This is the final installment of the ‘origins’ series. This is what it’s like to come out the other side…I think?
This journey, messy as it was, ultimately led to the creation of my current work, and I hope you’ll be part of the next chapter…
“Employee of the Year” to Erasure
After months of struggling with my hand issues, the rumors about the company acquisition proved true. Pink slips were handed out, and just like that, I found myself without a job. Worse yet, the credit for my work resurfaced under someone else’s name for a new venture, leaving me erased from the very accomplishments I had just been recognized for.
With no income, a barely functional hand, and an emotional wreckage to sort through, reality hit hard. There was no safety net, no lifeline, just the cold, hard truth: if I was going to rebuild, it was all on me.
So, I started over. Piece by messy, unpredictable piece.
Side Quests Unlocked
After the whiplash of hitting that brick wall at full speed, I knew I couldn’t stay curled up in the rubble for too long. So, I tried to keep moving any way I could think of. Along the way, I found myself on a number of unexpected side quests. Some were fun, some were tough, and some downright terrifying. Each one pushing out of my comfort zone and helping me find momentum as I navigated this new chapter. Here’s a few:
- Emotion Potion: aka Therapy
- Roadie Life: Spent a few weeks touring with indie band Killola, exploring life on the road and the live music scene.
- Animal Rescue: Continued my volunteer duties at a local animal shelter until my hand made it impossible.
- Om to OMG: Helped a friend escape a toxic relationship, which led me to a San Francisco “urban retreat center” for meditation and personal development, only to later learn it had a bit of a dark side.
- Roller Skate Fever: Found a new creative outlet through roller skating and joined a vibrant Black skating community full of music and movement. Eventually, I became a certified skating instructor.
- Disco DJ Mode: Through skating, I got the chance to share all the great music I loved after being invited to spin as a guest DJ at the local roller disco, Church of 8 Wheels.
- Talent Tryout: Stepped out of the shadows when an invite to audition for America’s Got Talent with my roller skating skills arrived. Unfortunately, the slick hotel ballroom floor turned out to be a worthy adversary.
- Single Life: After coming out, my relationship with my long-term partner ended, and I began navigating life as a single, gay woman for the first time.
- Hidden Clue: Read Musicophilia by Dr. Oliver Sacks and first stumbled upon the term “focal dystonia,” though my official diagnosis was still years away.
Final Boss: The Battle Continues
At times, the thought of visual art repelled me. Still, I kept finding myself drawn back to it.
I tried training my other hand with writing drills, piano scales, and experimenting with different forms of art, searching for a way to express all the things swirling in my head.
Everything took much longer to do, and while some of it turned out okay, a lot of it didn’t. It was hard to let go of judgement and trust the process, knowing the real world was still out there, all judgy and what-not.
I eventually restarted my career on a design-adjacent path. I was still working in a creative space, but my own artwork was still quite a work in progress.
The New Style
As I reconnected to my own art, I knew detailed work would be a constant challenge. While experimenting, I rediscovered my appreciation for African mask carvings from a reference book I’d had on my shelf for years. The simplicity of the masks, yet still so full of character and life, really grabbed me.
Around the same time, I made friends with a couple of amazing artists in my skating community, Matt and Miles Ritchie. They turned layered woodcuts into playful pop art which gave me a new perspective on structure and design.
I started to embrace digital cut-outs and vector shapes to create my portraits, aiming to achieve with shapes what Al Hirschfeld did so elegantly with lines.
But it wasn’t just about capturing a likeness, it was also about elevating these figures. As you’ve previously read, throughout my life, I noticed how Black artists, especially those I admired, often got second-class treatment. So, I modeled the series after classic Grecian busts, to give my subjects the same kind of dignity. Since I am no Rembrandt, my version is a more playful nod to modern royalty.
TLDR: If you prefer, the pretty carousel version:
The project first began as a tribute to Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation, celebrating 30 years of her groundbreaking album and pushing back against her post-Super Bowl media erasure. Janet’s early support as well as her music had long been a source of inspiration, but during this whole rebuilding process, it continued to provide a steady stream of strength and motivation. Thanks to the additional support from her loyal fanbase, that collection expanded to capture nearly 50 other iconic moments in her career.
Eventually, the series grew to honor other influential Black artists. Portraits of Excellence became a dedication to celebrating excellence and elevating the voices and legacies that shaped me—and, whether you realize it or not, have likely shaped you too.
Black culture is deeply woven into the fabric of our shared culture; from music to style to art. Its influence has touched all of us in one way or another.
“That’s the end?”
Hold on now, the journey doesn’t stop here. In a time when the current political climate seems bent on pushing us backward, I think about how these artists were bold enough to push our culture forward. Their work reminds us that creativity and courage can shape a better future.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. If my work speaks to you, I hope you’ll share it, talk about it, and help amplify these icons so that their excellence can be recognized and continue to inspire and push us forward.
Additional Resources:
This inspiring story beautifully captures a journey of self-discovery and artistic evolution. Aimees resilience and creativity shine through, making it relatable and uplifting. Her passion for challenging boundaries and celebrating Black excellence is truly motivating!