Oh, the difference a year can make! If it weren't for social media, I don’t know if I’d actually have noticed that it was exactly a year ago that my wife and I wandered our way, guided by Apple Maps, alongside the canals of Venice to the Arsenale for the opening of the Arte Laguna Prize Finalist exhibition. Don’t get me wrong, as I’m about to probably say multiple times, this meant a lot to me, but, without the sometimes annoying reminders of things past that can be thrown at you by social media, I wouldn’t have been aware it was today.

To date, I’m still amazed by not only the exhibition itself, but also by the people I met (mainly online), the opportunities that this brought, and the level of work included. We often say that we are humbled an honored to be a part of this show, or that exhibition, but I can’t say it enough with Arte Laguna. When they say that they consider themselves the opening to the Biennale season in Venice, they aren’t kidding.

I will be the first to admit that, although it may seem to those who know me socially that I’m super outgoing, I’m incredibly shy most of the time, even with people I’ve known for years. As I’ve gotten older, this has become even more evident to me, so the fact that I met some people through this experience is one thing, but that we casually keep in touch is another. I’m not going to say that we meet up, or send a message on a birthday, but I know that if I were to go to France, Switzerland, or Italy in the future, I could probably meet up with someone for lunch. That is saying a lot for me, because I’m not usually that person.

Another thing that I have gained from this experience, as I look back over a year, is an incredible amount of change, for the better, in my outlook of my work, process, and overall confidence in what I do. Don’t get me wrong, those closest to me, especially my wife, can tell you that I still beat myself up more than I should, or question my direction, but it is far less and with less intensity than before. As artists, we tend to lack in confidence sometimes, and when we do have it, we seem not to remember it when we need to. This experience, though, has been a go-to for me. When I feel off, or feel like I’m not worth the notice of anyone, I remember that I caught the eye of some people for something that roughly 8000 other people were trying to be part of. That may sound petty, but sometimes you grab onto what you can and use it to keep you afloat when nothing else can. Either way, though, I have gained confidence in my work, which in turn has made me look deeper and strive for bigger things. Can’t complain about that!

I have to say, though, that thinking about this today has not all been reminiscing over my achievements. It has also made me think about where we are right now, all of us. There are about 120 artists right now who are not getting to have the same experience that I did, at least not currently. The Arte Laguna Finalist Exhibition, like many other things, has been postponed for this year. Italy, as most people know, has been hit hard by Covid-19, and is on lockdown. To think about these wonderful things, past, present, and future, can seem a little wrong these days, but we can’t forget them either. What is going on around the world is serious for sure, but to ignore the good things, the memories, and the good times ahead, will make us focus only on the negative. We need not ignore the severity, but let’s not let it take away all that is good in life.

All of this said, I hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe. To all my artist friends and creative types, keep on churning out work! If there is anything that we can do to help keep spirits up (don’t deny it, you’ve felt down at least once as of late) it is to share what we do and hopefully make others happy. Also, as I realize I’m never good at concluding these, if anyone is interested in knowing more about Arte Laguna, check out their website, or email me. I’m always willing to tell anyone what I can, from the perspective of someone who’s been there, that might not be found in their information. I hope this finds everyone well, and stay safe!