Every Action's an Act of Creation

I had the pleasure of hearing Anita Kunz speak at the FL3TCH3R Lecture last week, and she did a fantastic job. I went because I was so fascinated by the exhibit and thought it would be interesting to hear the mindset of the judge.

First, she emphasized the power of art. It is a tool that can entertain, provoke, support, harm, explain, etc. It’s reach is limitless. It’s a universal language. Kunz pointed out that art tells the story of who came before us and what their lives were like. It’s incredible to think that even before written account, we had art to create a portal into the past.

…She also gave a shout-out to Bob Ross, and I feel this is essential to document.

Kunz is an inspiring woman. She’s had such a powerful career producing diverse art. Her work has been featured on the cover of Times, Rolling Stone, and much more. It was motivating to hear her thought process and how she tackled a new assignment. It was also cool to hear how she had been contacted by strangers who strongly connected with her work and felt it represented them. I think that is such an indicator of solid work- when it represents what it means to be human.

Near the end, she showed us some examples of sketches or works that had been rejected by the magazines. It was encouraging to see that there were so many, and yet by balance, she was still incredibly successful. I also admired how she stood up for her rejections. She was still proud of them, and she still valued them. It reminded me that it can be hard for artists, but they must stand by their work.

Anita Kunz is living the kind of life I am working towards. She creates powerful art, and it covers a wide variety of subjects. There is always something new for her to work on. It’s fast-paced and exciting, and it speaks to people.