Art Yap

Shawna Vesco Ahern: [00:00:00] This is an art. Yap. It is an art. Yap. We're talking art. Yap. Ity y
artfully. Artfully, artfully, artfully. Yap. Yap. Yap. It's.
A line is a dot that went for a walk. I'm Shawna Vesco Ahern, and this is Art Yap. The podcast where I gab with Bay Area creatives about imagination, arts, culture, and everything in between. Today's guest is Craig McIntire, a self-taught painter, a practicing speech language pathologist, and the kind of person who instantly feels like a friend you've known [00:01:00] forever.
He's warm, funny, endlessly curious, and has a deep love for people. And Halloween and Britney Spears, though sadly we didn't get to those parts, I could listen to him tell stories about anything and everything. In this episode, we talk about his creative work, his ever-evolving artistic identity in the joy he finds in creating authentic connection through imagination.
My world is certainly better for having Craig in it, so hopefully yours will be too.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: Thank you for coming on the podcast. Thanks for having me. I mean, you were one of the first people when I got this idea, I was like, okay, Craig's coming on the pod. It's not gonna be about art. It's gonna be about Britney Spears. Oh my God. Different kinds of cola from the eighties and 17,000 other things.
That's what I love about you. Besides the art. Well, it was so funny because we met through Instagram. I was following your art. Liking it. And then I start to feel like I knew you and I reached out and I was like, do you want to do a [00:02:00] solo exhibition inside of a gallery in a biotech campus? And you were like, yes, absolutely, but, and shouldn't we have a talk on the phone?
And I was like, oh my God. I was so embarrassed. I was like, right, because I could be a creep or a weirdo or a scammer. Like we should talk on the phone we've never met. Yeah. And I think that happened like. Very, very close to the actual exhibit. Mm-hmm. Um, I, I knew you weren't, I knew you were kind of creepy in a good way.
Yeah. So take that how you will. It was so funny. Yeah. Just on the phone. I, we were just talking about art and life and I just felt like I knew you forever. It's just one of those people. Mm-hmm. And they, yeah. They say you can't make friends in your thirties and forties and I felt like I just did. Or in your late fifties.
Yeah. So there you go. Yeah. It just felt, um. So like I was talking to, you know, a best friend, a bestie, um, it just felt so natural. Mm-hmm. And, and, and, you know, first impressions really are a [00:03:00] thing, um, especially when you're talking to gallerists. It's like, what, what's the vibe that I'm getting here? And I'm gonna trust my intuition just as I do when I'm creating.
And I trusted my intuition. And here I am again, again, I know you're addicted to this biotech campus. I'm, I am. I'm addicted to their support, letting us like record and film in here for free and for no apparent reason. Um, they just like public art, which is fantastic. So tell me and tell the children listening a little bit about your art practice.
Kind of, you know, I think with abstract stuff, and we've talked about this before, people get very hung up, well, what does it mean? What's this kind of art? You know, what does it mean? What am I supposed to take away from it? But yours is about. The experience of it, the emotion. I like to, it's great for my A DHD brain, 'cause I like to zone into your art so I can zone out in my thoughts.
You know, it's more about a [00:04:00] feeling.
Craig McIntire: It, it's all about feeling. And, and I always tell people, you know, don't read into it. My art's not that deep. I mean, it, it really is. But when I'm creating, I'm creating to um, uh. To process things, to let go of things, to, remind myself of things. and I just want people to connect with the energy that comes out of, out of my work.
yeah, and it, it just feels so incredible, so incredibly right. What I'm, what I'm creating now. and talk about feeling. Pure joy when I paint. or create. Um, yeah, so that's, that's the big takeaway. I, I just want people to be drawn in and to, like you said, just kind of get lost in it and just en enjoy it.
Um, try not to, read too much into it. I ask everyone this, [00:05:00] Tell me about getting bitten by the creative bug.
