ARTISTIC WORKPLACE AND GALLERY

When people ask me how long I've been making art, my answer is always something like, "ever since I could pick up a crayon" or more simply, "my entire life".  There isn't an exact moment when I realized my need to create...it's always just been known. The beauty of creating art for me is like the moment a captured wolf is released back into the wild where she is free to explore her own habitat and be completely herself. It's a powerful feeling, which I believe anyone can harness if we just let go.
However, the creative process can be challenging. It can be clouded with overthinking, or different approaches  to a new project, which oftentimes leads to what is often called an "artist's block". There have been countless times where I've been so deep in the blues, that painting was the only thing I felt could guide me to safety, even if I wasn't in the mood. It is a healthy outlet for emotions which I may not understand at the time, but the answers always find their way into those quiet places where I slow down and listen. I never regret these moments. And I never forget, because looking back at those pieces of raw, brushed emotion help me understand who I was at that time of my life, how much I've grown, and the potential that wanders ahead. Making so many drawings and paintings over the years is like recording a ginormous journal of lessons – some more difficult to accept than others – but all equally important! Being a servant to Art is the greatest treasure I've ever known.

Brittany Parshall

Welcome to our Artist in Residence for the week of July 16th. Please come visit her during her residency and see her create inside the lighthouse!