Mama Marina

Elle’s Evolution

This series provides a behind-the-scenes look at how the art is developed for Midnight ‘Moir.

Mosaic Art is a practice in humility. An artist in spirit but not craft, I break and fix art pieces a thousand times before they arrived imperfectly dressed on the page. 

Why, you may ask, don’t I leave the art for the real artists? Well, first off. Rude. Only my inner critic is allowed to speak to me that way. But second, I wouldn’t be a very good therapist if I didn’t practice what I preach to my twice exceptional clients. 

Because, really, who cares if your elephant looks like an anteater by the end? That’s a mighty fight anteater you made there.

Art is more process than outcome. The whole is greater the sum of its parts, to get a little Gestaltian.

I dedicate this series to my high school art teacher. Though that single B sitting on my transcript wrecked my chances to be valedictorian, my high school counselor assured me I wouldn’t have gotten into Harvard anyway.

So, here’s to Mr. Lyles. You broke the news my nose is crooked and my perspective’s shit, but I thank you for the life lesson: 

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. So, yeah, just do it anyway.

P.S.

Critics only know you got there by accident if you tell them. 

So let’s watch -Elle- (my writer persona) go from warm and cozy by the fire to getting left out in the cold with just her thoughts. That, and the forgotten freshly-brewed coffee tells me I did actually nail the vibes. See…nobody even knows?!?