14 NOV TUE 2021

Context – Life’s Work

This short notice digital residency has forced me to take a fast and hard look at my Life’s Work. Thank you Rachel Buse for the push. The timing couldn’t have been any better as I move into a new phase of my life. Everything happens for a reason, and this is one of several positive things that have happened since my INK365Draw show at Five Monkeys was cancelled (rescheduled to Sat. Nov. 20th 6-8 p.m.)

This residency has pushed me to reflect on the past, today and the future. Long ago I started my Artist’s Journey with a scholarship at the art center, then aced every course in high school and the one year I spent at Grandview majoring in Art. However, as I’m sure many of you can relate to, life gets in the way and can change your journey. That’s what happened to me.

Art has always been with me and used “alot” in other ways, but many times my own art was not a priority. Sure I rolled all those credits at Grandview and the University of Chicago into a Minor in Design Studies at Iowa State, but I knew at the age I was when I returned to my studies that I couldn’t live on an Artist’s salary, I had to be smart to put a roof over my head and went with my second passion, hospitality, which I knew I could make a lot of money doing.

Fast forward, the 60+ 365/7, high paying career is gone, and it took forty three years to get back to where I left off, spending the past eleven years fully immersed in my unconventional art practices mostly part-time, but now full time with a side job. Complete reversal and I cannot put into words the feelings I have about coming back to where I’m supposed to be. I have always been an Artist, since I was six years old. It’s about time I returned home and share my work with you.

@valerievanhorne_artist @ink365draw

“Life is too short to not have fun everyday” – vlvh

RAS Photo: @dan_troxell