The Hunger

I received a comment from a fellow artist recently who said she enjoyed reading about what motivated me and seeing my studio space. That was inspiring for me as I hope that I reach people from time to time, and I do enjoy the comments people post.

I often think about what motivates me to paint or make art. After years of therapy and soul searching, I have had to face some facts. I am a driven person, perhaps to the point of workaholism. I teach all day and then work most every afternoon and evening on some kind of artistic project, including this blog. I hold myself to very high standards of work and dedication to everything in my life. It is because of those standards and self control that I succeed in most things that I do, and it keeps me out of the danger zone. I am both right and left brained and find that my overactive brain causes some problems. My hormones are for shit, so are my biochemicals, and much of my life has been a difficult journey. Sometimes the entire mix makes for trouble, but I don't regret anything I have done. I experience emotion in life to its fullest..from pure joy and love, to darkness, and pain. How I live with all of this energy and emotion is often difficult, but art makes sense of it all, and is a great outlet for feelings that would otherwise overwhelm me.

I have an insatiable hunger for knowledge, experiences, learning, and loving. I devour it with gusto and am often overcome with the enormity of life, what it means, what it has to offer. Since I was a child I lived in a highly creative fantasy world which gave me a haven of escape and still inspires my work.

I spent much time alone; I like solitude and the time to be with myself and ponder about life's adventures and let art bear the witness of my ride.

I finished a painting which I had posted in its earlier stages. It is a dark, almost black painting. I am not worried about the dark brackish values and gloom of the landscape, because through its creation I have let in the light.

Patti