Sierra Nyokka, Untitled, acrylic on canvas, 48” x 36”

I cannot give the exact moment art became an influence in my life. I became aware of art's way of looking at and interacting with the world, laid down over thousands of years as ancestors traversed a world and laid down memories for later generations. I feel that the influences which awakened my senses were the works of those who dove into the ethereal and the reality of their times: Georgia O’Keeffe, Tina Modotti, Frida Kahlo, Linda Vachon, Francisco de Goya, Andrea Kowch, Vivian Maier, Joan Jonas to name merely a few. To these artists as well as others, I owe my inspiration and gratitude as well to every gallery, museum and book that exposed me to the creative process. My particular arts training has been trial and error: the opportunity to make mistakes and the drive to push forward until an artistic creation has been made whole. I have had no formal training, yet have learned much from others. I was born under a tree on a commune in Southern Oregon. My mother's philosophy taught us to create the reality we wanted, and provided the tools to do so. She taught us we were limited only by the scope of our imaginations and we had to work to achieve. My personal artistic philosophy is simple -- just BEGIN. My techniques -- read, learn, apply, and try until one is satisfied. Until that satisfaction, try and try again. I want to bring out emotion with my art, a feeling of connection that transports one to a realm beyond words. I want to provoke critical thinking that will inspire conversation, hopefully ones that will lead to an expansive understanding of our shared human experience.

Thoughts on the Telephone process

I utilized the philosophy of color psychology to convey the feelings of the previous work. I found interpreting the work of others very interesting. I was immediately flooded with two ideas when first viewing the work -- a poem and a painting. I only looked at the work twice so as not to dilute my first impression. I never felt to urge to go back and re-watch the video that had been sent. I felt the concept was fully formed upon viewing. I enjoyed the process and would love to participate in future endeavors of this sort.