OVER THE HORIZON
Over the Horizon
I had been planted on an Iowa farm surrounded by the hectic sun up to sun down seasons of planting and harvesting . An artist since my first box of crayons all I wanted to do was draw and paint . Since art classes were non-existent in my one room school house and small town high school , I taught myself , copying books and photographs . Although encouraged by my family , it was never enough . I would climb my trees or swing high in our tree swing and gaze longingly across the flat fields to the horizon , always wanting to be ‘ over there ’.
Art Obsessed
My self-directed journey continued obsessively , always having a corner of the house for my studio and painting late into the night when my family was asleep — never once stopping , no matter where or the circumstance . Then a door opened , as they do if your heart and mind are open to it , and I started college at age 39 . With a family , a business in northern Minnesota and a 75 mile one way trip to UMD in Duluth , I sat clutching the steering wheel on those icy cold days and repeating , “ I will do this !” Having learned to draw and paint from photographs , it was in a painting class that my brain literally went ‘ click ’ and I finally traveled to that elusive right side . Seeing through a different lens enables the artist to redefine the visible . My photo realism turned cubist and surreal . And so did my life . No longer able to go back to what I was ; graduated and teaching 1-12 art , owning a business , and trying to stay focused on my art . Changes were carrying me closer to that distant horizon .