When I made "Clever Girl", I hadn't gone into that day with the plan of painting a raptor. To date my paintings had all featured creatures that were still around: moose, bears, foxes, etc. I had painted the background and I just couldn't settle on the figure to go on top. Nothing quite fit. The more I looked at it, the more the colours and big ball of light in the middle started screaming "DINOSAUR" at me, and I thought - why not? I've always loved dinosaurs - I have two dinosaur tattoos (a Raptor skeleton and a Spinosaurus seascape).
Those were both produced by incredible artists, but I was pretty stressed about making this piece because I had never successfully drawn a dinosaur before. But as it started coming together I felt what seems insane but I can only describe as euphoric. I promise, there were no illegal substances involved. I have to think that is how Bob Ross felt when he painted bushes!
It was a bit of a departure from my typical themes, but I like to think of it as a pretty natural fit.
Some art is made to give the audience pause and make you feel a call to action to be better, to learn, to feel compassion. Artists can draw from painful experiences, observations about the state of the world, and share that through their work.
My attempts to create art, whether visual or written, based on negative experiences in my life always resulted in me giving them up. Maybe it was a lack of bravery on my part, but I think some people are better suited to sharing joyful experiences.
I think the reason that my art naturally progressed to including not just vibrant crazy colours, but also kind of ridiculous animals (which, I am aware, we can only call ridiculous and fun because they are extinct and not running around eating us...), is because I realized that I have a lot to feel joyful about. And just like how artists expressing pain can make us feel a share in their experience, I want to share mine.
Is dinosaur art a bit silly? Yes, but if looking at a piece of art in your home or on your screen can inspire a bit of a smile or a whimsical mood, then I've accomplished my goal in spreading a little bit of joy! So I'll just keep adding happy little dinos...