Don’t stick with what’s safe and expected

Written by

Britt Silcox

If you don’t follow the local artist Jesse Andrews @Honeybloodarts you should. If you live in the Huntsville area you have likely seen one of her larger works, a galactic mural on the law office building at Holmes Avenue and Washington Street​. As impressive as it is, the story I heard her tell tonight is why I love her…

“Public art is not about the artist but the conversations that start because of it”.

Jesse Andrews

Don’t you appreciate these grand gestures for the gift they are? And as if her public art is not enough, she also gave us the inside story of what it took to complete that gift. Authentically and humbly, she revealed her process, that internal journey of moving from “here” to “there”, “where she was” to “where she wanted to be”. Since you missed it, here are my takeaways from her talk…

  • To do great work that impacts a community YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE RISKS.
  • You will never grow by sticking with what’s safe and expected.
  • Sharing your journey (the real stuff not the glamorized version) invites people to belong to something, to feel less alone.
  • Opportunity comes by way of relationship. Invest in people and they will invest into you.
  • Perfectionism will kill the dream. Embrace critiques.

If you missed @designweekhuntsville there are still some opportunities to connect with creatives like Jesse!

Photo from al.com
https://www.al.com/news/2019/10/public-art-goes-galactic-in-this-alabama-towns-new-mural.html