What's it like to be me, an Artist?

Growing up I have always wanting to be one. Taking art classes, listening to instructors, and finding my own way. Has not always come easy to me. Quietly sitting down listening to my heart and following its direction. Has given me the courage to push past the barriers and go for it. The hardest part is coming up with an idea of what to paint.

As an Art Teacher for many years I would tell my students to: First Paint what they See & Second Paint what they feel. Given the same materiel, the same instructions each child would create a different art image than the person sitting right next to them.

Working in Hospitals with women who have breast cancer, an art art therapist intern, I would help guide them on a journey inward. One woman saw the cancer in her body as power pellets and she was Pack Man eating all of the power pellets cancer. one thing I wrote down that she had said to me was that having someone to go through this journey with her made it easier for her to deal with what was happening to her.

Working with Abused Children in a group home. I was able to let a little girl melt the pain if only for a moment with a box of crayons and drawing paper. I would volunteer a few hours a week helping the girls with their homework, hanging out and teaching them appropriate behavior on how to interact with boys their own age. One afternoon I took along some drawing paper and a box of new crayons. One girl whom I worked with was only 8 years old. Her father and her lived in a dumpster in Oakland. He sold her for crack. To her adults were the monsters. The light in her eyes was no longer present. I had worked with her on reading and math. I took out the crayons from my beg and gave them to her as a gift. I asked her if she wanted to draw with me. she agreed and began to giggle, the light in her eyes came back. I asked her what was so funny. She pointed to the drawing she had made of me, a large circle as the body with a smaller circle for the head. This is when I new art could help other people break free from their pain, if only for a moment.

First time Selling my Art I was in grade school for a few dollars. I would draw landscapes, homes, flowers, people, designs. We moved a lot, so I was by myself a lot of the time with my art journal. I would hang out with other people who were artist and we would compare our art with one another. As I grew older the art would get bigger and the prices would go up. I won many school Art awards during primary and secondary school. I applied to U C Berkeley for Art and Psychology, I graduated in 1995. My first Job was an Art Teacher at a jr hs. I specialized working with ADHD kids. I then went to graduate school for Art Therapy.

When I had my children I focused on being a mother. I held art classes for MOM and Me Art out of my home. It gave me the freedom to raise my children and earn income for the household. My thesis was SCRIBBLES, my mom and me art classes. I painted along side my own children as they ran around enjoying being children.

I would find local arts and crafts festivals to sell my art at. My portfolio became bigger as I was prolific with my work. My art work would change from drawing, to photography, to ceramics, to strictly painting. One layer upon another my work would evolve. Looking online I would find different things to get involved in with my art. When I was 19, I was 1/100 women in SF to have my art work hung in the Guggenheim as a mural of 100 artist in SF. In my late 20's my art hung in the casinos in Lake Tahoe. By the late 30's I won 1/10 contemporary artist for Ruinart Champagne, LVMH. Then Painting a Baby grand Piano which was auctioned off for the children at the Scottish Rights Hospital In Dallas Texas.

Along the way I would find ways to improve and develop new ideas. One New way to paint that I discovered is to use the Leaf Blower. One of my favorite places in the beach. I could sit on the shore and watch the waves for hours one after another rolling into the beach. I took this concept of the wind blowing the waves and found i could recreate it with a strong force of wind that I would be able to control. I have been doing this for the past 10 years. I went back to Grad School SFAI ( San Francisco Fine Art Institute) to fine tune my art and connect with other artist. It was a fun ride to see what young artist are creating.

I find myself very lucky to have had a life that I love and to be able to surround myself with a wonderful family. I am blessed to have people who love the art work that I create. There are many journeys that one can take, as I have myself. In the center of it all for me is ART. From being a young girl taking art classes to a young woman being an art teacher, to being an art therapist, to becoming a mother and a full time Artist.

Thank you for loving the art work that I enjoy creating. My Art vibrates LOVE. I have had several collectors say that My Art Sings to them in their home. This makes me happy to hear. May you find a piece of Art that sings for you in your home.

Artfully yours, Melissa Ayr

www.melissaayr.com