Follow The Joy (aka: fly your freak flag high!)

his vocation and how he was being perceived. Amidst the storm of those thoughts and feelings, he experienced sudden peace and clarity when he came face to face with this creepy lil' baby head art. Clearly, the artist was not getting hung up on what they should or should not be making, doing, or what anyone anywhere thought of them. This fact reminded a stressed out Rob of something he knew but had temporarily lost track of: that we can all relax into our lives and do/make/be our own unique, weird selves. And in so doing, someone somewhere will resonate with what we have to offer. It was a timely and inspirational revelation for Rob and the bizarre little sculpture became the icon of that realization.“…then I buy this baby oh thit head, which speaks to me at some joyous tectonic level of the soul…” Indeed, there is precious little that is better than the freedom of flying your own personal freak flag loud and proud and as Rob says, “following the joy.” 

This story could not have been more timely as I was prepping for a show when I heard it and as I listened, I realized anew that my heartfelt longing for the works I create is that they will be meaningful icons for those who claim them. While art serves obvious aesthetic purposes, my biggest and best hope for my work is that it will, piece by piece, be representative of specific meaning to those who connect with it and live with it. In the spirit of Rob’s 'oh thit' sculpture, I aim to follow my own joy and trust that the results will resonate in distinct ways with individual people. 

So, it was such a gift when, at the show I had been prepping for, two people claimed works of mine that represented very personal situations in their lives. I was downright gobsmacked that I had been sitting in the sun, hoping for that exact thing a mere day or two earlier! The stories are not mine to tell, but Elevations II and Dawn both found their homes with people who are deeply connected to these pieces for just the kind of reasons I dream of. I’m so grateful. ☼