The Journey
Throughout my life, there have been significant moments that have altered my thoughts, personal choices, and creative direction. Below, are the life-changing moments of my journey.
You can view my Curriculum Vitae here, but the stories below will give you a fuller picture of who I am.
Early Years
(1956-1976)
From the beginning, there was something very different about this young woman. As a child, she had the energy of a wildcat, the mind of an inventor, the determination of a gentle mountain stream on its way to the Ocean, and a heart as vast as the Universe.
Nature
(1977-1986)
Knowing that I wanted to be a full time artist, I knew I had to create a lifestyle that was compatible with a low, or periods of no income. In 1977, I bought 5 acres of wooded land on the side of a hill in West Hebron, New York. I learned the basics of construction while building a 20' x 20' wood-framed cabin. I chose to not put electricity in. I cleared an acre of the land for a garden. I grew, fished and foraged for most of my food. The wood from the land provided fuel for heating and cooking. I dedicated several hours a day to the daily chores, allowing the rest of the time for drawing, painting, and developing a freelance commercial art business to pay for the things that I could not produce my self or could not barter for. More photos.
I also began traveling to the desert southwest to collect natural colors of sand. Sand and the Mandala merged.
New York City
A friend introduced me to New York City in the early 1980's. I was drawn in by the intensity of what the city had to offer me personally and as an artist. Over the next 16 years, I would spend one or two months of time in the city in order to study at the Art Students League. Figure Drawings. I would also draw daily from the works of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, contact galleries, and spend hours drawing from the surrounding street scenes. It was during this time that I produced the “Humanity Series”, oil paintings of the people of the City.
Arizona
(1986-2000) Arizona offered a deep look into my soul. The wide open spaces, the bare bones of the earth, and ancient cultures, gave me a perspective that no other place could. Time was arranged in layers and spirals rather than linear. Air-brushed paintings returned to my surreal roots. Color Paintings emerged. And the Humanity series reached full bloom. In the final year, I did an apprenticeship with a stone carver and began to transform my 2D thoughts into fully tangible living forms. Stone Sculptures. From 1990-2000, my partner (and now wife), built a beautiful Desert Home, doing most of the work ourselves and with some dedicated friends.
Maine
2000: Moving to Maine was a return to the seasons, a new experience of living by the Ocean, and becoming part of an active Arts Scene in Portland. At the beginning of the 2008 economic collapse, I began working at the Portland Museum of Art, which provided a rich array of experiences for thirteen years.
I never considered myself a small woman. I had built two homes from the ground up, moved tons of stone and cement…but by 2005, I finally realized my petit body was wearing out. Stone carving shifted to wood carving. “Contemplating Our Place in the Universe” came forth. Each sculpture spoke of our relationship to the Cosmos and the responsibility to work in harmony with our planet and ALL others.
In the midst of this series, another series surfaced, “Sacred Sitting”, which was about creating objects to sit in that would instill contemplation. Little did I know that “Sacred Sitting” would become “The Chair Project”. More on that later.
In 2018, my back decided that enough is enough. I could not stand up without great pain. I had to sit…or lay flat on the floor…for five weeks to finally manage the pain, then nine weeks of physical therapy. In my time of sitting and quieting my mind, my “studio” became an iPad and the ProCreate app. A new project emerged from this digital studio, “Digital Streaming of Consciousness”.
Digital drawing/sketching became a fascinating practice, especially while traveling.
“GATHERING”
When I was finally able to enter my studio, there was a significant change. Having to sit still for five weeks as my back “healed” gave me insights that I had only experienced previously when I lived quietly and interconnected with the environment in my cabin in the woods. As I focused on healing, daily meditations returned me to my origins. The Cosmos spoke clearly to me.
I gratefully let go of controlling my carvings. And from that open-mindedness, a flow of Figures came forth, which became the “GATHERING.” For the full story, please click here.
Not Really Crazy
I am just extremely passionate and confident that I can make a difference in how people view their lives and live each day. “GATHERING” affirmed to me that given an opportunity, people would express their wisdom. I am now building on that insight with The “Chair Project.” To find out more, please click here to see why and how this project is unfolding.
Home and Studio are interchangeable and interconnected. Each informs the other. Each are Sacred Spaces where Nature’s Knowledge and Respect originate and are transformed into tangible visions of our Cosmic Connection.
All photos and the creation of this video are by Colleen Graves Photography.