Every Picture Tells A Story
- Denise Cerro
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Last weekend was busy... so much so that I kept trying to make it to my computer and write my (sometimes) weekly ARTicle, but I just kept getting distracted... I know you know that feeling. Finally, I hurriedly sat down, put my fingers on the keyboard, and thought... wait one minute! I had planned on writing about taking things at a slower pace and enjoying every moment of whatever it is you're doing... and in that moment, that was not me! So I pushed away from my desk and went out and watered my garden (which is really what I wanted to be doing)!
I'm also taking that philosophy (new for me) and working on a piece of art that I can just relax into... no hurry, not turning out something just because I can, and the story seems to be unfolding effortlessly. As you may know, I've been enamored with the idea of storytelling in my art... it's a slower process and actually takes me deeper into my art... it is ALL GOOD!!!
Art has a way of holding memories, allowing us to revisit moments that have actually shaped our lives. I picked up the above canvas at a thrift store and thought I would just paint big flowers on it...flowers...there's a surprise! Though once I got started, adding a corrugated cardboard frame to it...it started taking on a story of its own...a very familiar story with pieces of my childhood in it. This is when artwork for me gets more meaningful and exciting...I look forward to stepping into the studio in the morning to see what might show up.
You may remember this painting from several months ago, when I mentioned it was in a show at The Studio Door Gallery in Hillcrest. This is another piece that kept showing up with reminders and memories of where I've been. It's about to be in a new show with the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) Artist Alliance at Woodward Contemporary...
Opposite Angles: Artist Alliance at Woodward Contemporary
Reception Saturday, April 18, 2026, 4:00-7:00pm
If and when you give this storytelling idea a go in your own art... whatever your art may be... things will start showing up. As you're working on your piece and letting your mind drift along... they just show up. It actually is kind of like self-prescribed art therapy! You can work through things, events, people, and really get into it... without anyone but you really knowing what the story is.
Above are two segments from two different paintings... little houses showed up in each. No surprise since in our family and later in my own life... there was a lot of moving going on... lots of different houses. I have good memories in almost all of them... so houses show up for me. "The three little kids" in my latest piece...are my little brother, little sister and me...I was smiling the whole time I was painting them!
Try storytelling art out and see what shows up for you...
take it slow and really get into it!
Of course, you know I have a video for you to check out... this one is still continuing on this storied piece... yet to be named. You know what to do... hit that big red button below. And while you're over there checking it out... subscribe to my channel so you can see where it goes and what I'm up to in the studio.
Meanwhile...I'll keep working on this story...
and the story will keep working on me...
and thats my story!
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