Oh, Vancouver based artist Ben Skinner. One of my favorite artists, ever. In fact, on February 22, 2009, I wrote my first post on The Jealous Curator and, yes, it was about Ben. Well, here we are TEN YEARS LATER (!?), so I thought it was only fitting to write about him again. He’s the king of materials, and his brain is filled with the most wonderful words… and the manipulation of those words. “ALL OF MY HEROES ARE WOMEN” is a stunning infinity mirror piece Ben created for a show I curated (in honor of Gord Downey, the lead singer / songwriter of The Tragically Hip) in the summer of 2017. For obvious reasons, I love this piece more than I can explain.

So, ten years. Thank you for coming on this decade-long ride with me! When I wrote that first post (while my two year old was napping), I never could’ve predicted what this site would grow into. Books, a podcast, workshops, etc – yes – but more importantly, all of you. All I ever wanted was a community of like-minded people who “got” what it was like to be an artist – the blocks, the golden zone, the thrill of walking into an art supply store, the frustration of rejection, the pure joy that comes from creating something that wouldn’t have existed without you. Because of this journey, I’ve made lifelong friends, and I’m making art again… and actually showing it to people! I’ve never been happier as an artist than I am at this moment, and that has so much to do with you. Thank you. Here’s to many more years of creative adventures! ~ Danielle xo