How Mosaics "Broke Out" My Fearless Artist

 



I've spent most of the years of my life in a love/hate relationship with my creativity, art, and choice of mediums.  I had a really crazy cycle of signing up for art classes, throwing away everything I made, and then breaking it off with my creative self because I thought she was a total failure.  That was until I began to literally piece my artwork and my courage back together with mosaics.  

The process of connecting parts to create a whole or " The Big Picture" was so therapeutic that the results were secondary. Even better, was that my "mistakes" took a back seat to the beauty of the mosaic materials.  Art began to fill my walls rather than my trash can, and I learned to voice my creative self through mosaics.

My art began to sell so I opened a small business taking commissions and supplying retail shops.  Eventually, I felt a need to interact with others who share a love or interest for creating mosaic art.  I began to teach mosaic classes at Maverick Mosaics in the Washington D.C. / Northern VA area.  It is, by far, the most rewarding job I have ever had! (With apologies to my former employers).  I am forever thankful to the owner of Maverick Mosaics, Bonnie Fitzgerald, for taking me on as her first instructor, generously sharing her artistic knowledge, and, most importantly, for her friendship.

Not only am I able to teach a subject I am truly passionate about, but I am graced with inspiration from my students.  They choose to carve time out of their busy schedules to come to class and feed their creative selves.  Showing up with the will to create is most of the battle.  My students choose my art classes as a priority and remind me of the importance of "showing up" daily to my own personal art practice.  In turn, I aim to instill the importance of  listening to your own creative self and creating fearlessly (with fabulous technique, of course!)  Together, we carve out time for a creative outlet and try new things.

I believe that our life experiences eventually come together and point the way to a whole or a "Big Picture."- even if it seems to take a lifetime to see this Big Picture!  I created Big Picture Mosaics to journal my personal art projects, experiments, and "how-to's".   I hope to connect with others who admire, create, or wish to create mosaic art.  Welcome!

Julie McKee

Big Picture Mosaics

~Transforming lost pieces of creativity into the whole~ It's not too late...

Comments

[Andrea Niedzwiecki]

Wow Julie! Congratulations!! You are inspirational and you sound so happy! Good luck to you and may you continue to inspire all of us to be fearless!!

[Bonnie Fitzgerald]

Julie, I LOVE what your wrote above, it is very inspiring and interesting how when we are authentic things fall into place and just feel right. I am thrilled to have our paths crossing!