I recently had a critique with some of my old friends from grad school. What a huge help that was! So many insights from very perceptive artists. They pointed out many things I had wondered about myself but also new ideas and thoughts that had never occurred to me. It made me remember how important it is to show your work to others and get feedback. So, many thanks to Sarah Baranski, Krista Wortendyke, and Nate Matthews for sharing your feedback as well as your profound images and ideas.
One really helpful suggestion was simply sharing the names few new artists for me to look at. One of them was Tim Archibald (thanks Krista). He makes these lovely collaborative portraits with his Autistic son. These images are so poignant as they describe a father's yearning to connect with and understand his autistic child. Yet they also describe the surprise and wonder of the lives of children in general. It made me look forward to the days when my own daughter might be able to collaborate with me in how she chooses to present herself for the camera. As of now, there is a lot of me observing her, often from the back as I try to keep up with her!
