Hello! I'm Swain, creator of everything on here. Thanks for stopping by :) How did you get here? I would love to see how we are connected.
I recently decided to add this journal element for those who are interested in learning more about my work and what inspires me. I won't be talking about celebrities, current events, or trends. I'll mostly stick to topics on art, life, literature, and travel.
I have lived in Dallas, Texas for about a year, before that I was in Berlin for 6 years, and before that New York City for 13 years, and before that Oklahoma for 12 years .... and the list does actually go on. I moved around a lot as a kid. And, I'm contemplating my next move, as I cannot bear another Texas summer.
I guess I mention all of this traveling up front because it really is my favorite thing to do. I love visiting, but also living in different places and experiencing that precious shift of when a new environment starts to become a familiar one.
Art is right up there with traveling. Traveling for art is even better. I was a Studio Art plus Art History major in college at Oklahoma State University. My emphasis was sculpture, and I worked in steel, alabaster, and wood. I was an art major because I love art classes, and I was an Art History major because I love learning about history and other cultures through art. Oddly enough, I never really saw myself as an artist or making it for a living. I entered New York via the corporate world, then discovered creating art in escaping the corporate world by going to Burning Man parties, which at the time were more of a secret than they are today. They were participatory events where we made art and outfits just for one night. The parties gave me deadlines to make things. So, that's how my creative juices began flowing.
I quit (I mean, got fired from) my corporate job and became a makeup artist. I was in that world for about 5 years - working on fashion shows, editorials, and films. This ultimately gave me the experience to create my own photo shoots for my future designs.
Anyway, as someone who is quite private, this all feels like I'm talking about myself too much. So, I will stop now :) Let me know if you have any questions!
I also paint and make wall sculptures. You can see those here: swainart.net
