My First Real Exhibition

A few posts back, I mentioned that I had finally finished a painting that a started some weeks ago, and even showed a bit of the process. Just as I looked at it and called it complete, there was a call for artists to submit their work for selection to take part in a summer exhibition to be held at the Grand Hyatt Doha.

Naturally, having just finished my Koi painting, I thought it would be a good choice to submit and see if it would be selected. Quite unexpectedly, it was. Of course like any artist who's work has been selected for exhibition, I was very nervous to have my work "out there". But it is out there, hanging on a wall with other great paintings from outstanding artists who live right here in Doha.

What impressed me the most was the fact that all of the artwork was so diverse both in theme and content, and that goes to show the real diversity of cultures that live here in Qatar.

Profit from the sale of the artwork will go to the charity Room to Read which is a charity supported by Grand Hyatt. There is a nice article written in the Peninsula documenting the event.

"KOI" hanging on the wall at the exhibition

Are You A Multi-Potential-ite?

If you have never heard about the MULTI-POTENTIAL-ITE, let's begin here.  According to Emily Wapnick, founder of Putty-like.com, a multi -potentialite is a person who has many interests and creative pursuits. Go to her website to find out more about being a creative and a multipotentialite.

When I heard Emily speak for the first time. I breathed a sigh of relief because for the first time ever, my creativity/ abilities made sense. What artist media do you work in? People would ask and I would have to give the simple answer of acrylic because it was "safe. But here is what I never say: I am a paper sculptor, a collage artist, a digital artist, digital scrap booker, art journaler, zentangler, and a paper flower maker. Do i need to add more? Do you need props for a stage play? Sure I THINK I can do that. (it can't be that hard). I work with colored pencils especially the watercolor ones, as well as ink and graphite. Do you need a Pocahontas costume? I can to that too. Water colors from the tubes and oil paints are my nemesis. I don't touch them. Although I plan to one day to take classes in each media.

I have seen some amazing artists who work in watercolors or sculpture and their work is distinct and beautiful. I thought that i had to be like them too. I thought that in order to get somewhere in the artist world; to fit in, I had to find a style. Sorry but that does not work for me. Each medium I have ever worked in eventually became not much of a challenge, so that's when I started being adventurous and trying new things.

So yes, i am a proud multipotentialite one with a lot of creative interests and adventures.

To see Emily's TedTalk click on the link below, and remember to check out her website Puttylike.com

Why Some of us Don't Have One True Calling | Emilie Wapnick | TEDxBend

 If you have read this and realized that you too are a multi-potential-ite, hoorraaayyy!!! embrace it and go be your awesome self.

Leave a comment and lets get a conversation started.