The Power of ONE...

I got married young. Even by Utah standards, two twenty-year-olds getting hitched is something you politely smile at, but secretly condemn in your mind. Not because you aren’t happy for said Bride and Groom, but because in “the Real World” we all know that most marriages these days seem to end poorly, and young people aren’t exactly the best decision makers. Even still, we were certain that we were destined to be together and thus, our union began waaaay back in June of 1997.

Three years later I found myself unexpectedly pregnant. The timing couldn’t have been worse. We had recently moved from Salt Lake City, Utah to St. George, Utah (a small town in the South West corner of Utah, about 2 hours North of Vegas) in an attempt to get halfway to Los Angeles. Remember what I said about young people not being great decision makers? Yeah, this move was one of a slew of bad choices. Why on Earth we didn’t just move all the way to LA at this time is beyond me, but we didn’t. We were living with my parents, looking for jobs and trying to find a decent apartment we could afford. The job market in this town was not great and since neither of us had finished college, it seemed like our options were numbered. I dreamt I was pregnant. Then, I realized that I was “late”. Like, three weeks late. Scary late. There is no way this doesn’t mean something, late. Too scared to say anything to anyone without confirmation, I secretly purchased an EPT Pregnancy test and waited for the results. The second line appeared the MOMENT I peed on that dang stick. No waiting two minutes, no, I was seriously knocked up. I went upstairs to tell my husband, fighting back the tears. I sat on the bed and blurted out “I’m pregnant!” and started sobbing. My husband, startled, said “You are?” and I looked up to see a huge grin sprawling across his freckled face. I never cried about being pregnant again.

My memories of my pregnancy, labor and delivery of my first daughter are a little spotty at best. It’s been almost 12 years now. Being pregnant at 23 is very interesting. You’re pretty much in the prime of your fertility, young, vivacious and full of energy. Despite constant nausea the first 3 months, the pregnancy went very smoothly. I liked my OB and was planning for a standard vaginal delivery in the local hospital. We took the only birthing class offered, read some books and got as prepared as we could. Somewhere along the way I decided to have a “natural, un-medicated delivery”. Partially because I thought of myself as a badass who could “handle anything” and partially because my Mother had delivered both of HER children with no drugs and if she could do it, well, so could I.

I went into labor on a Sunday. I was only 37 weeks, but a sudden small trickle of water presented itself as I dried my hair that morning. Not sure what was up, we went and walked laps at the mall. The trickle continued and my OB said to check into the hospital. At this point I had not felt one, single contraction. We got to the hospital and were told that I was dilated to 3 centimeters and my water had broken, but my daughter’s head was so far down that she was blocking the release of waters. Thus, they wanted to break my water for me. Sure, I thought, might as well get this show on the road…So the nurse put this plastic tube inside of me, and then this thing that can only be described as a very menacing looking knitting needle, and pierced my bag of waters for me. The warm water came gushing out and with it a sense of excitement took over. This was really happening!

We were checked in and sent to our room. I was excited and comfortable and ready to meet my daughter. The contractions started coming, finally, and at first they didn’t hurt really. Just sort of felt like a wave of cramping in my abdomen, like when you have your period (or, for men, like when you have diarrhea – sorry, but it’s true!). Nurses I had never met kept coming in to CHECK me (and by CHECK I mean stick their hands right on up inside my holiest of holies to see if I had dilated further) and I was hit with the feeling that, for some reason, we needed to hurry up and have this baby. At least, they made it seem that way. There was this tremendous emphasis on timing, and if I was fitting into their little timing bubble. Apparently, I was not, because I was told that because I wasn’t “progressing fast enough” they were going to put me on the drug Pitocin to “help move things along”. I didn’t object, I mean, these are professionals, right? So the synthetic hormone Pitocin (medicalized form of Oxytocin, the “Love Hormone” that we all have that triggers childbirth and abounds when we are happy or loving) was hooked into my IV and pushed into my veins.

Pretty much the moment the Pitocin kicked in, my contractions heated up. The intensity level raised and they were just one on top of the other with no reprieve. The Anesthesiologist came in to give me my epidural. I told him no thank you, I was going natural. He laughed and said he would rather not come back later, so why not just get the epidural now? Un-thwarted by his schemes, I sent him away and toughed it out. An hour went by, seemingly the longest and most painful hour of my life. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t do anything but focus on the pain. The nurses wouldn’t even let me get out of bed and walk around, so I was stuck there, writhing on my back. The blood pressure cuff was loud and painful, too, and constantly wrapped around my arm. The lights were bright and harsh and I was not having any sort of Zen birthing experience. The nurses kept pushing me to “just get the epidural”…and by the third time they brought it up I happily accepted their offer. The anesthesiologist was smug, to say the least, as he inserted his large needle into my spine. The relief it offered was instant, however, and from that point forward I handed my birth over to the medical people at the hospital. I was their puppet. I was no longer having this baby; it was as if they were having it for me. I could feel nothing from the waist down. They kept on checking me and I was finally told it was time to push. So, lying in the bed with a nurse holding each leg I did what I thought was pushing. It’s hard to say, I couldn’t feel anything! Somehow, however, they worked their magic and without me feeling a single thing, my baby was delivered.

