As August winds down the seasons begin to make a subtle shift from late summer to early fall. This month I switched my focus from studio work to writing proposals for grants and future exhibits.

I participated in a three person exhibit called Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Other with fellow artists Christine Lorenz and Travis Mitzel. Our work was part of a larger grouping of exhibitions happening at Blankspace in Wilkinsburg. Blankspace is a house that is currently undergoing various stages of renovation by artist and printmaker Joey Behrens. I spent a lot of time gallery sitting in the space and loved how the show came together. It was off the beaten path and had a gritty, whimsical, apocalyptic feel.

I had an experience while working on the new work seen in these photos. I combined collage pieces with acrylic skin flowers and paperclay (air dry clay) shells and flowers. The acrylic skins are paint peels made with matte medium and soft body acrylic paints). I cut the peel into pieces to create a flower.

When I combined the paint peels and the paperclay in the artwork below I had a feeling of discomfort as though someone was going to come in and tell me “that’s wrong, you shouldn’t do that!”

I decided that was a great reason to go ahead and glue the pieces in place. I realized there are no art police except the ones inside my own head.