I am an ARTIST.
A day at The Met, 2016. Photo taken by the love of my life—Simon.
I am a data analyst by profession. But that’s not who I am.
Introspection, a self-portrait. Blue ink on sketch paper. 2010
I used to identify myself with my career. I defined who I was by what I did for a living.
And, I know, there are plenty of folks who do the same thing: use their careers as a major tenet of their identity. And, it may very well be working out for those folks. Good for them!
I, however, no longer identify myself with my career. In fact, I recently realized that part of who I am is an artist.
How did this realization come about?
Very slowly and painfully, over many years, and after much reflection.
Yeah, that about sums it up.
Side Note/Shameless Plug: A cousin of mine and I published a podcast in 2020.
In this podcast, we discuss our separate journeys of reflection and realization.
I won’t bore you with the details of my “revelations” here. However, if you are interested in that conversation, I recommend you check out that podcast We Are Works in Progress.
Looking down-up at myself, a self-portrait. Charcoal on sketch paper. 2010
The main takeaway from my realization that I am an artist is:
I have decided to take a leap of faith and try to create artwork as my livelihood.
Cityscape, a collage. Mixed media: Conte crayon, magazine clippings, sketch paper. 2010
For years, I have been honing my skills to effectively communicate actionable insights gleaned from data analysis.
Basically, I needed to visually represent information in a way that clearly communicated important messages.
I never stopped to think about which aspects of my training and work I found most rewarding. But in retrospect, I definitely had the most fun when I was visualizing data.
In other words, my interest was in communicating with art.
There’s a quick read titled Atomic Habits, by James Clear. This book provides a framework for an atomic approach to building desired habits.
Side Note:
I highly, strongly recommend this book!
In chapter 18, James Clear brings up this gem of an insight:
”A good player works hard to win the game everyone else is playing. A great player creates a new game that favors their strengths and avoids their weaknesses.”
AKA Play to your strengths.
Don’t we all know this life-lesson?
And yet...for many, many years, I repressed my innate desires to create art.
Various sketches. Mixed media: watercolor and ink on sketch paper. 2011
From a young age, I had a tendency to express myself using any medium I had readily available. From found objects to high-end materials, everything had potential to become art.
Throughout middle school and high school, my artistic inclinations made appearances. Heck, I even majored in visual arts and art history for my undergrad degree!
And yet, I was convinced that I was meant for other, non-artistic, trajectories.
I was planning on heading to graduate school for public health. As long as I met all prerequisites for the programs I was planning on applying to, I could major in whatever I wanted.
So, I thought to myself: “I’ll major in visual arts/art history because it’s interesting and I don’t have to major in a STEM field, so why the heck not?!”
I was ignoring my interest for what it was! It hinted at my strength, my natural talents. But in my opinion (at the time), pursuing a life in the arts was not a career path at all.
At least not for someone like me. Someone who has escaped the clutches of childhood poverty.
Surely this someone has an obligation—nay, a duty!—to build a career that not only contributes back to society in a progressive and impactful way, but a career that also holds such prestige that it “claps back” at anyone who dares to question what a minority woman with the odds stacked against her can do with her life!
….whoa, sorry. I got a little carried away there. Inhale...exhale...
The Lion Beast, a collage. Mixed media: ink, magazine clippings, carton clippings, sketch paper. 2010
My point is, for a very long time, I subscribed to a (self-established) belief that limited me to being “a good player” who “works hard to win the game everyone else is playing.” And while I repressed my artistic self to work hard on a career that just was not doing it for me, I slowly started decaying. At least, that’s what it started to feel like.
Thus, I decided to reflect and pivot my career into a livelihood that gave me purpose.
Freshest Air, a collage. Mixed media: ink, magazine clippings, sketch paper. 2011
And that’s why I’ve decided to try my hand as a full-time artist.
I have a lot of plans and grander visions of what I’d like to accomplish on this new journey. But that’s a topic for another post, so more on that later.
Right now, I want to thank you (yes, you!) for spending your time in my little corner on the web, my virtual art space.
I really appreciate your interest in reading all about me and why I switched from data analyst to full-time artist.
I’m at the very start of this new artistic venture of mine. I’m hoping you’ll follow along for the ride as I set out to develop my artistic style and explore art-making as a livelihood.
I firmly believe that every single person is an artist. Simply put, creativity is an innate trait of being a human being.
For me, creating art is more about the process--the experience--rather than the end product. The process of creating art should be a regular part of our lives. Just as exercise and reading keep our bodies and minds sharp, making art nourishes the soul.
As an artist, I intend to create artwork that engages viewers, that prompts both internal and external dialogue as one observes. I want my art to remind, to demonstrate, that communicating with art, and thus creating art, is just a part of human nature.
Grayscale self-portrait. Acrylic paint on sketch paper. 2011
Colorful
Using color theory to inform my decisions, I always aim to use color as a form of expression rather than just a means to replicate life.
Juxtaposing colors in order to create harmony or tension allows me to create vibrant works that can be infused with symbolism.
Unique
Capturing the art-making process in my work is a major tenet of my artistic style.
I use various techniques and mediums to hint at the multiple steps and layers that are necessary for the final product.
Homages
To pay homage means to do something to honor a person or thing.
Using art to communicate respect for its subject is a task I find very rewarding.
I create abstract portraits using various materials, vibrant colors, and a unique artistic style to pay great respect to a loved one, upon request.
Check out my artwork collections!
