I've dabbled in mixed media only a bit. And all of a sudden — I've fallen in love, and it's all I want to do.
My latest work, "I Am the Ship, the Star, the Storm," is inspired by my late father.
He served in the U.S. Navy, and he loved all things nautical. He also loved math. I found some of his old calculus textbooks while cleaning out his things this summer — two years after he passed. I've always thought math was artistic and beautiful. While looking at the pages of his college textbooks, I saw my father's journey. As a U.S. Navy vet, he worked full-time while attending school and supporting his growing family. I remember him working on model ships in my bedroom during this time. I remember the first time I felt the soft balsa wood he used. I even snuck and cut the portholes bigger because I was in love with how the wood felt changing under my direction with the knife. What I didn't know was that I was ruining his ship. He didn't get mad at me. But he told me I wasn't old enough to carve ships with sharp things. He was the most intelligent man I ever knew. He was incredibly patient. And he was always supportive of my drawing and painting endeavors.
So, it's not surprising that, as I traced the graphs on the pages of his textbooks, I was inspired to bring them to new life in a mixed-media painting. This mixed-media painting. I had never tried this technique before. But, a few YouTube videos and my curiosity led me to this work. I'm so in love with it. I'm so grateful for the process. And I miss my dad. This painting brings together many things I cherish the most — my father, finding art in everything, and the journey we all must take. And here's my attempt at replacing the ship I carved up so many moons ago.
This mixed media painting will be featured and available for bidding in the 41st Annual PBS KVIE Art Auction.