Like what were your earliest artistic indulgences, things that drew you in either conceptually, like you were very interested in them, or things you did with your hands, things you made. For all I know when I came out of the womb, I was probably like finger painting the fluids or something like that. And.
I, I, I know from a very early age, it just, um, I was always a creative, busy, silly little monkey. Mm-hmm. And, um, I think I still am, I've still retained that to some degree. but I think, um, maybe we can talk about this later too, but the connection with my day job and my, and my art, it was. Before I had words to communicate thoughts and feelings, I used, uh, creation and, and art to kind of convey mm-hmm.
Um, those thoughts and [00:06:00] feelings. and I think I re, I can remember. Little things growing up. I remember we had this print a frame print of one of, of, of, van Gogh's sunflowers. Okay. I kind of wish I would've taken that when, when my father died and when we moved my mom somewhere. I kind of wish that I would've taken that with me, but I always remember that that piece and something about it kind of spoke to me.
So I think that was like one of the, where was it? In the home? It was, I believe it was in the kitchen. Well, okay. That, so the most important part of the home. Right. And, and, but here's the thing about my, my parents and my family, they were very. There weren't a lot of things on the walls. It was very, very, um, there was a lot of thought that went into what was gonna go on the wall.
So, it was like a focal point. Mm-hmm. Right. and then, then as a kid, I just remember just always, you know, wanting to, to draw and [00:07:00] color and, and create. and it was really. Fostered my parents and my family really fostered that in me, whether they really realized it or not. That's what I was gonna ask.
Did they like buy you art supplies? Did they sign you up for art classes? Um, you know what they did do? we had this thing, I don't even know who started it. It was called The Line Game. And I remember, especially when it was, um, a holiday and we had all the, the relatives, extended family over. And I would, when I was young, I would go up to one of the family members and say, draw a line.
And they would draw a line and then I would make something of that line and I would go around to everyone at the table and, and I could see that they were trying to stump me. So sometimes the lines were getting a little bit more, um, convoluted or ornate, and it really. I remember my little brain thinking, okay, what can I do?
What can I make out of this? And that actually was probably what [00:08:00] really, um, catapulted this creativity. Wow. Yeah.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: what was your undergrad degree? It was so, um, graphic design, or
Craig McIntire: actually it was advertising, I think advertising art minor. Yeah, because I.
Chickened out and left the, originally it was an art major, but I kind of got nervous and, and left, but um, still followed the creative path of advertising. Mm-hmm. Do you feel like you lean on any of that now as an artist who does your own marketing, sells your work online? Absolutely. I'm finally getting, finally getting it, you know, the money's worth because I, I basically, I got an art scholarship, um.
When I was in high school. Mm-hmm. And back then, this would've been early eighties, um, that was enough to pay for a whole year tuition Wow. At a state college at San Jose State. when I decided to change majors, I wanted [00:09:00] to, 'cause this would've been like 80.
Seven or something like that. And I had this, this feeling that I really want to just spend my life creating. I think my, the dream I had was, I'm gonna move to Santa Cruz, I'm gonna paint for a living. And then something kind of clicked and I'm like, that sounds fantastic, but I also kind of want a paycheck.
Yeah. And I want stability. Mm-hmm. And so I kind of felt like I sold out. Um, a little bit like I, I really, um, I've made peace with it. Um, SLC punk would say, you didn't sell out. You bought in. I bought in. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I mean, there's something to be said for, I was just thinking about this, um, in traffic over the bridge that, you know, I didn't really.
C call myself an artist until the last, over the last few years. And it was because of that that I thought, oh, well, I'm not really an [00:10:00] artist because I'm not doing this full time. Mm-hmm. I'm not struggling. Mm-hmm. Um, trust me, I'm struggling just in different ways. Um, but, but I think about how, what a challenge it is to have a part-time job in healthcare, a mortgage.
