Nobody was more surprised than me...
A little over a year ago (at the age of 41), my hidden artist snuck out of the closet. It seems that I am a creator! This is a part of myself that I never really paid too much attention to, but as I started to listen to what I really enjoy and to follow my own inklings of glee, this is where I was led.

It seems like I woke up a sleeping creative giant that does not want to rest. I want to soak it all in. In January I took a jewelry making class and the next day I went out and bought all of the supplies to start making and selling my own earrings. I realized I have sold 46 pair of earrings in 3 months! I'm pretty excited as I am just really at the beginning of this. I even signed up to teach a jewelry making class for adults this fall and winter through my school district.
This past Spring I began teaching art classes to kids that I call "Saturday Art Adventures". We hike out to a Yurt to make art and play games (I'm a Recreation Therapist so this is a natural fit for me, to bring the art into the mix). I want to help kids to realize that they are creative and to hold on to that creative spark, even when they think they aren't good enough. We focus on having fun and making art that feels good-not on perfection or neatness or staying in the lines. We explode paint, we paint with things we find in nature. We play goofy games. It's a great time that hopefully they will carry with them into their serious, structured classes. I'm hoping they remember the joy that can be found in making art.
I love what painting is teaching me about myself. I've journaled my whole life, but I never knew that painting could hold up a mirror and allow you to clearly see yourself and your patterns. I recently read that 'how you do anything is how you do everything' and I'm starting to believe that is true. How you approach the canvas, where you get stuck, how much you're willing to be daring or brave. It all shows up in your painting process. It's really amazing to see it in yourself and others.
I'm starting to build a life for myself that includes making jewelry and art, teaching classes for kids and supporting other artists who are on a similar path. The support peice comes through my blog and through women's circles that I'm participating in and plan to start facilitating as well. I think it's really important to encourage and support other women and to let them know what they're doing made a difference to you, that it mattered. So I'm focusing on sharing the greatness I see in others to both support those who are doing it (like you) and help those aspiring to similar greatness to know where to begin.
I'm starting to build a life for myself that includes making jewelry and art, teaching classes for kids and supporting other artists who are on a similar path. The support peice comes through my blog and through women's circles that I'm participating in and plan to start facilitating as well. I think it's really important to encourage and support other women and to let them know what they're doing made a difference to you, that it mattered. So I'm focusing on sharing the greatness I see in others to both support those who are doing it (like you) and help those aspiring to similar greatness to know where to begin.