Stepping Into the Arena

Spoken Words 4, 2025

I am an art lover. I love getting intimate with a piece; pausing to ask how it was constructed, what steps the artist followed, what was revealed or concealed along the way. That’s why I’ve always been drawn to small works. You have to step closer. You can’t glance and move on, you have to meet the work where it is.

At Art Sur Papier, I found myself surrounded by more than thirty artists who had answered the call. Each of us brought something personal, something private, and hung it on a gallery wall for others to encounter. And as I looked around the room, I realized: it takes a rare kind of bravery to do that. Not just to make the work—but to say: I want this to be seen.

Showing up for your own art isn’t easy. Group exhibitions can stir up questions of comparison, visibility, and belonging. But there we were. Shoulder to shoulder, our work side by side. A quiet declaration: No matter the noise of the world, we will continue to create. And we will share it.

Exhibition at Galerie ERGA

As much as I love art, I think I’m even more enamored with the artists. The ones who rise, again and again, to meet the blank canvas. The ones who choose to offer something of themselves, no matter how uncertain the outcome. That’s who inspires me.

If this post resonates with you, explore the Small Works Collection or download the Collector’s Guide to take the next step in your own connection with original art.