A husband and, and, and how to balance that out with time that I set aside specifically for me to just create. And that's, there's struggle in that. Mm-hmm. To try and make that all work out. And fortunately it's really working out for me right now
Shawna Vesco Ahern: when I think of you from a literary perspective and I can't help it 'cause I am a literature person at heart.
I see. From these stories you're telling, like even as a child in the line game. This play with semiotics in your world between language and image and meaning and social meaning, and all these different [00:11:00] registers that your brain plays on, and then even marketing and advertising mixed in with your artistic practice.
How did you even end up in speech pathology? Oh my gosh. Was it an accident? Did it just feel natural because it, it fits your story. The red thread is. It goes through everything. Yeah. Now it's, but maybe only in retrospect, like how did you arrive at that?
Craig McIntire: You know, it's really interesting. Thanks for asking that.
I think, you know, art is such a huge part of who I am. Um, but also wanting to help people is also a very big thing. Um, and I think. W my, my last job, which I thought was gonna be my dream job, was as an art director here in the city. And, I, I remember I was working in Sacramento. I was the art department for, the governor's office, a branch of the governor's office.
And I put this is very, um, what do you call it? Uh, uh, a dream board. What do [00:12:00] you call that one? Oh, vision board. Vision board. Mm-hmm. Very Oprah or whatever. Um, I'm here for, and I remember in my, in my office, I had clipped out this, this fantastic shot inside, this fabulous, um. Uh, condo, high rise condo. And, you could look out and see the Fi financial district and the bay.
And I, I remember clipping that out and putting it on my bulletin board by my computer and, and just thinking, wow, that's what I really want to do. Um, I'm getting a little off tangent, but I'm gonna come back around. Uh, that's something I do. We hardly care. This isn't a podcast about full circles. You should see me paint.
Right. Um, but, uh. And so that was my, this big dream job that I thought, and I was already starting to have little inklings of like, is this really what I, what I want to do? Do I really want to be a, a graphic designer? Mm-hmm. And, and I should say the, the [00:13:00] department I was working for was, um, office of Criminal Justice Planning.
So I was creating, um. Uh, like kind of posters and logos and materials supporting, um, some of our programs like Violence Against Children. Mm-hmm. So creating that and learning more about this department, I'm like, Hmm, I wonder if I wanna, if I want to work in a job where I'm really helping people. Mm-hmm.
So that was how the seed, um, got planted. Then I. When I was working as, the, um, art director, I had another episode of this. I'm not good enough. I'm not worthy, I'm a fraud. Mm-hmm. And. I left that job and took some time off trying to figure out what it is that I really wanted, what it was I really wanted to do and I, and I knew I wanted to do something in nonprofit, so this is before [00:14:00] having a lot of computer stuff.
I had like this little monthly newsletter from, it was Opportunity Knocks and I would read through it. To look for these jobs. So keep in mind, I was the art department, I was an art director, and I thought it'd be easy to get a job in a little nonprofit. Mm-hmm. And, and I was even trying to just get like entry level admin assistant.
No one would gimme the time of day. Wow. Do you know Excel? Do you know Microsoft Word? Mm-hmm. And I'm like, no. But I used to run a department, so I think I can pick it up. Um, so. I'm getting closer. So, so I was doing nonprofit work and it turned into development work. Mm-hmm. And then development turned into the marketing coordinator.
Okay. So then I'm starting to, to bring back in this art and advertising stuff. Mm-hmm. Um, which felt great. Then I started, I [00:15:00] started doing, um, my own. I wasn't painting yet, but I was drawing on the side. So that's when I started to kind of really bring back in the art. Um, and then the last job I worked at in nonprofit was at, uh, a vocational service.
And that was a good place to say, Hmm, am I really happy? What do I really want to be doing? So I tapped into one of our counselors there and ended up going online. Careers by design took the skills aptitude test. Mm-hmm. And it spit out five different, um, uh, possible jobs for me or professions. One was, um, uh, special ed.
