I find my own вЂњrisksвЂќ are bits of autobiography that inspire another artist to find their own way.

That is not to say I turned away commissions that would give me some basic income assistance, but that I added my own pieces to the mix at all times and in some way, made the вЂњbread and butterвЂќ pieces serve to fund my own work. Once I channeled my вЂњriskвЂќ onto my glass painting, the satisfaction in my life improved dramatically. It wasnвЂ™t until I started pursuing my own narratives, which did not fit into вЂњsafeвЂќ genreвЂ™s of art, that my passion took hold of the work and proved to people that I had something unique to say. I found that вЂњriskвЂќ could also be taken in choice of вЂњcontentвЂќ. I also started working on weekends or at odd times of the day or nights and found that not only did I work more, but I enjoyed it. It wasnвЂ™t until I took the risk of leaving the company and going out on my own that I found my way of doing things had their own marketable value. On a trip to New York to deliver a job, I read Agnes MartinвЂ™s biography, and learned that even hard working female minimalists like Agnes Martin did not always fit into the boys club in New York. In my time there, I felt I was either bending painfully to fit or involved in self destructive behaviors to protest. Having inspiration and mentorship is important to an artist but finding you are a a cog in a wheel can be toxic as well. Everywhere you go, even among groups of artists, there will be people mandating operations, not open to changes. It was critical to have learned the basics but there were managers there writing their own вЂњManifestoвЂ™sвЂќ of operation. As a young craftsman, I worked for other companies in my field of conservation/glass arts, surrounded by artists as we learned from each other. I spent a chunk of my early career trying to find that balance. Too much and you end up spiraling out of control. In many ways, вЂњriskвЂќ is the spice of life. Hi Maria Valentina, weвЂ™d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking We had the good fortune of connecting with Maria Valentina Sheets and weвЂ™ve shared our conversation below.

Maria valentina studio