Sunday, January 25, 2009

New Blog ....... Identity Crisis


I am experiencing a form of identity crisis.  Many times before, I have been unsure of myself, and now, starting a blog requires serious questions. Why am I doing this? Where do I want to go with it? Who am I talking to? What do I want to say? How will I manage to sustain it?
As I have done so many times before in a variety of situations, after spending a long time standing on the edge of the abyss, I will just jump.  The result is usually much more pleasurable than painful.  I am still working out the technical details, so please bear with me.
So, here I am. I am an artist. It is said that an artist should paint what he knows. Today I paint (and write) mostly about things that reflect on femininity, but not always.  Men are fascinating, but I know about being a woman.
I once read that a "writer" is one who cannot stop themselves from writing.  That's me. Now I will share it with whom ever is open to it, rather than stuffing it into a file, never to be seen again.
The painting that accompanies this post is one of my first oil paintings after many years.  It is called Identity Crisis.  Inspired by idly toying with some fruit on an old blue wooden picnic table in the fall of 1996, I noticed that it expressed the emotions I had then of feeling out of place. My children had left the nest. I was confused by the onset of menopause, questioning my role in the future as a woman. With fewer maternal obligations, I wanted to start my painting again with a serious commitment to the authenticity of painting what I knew.  I was a vegetarian, I loved the colors and forms of fruits and vegetables. It was as this blog is now - a start.

4 comments:

  1. Good work Joanne - I've enjoyed your writing and look forward to more of your unique insights in the future. I'm a woman starting my menopause journey and I've never felt more empowered as a woman - I cannot wait for that part of my life to be over and feel as if an exciting new chapter is out there waiting for me. As I get older I'm beginning to realize that it/life happily seems to get better and better - which is the direct opposite of what society and advertising tries to make you believe.

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  2. Nice job Joanne. If you look at Libby, Lynn's and my blog you can see other features available on a blog site. There are many features available.
    http://elizabethtolley.blogspot.com/
    http://lynnkishiyama.blogspot.com/
    http://pennyspaintings.blogspot.com/
    I stole most of these ideas from Carol Marine.
    http://carolmarine.blogspot.com/

    Glad to hear you applied for SOTP!
    Pen

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  3. Dear new friend, Let me be one of the first to congratulate you on being one of the "founding artists" of Studios on the Park. This moment is one to savor, reflect on and relish. It will never happen again and you have encircled your loved ones with this journey to a new place, a new adventure, and new challenge. You are a woman up to the task and I'm pleased to be in on your new blog site as well.

    I'll visit often. Phyllis

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  4. Beautiful composition, your use of light steals the spotlight however. Suberb! Life is like that, always questionning your own existance and purpose. All the answers already resides in you, you just have to find a way to tap into it!

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