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A little tidbit behind some of my art. I'm not a conservative. In fact, if you really sat down and discovered my beliefs, you'd find I'm pretty far left of left. And quite spiritual in my own private way. Truth is, I was raised by a liberal, anti-war, very religious, military family. Now you are probably wondering how that meshes with what you might consider conservative art. But is it really? What you see on the surface just might not be what you imagine it to be. Just as Alice Through the Looking Glass wasn't really about a little girl playing with bunnies and kitties.

I tell this story not to make you uncomfortable with my art, but to ask yourself what you really see when observing art. Are you seeing what is on the surface? If yes, that's good. You have to see the surface in order to discover what's underneath.

Next is to ask yourself if you are seeing art created with passion/meaning/skill/purpose or as a hobby/decorative project. There is no wrong answer, any creative endeavor serves a purpose. It is food for our mental health. What I do ask, is that if you meet the artist, ask them about the purpose and meaning and background of the artwork. And listen closely, because the art is the voice. Then ask yourself why it means something to you. Still, no wrong answer.

This little dialog between you and the artist might be eye-opening, then, again, it might not be. It all depends on what the artist wishes to share. If they are creating art as their "voice" you might not learn all of the meaning of a piece, usually for fear of reprisal. Some might be embarrassed to say they only created it to serve as a decorative piece. There should be no embarrassment, it is okay to create for the commercial sector.  Art is created for so many reasons.

All I'm saying is, that if you feel inclined to do so, start a dialogue. I get so much more out of a piece I've collected when I know "the story". I think that you will, too.

PS  Oh, by the way, you don't have to like every piece of art you see.  And it is really up to you whether you think it is a good piece of art.  Just because someone else tells you it is good, doesn't mean you have to think it is good.  Art is truly in the eye of the beholder!

PPS In case you are wondering, most of my art is "voice", but I also produce decorative when requested by a client.

Have a glorious day and just soak in the world around you...

Jaquita