Mm-hmm. Which I'm like, uh, I don't know. My heart will be broken all the time, but Sounds good. Um. Art therapy. Mm-hmm. Which I thought would be great, but then I'm like, nah, I want to create for myself physical therapists. No. At the time I was 36, I'm like, I'm gonna throw my back out. Mm-hmm. Um, speech pathologists and [00:16:00] the last one, flight attendant.
Oh, interesting. So, and, and side note, I actually, when I had time off in between jobs, I actually did a cattle call and, and got through the first, uh, interview process for United Airlines as a. Flight attendant. Wow. Yeah. Um, what an alternate reality you'd be living. Right? I know. Um, so, so I went the speech pathology route.
Mm-hmm. And, and I had remembered when my grandmother had had, uh, multiple strokes mm-hmm. that a speech pathologist was working with her. So it kind of, there was a little bit of a connection there. And, then I just kind of dove in and I'm not really. a sciencey type of guy. Mm-hmm. And I had to be, and, and I found that I was a much better student the second time around.
Hmm. And it was kind of like I needed to, I needed something to balance out the art. Mm-hmm. The art [00:17:00] was, and has always been for me. And I think that I felt a little selfish. Or, or, or maybe. A little bit of actually, uh, a little bit of worthiness. This goes back to when I was in my undergrad. Mm-hmm. So I think now that I'm thinking about this now, that I think that helped to balance out the joy and the, the, the, the art that I did for myself mm-hmm.
With helping other people. You've kind of mentioned imposter syndrome coming up along the way. First Yes. In your undergrad and a few times later. Do you still feel that now? Or do you really feel like you've stepped into your true self? Whatever that might mean? Um, from, from time to time, but it doesn't last long.
Hmm. Like that, that thought or that feeling mm-hmm. Will kind of bubble up like reflux. Mm-hmm. And, and then I can very quickly step back and go, wait a minute. No, no. This, this is who [00:18:00] I am, this is what's important to me. Mm-hmm. I, I create for myself and I always have. So how can I be an imposter, right? If it makes me feel this good and if it feels so right, then so be it.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: And you have so many people too, especially on Instagram affirming you and your artistic practice, which is so crazy still. You put stuff out and it's fantastic and everyone has to comment. Everyone has to let you know we have to talk about it with each other. Even just your show here at Wall Box Gallery.
Mm-hmm. So many people came out for you and it was just such a heartwarming event. I didn't realize that you, like, hadn't even thought of yourself as an artist until kind of recently.
Craig McIntire: Yeah. Yeah. It was kind of like, you know, Voldemort, you know, I can't, I can't ever utter that word. Mm-hmm. That I'm an artist because, um, don't I need some kind of degree or don't I need to be really struggling.
Um. I was Okay calling myself a creative. Mm-hmm. [00:19:00] Right. Um, and then I thought, well, since I'm not creating full time, I don't really feel like I'm a hobby artist. There's, there's more there. Mm-hmm. And it, and it goes so deeply. Um, so the more I started creating, and finally about two or three years ago, my work kind of shifted.
And with that shift there was this. This overwhelming feeling of, oh, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. Mm-hmm. And I really haven't looked back and it, and it just really felt like, it feels good, the actual process feels good. Mm-hmm. And then what I create, at least to me, I'm like, yes, that's exactly what I've been trying to say.
For so long. So,
Shawna Vesco Ahern: and correct me if I'm wrong, but at your opening reception, there was someone from art school or from back in the day who knew you that was here and they were talking about you could totally see that this is a piece done by [00:20:00] Craig, but watching the trajectory of like, they knew your work then, and then seeing it now.
Um, it was still you. Yeah. But it had evolved. Yeah.
Craig McIntire: And I know exactly who you're talking about. That's my, my dear friend bestie from actually from, um, my graduate program. Mm-hmm. So she's just speech pathologist as well. Um, and she's always been a big supporter and, and why she was talking about that is I, I had given her this huge piece.
