I shared a number of think piece articles rather brazenly to my professional network on LinkedIn around the turn of the year (2025–2026), using various original art pieces (including the one in this post) to support my points.

I didn’t exactly consciously intend for so much of my artwork to express what could be considered rather scathing performance reviews of “leadership” I’ve encountered in a professional context. Is it surprising, though, that incompetent use of power happens to be a subject my unconscious has a lot to comment on?

Also, is it necessary to limit that commentary to “unprofessional” contexts? I guess if I don’t want to offend certain power-trippers who I may still hope to acquire money from then it is necessary.

I guess simping just isn’t my style. Maybe that makes me stupid, or maybe that means I have a spine.

LinkedIn so far has somewhat ironically remained the only semblance of social media I haven’t yet completely ditched. Though by the time you (whoever you happen to be) find yourself reading this post that story may have changed.

Moving along … I was never cut out for a lot of the environments I tried to do good work in.

I say “I tried to do good work,” and actually I succeeded. In most cases, too much.

Doing good work does not create conditions for safety and respect and thriving. It often is exactly the thing that turns you into a target of abuse.

Am I saying that’s what this art piece is about?

Don’t expect me to make it so easy. 😉 I’m just saying some things while I put this art piece up on my blog.

I made it in 2021, just a simple charcoal drawing on paper. The original is 11″x14″ and I included it as part of the body of work featured in my show, Medicine of the Forest.

As humble and goofy it is I still find it to be one of my more sophisticated pieces conceptually, a favorite for sure.

Peace,

Adrien

Look at this tasty painting. I “worked” on it for something like five months. It sat on my easel looking coy; somehow the juices to power the last several brushstrokes needed to brew behind the scenes for much longer than seems reasonable.

I get it though; some art requires certain quests of you to be done right. My art has never just been pictures I control. It’s a conversation I’m having with myself and everything involved, and sometimes that conversation is a little over my own head.

I did finish the painting though.

Now it happily sits on a yellow wall in a cozy room, sharing what secrets it will with whomever has the guts or snark to inquire.

For all my audacious transparency I will never be without my own secrets …

… additional obvious statements await.

This piece is acrylic on canvas.

It was a long time coming after a six year period that had me keeping most of my work tucked away in my basement studio …

I’m very happy to be showing a collection of work in a couple weeks, at the beloved Make.Shift. This is the show poster.

If you want to see all the art that was in the show, Make.Shift posted it all on their webpage about it which you can find here.

The venue staff put together a little interview of me talking about the show theme. I said a whole lot in the 30 minutes we spent together and I am grateful they chose to include my mention of grief.

In my view, grief is knowledge, grief is a guide—grief is so important for what humanity is evolving through right now.

The painting featured in the poster image is called “Deep Friend,” and I’ve brought it around to various communal spaces over the past several years. It’s been a favorite and it looks cool in rooms filled with plants.

Here’s a little clip of me working on it back in the day.

Depth is one of those attributes that often gets mistreated and taken advantage of in exploitative and shallow environments, like the many I have outgrown.

There is nothing wrong with depth; there is a lot wrong with people who shun, belittle, and abuse depth. We can move on to create environments that honor it without their noise.

Peace,

Adrien