Abstract(ish)

heads or tails / acrylic on canvas / 2025

This first post marks my journey back in the art world. I say “back” because up until college, art was a big part of my life. In high school, I clung onto the identity of being “artsy” and took pride in the fact that I was already taking art classes at a local junior college. I couldn’t wait for actual college where I was to study graphic design.

As many artists stories go, I strayed from the craft. Honestly, I felt like I was in over my head, and I didn’t have the wherewithal to seek support. I did, however, discover that my other natural talent — writing — found a home in communications studies.

From there on out, that was my new identity — a writer. I went on to enjoy an exciting career in strategic communications, a path that I’m still on, that has spanned the nonprofit, private, and government sector, including a fantastic stint at the US Embassy in the Philippines.

I had long buried my artistic desires and stayed in my “safe space” of writing for two decades. And with that, a part of my voice and ultimately freedom.

Around March 2025, I learned that one of my friends was teaching art therapy classes. Something about that stirred my own inner artist. I decided I would try the class and ordered all the needed materials, including acrylic paint, canvases, and brushes.

When those supplies arrived and I came eye-to-eye with all the pretty colors of paints, I jumped the gun and started painting on my own.

From that time onward, I haven’t stopped. I’m painting almost every day and am slowly discovering my style while uncovering that once-buried voice. With each piece, a little bit of her comes out to play.

Ironically, I never did take that class. I’ve just been working instinctively and have watched some tutorials on YouTube to learn about some core principles and a little bit of history in the style that I have found to enjoy most — abstract(ish.)

With that, here is one of my pieces. It was not my first, but I wanted this to be on my first post because it represents where I started picking up an abstract style.

I’m posting here as a way to share my work and yes, even write about it, too!