Um, and it's so different from what I do now. It was much more graphic. It was acrylic. But it was very flat. Mm-hmm. And very, um, uh, kind of whimsical. I still loved that I had this thing about painting furniture. I don't know why, but, but it really worked. And actually, the first art show, the first exhibit I had, this is when I was doing pastel work.
It was all of these, these compositions with furniture. It might just be like. A, a [00:21:00] chair and a lamp, but it, it just, the way that I treated them, it, it, it gave it this kind of personality and it's still emo. Mm-hmm. And so she remembered all of that. And, um, and she, she told me that, that that day she's just like, oh my God, I just look at that piece on our wall.
And, and it was so sweet because she did say, I've just seen you just. Just grow. Mm-hmm. Like, as you said. And, um, yeah. It just, it just feels great to have that, to have others see that. And it is, you know, it's validation. Mm-hmm. Um, and, uh, acceptance of who I am and, and someone who's seen that work, kind of bob and weave.
Mm-hmm. Where it was like I was still trying to find myself. Mm-hmm. And, and now I feel like I have arrived.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: And again, I can't help except to think of you like a story [00:22:00] and you're the protagonist and you have supporters. Um, when we met, I got to hear a lot about your muse, your neighbor. Mm-hmm. Um, and I don't know if you wanted to talk about her.
And then the flip side to her of course is you have an online bully. You have all these characters in your story. Yes.
Craig McIntire: Yes, yes. Um. And I know you don't care if I, uh, get emotional No. About it because it is, it is a very, uh, sweet story and sad story because, um, uh, my neighbor Shelly, um, was diagnosed with a very, very rare and aggressive, uh, sarcoma.
And, um, it took her very quickly and was very hard to, to watch. Um. But the happy thing is, I mean, she, she's, she's always with me. I think about her when I'm, when I'm creating. In fact, I remember one time I was, uh, wrapping up artwork to send, I think to the [00:23:00] gallery in Philadelphia and I ran out of, um.
Uh, just paper to stuff, the box. So I ran into the garage. I'm like, I've gotta find some paper. And I looked and there was this role that, uh, like a, a massage therapist would use to cover or a doctor would use to cover the. The bed. And for some reason she gave that to me years ago and said, I don't know if you could use this.
Maybe you can use it in art. And I saw it there and, and I took it. I'm like, this is perfect. And as I was ripping apart and stuffing in the box, I remember just going, oh, thank you. You came through again. You know? Mm-hmm. So it was, she's, she's always kind of. Around. And I think it was because one, she was wickedly smart, knew so much about art, worked in the arts, lived and breathed art.
And for her to take an interest in my work was just, it was just amazing. At first I thought, oh, she's just being [00:24:00] nice. Mm-hmm. And then after buying the first piece, I'm like, oh, maybe she really. Does like my work and now she, we call her the benefactor. She has, um, or her husband and daughters in their, um, unit next door have I think 11 or 12 pieces of my work in their house.
And, and it wasn't just the fact that she, I, I feel like she really saw me. Mm-hmm. And she saw my work. But the, to then go into her house mm-hmm. And see how. Carefully and how lovingly she displayed that. Mm-hmm. Was just like, oh my gosh, this is like so amazing that I'm connecting with this person. Not only 'cause she's funny and a great person, but we're connecting through my art, which is the whole point of art.
It really is. Connection really is a huge thing for me. It's like that's. Even though I'm a speech pathologist, I'm not the the [00:25:00] best at, um, getting my words out sometimes, as you'll probably hear. But, um, like I said in the beginning, even though I have the big boy words mm-hmm. You know, and, and I'm able to speak, I like my art to speak for me.
Mm-hmm. You know, because that's, I feel like there's, there's a kind of a safety around it that people, um, can. Just connect through that and, and find hopefully some shared beauty and joy, from looking at my art. I think so. I think everyone can, except for your bully in Spain or I don't know if they're still around.
