Why so I use the name Crowbar with my artwork?
I've never been enthusiastic about my legal name. It's pretty and convenient for paperwork, but it doesn't feel like the whole story.
In 2005, I was nicknamed "Crowbar" by my friends, and it fit like a comfortable sweater. I've always had an alternative fashion sense and melancholy vibe, so the name wasn't shocking when you met me. Even teachers honored my nickname -- I felt understood by my community.
Life happened, and I stopped making art and using the name "Crowbar". I was no longer allowed to be myself, nor was I surrounded by an understanding community.
I returned to art in 2017, and in honor of that, I changed my social media handles to include ".crowbar". In 2018, I started signing my work as Crowbar again, and when I was greeted as Crowbar by other, local artists, I felt I had returned home.
Crowbar is definitely a weird name, but it suits me. Names don't need to make sense, and we don't need to keep just one. My name is Michelle, and my name is Crowbar.
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