Just A Girl

I was thinking of writing a post about the journey of this piece as I was finishing it yesterday, and after coming across the quote from Martha Graham (see the last paragraph), I knew the reason for this prompting.

“Just A Girl” started her journey in September of 2022 when I was preparing for the “Silver Linings” show last year. I was drawn to an image of a Silent Film actress, Maude Fealy, in fact, every time I see an image of her, I am affected, something strikes me, and I’m not able to describe what it is, but it is compelling to say the least.

The first expression was called “Marked Woman” and after I received a decidedly devastating comment from a trusted follower, and collector of my work…“Hi Vikki, I wanted to say privately. “Marked Woman” is the only thing you’ve ever put up that troubles me to look at. It looks like she as fluid draining from her brain. Probably this is a needed, necessary statement, but I wouldn’t want it anywhere in my home where I would need to look at it daily. ” There’s more, an attempt at softening the comment and providing encouragement, but for me, the damage was done and I couldn’t look at the painting in the same way after that.

I revised the painting, because I am not strong enough in my artist’s expression to withstand such a withering critique, and because every time I looked at the painting after that , I saw the “brain ooze”.

So this edited version of “Marked Woman” was featured in the “Silver Linings” show…

I recently hung the piece on my wall, and after viewing it repeatedly, I knew a further revision was in order. It just wasn’t expressing for me what I had so desired and intended, so I sanded much of it down and changed it significantly, coming to the title”Just a Girl”, as she was that, and I am that, after all.

After coming to a still somewhat less than satisfying conclusion of the piece, I was led to this quote,

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”
― Martha Graham

I share this with you so that you may also be encouraged to allow your unique expression, not block it, not judge it, and not feel thwarted by dissatisfaction, this is part of being fully, creatively alive!