Introduction

Welcome to ArtWalks. If you are reading this, hopefully you have seen my website dancollinstudio.org. It features my artwork, artist statement and contact info for commissions and such. This blog is here to offer further insight into my process and what inspires me. To me life is art and the unexamined life is not worth living. I realize these are cliches, but what I'm trying to convey is that a variety of things feed my art. This blog will be about my walk or journey as I try to make stuff.

Trust me I love the stuffy pretense of a gallery or museum as much as the next person. I love sipping wine in a tweed jacket while some flunky in an ill-fitting black vest serves me little quiches on a silver platter. But if I'm being honest, that's not really my world. I tried to make art with that world in mind and it was, at least in my opinion, not tremendously successful. It was unsuccessful in the sense that it didn't feel like me. I get energized to make art through mundane, everyday things. I make little drawings, and they comfort me. When the scope gets a little too big and the ideas get a little too grand, I try a little too hard and just get over analytical. That's why I started making tiny drawings of houses.

In addition to art I will be writing about all things that I feel make the world a little more tolerable, good food and drink, music, literature, and cultural events. In a week, I will have my first important show it what feels like a long time. It prompted me to get off my behind, make a website and a blog and re-establish art as a prominent force in my life again. There's an ebb and flow to this sort of thing. Link back to the website for details on the show in the news and events section and stop by if you can.