A retrospective reflection written in October 2026 · Trying new materials
One of the best things about being a self-taught artist is that I never received a rulebook telling me what my work had to look like. The downside, of course, is that I can make an impressive mess while figuring things out.
Lately I've been enjoying the freedom to move among painting, mixed media, collage and smaller handmade pieces. Each material offers something different. Some ideas need a canvas. Others work better in layers of paper, texture or color that I can hold in my hands.
It's easy to think that an artist needs a signature style and must stick with it forever. I don't see my work that way. The things that interest me change, and I'd rather follow that curiosity than keep making the same thing because it's familiar.
Not every experiment turns into a finished piece. That's all right. Sometimes the experiment is the point.
Some days I'm in the mood for bold abstract art. Other days I want to make delicate jewelry, arrange flower-inspired colors or cut paper into a collage. Those shifts don't mean I've lost my direction. They mean I'm curious.
My boyfriend and my kids have encouraged me to follow that curiosity rather than worrying about whether each idea fits a single artistic identity. The more freedom I give myself to experiment, the more the different parts of my work seem to speak to one another.
I've been fortunate to have friends who enjoy seeing what I try next, whether it turns into an abstract painting, a collage or a new piece of jewelry. That kind of enthusiasm makes experimenting more fun.
— Jaime