Introducing myself and my journal: Empowerment through Art

About Me:
I am a woman artist living in Portland, Oregon, USA. I am grateful for the many opportunities I have had to express myself through art.

I have found inspiration in reading women's stories on World Pulse. The strength of women all over the world in one place is empowering and creates so much potential for positive change. I am especially interested in learning how women all over the world make their creative lives work, and what inspires them to continue to develop new work. I am also interested in hearing from those who have found a way to make a living doing their art, the challenges and the triumphs that come with this chosen path. I am also happy to share my own experiences and evolving challenges of being an artist, wife and mother.

I am currently researching venues on the internet to get my work in front of a global audience, hoping this will better support me and my family.

Moving forward with my new work, I am interested in telling visual life stories of women and men who have made a difference for others. This will be a series of sculptures in the medium of enamel (glass) on steel. My goal is to create deeply meaningful pieces to acknowledge people for the work they do to make the world a better place, pieces that can be passed down through generations. The piece I am working on now is a sculpture to honor my mother, her creative life and generous spirit and the difference she has made for all who know her. I consider this to be my most precious work to date.

I also create public outdoor sculptures that can be seen by people of all walks of life. With this larger work it is my hope to bring messages of joy, connection and empowerment to people in their communities.

One place where I find inspiration and strength as a woman artist in my own community is with my women's art group. I have had the support of this group for the last 16 years and have been a group leader for 6 of those years. Built on trust and authenticity, we explore together our greatest visions as artists, where it gets hard, what our next steps are and how to keep it going by setting up the support we need. With the structure of bi weekly meetings and a confidential listening process, with no back talk or advice, we each come to our own best thinking on how to best lead our lives as women artists. This group has been essential in my growth as an artist and I am continually inspired and grateful for these incredible women and the space we hold for each other.

see my art here:
http://alisalooney.com/

My Passions:
art, dance, nature, connection, inspiring others to go for their dreams

My Challenges:
making a consistent living as an artist

My Vision for the Future:
each person is empowered and fully self-expressed

My Areas of Expertise:
metal sculpture, graphic design, illustration, listening, leadership