“Art is standing with one hand extended into the universe and one hand extended into the world, and letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy.”
- Albert Einstein
Please feel free to contact me with any comments, requests, or complaints!!
ABOUT ME
So.....I have wanted to launch a website for a while…...a long, long while. But, you know how sometimes you have this idea... something you really want to do? You may even start planning, your mind racing with cool ideas….and then Mercury goes into retrograde, or life starts hitting you in the face with shaving cream pies, and every imaginable distraction that could possibly exist comes seeping out of the woodwork and your amazing idea gets put up on a shelf to collect dust? (Ok, maybe I am exaggerating just a bit but…) Anyway, yes, I have wanted to launch an art blog/website for quite a while and have finally taken the plunge. Many people have asked me why? Coming up with an answer hasn’t been easy …especially when answering to my 16 year old son who, being so all knowing (note my sarcasm here) says “Mom, blogs are so 10 years ago….”
Truth is sharing my art and photography has always been difficult for me when there hasn’t been an obvious purpose. I take photos quite often for the SPCA of Anne Arundel County and happily share them on social media …they are put out there to help promote shelter animals. I take (way too many) pictures of my kids on our many adventures and share them as well. I think this art blog will encourage me to move past this notion that there should be a purpose and share more.…even if no one is looking. Blogs are a medium created to tell stories and share experiences and I believe the ability to tell stories with photos and paintings is a valuable skill. I am always taking pictures (or so I have been told by my often annoyed offspring)…capturing moments, experiences, character and expressions. I have always believed that It’s the invisible narrative that accompanies each photograph that can capture interest and emotions and, in some cases elicit or provide empathy. The same could be said about paintings which capture ideas, thoughts, emotions, and symbolism.
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Do I consider myself an artist in the true sense of the word? That’s hard for me to say. The truth is, it doesn’t matter…whether I am painting dogs with wings on skimboards or frogs on skateboards, taking photos of shelter dogs or my kids in creepy, abandoned asylums, or even writing silly essays about resolutions or life goals, I know it’s one of the best feelings in the world and worth sharing. Some may love my work, some may think it’s just ok, and some may totally hate it. The truth is no one person out there gets to decide for all of us what is worthy enough to be called art and what isn’t. Art is subjective…and as the saying goes “One person’s trash is often another’s creative masterpiece.” I cannot change the way others think and feel about my artistic ability, or the direction of the wind for that matter. I can, however, continue to enrich my life by taking chances and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. Often one must take risks in order to increase personal fulfillment....even if it means increasing vulnerability.
For any out there who have chosen to enter my little corner of the cyber world, I appreciate your interest more than I can express in words or on paper and welcome any feedback/comments/requests you wish to provide.
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Arigato!
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Sandi Christine Crawford
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