Goldfish

"Goldfish" is a bold piece with a simple focus; don't limit yourself.

Both the goldfish, and the sentiment are nostalgic & encourage reflection. Goldfish are often a childs first "pet" to take care of, even Elmo had "Goldie" on "Elmo's World".

Although untrue - goldfish are often said to grow with the size of their tank - which insinuates that they stop growing once they've maxed out their fishbowl.

Sometimes we get a message that we play over & over in our heads.... One of those messages has kept me growing over the years. My AP Psychology teacher from highschool sent me a letter when I had just started college - it had a single quote from a movie we watched in class, followed by his signature. "You mustn't be afraid to DREAM a little bigger" - S. Guzie

I no longer have the letter... But the sentiment still stands, and this painting is an ode to that, he planted a seed - and I never stopped expanding.

I was going to school for accounting, planning for security & not happiness.... Now I am sharing my artwork with the community every day, through classes sharing my passion, through my paintings, and now even with at 12-foot-tall mural in Downtown Sioux Falls.

I will no longer be a goldfish, limiting my growth to the size of my tank, instead... I will keep pushing the boundaries & the limits - sometimes we just need a little nudge to reach for the stars.