I had. Uh, yeah, I think there were, there was one in Poland. I have them all over. It's been kind of quiet,
Shawna Vesco Ahern: but for why? I mean, I, you know, then the, the insults are, you know, a child could do this. Oh yeah. Which is great. Children are amazing at art 'cause they're not self-conscious. Precisely. That's a compliment.
Craig McIntire: Yeah. Yeah. [00:26:00] And they think, and, and you know, I've talked to many artists that do abstract work and it's always seems to. The, the, the comment that gets thrown around my 7-year-old could do this. Mm-hmm. And it's just like, awesome. Keep, keep fostering that in them. Mm-hmm. You know, that that genuine emotion and that authenticity that comes out that's like gold.
And so I think these trolls think that they're really, they're really sticking it to me, but I'm like, thanks. That's like the best ever. I maintain. They're just jelly of you. I do think, because some of them do get kind of mad. Mm-hmm. I think it's like, this has nothing to do with my artwork. This is, this is on you.
Does that actually touch your imposter syndrome or is it so outlandish that you can't even take it seriously? That's it. It's, it's so outlandish that it's just like, why, why is this making you so angry? Mm-hmm. But, and, and I think, well, I want [00:27:00] my art to, to. I want people to connect, and so even if they're connecting me negatively mm-hmm.
I'm like, no, I kind of got you. Mm-hmm. Because you are continually, to you, you are continuing to come back and, you know, and, and be shady. Thanks for the algorithmic support. I know, know, I'm like, you know, you can just scroll away if you don't like my work, but I don't, I don't know what to tell you, so it doesn't really bo bother me, but.
I do think about it because I, I wanna make sure that, um, that I'm always staying true to myself. Mm-hmm. And that I'm not putting out work that isn't authentic and, and not putting out work just for the sake of putting it out there.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: I was sort of blown away when you said that you had this phase where you were, you know, kind of painting furniture.
'cause I don't think I've seen any of those and it's hard to imagine. So first of all, definitely wanna see some of those. Absolutely. But also how do you [00:28:00] kind of fall into these new pockets? Um, like do certain themes kind of start to come in and then you like it so you kind of go with it?
And so I was wondering how you fall into kind of new pockets of interest within your art.
If it's like stuff going on with you personally, or if you just start playing with like a new technique or. You know, and you just keep building off something that feels good to you.
Craig McIntire: Yes. Uh, definitely that I think, and I've, I think I've shared this, I know I've shared this with other artists who I've, who I message with, um, typically when I feel like I have a block mm-hmm.
And a block may be okay, I've, I've. Gone to paint and usually it's like two or three pieces. I just can't get in the groove and it feels forced and I hate that. Um, usually coming out of a block or in, in the block, I'll get so frustrated that I'll just start [00:29:00] taking it out on the paper or on the canvas.
And more often than not, that's when something new. Comes up, something new, emerges. Mm-hmm. Maybe it's, um, a new little element, or it's just, it, it just kind of like taking, uh, the defibrillator, uh, panels and kind of shocking me back. Um. And then I get back on this path and I used to fear blocks and, and failures, but they're so not failures there.
It's, it's really, it's just the path to get to that next place to, to bring a new element in or to try a new style. So I think that answers your question. It definitely does. Okay. Um, I was just, I'm always curious about people's artistic practice and how they know when something that once felt good is kind of over for them and how they move into new things or, you know, I know some artists look at old [00:30:00] masters and try and.
Learn new techniques, and that can kind of inspire them in certain ways, but it doesn't always feel authentic to their work. Mm-hmm. So there's this like, are you drawing from out, or drawing from in or some sort of combination. So I just always love hearing about that. Yeah. And I think I definitely draw from within.
