Never be ashamed! There’s some who will hold it against you, but they are not worth bothering with.”
— J. K. Rowling
I’d estimate that 95% of my art has never been seen… and never will be.
For most of my life I struggled with sharing my art with others for fear of rejection. I mean, what if someone hated the work I spent so much time on? As an artist, could there be a worse feeling?
So, instead, I packed away most of my drawings – including all of the art from my childhood through my work in art school at UW – into a large box and kept it with me over the years.
When my wife and I first got married we lived in a small apartment, and I one day came home to find our entire place flooded with water. Apparently a pipe in our closet burst.
It was the same closet that held my artwork.
As I trudged through the water, I made my way to that closet only to find the box completely destroyed. Everything was soaked, the graphite on many drawings had washed away, and many pieces were stuck together and ripped while trying to separate them.
And just like that, all of my art was gone.
I often think back to all of that artwork that was never been seen and, as it turns out, there is a worse feeling than having your art rejected: not ever knowing if people would have like it.
But, as they say, everything happens for a reason. Back then, I was creating art based on what I thought other people liked instead of creating work that I enjoyed. I was caught up trying to please others instead of being happy with myself and the art I created.
A few years ago I shed that fear of sharing my work, and my life literally changed within months.
And now, here we are: for the first time ever I will be the Featured Artist at a gallery!
A huge thank you to the folks at The Michael Birawer Gallery for giving me an opportunity to share my work.
Join us for the Opening Reception!
*** The opening will be Thursday (March 1st) from 5pm-8pm at the gallery in downtown Seattle (1003 1st Ave).
Stop by, hang out, meet other people, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll enjoy my work that I’m no longer ashamed to share.
I hope to see you then.
