Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Kelly Diemond

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.
I have always journaled and when I discovered art journaling online, I was curious.  I had never thought of bringing art into my practice.  My curiosity found it's way to intuitive painting, a form of painting based on tapping into your inner wisdom to create.  Learning that it didn't matter what the painting looked like, that it is the experience-the contact with intuition, the deep learning that can be found, is what freed me to begin to create.  Knowing that it didn't matter what it looked like shut up my bossy little critic who always said I wasn't good enough to make art. Having permission to paint like a 5 year old freed me and I began painting intuitively every day. Then a month or two after I started painting I held my breath and dove into an intense, year-long teacher training class which I'll be finishing up next week. It's been a wild year!
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.




3 comments:

  1. What a wonderful and inspiring profile, Kelly. Great job of sharing your entree into the world of creativity. Your success is guaranteed with all that joy!

    Teresa, I love your blog and what you are doing here. Kudos for finding and sharing lovely talented big hearted artists like Kelly!

    Blessings
    Joanie

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  2. Kelly,
    What a beautiful entry. I am so proud of you for following your dream and doing something you truly enjoy. You are amazing and I can't wait to own one of your paintings and tell people my talented sister-in-law painted it! Someday I would like to try something I find interesting - right now I think it has something to do with playing a musical instrument. I just hope I have your courage when I take that leap:)

    Love,
    Jess

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  3. Hi Kelly, this post is so inspiring. I love that you are sharing your joy and passion with children. I can't think of a better type of student! It's amazing what you are doing with your jewelry making too! Very very inspiring!

    Thanks for introducing us to another late bloomer Teresa!

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