Blog / 2023 / “Your Work Just Speaks to My Heart.”
September 15, 2023
Like this video from last week, the one below is full of nice things about my art, told to you by people who aren’t me. I gathered these testimonials at the opening reception for Everything’s Fine in Princeton, where the show is still up through mid-October.
Though I originally asked for these testimonials thinking I’d use them in the video for the Kickstarter for the project, I didn’t end up including them. My artist-budget version of a mic—my mobile’s headphones wrapped up to make them into a microphone—looked too much like a tiny mummified toothbrush, and I thought it would take too much explaining to use them in crowdfunding video.
Still, these testimonials matter to me. I gathered them right as I was getting ready to launch the Kickstarter, which is to say right when I was most nervous about the prospect of asking for help, and these art lovers reminded me that everything’s fine with Everything’s Fine.
If you’d like to be involved in the project, the Kickstarter allows you to do everything from pre-order a copy of the book to get a special deal on custom art. Whatever the amount, every pledge matters!
The Five Stages of Not Fitting In: Superior, Different, Weird, Wrong, Rejected
2022
acrylic on panel
14 x 11 inches
(Order prints here or contact me to purchase the original for $1200.)
For those of you in the Princeton area, Everything’s Fine is currently on display at the library there, and there’s still space in the the art class I’m doing for teens at the end of the month!
Princeton Public Library
65 Witherspoon
Princeton, NJ 08542
Open: now through October 15th
Hours: every day, visit PPL site for times
Hands-on art workshop for teens
Saturday September 30th from 3p to 4:30p
Register here!
Oh No! Thoughts Won’t Go.
2023
acrylic on panel
12 x 24 inches
(Order prints here or contact me to purchase the original for $2000.)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
[ANNA SPEAKING]
I really appreciate that you have the text accompanying art, because I’m often times looking at art and I don’t understand it—I don’t know what the artist meant. So this is really helpful. It enriches your work.
[TAMAR SPEAKING]
It was the questions that you asked which were so insightful. They just really spoke to me in a way that, you know, cuz I have a lot of insecurities about myself and I don’t usually see anything that recognizes that.
[JAMES SPEAKING]
The flamingo as well. And I really loved the contrast in terms of the texture of painting, how the one in the front is very three-dimensional and the ones in the back are very two-dimensional. Lots going on there.
[EMILY SPEAKING]
At first glance, you’re like “oh, this is fun” and then you look at the subject matter and “oh, this is pretty heavy.” But then you think about it more, and then you get a deeper sense of comfort from it.
So I really love Oh No! Thoughts Won’t Go. Cuz I can identify, especially as a cat owner—herding cats—I liken my job to herding cats, and then my own thoughts are almost like a jumble of cats in my brain. You get an idea of something that you would like to pursue—a project that you want to start, or a book that you want to read, or just like grandiose ideas of big plans that would really take years to execute. And, you know, you got, like, ten projects that you’ve started. You’ve done all the research, you’ve bought all the books, and you’ve looked at all the YouTube videos, and they’re just kind of sitting there, half-started. We’re all very easily distractable with our phones and social media. So I can really identify with it, really empathize, and I’m sure that a lot of other people in my generation can also personally relate to that one.
[AMY SPEAKING]
I have to tell you: your work inspires me to allow myself to feel my vulnerabilities, in addition to you explaining yours and sharing yours and sharing yours. My favorite one was the overthinking of the rose, because who would think a flower would be overthinking their natural gift to the world? Right? The color, the aroma, you know, their presentation. Your work just speaks to my heart.
[GWENN SPEAKING]
Gwenn-Seemel-dot-com-slash-everythings-fine.
Overthinker
2022
acrylic on panel
14 x 11 inches
(Order prints here or contact me to purchase the original for $1200.)
Maybe this post made you think of something you want to share with me? Or perhaps you have a question about my art? I’d love to hear from you!
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