Being raised in a left brained (right handed) family created a unique opportunity for me to become ambidextrous in many ways on a multitude of different levels, not just with learning to write with both hands but also developing pretty decent math skills AND excelling as an artist.
As a lefty, I am a connoisseur of polarity, magnetism and balance. I even started a non-profit for left handed kids learning how to write (www.luckylefties.org). This has been a LIFE long journey of forcing myself to at least TRY to fit in with the more logically based, linear side of my brain. This internal conflict led me to architecture school as a more “acceptable” expression of my creativity. After struggling to comprehend programming in C++ and spending most nights alone drafting in my dorm, I realized it was not my final destination career wise. My pendulum swung 180 degrees as I pursued a 10 year career in acting, modeling, production and singing (my creative flow = right brain).
Once I turned 30, and no major movie studios had made me famous (B actress at best, I must admit!), I found myself in the legal side of the film industry which was oh so serious and completely linear. For the next 15 years I lived in that left brain of mine – all the while thinking “..at some point I am going to have to make up my mind.” Who was I going to be? Which side was I going to choose?
My AHA! moment was when I realized that I DIDN’T HAVE TO choose which side was more acceptable, more “me” or which side was going to help me be more successful in life. I am BOTH sides, I accept both sides and that is totally, unequivocally ok. It doesn’t have to be a conflict if I choose for it not to be. These two parts of me can easily coexist and make me even MORE interesting as an artist. If you look at my work, you will see 2 very different artists. I am an abstract artist when I am in my right brain flow and energy pours out of me. I am a technical, left brained artist as well. I love precision and balance in my spiritual works. Basically, I am an identity crisis walking, (or not really).. but certainly a constant work in progress, striving for my best life, and I accept myself for being perfectly imperfect – just like my art.
