Barbie's Dream Camper

Airtream Silver Cloud 1936 15'

I've stepped out of my comfort zone a bit with my paintings in recent weeks. Although I will always paint little birds in their environments, I am having a bit of fun with these retro-American still life series I have going right now. First it was the bike series, and now vintage Airstream campers (I've got a turquiose payphone on the table too!). I found a fabulous website that had the original article on this particular camper and great photos. It was not the usual silver Airstream I was thinking of when looking for an example. But rather, this is originally "Woodframed and Masonite Skined". Yep. And cost all of $695.00 from a local Airstream dealer. So I took some liberty with the colors, I'm really into pink and orange right now. This the name Barbie's Dream Camper. Does that mean anything in particular those of you deep meaning in art people?

Speaking of deep meaning in art, I have a comment on that note. It was during my senior project interview when it hit me like a ton of bricks that perhaps my art was not really supposed to have some underlying deep context. The panel of 10 art professors (9 of whom were MEN) had concerns over my choice of making a paper quilt as my project (this is of course after approving the project and giving me thumbs up for 12 weeks while I made the beautiful piece). Not wanting to bore you with my anger towards that particular institution to this day for that grueling time of self pity over a grade, I'll skip forward to the artist I am now. And honestly, it's the artist I have always been. I paint happy, sweet, innocent paintings. I place a lot of thought into my compositions and the colors I place on my palette. But as far as there being deep meaning, I am sorry to disappoint that there is none. In fact, I view my art in the opposite. I want the viewer to see what is there, smile and say, I really like that. It could be my choice of colors, or texture, or composition or just the image itself. But in all honesty, what I gain the most from my art is happiness.

Producing all this work lately has almost seemed robotic. This veering into the still life scenes is helping to re channel my energy and regain some confidence in painting. And I am very happy to say, I am a bit tickled at the outcome of some of the paintings and their lack of global meaning.