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who went back to school to get her degree in art
and is now working on a series exploring the personal lives of
friends and family.
...now that you mention it... [indistinct]
There is this interesting dynamic between us and,
But I want to note that you know these are things
that you have in your life...
Right.
These, this is something you've been interested in.
Right.
Chinese culture.
He's got a white face, you know I mean
it's kind of...
It's kind of vague.
Yeah, and he's an older dog,
he looks like an older dog there you know.
That's what I have.
I like the way you did the color.
I like all your paintings.
We are at Java Jules Bistro and Coffee Shop in
Ortonville, Minnesota. [Crowd noise]
It's my opening night for this
show, this art exhibit, which is the culmination
of my work from this past year as a senior
at U of M Morris.
[music]
My series is called "Couch Culture."
I just realized that I grew up after dinner and
doing the dishes.
We sat with my family and we watched TV and we ate
snacks you know, and that was our time together
because you're so busy during the day and we just
hung out and I just realized that I think
there's a very large percentage of Americans
that do that, and I was intrigued especially when
I started working with my kids about how that,
what that looks like and how are people you know to
see if I can catch how they're connected,
and also their personalities and I've
worked, I've over the two semesters I worked a lot
with symbolism.
I realized that most of my friends are very attached
to the outdoors and they, they are not inside very
often, but it's a major player as well because
often it says something about where I choose to
put them says something about the subjects.
What do you think of me putting the window behind
you guys?
I love it, it makes me want to move the chairs in
front of a window.
But we don't seem to have the space to do that.
Right.
I love everything you did, everything.
I've always thought of myself as an artist,
but I didn't always know what I wanted to do with it.
And then while I was raising children,
I didn't really think a lot about art.
It was at a point where I was trying to figure out
what was next and my husband said to me,
"Why don't you go back to school for art?"
And I said, "Okay, I think I'll do that."
So boom, boom, boom, you know,
I ended up going to U of M Morris.
[music]
When I first started painting after the
first few years and I took a break I,
opportunities for drawing landscapes kept coming up
and I was like, no, no, no,
don't box me in!
You know, I need to draw people.
But I ended up drawing a lot,
you know painting a lot of landscapes and wildlife
and flowers and that was a great way for me to grow,
you know, technically.
[music]
[music]
And so it wasn't until I went back to
school that, this past year,
that I really got to do what I was excited about
doing and that was people.
[music]
[music]
I think it's freeing.
It's a way of communicating what you're
thinking and feeling and when you're working
towards something, you know that you have the
potential for, there's something very fulfilling
about that.
And then just sharing with people is really just the
arts community and being a part of that is very
gratifying to, I just feel like I belong in the arts
community and it just makes me want to be the
best artist that I can be
and share that with people.
[music]
And there's just nothing like being in the
studio and you're, the time goes by like you
wouldn't believe and you get to change your mind at
any moment because it's yours and you just kept
evolving, just keep growing.
[music]
I'm just, I'm looking forward to getting
my work out further into the community of southwest
region and then maybe breaking into the cities
maybe you know getting work through my website
and really it's just about a journey and just as long
as I'm growing.
I'm very lucky to have, to be in the situation that I
am with my husband, he's very supportive and a
supportive community, arts community with friends and
family, but the more people I think,
the more people that I touch with my art,
I think it will be really good for me and my soul.