Mm-hmm. Um, I don't do a lot of workshops. I, I observe a lot and watch a lot, um, of process reels and whatnot, but I, I don't know. And this is when I start to feel like an imposter. I tend to not. Do workshops. Mm-hmm. Because it is so per creating is so personal for me. It's kind of like when, when you're deliberating, you're trying to, um, decide if there's something big, you know, you're, you're making a change or whatever, and you can ask other people, but really you have to make the decision yourself.
Mm-hmm. And that's kind of what my, my creative process is like. Is, is it's, um. [00:31:00] It, it's very internal and I'm trying to work through things. Mm-hmm. Um, uh, and so for me to, to, to go to a workshop, it feels like I'm, I'm, I'm going. It, it would be good in general, but it feels, um, like having someone solve a problem for me.
Hmm. What's your studio setup like? Do you listen to music? How do you get your brain chemicals into the creative zone? Are you caffeine sometimes. Sometimes chemicals. Yeah. Um, although I, when I, again, I keep saying, you know, I paint for myself and it's therapeutic and I tend to wanna be, I want it to, to, to stay pure.
Mm-hmm. I mean, a glass of wine, a beer, sometimes a little puff. Mm-hmm. Um, but I, I really want, um, it's a time for me to just delve into me. Um, and also that's a reason why. I [00:32:00] typically, I won't have any music. Mm-hmm. And there are some times that, that I will, um, people ask me what type it'll usually be. You know, it could be classical, it could be some kind of jazz.
Um, I really, really love, um, I don't know how I would classify them like. It's kind of like abstract or neoclassical. Mm-hmm. Um, friction Quartet is, is a group that I was so, so fortunate to, uh, do a live paint with. Mm-hmm. And their music is. It is a perfect soundtrack for my work. Wow. It's edgy, it's it's quiet, it's loud, it's beautiful, it's disjointed.
And that, that pretty much sums up my work, I feel. So that was a good one.I am just such a huge fan of their music.
And um, I'll just say when, when I was, uh, I was at the um, Ruth Bancroft Garden, which is [00:33:00] in Walnut Creek where I live, and it's this fantastic garden suckling garden. Mm-hmm. And it's so much more, it's just this oasis in the middle of the suburbs and, um. I'm a member there and go there and love to walk around and see, especially in the spring, to see all the blooms.
And it's, it's just a beautiful way to kind of, um, it's, it's a, it's a beautiful retreat and I forget how it came about. Um, but somehow I was in contact with their marketing person and I said, I want to do, can I do this live paint? And I think she said, well, we're gonna have this musical. We're gonna have this quartet, maybe you can do something with them.
And it was just like one of those moments where everything just kind of aligned. Mm-hmm. And to have, I mean, there was an audience of maybe, I don't know, 60, 80 people there. Mm-hmm. Which I've never painted in front of people. Yeah. And then to have people there, I was [00:34:00] off to the side. So the main, the main focus was, um, the quartet.
Mm-hmm. But to just have me off to the side painting. Um. It was just. I hate to use the term magical, but it, but it, it truly was, and it just, it felt, um, like I had a moment. I, my back was to everyone so they could see what I was painting. Mm-hmm. And the music was right, the setting was right. And I remember as I was painting, all of a sudden it just started to bubble up and I started to like, I could feel the tear.
I'm like, hold it. Hold it, hold it together, hold it together. You gotta finish this piece. And, um, yeah, it was just, it was wonderful. That's amazing. It was like, was magical. That story is wow. Like what a life moment, a career moment, but what a life moment. And I'm gonna Yeah. Another tangent. Um, please. But, but it totally fits.
Like I know that I, [00:35:00] that my work. It is never gonna be like in the MoMA, and I'm okay with that. I'm not trying to hit it big. Mm-hmm. That moment was big because it was really, it just felt right. And so, um, yeah. So it's like I don't need to. For me, I don't need to make it big. That is not my, my goal. My goal is to just continue to create authentically and, and, and show my work and have other galleries, um, show my work.
