Being a committed artist is all I’ve ever wanted to do, ever tried to do, ever been qualified to do. Making art & essays is really the same process: collecting a lot of a material, whether cement or clay or words, and stripping away until only the most essential remains. It’s about perception, or rather, taking the time to pay attention.
“A river is time in water: as it came, still so it flows, yet never is the same.” Leonardo da Vinci
This site presents a selection of projects, past and present. Most have deep connections to location, connecting visual and narrative. Like the best part of traveling, you never know what’s around the corner. New opportunities require constant adaption–to learn about a place, what lies beneath a surface, what it means & how I can bring a sense of perception & intimacy to my work in both essay & art. How do I keep anticipating and adapting in a world that changes too quickly.
How to be an Artist
“How to be an Artist,” is a tongue-in-cheek title about sustaining a long creative life or what’s termed “life-long learning.” I do what I do so I can learn. Substack is a way for creatives to post consistently (or in my case, as often as possible) without depending on ever-shrinking formal outlets. For example, I was a freelance contributor to the Sacramento Bee from 2011-2019 and I miss that gig terribly. I spent many years focused on water and other issues in California, thinking it a was separate exploration from me as an artist. It’s not. You can subscribe for free, or as many other creatives are doing, show your support as you wish, with appreciation.
