As with every new blog, social networking site, job interview… puppy… penguin… there comes an introduction. An insight into who you are as a person, as a friend, employee/er, and, in my case, as an artist. I make things with my hands that people sometimes enjoy… Sometimes, not so much. Such is life. Here is my story. Here is my heart.
You can find my “artist’s bio” through the “about” link on my main page (look up, there he is) to see what kind of art I make, with less of the hairy details. That’s what the rest of the blog is for. You’ll find that I’m kind of funny, and occasionally like to use wit and sarcasm in my posts, while maintaining a purely professional appeal and use of grammar and syntax. I like big words. I like small words. I sew them together and make beautiful things happen.
As far as me, Claira is concerned… let us start at the beginning, shall we? I’ve always been interested in art, ever since I was able to hold a crayon in my grubby little fingers- art was my life, my love, my soul. Instead of circling answers on school assignments, I made the circles into animals and monsters (teacher wasn’t amused. A note was sent home with my parents- we still have the paper, xeroxed and kept in memory boxes as a reminder that my talent started early), and loved paint. I was considered “the artist” among my friends, etc… These are things that are familiar with all artists who find success and education to their liking. We all start out with tons of praise and “you’re going to be famous someday” comments… Our heads get filled with massive ideas of fame and fortune (picture P. Diddy’s house on “Cribs” and you’ll know where I’m going with that idea)… Then we go to school and it all gets knocked out of us.
School wasn’t exactly an exciting time for me. Elementary was all right… I had friends, I had grades that meant something may happen for me in the future, I was in the Gifted Program… I feel like, at that time, I didn’t really care about much, except for where my next paint set was coming from, or how much of my allowance would go towards my next musical purchase (most likely the Beatles or Green Day). Once I entered middle and high school, the extreme need for an identity kicked in, and pressure knocked me on my back. I felt like I needed something different, something to distinguish me as something different from the crowd… Something that made me more appealing. I had artistic talent (Punxsutawney Area High School’s “Most Artistic” female, Class of 2007… I got swag.) and limited athletic ability… I made friends easily, but wanted more. I wanted what the popular people had- love and adoration for simply “being cool.” Senior year hit and I got my wish, by losing who I was and accepting “thin-ness” (that I had to starve myself to get to) and looking like everyone else.. My vintage, goodwill clothing had to hide when my friends came around, and my life had to keep itself in check and in the closet- I gave in to what society wanted me to be as an 18-year-old girl in modern society.
This stuck with me when I entered college as an English Education major in the Fall of 2007- I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was continuing to let myself fall further and further into this abyss of social construction and demolition. I didn’t listen to music for my own interest anymore, but for what was hip and new with people my age. I conformed. This isn’t good.
After two years at Penn State University (you know, where Joe Paterno didn’t walk into a police station…), I decided that I wanted more out of an Arts Education, and transferred to a small school closer to home, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in Indiana, Pa- home to a small handful of extremely talented artists, and actor Jimmy Stewart (my favorite).
Going to IUP has changed a lot of how I think about art, the Art World, and my own work as a whole. I’m finding that, though I had originally applied for my B.F.A to be in drawing, that I’m a far better painter- I can drive my concept further with oils than with graphite (that doesn’t mean I neglect it- I mix graphite with linseed oil, too!!! ..more on that later.), and the blending of this type of work is very appealing to me.
Right now I’m in my last spring semester- that B.F.A. is MINE on December 15th of this year. I don’t have long to go, and I’d like to take you with me on that short journey. This semester is also a busy one for me because of so many new things happening in my life- I’m entering shows, forums, and galleries; I’m applying to graduate schools; I’m even making enough work to have solo exhibitions!! I’m in several shows this spring, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Tales of a young artist- here wego!
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Tags: art, Artist, Biography, first post, new, painting, pennsylvania, wordpress
