ARTIST

from SLO LIFE Magazine Oct/Nov 2013

KITCHEN

329words

with Lena Rushing

I had someone tell me recently, “I really like your style, but I think it’s sort of disappointing that you paint these disturbing images that you know that no one will ever hang in their house.” I love that! It would be insulting if he were to have said to me instead, “This would look really great with my sofa.”

I volunteer teaching art classes at my kids’ school. I never tell them, “This is where you put the eyes, and this is where you put the nose.” Instead, I just say, “Get it out!” It’s a way to channel your frustration or anger or things you don’t want to tell your parents. But, I remember being a kid, and I’m sure for a lot of them it’s just, “Great—we don’t have to do schoolwork right now!” Plus, I do bring candy to sweeten the pot.

My art tends to be pretty dark. I don’t hate that part of me, but childhood is supposed to be fun, and it’s great and I don’t want it to be anywhere near that. Art is a great little closet to stuff it in, and it allows me to express it creatively.

My daughter draws everyday; she’s nine. I remember when I was a child doing art, it was very stressful. You wanted it to look like a picture. She does narratives—that didn’t occur to me until right now—but she always has some sort of scene that tells a story. She makes books and staples them together.

I blame myself, or maybe it was just nature, but my son, from the second he was born, he was my first child, I had him naked rolling in paint. I just thought it was the greatest thing. I’m sure that I overdosed him on art. Now he’s twelve. He’s so tidy. He says, “I don’t want to be dirty, I don’t want to touch that. No, thank you.” He’s totally over it. ”