The Story Behind: The “See Me” Style

This whole approach to painting began with a simple sketchbook page in May of 2019.

Back in May of 2019, I was in the middle of two solos shows (yes, at the same time! I’m not sure what I was thinking) that featured quite a lot of trees with the Canopies series, with a message about taking risks, exploring the unknown, and then returning home.

As that body of work exhibited, I felt the itch to go on another adventure. (Because, that’s kind of how it works, huh?) ...Jump into the wilderness of paint and form and marks and color with abandon. Make messes and come through the other side. In a way, “Canopies” allowed me to deep dive into a topic with a particular approach to painting until I hit edges. By the end, I felt like I had said what I wanted to with it.

So one night while watching the Batchelorette (guilty pleasure, ok?), I pulled out my sketchbook and painted a few ideas that wanted to come out. I try to honor and embrace creative urges, and a sketchbook is a really great way to capture those fleeting thoughts. Sometimes I never return to them, but other times, they launch entirely new bodies of work.

Like this one.

There was something that kept calling me back to this abstracted idea. Painting colors close to what they are was feeling redundant. But what was it about this subject that was asking for more? Could there possibly be space for color and shape to diverge a bit from reality?

Over that summer of 2019, I made space to explore these urges. Some were utter failures. But some... some were magic.

The morning I painted these, I spent some time just walking in nature. No phone, no sketchbook. Just observing. At the time, I was feeling really exhausted by the expectations of others, especially within my creative practice. I wondered if I painted what I really wanted to express, even if it was not what people were asking for, would they still see me?

These two pieces are echoes of some of the fascinating patterns I observe right in my yard. After having spent so much time painting realistically, I wanted to capture the essence of nature. The wildness, the rhythms, the patterns.

I walked around my somewhat unkept yard (I kind of love those brushy parts!), and when I came back to the studio, and painted what I remembered. Once or twice, I walked back out to refresh my memory.

It wasn’t about the perfect values and shape of leaves. It was about the hum beneath the surface, the way things grow free and in community with another.

It was also about finding a new kind of adventure.

Before children, I served in the Navy, where I had the most amazing opportunities to travel and see such incredible sights. But then… I came home. Was so blessed to have babies. And suddenly, leaving the house took a lot more energy than it used to. (And I’m grateful!!) Adventures used to involve a long plane flight or months at sea. Now, they are walks to the mailbox at the end of our dirt road with a wagon full of kids.

After so much freedom, that can feel constricting at times. But I learned something else… there are such wonderful things to notice on our walk to the mailbox.

Enjoy these pieces... I hope they inspire you to explore that tiny idea that sounds scary, but also to find adventure wherever you are.