I'm Not Playing It Safe

And you don't have to either.

The other day I was sitting in a waiting room, looking at the art on the walls, and my first thought was, wow, this is really boring. I found myself wondering if whoever picked it was just trying to play it safe. I think that's the problem with so much of the art out there in the big box stores. It all has that same generic vibe. It's safe for everyone, but special to no one.

That's the opposite of what I'm doing. I'm making art that I love, and hopefully art that a few other people will also love. In fact, I often love my pieces so much that I have a hard time letting them go, which is why I'll make beautiful framed prints of my favorites to hang in my own home.

Right now I have one of my favorites, Another Day in Paradise. It's a painting I did of the San Francisco Peaks on a beautiful sunny winter day, with some of my favorite colors. Of course, it has deer playing in the snow. What this piece reminds me of is all those little moments of gratitude that come up when I'm driving around town and see those beautiful mountains, and I think about how lucky I am to live here.

So when I'm in the studio painting, I try very hard not to think about whether the piece will sell or whether people will like it. I try to focus on finding those moments of joy, pushing the envelope, experimenting, and having fun. I play my favorite music, which reminds me to stay in the moment, stay in my body, and not in my head. A reminder that I'm not painting for the masses, and my art doesn't need to play it safe. That's not what I'm here to do.

I know you're not here to play it safe. If I'm right, you're after something unique and special, something that gives you that same feeling I get while I'm painting it. Thanks so much for being here. It means a lot to me.