Last year marked the beginning of an unexpected journey into the world of painting for me. It wasn’t a conscious decision. While working on the layout for “Book of Sons” I had a sudden urge to replicate a particular photo using paint. Without much hesitation, I ventured into the basement, unearthed some art supplies, and dove in. Very soon painting became my new passion.
Just as my early experiences with short stories and documentary filmmaking enriched my perspective as a photographer, painting has opened up new avenues of self-discovery and fulfillment (and frustration and despair, etc.). When I first, somewhat sheepishly, shared my new dedication to painting with others, I heard a common refrain: “I wish I could do that.” This sentiment, expressed by both artists and non-artists alike, gave me the idea for a new project:
Over the next year, I plan to catalog my progress as an untrained painter and present the results in a solo exhibition scheduled for 2025 at the Mezzanine Gallery at the Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, VT. My goal is to embrace the fear of trying something new and document a progression, starting as an absolute novice and illustrating how far one can come in a new medium with persistence and commitment to the practice of making art. I hope others, artists and non-artists, will be inspired to do the same.
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