Mermaid Society
People are afraid of making art - this is funny to me. Sometimes I go and paint with watercolors at a local coffee shop and I love watching people's interactions with what I am doing. People pretend I'm not there; they try to sneak a glimpse of my work. I'll try to make them comfortable by pretending I don't see that they're interested. It is very awkward, but I love it. Only a few people walk right up to me and ask what I am doing. Why are people so uncomfortable with art? What if I had the public paint and I watched them instead? I took this crazy idea and ran with it at the 6th Annual Mermaid Street Fair. I sketched a mermaid in the San Marcos River and invited people to come paint. I told them there are no rules, just paint and then sign their name. Something happened that I didn't expect: very few people wanted to paint the picture I drew, but instead they painted everything from hearts and smiley faces to their company logo and even a crying clown. At first this made me uncomfortable, but then I realized that it was becoming a beautiful representation of our community. People responded how they saw fit and either proudly or shyly signed their name. Little ones who couldn't write yet made thick marks with the brushes; professional artists contributed with thought-out intent. Most strikingly, many people painted in the wild rice that is unique only to two miles of the San Marcos River, showcasing how informed the community is about river conservation. Maybe art isn't so uncomfortable after all. Look closely, every mark on this work has a story. Watercolor, 2022
