Happy New Year! I know it is now a week into 2017 but I still wish you all happiness, peace and love. 2016 was quite a year. In the United States and around the world there were events that will forever shake us and have dramatically changed the course of our future in ways that we have all never felt imaginable. As we approach this new year and the events to come that will create more fear than hope, it is my hope that we can all come together, take a deep breath, and try and make this all work, for we are all in this together. I think about the world and all the people in it and sometimes it frustrates me that I have no ability, ideas or status to help progress change on a global stand-point. However, what I can do is impact the community that I am in using my talents and skills.
2016 was an up and down year for me. However, my career took steps in ways that I believe was necessary to bring me into 2017. I always talked about plans and places I want to take my artistry and I have made those small changes throughout 2016. After I started working at the St. George Art Museum, it opened my eyes to explore opportunities I never thought of. As I have always wanted to become a better artist, even writing other blog posts about it, I have always fallen short. At the end of 2016 I was sitting in front of a painting by John Fery. This particular piece has not been on public display for 80 years. Which is sad to me because it is spectacular. It is a large painting of a view through mountains, trees and canyons. The artist even took the time to paint a single bird flying through the canyon. Every time I stopped and looked at this painting, I became that bird soaring through the trees and I could feel the untainted, unpolluted air that this bird had the freedom to breathe. I will miss sitting in front of that painting. I felt privileged to be able to see it. So as I sat in front of it this one night as I closed up the museum, knowing that soon this painting would be gone, I asked, to whom, maybe John Fery himself, who knows, but I asked, “am I an artist? What am I to do?”
Yes. I am an artist. I am through and through an artist. I need to create art. I want to move people through my art whichever medium that may be; fine art, photography, graphic design or even music. 2016 showed me what I am capable of and what I could do for 2017 for myself and the community I am currently living in.
I have a lot of exploration to do, a lot of art study to do and a lot of practice. I am excited to find my artistic voice and style in 2017. I am ready to get to know the artist community here in St. George, Utah. I am thrilled to be part of the St. George Art Museum, to help carry out their mission and goals. I am blessed to be part of planning events and exhibits. I am ready to establish myself as an artist and to be the artist I know is there.
I am excited to bring you on this journey as I become the artist that I know exists. I appreciate and love all the support that each one of you has given, even if it is just as simple as looking briefly at this blog post.
In part of making the steps towards my goals as an artist, I have slightly changed my logo. When I designed the logo in 2011 I was mostly focused on photography and that is what the “shutter” symbol represented. However, ALimages has transformed into all types of creative work. I am a photographer, graphic designer, fine artist and writer. I have decided to take that shutter symbol out of my logo and left only the name, which even when I debate it, I still love the name, ALimages.
Here is to 2017 and that you to may find yourself and that we can all share love, experience and art together.