Life's Art by Ro Fo Sho Art

i have a new vision for my art. i wrote before about an idea that i wasn't sure if i wanted to share for fear of how stuck up or pretentious it might sound. but i'm over that fear...i'm confident with my idea:) here it is in a nut shell: i think i could be a really great motivational speaker. and i think i can set myself apart by incorporating my art with the encouragement and...motivation...that comes from listening to such a speaker! there are two parts to this realization:

part I

i have a pretty impressive collection of my drawings since 2003...like...a ton! when i look through my pieces, i can't help but feel proud and a huge amount of affection for my creations. i also remember where my heart and head were during creation...each drawing comes with a clear memory...whether it be a memory of what it meant to me or a memory of what feeling or place in my life it evolved from. it's like having a journal without words. i believe that i can tell stories and make points...have a visual for my audience...with my art. i've always wanted to be a writer, but sometimes i trip and stumble all over the words and just have to express whatever those words are through colors and lines. so i think if i'm speaking to a group of people about my life's lessons and i have some pieces for visual interest...i can use them as an anchor for myself as well.

part II

it began in college. my dorm room door was always open and girls were constantly coming in and out to visit. during those visits, the conversations often led to discussions on relationships (mostly) and sometimes other aspects of life like majors or family and friend conflicts. i was always good at seeing multiple sides of stories or different perspectives of a situation. the girls always seemed to leave with a new sense of confidence or determination...and i always felt a sense of accomplishment by helping someone through a tough time.

when i was a supervisor in a photo lab, it was the first time i interviewed and hired associates. i hired two different girls at different times during this job. after one left, i filled the position with the next one. they had different personalities and were in different places in life...but they were both quite a bit younger than me...and there were other similarities. despite the differences, both of these girls were, in a word, lost. now i don't feel right taking credit for turning their lives around...but...both girls at one point during my friendships with them told me that i had "inspired" them...that they "learned" from me...and i watched them become less like girls and more like women. i felt very maternal towards them. from my perspective, i saw them wandering around for a time but then start walking more determined with a goal in sight. i felt like i guided them...like i pushed them...made them ask questions of themselves and find the answers.

so! my experiences in life have helped me help others through similar situations. all of those times i asked the universe or God, "why? why must i have to go through this?" i believe everything happens for a reason...and so...the answer to all of those questions is this: use what i know to bring light to the dark for others. and i believe...truly believe...that i can do this!

ro fo sho art will now include the occasional segment of life's art...where i will share my stories and life lessons with some art for visual interest...an illustration of sorts. i hope that my words will help people...that others will read and share what i bring here. i also hope that as time passes, people feel comfortable initiating discussions...asking for advice or help...encouragement and motivation:) let's see where this goes!

"Connected"