Reflections

Today is my birthday, and I'm officially 38 years old. I'm not sure how I feel about that yet! It seems like I shouldn't be that old, that I should still be in my 20's! Inside, in my head, I'm 16. I acknowledge my family and my ability to legally purchase a bottle of wine, so I can accept 20's. But 38?

My first job was as a face painter in a carnival company. I was 14 years old and my mom had to drop me off at the headquarters so I could be transported to wherever the event was that the company had been hired for, and I painted faces for hours on end. My next art job was teaching at through Hobby Lobby when I was only 16 years old. I wasn't that impressed with the job, I didn't think it was that big a deal, but lots of people took my classes back then. I wonder what they thought about having a 16 year old as a teacher? Actually, maybe I don't want to know...

Even with my associates in art in 1997, it took a while to take the professional path to art. I started selling, real selling, in 2001 through galleries and this was the first painting I ever sold professionally:

"Flow" 30x40 Oil

You see, my art-roots were actually in the abstract. Oh, I had started in grade-school through high-school with drawing as close to reality as possible. Once I achieved that, I veered hard into the abstract world and spent a lot of my time there. Then, I embraced both and added my love of fairytales and mythology (my favorite class from college, hands down) to bring me where I am today.

So here I am. 38 years old. Happily married for 18 years this year, two fabulous kids that turn 15 and 13,  and a houseful of furry and feathery friends in the open fields of Vermont. I gotta say, I never imagined I'd be where I am in my life! It's not so bad, but it's all moved so fast! I just hope that with my renewed focus on my art that I can accomplish more going forward than I have in the past. That's my goal!

Here is what I am working on right now, the fairy from the video - I hope to finish her today. I think I'm just going to go sort of translucent with her wings, maybe slightly blue, if anything. The dots are from masking. At first, a couple were by accident, but when I realized how perfect they were, I splattered them all over. I'm trying to figure out what to do with them now. Bubbles? Or something? Hmm.

I added freckles. She needed freckles. 

This is where I left off last night. Her hair is very coppery, but with deep brown undertones (so, auburn?)

I just officially split my Facebook art pages into two, because I was realizing that the abstract work was not appealing to the other work that people were there for, and the reverse was also true.

So, for my pre-existing facebook page, I chose to make that my Fairytale and Fantasy Art Page: https://www.facebook.com/KyraWilsonArt

For my abstract work, I created this new page and it is where new abstract works (like those seen in previous issues of THRICE Magazine, and I have more in process for the upcoming issue) will be displayed: https://www.facebook.com/KyraAbstract

Stop by and say hello!

I don't know why it took me this long to notice the need to separate the two, but I see it now!

We're going out for Thai food to celebrate tonight (and believe me, going out at all is pretty unusual for us!) And cake. There shall be chocolate cake. It's a must!