubble just waiting to burst. .
Don’t forget to breathe!
But everyone, and I really mean everyone, needs that space where they can let themselves be their whole, honest, messy selves. Everyone needs a space where they can just let shit fall apart, where they can say what they really want to say, where they don’t have to be perfect, where they can just be.
That feels better
That’s exactly what my Paint Your Feelings workshop is meant to be. It is not a workshop for making masterpieces, it is a workshop about learning to be whole, real, messy humans again without judgment or resistance. Remember the “perfect golden child” Isabela singing out her revelation in the movie Encanto? “I’m so sick of pretty, I want something true, don’t you?”
A transformation we love to see
My Paint Your Feelings workshop is an introduction to my own daily painting process. When I set out to create a painting, I never know what the outcome will be or the finished work will look like. In those moments of creating, my only intention in those moments is to show up, be honest and express myself authentically, no matter how “messy” it might look. In other words, I am giving myself permission to fall apart.
The objective in the Paint Your Feelings workshop is to dedicate time and space to allowing yourself to experience your own emotions and validate yourself by witnessing yourself. In the workshop, we get quiet, get curious, write, and paint. Again, the goal isn’t to come out of the class with a masterpiece, but instead to come out more connected to and accepting of yourself and where you are in the moment.
My next Paint Your Feelings workshop is coming up on Monday, April 4th at the Full Bloom Farmhouse in Abingdon, VA and I am so excited to share it with everyone! Join the Collectors Club to get updates about future workshops, including future online workshops!