"artist"

i'm referring to myself as an artist more. it's not yet natural, or comfortable exactly, even though it also feels good and warm when i say it. no one gives you (or someone) the title of artist; some try/have tried, thinking they have authority to do that. but we must claim it for ourselves. that's when it's real, true. i added it to my logo when an artist-friend prompted me to make it clear what the website was about, and, i realized that's what i am about.

this painting is about 14x11". at the time, this was the biggest painting i had done. i started with reallyreally small sizes so this was all new territory, exciting and intimidating. i treasure it, that experience of expansion. as the textures grew, emerged, and the colors blended over wide space, it was mesmerizing. i felt like an "artist" when we (me and the painting) decided it was done. (p.s. i felt like a painter when i first used a palette knife.)