The studio of Francis Bacon

It has been a shamefully long time since my last posting. I must explain my absence.

I began this blog with the intention of sharing the struggles and machinations of my studio practice as a way to capture the energy, empathy and exchange of the shared studio environment that I miss and love. I have worked alone in my studio for almost two years now, and while the solitude keeps me focused and productive, I am always rejuvenated and reassured by conversations I have with my fellow artists, whether we’re discussing the trajectory of our ideas, exchanging new techniques and methods, or simply offering each other support and encouragement in the face of inevitable bouts of self-doubt and frustration.

But as the marketing efforts ramped up for my first post-graduation solo show last September, I became self-conscious that this collection of unfinished thoughts and uncensored queries could undermine the reception of my work. As I looked at my friends’ blogs, I realized that they were primarily used either as a marketing vehicle to show off recent artworks, exhibition announcements and media coverage, or as a stage for a carefully crafted online persona. Mine was, and is, neither. I have wondered if it should be.

But now, after months of silence, I realize that my original vision for this blog must stand. Being an artist is so much more than participating in the productive cycle of artwork, exhibitions and sales. That is the part that makes it a job, but it is not what makes you an artist. For me, being an artist is the whole adventure of wrestling with ideas and seeking mastery over materials, of confronting failures and reveling in breakthroughs, of working, waiting and watching for magical happenings to occur in both mind and matter, and above all, of sharing these obsessions with others who go through the same.

So today I am renewing my mission for this blog -- to divulge my take on the inner-workings of this crazy, difficult, amazing life, come what may.