Like Basquiat??

I don't know why Jean-Michel Basquiat came to mind as I was creating this piece, but he did. I'm not very familiar with his body of work but something in me pulled to use the black gesso on top of this piece and as I did I couldn't help but think, "Basquiat."

Often when I work, I don't have a set plan for what I am about to do. In this case, I was working with acrylic paints and was trying to use up the remaining paint I had poured out. I had a few small cut/torn pieces of Canson paper and decided to try taping them together and then creating as a whole... maybe later I will remove the tape and display them in a different way.



This is a piece of Basquiat's work from 1981 that I found from his Wikipedia entry. Which happens to look absolutely nothing like what I have shown above. :o)

Acceptance: I am what I am.

We are unfortunately, not all born with a bushel of self confidence tucked under our arms.

Since I have been a "learn as I go" kind of person, I've often undermined my own abilities by telling myself I must not dare call myself a writer, an artist, a teacher, or a musician...... That the moment I do, someone will come along and slap it out of my hands stating, "Who do you think you are? You don't know ANYTHING about THAT!"

Yo Fish Mandala

Yo Fish Mandala by Stephanie Smith

I don't usually end up with specific symbolism in my mandalas, but this one seemed to have been inspired by a recent trek to the river on a day when I decided to walk down the boat launch and get my feet wet. Throughout my entire childhood I was warned away from the river for reasons that are beyond my comprehension save for a pair of overprotective parents.

For the 1st time in my 41 years, I walked into the water about calf high and was thankful for it's coolness on my tired legs. Why did I wait so long?