My beautiful daughter Isabella entered this world right before midnight on November 5th, 2000, cone-headed and perfect, after a mere hour of pushing. My Husband cut the cord, my Mom cried and all was well in the world. I rejoiced in her awesome-ness and immediately fell in love with her. This experience for me was not bad, not really, but it wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t what I had imagined and it certainly made me want to do things different “the next time around”. I had spoken with women who had felt all sorts of feelings of empowerment with their births; they used words like “awe-inspiring” and “incredible” to describe the process. Those words didn’t even come into my mind. No, this birth experience made me feel, in one word, inadequate. It was as if I had no part in the process, I wasn’t really even needed. Strange, really, to feel that way about your own labor and delivery, but there it was. Over the years I got over it. I mean who cares WHAT your labor and delivery is like as long as you have a healthy Mom and Baby, right? That’s what they tell you anyways. Not sure that’s always 100% true…

February 2012 Art Giveaway!

February 2012 Art Giveaway - 2 prints (2 winners) of my Turkish Paper Marbling piece "Bubble Tree"! Just comment the picture on my Facebook Art page (details below) for your chance at winning! No limit to the number of times you can try :)

Bubble Tree (Turkish Paper Marbling Series)
8.5" x 11" Archival Print on Paper

Two winners will be drawn to receive their own PRINTS! Just comment this photo on my Facebook Art Page (details below) to enter your name, no limit to the number of entries! Winner to pick up from me or pay for shipping :)

TO VOTE FOR THE GIVEAWAY ART:
My Facebook Art Page - you have to "like" it in order to vote

Then, once you have "liked" my Facebook Art Page, go to the PHOTO and comment it!

PRIMAL FORCES: A Journey Into Abstraction at FINSTER STUDIO GALLERY!

This Saturday evening from 7 to 10, February 11, 2012, I am showing a bunch of my artwork at Finster Studio Gallery, a funky little shop on Figueroa in the old neighborhood, right next to Footsies. The show is called "PRIMAL FORCES: A Journey Into Abstraction" and is a solo showing of artwork by yours truly!

When I say this awesome place is next to Footsies, I mean it is literally, NEXT DOOR to Footsies...and just a few doors down from Atacor (home of the BEST tacos de papa in the WORLD!!). Should be pretty killer. Admission is free and there will be free wines and cheeses...mmm, wines and cheeses :) I plan on heading over before the opening and checking out the digs - they have lots of cool vintage items for sale from mid-century furniture to designer second hand purses to...? Afterwards, tacos de papa, of course!

Finster Studio Gallery
2638 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA


Also, this show is part of the NELA Art Walk! So, you know, that makes it even COOLER!

Me and my husband meeting with the owners of Finster, showing them some of my work.

Week 2 Art Discount

Discounted art work for the week of January 16th - January 22nd 2012

Gallery priced at $350 - DISCOUNTED TO $100 for one week only! First come first serve. Buyer to pick up from me in person or pay shipping ($15)

Bone Tree

6" x 24" Acrylic on Wood Panel

All rights reserved. ©2011 Melissa May Curtis

January 2012 Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk!!!

I am showcasing 8 pieces of fine art as a part of this month's Downtown Los Angeles ART WALK!

My art will be on display at 2nd Street Cigars Lounge and Art Gallery located at 124 W. 2nd Street in downtown LA for the next month.

There are countless artists, galleries and shops participating in this monthly event, so please go check it out and see and buy some amazing fine art!

Downtown Art Walk

Peacock Rising painting time lapse

Peacock Rising

I painted this piece this afternoon, and sold it almost immediately. It was one of my quickest sales ever :)

Peacock Rising

4" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas

SOLD

Whats really cool is that my husband filmed a time-lapse video of me painting it (from above) from start to finish. I will be posting that next!

January 2012 Art Giveaway and Week 1 Art Discount!

So to kick off 2012 I have decided to do things a little different with my art...to SPICE things up a bit, and make my Facebook Art page a little more fun and interactive and get more of my art out into the world and YOUR homes! :)

On the 1st Saturday of each month I will be posting a photo of a piece of my original art that I will be GIVING AWAY that month! That's correct, GIVING AWAY! In order to participate in each month's giveaway you just have to comment the photo of the painting that is up for grabs, its that EASY! Each comment enters your name one time. At the end of the month we will hold a drawing and the winner will be announced and notified. Each winner will have to either pick up the art from me in person, or pay for shipping, but either way, should be a fun way to get some FREE ART!!!

Also, each WEEK I will be showcasing one piece of art that will be HEAVILY DISCOUNTED just for that week. If you are interested in buying the art of the week, you simply need to comment the photo of the piece and send me a message. This will be done on a first come, first serve basis. If the piece is not sold, then it will return to regular price and simply go back in the mix for later selling or renting.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

TO VOTE FOR THE GIVEAWAY OR PURCHASE THE DISCOUNTED ART:
My Facebook Art Page - you have to "like" it in order to vote

GIVEAWAY ART JANUARY 2012

Purple Rain

4" x 4" Acrylic On Canvas

This mini abstract on canvas (4" x 4") is the first piece of art I will be giving away in 2012. It was painted with acrylic paints and has a coat of shiny resin over it.

In order to have your name entered in the drawing, simply comment this photo! Each comment enters your name one time, comment as many times as you like!

The winner will be announced at the end of the month, winner to pick up this painting personally, or pay for shipping ($10).
GOOD LUCK!

All rights reserved. ©2010 Melissa May Curtis


DISCOUNTED ART WEEK 1 JANUARY 7-14 2012

Colt. Killer. Baby
(Inspired by Colt .45)

12" x 10.5" Mixed Media on Masonite Panel - for this piece I used lots of spray paint and a hand-made stencil on masonite, covered with a high gloss varnish.

All rights reserved. ©2011 Melissa May Curtis

Discounted art of the week - Week of January 7 - January 14 2012 -

Gallery priced at $350 - DISCOUNTED TO $90 for one week only! First come first serve. Buyer to pick up from me in person or pay shipping ($15)