But I don't need to, I don't have this big goal other than hopefully someday actually having my own. Real studio space. Mm-hmm. Instead of my home studio, which works great 'cause I can paint whenever I want. Mm-hmm. But I kind of want a space that I can bring people [00:36:00] into and maybe have friction quartet.
Maybe they can perform there too. Someday I can see you in just a really well lit. Um, kind of modern warehouse type of thing where you can have little gatherings. I've never met another connection junkie, but you definitely are one. We both sort of have that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. In fact, there, there, in, in downtown Walnut Creek, especially after the pandemic, there were so many vacant, um, storefronts, and I was just listening to this on, um, KQED.
They were talking about that, about, um. These retail spaces that are being built underneath big apartment complexes and how they can't fill them. You know, what do we do to fill these? Mm-hmm. Have popup studios or popup, um, exhibits. Right. And to, to bring, we don't need another nail salon. Right. Let's have an art space where people can look at art and maybe it could be, you know, [00:37:00] performance art or it can be poetry or something like that.
Mm-hmm. That. So I'm gonna, I'm going to, um, clarify what I said before. I don't have a big goal. That would be my big goal mm-hmm. Is to have a space where it just, you can just be filled with creativity and art that people go in and just loose themselves in in. What they hear and what they see. Mm-hmm.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: And moving, moving people around, moving energy around also moves currency around it's, and that so important to economic development.
So when I hear a lot of these discussions around public art and what's gonna get funded and what's not, I mean, now more than ever is the time to really support public art as a community engagement strategy for the local economy. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Absolutely.
Craig McIntire: And think I, I think about this when you. When you go to a downtown, you know, center or space, I think about ours in, in our little [00:38:00] downtown of six 60,000 people.
It's a sweet quaint little downtown. One half is is all box store and major retail. The other side is kind of the older parts. So it's, you know, older buildings and, and little storefronts. And I just think about when you. When, when you go have a nice dinner and you wanna walk it off mm-hmm. Or you just wanna stroll mm-hmm.
And you wanna see people, how nice would it be to just walk back, you know, at night, walk past these beautiful spaces that have beautiful artwork. Mm-hmm. Or you hear, you hear music coming out and it draws you in. Right. And you just feel that that certain kind of energy that, um, that's just so golden. At least it is for me.
Impromptu workshops. Yes. Learning how to make jewelry, learning how to make stained glass, meeting new people out at these kinds of activities and meeting and have it be very diverse. Mm-hmm. So you're meeting people [00:39:00] who don't look like you. Mm-hmm. Right. Who come from their life experience is so different.
Mm-hmm. How great is it to learn about someone and something new? Um, and that's something that I really. Really do love about my other, my, my other work as a speech pathologist because the population I serve and, and the, the people I work with, it's so diverse and that, um, that makes me very happy to learn about other people and, and their, their stories.
Again, the whole point of art. That's this podcast. Did you want to. Oh, ask the magic eight ball. Magic eight ball. Do I shake it? Or you ask her a question, she's never wrong. A little yes, no question. Okay. And then she'll tell you the answer. Okay. So you brought this up, um, and, and this is a great question for me.
I'm kind of feeling like maybe it's [00:40:00] time to make a little shift in my work or add something. So I'm gonna ask her, should I. Should I make the jump now or should I wait? So, oh, oh, it has be yester yes or no. So should you make the jump now? Should I make the jump now? Mm-hmm. Oh, it was an emphatic yes.
Shawna Vesco Ahern: Oh, she's never wrong.
So There you, there you go. Thanks. Magic eight ball. Now you got your answer? Yeah. Anything else we missed? Um, I don't know. I think we got some very good bites. Did I sound bites? Did sound like Brittany. No, unfortunately you didn't.
'cause I just, I really love Brittany.
Okay. Okay. That's good. So we're all done.
[00:41:00]