For Beth Kirby

March 31, 2022

Today’s art show is dedicated to Beth Kirby, one of my earliest expanders and sources of inspiration. ❤️⁣

I still remember the first time I read Beth’s story. Her writing was beautiful and vivid and evocative in a way that sticks with you, and I could relate to so much of what she says about growing up in the South. Here’s an excerpt:⁣

“I was born in the South. I didn’t care for being Southern, but I grew up. And when you grow up you get eyes in your head. And what I saw was myself in the South and the South in me. It’s a broken place, and its richness lies in its brokenness. It’s an awfully human place. A bloody place. A pig fat place. One morning you wake up, look in the mirror, and see that the river and mountains and murder ballads are in you. They are you. You’re them. And you know its nonsense to say otherwise. I am, for better or worse, some strange breed of Southern.”⁣

Like Beth, my work has always been about life.

Real life. The beauty, the ugly, the hard, the messy, and everything in between. I admit I’m not always bold enough to share it, but I intend to channel a lot more of my inner Beth from here on out. The honest, resilient, bold, and present kind.⁣

Beth was and is a light. She didn’t shy away from sharing the fullness of her story, including her struggles with mental illness, and she will always be remembered for her strength and honesty—and of course her beautiful and powerful creativity.⁣

Do yourself a favor and be a little more present today, in honor of Beth. Notice the sights/sounds/tastes/smells, and fully savor the preciousness of whatever it is that you’re doing today. This is the art of slow living.

And most importantly, know that you are loved and needed, more than you can possibly know.⁣

Pictured: “Beneath the Grit,” a different kind of beauty for a different kind of beauty. From one southern artist to another. ❤️