One of the challenges I find myself facing at shows is trying to balance my time with people attending the event. Between people I have invited and people attending the show who just want to talk about the work, I sometimes struggle with figuring out the right amount of time to spend on each interaction. It’s an interesting dilemma, and one I’m not necessarily upset to have to contend with. But it is certainly a beautiful experience to be surrounded not only by people you love, but also people you don’t know who but with whom you can connect over artwork.

In terms of the work, I thought my paintings and drawings came together very nicely, complementing each other in a way I only hoped they would be able to. It’s hard sometimes when a body of work has only existed within the confines of the studio, to fully visualize how it will flow when it is finally completed and installed in its show space. And so, every time a body of work makes that transition, the artist can’t help but feel slightly trepidatious that the final product may not be as cohesive as it was intended to be. I think it’s a good feeling to have, keeping an artist honest, wanting to make every effort to develop works fully and thoughtfully, so as not to disappoint their audience, but most importantly, themselves.

The space was beautiful, the show was powerful, and the love was overwhelming. I want to thank Pinellas Creative for the incredible opportunity, Elizabeth Brincklow for her tireless dedication to us artists, and my mentor Ya La’Ford for her continuous support, advice, and inspiration. This was such an amazing experience!!