04/14/2004: "Art is the loneliest number that you'll ever know..."

It's almost 11pm and I just got back from working the night shift at the library. I don't have to do it very often but when I do, it's usually a major drag, but tonight my friend Carity Green came in (that I did a two person show with a couple years ago) and we started talking about how isolating being an artist can be. Both of us have been made to feel guilty about not being more social and for spending too much time alone.

We've decided to make more of an effort to get together, at least once a month, with other artist friends to plot out goals, encourage eachother, place bulk orders, and basically just talk about art and the projects we're working on etc.

Next Jeff Jemison came in (a photographer and videographer) and he's always inspirational to talk to so I asked him to join our little gang as well. He's interested but he's also almost never around, he's now getting ready to go do a 10 day shoot at the Arctic Circle, which should be interesting. I love his work and he's very serious about his business as an artist; I need to be around people with that level of passion and dedication more often.

I must say though, I love having this blog and the fact that I've met so many interesting people, especially other artists, who are grappling with the same issues that I am. I may not have a lot of people who understand what I'm going through here, but I have a whole bunch of you out there who are just as important to me. really! 10 years ago hearing from other artists in other parts of the world and seeing their work would have been impossible. Now I can't get enough of it. I appreciate every email, every comment, every guestbook entry...they all add up to tell me "you are not alone" even though I live on an Alaskan island in the middle of nowhere.