Last October, I made an important decision to drastically change my life. I decided to close Pippin Contemporary and have more time to focus on my artwork and pursue other opportunities.
I admit it – I’ve been a control freak many years of my life. I wanted so much for everything to run smoothly, for my children to do as I requested, for my husband’s business to do well (aside, he was in the oil and gas exploration business drilling wells for limited partnerships in the late 70s early 80s – disaster) and that the business I started in Houston would be successful (opened in 1984, sold in 2008). Being tightly wound, I achieved a lot, but I was taking steps that didn’t necessarily give me joy.
Since the death of my husband in 2017, I’ve come to realize that it’s time to change my thinking about what’s really important. Having worked since the age of 17, I’m now making drastic changes. A major one is the realization that I don’t have to be “hard after it” all of the time. By changing my thinking, I am changing my “but” – that word I use to harshly put myself back on “track”.
In reality we do a lot of things that seem so important they just have to get done before we can direct our focus to the things that give us joy. Painting was giving me joy. I love color, getting my hands in the paint, splashing, exploring, trying new materials and expressions.
From the time Barbara Meikle and I opened our gallery in 2006, it became another business that had to be nurtured, fed, grown. When I opened Pippin Contemporary in 2011, it was with the intention of a small gallery focused on my work and the work of a couple other artists. As an entrepreneur, my goal has always been to work toward growing the business, however, in doing that I sacrificed many hours that I could have been in my studio exploring my artwork.
Now as I’m winding down the gallery business, I’m becoming lighter. I feel a sense of freedom I haven’t felt in years or maybe ever. I’m looking forward to returning to my studio to see how the next chapter of my life is going to unfold. You’re invited to join me as I continue this self-exploration. You’ll be the first to see a new video currently being produced, peer into my studio, hear about various painting processes, journey with me as I discover myself – because “being an artist is a life journey, as well as an inner journey”.