“Be brave enough to suck at something new.”
-Anonymous
Prior to January, 2018 I considered myself a mountain artist whose work greatly revolved around nature. The three months that I spent in Italy changed that. This collection is about compromise, learning to love a foreign country, engaging with my fear of cities, battling extreme social anxiety, unfortunate trips to Italian emergency rooms, homesickness, new friends, and finding my confidence. This collection encompasses a series of experiences that radically changed the life of a girl from a small-town in the Pacific Northwest.
Before my time in Italy, I had never worked in watercolor or been away from home for more than a week, and I had a crippling fear of crowds and cities. When I arrived in Italy the only familiar thing I had was art. Trying to ground myself, I dove head-first into my art. As a result I ventured deeper in the cities, leading me to people that would become lifelong friends. I took control of my anxiety and felt my confidence burgeon. I battled the monsters I had ignored for years, and I faced fears that I thought I’d never overcome.
In Italy access to art supplies was limited and expensive. Creating was about compromising and innovating. All of the pieces I created revolved around what I had access to and what I could carry, which encouraged me to try new mediums and techniques. This collection is raw, expressive and a window into my travels.
90 Days in Rome, Italy
8 paint brushes, 12 watercolor paints, 3 booklets of watercolor paper, 2 sketch books, 6 pens, 8 pencils and a small collection of shared oil paints and unstretched canvas.
