In 2015, I completed my masters thesis film - a poignant personal documentary examining my relationship with my family; my father especially. It showed in the local film festival, like a few of my other pieces had. Next thing I knew, I was gone. Left the art world behind to pursue the stability of a “real job” and income. Well, I SORT of left. I continued to work as an audiovisual technician and an adjunct professor of art for the next few years, but eventually left that behind as well to pursue different career opportunities. I dabbled in small video projects and other kinds of artwork, but nothing significant.

2024 rolls around, and I get the itch to start making things. I made a decision; I’m going to learn to draw. Now I had been toying with learning to draw for years, but online, self paced courses don’t really work for me. So I enrolled at my previous university as a non-degree student, now able to afford to pay for a class out of pocket. Just one drawing class, to see if I could.

And I can. I went on to take three more semesters of drawing, including two rounds of figure structure. It’s the fall of 2026 now, and I'm enrolled in a beginning painting class, learning to work with paint and color.

Now I’m in full swing of making art again, and I want to get back to a point where I can showcase it to others through exhibitions and online spaces. But bridging the gap between experimental filmmaker and newly minted studio artist is scary - is it okay that I didn’t really make things for 10 years? Am I too old to be a real artist now? Are my new skills good enough? Do I work in filmmaking or let it rest in peace?

I don’t have all the answers to these questions just yet. I’m pretty sure I’m not too old though - so I just have to give it a go -- and importantly, keep making art.