A little creepy. Yes, definitely.

Hi everyone!!! I am working extra hard right now with an upcoming art show. I am really excited about it. I will be exhibiting a variety of my work ... including, my cameo girls and some of  my digital manipulations. I hope it turns out as planned. My brother is also coming for a visit in a couple more weeks... he will be able to see my show! First time he will see my work up close and personal, so I am excited and nervous. I have always looked up to my brother. His opinion means so much to me. 

So for now I am here.... but a busy girl.

 So I will post some things to inspire and entertain you in the time being.

 And give you one last rant until some time next week.... 

Here is a video I saw a while back.... I couldn't remember the title, major brain  cramp! So  I didn't share it until know because I hadn't come across it again until recently! YAY! It is very neat little short animation. A little creepy just the way I like. The story is itself very Tim Burtonesque.... ( Yes, I just made that word/last name up).

(pause my playlist)

Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Why do I like things a little dark? I think, when people meet me, they are especially surprised, for the most part, that I am a very optimistic, cheery person. I am not completely sure why my art and my personal taste is a little dark. Or as I usually explain... bittersweet. So, I pose a question..... or two.

Isn't life generally bittersweet?

Do you ever find yourself with the weight of all the worlds sorrows on your shoulders? 

I do. I worry. I get sad. I struggle. 

Everyday.

But art is my way of working out those emotions. I just cant go through this life as a mope. Not that I don't mope. ....Oh, I do. 

But I try very hard not to let the struggles of life envelope me entirely. 

I may not have told you..... one of my favorite artists is Frida Kahlo. I know, I know.... so is every other aspiring female artist. Her work is touching and original, yes. But I relate to her as a woman who struggled.  I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago. I was 32. I was young... yes. But really it was a surgery that my Doctors had wanted to do since I was much, much younger. I know suffering. I went through years (and still do... really) of pain. I had cysts, tumors and endometriosis. The endometriosis had spread to most of my major organs and I had to have major surgery to remove it and separate other parts of my organs that had fused together. I don't usually like to talk about it. This is the first time I have on here. It is very personal and, to some, disturbing.

I have had physical pain... and emotional pain. A child of divorce and moving from place to place... I went to a total of 11 different schools. My family is scattered all over the country.... in every corner. Thousands of miles separate us. I lived and grew up in California, Arizona and Texas before settling in Minnesota. You get the just of it. 

I don't want your pity. 

I do want you to know that I have compassion for you, for everyone, and their struggles.  We are not always what we seem... and I wanted you to know me, my heart, where my strength comes from. Maybe you can relate? Maybe my art or my story will help you find some mercy for those of us that are not picture perfect. And I hope that you too can learn to see past your trials and struggles. To see the bittersweet journey and come to understand that without the dark you can't see the light. You have to be able to see beauty in a person or situation that may not appear as  what they truly are. Look deeper, see truer, and celebrate it. We are all unique. We all have a story, a journey. I am sure yours is bittersweet also. 

So here is to light and dark,

yin and yang

Marco and Polo...

not really that last part,

and everything in between.

Especially to things that seem a little bit creepy.

xo

Carrie Lee