Embracing the Possible

 "Unusual Blooms"

The other day as I was sitting down writing an essay for an upcoming guest curator week (May 31st-June5) at Crescendoh, and I really had some time to think about the journey I've had over the last several years personally and professionally (or in case of my art, semi-professionally). For a minute, I struggled with how much I should share with the world with this essay.  The truth of how I became in touch with my artistic side isn't as pretty as I would like it to be. It wasn't not wrapped up in a beautiful package with a bow or handed to me in a moment of celebration.  It was given to me however, at the most perfect time.


My gift was probably there all along, truthfully. I have always had a bit of the wide eyed artist in me since I was a child. It was a part of me that I turned to when my friends were not around, or alone at night with my many notebooks I'd used to sketch characters and doodle around with. I don't know why I'd only take her out from time to time. It seems shameful now that I left that side for so many years only to rediscover her when times turned difficult for me.

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In some ways, it's almost like faith...you have it, you believe in it, but you don't call on it until you really need it. That's what happened to me with my art. I called on it during a time that I really needed it. Then it was handed to me again, not wrapped up in a pretty package, but available to me in all the dirty paint water and paper strewn glory that art is. It was waiting for me to turn that messiness into something of value so that I would know that even with all the bumps and bruises I had gotten along the way, there was a purpose behind it all. It had meaning. It was supposed to happen this way all along.


Acceptance in art and life doesn't come easy. I've really  had come to terms though with where I am and how I've gotten here. I'm at the  the point now where  I'm wholly embracing it. Not just embracing it, I'm passionate and driven with my new faith and lease on life. There have been moments where I've taken a "Leap of Faith", taken chances on things I'd never would have considered before. In the past 3 years, my world has changed for the better in a million ways. But it took crossing over a broken bridge to get there. Would I change anything? No, because everything has fallen into place exactly the way it was supposed to be. It's not easy to accept that at times because of all the difficult moments I've had to face to get here. By coming to terms with what has happened, has enabled me to fill the voids and blossom in ways that I probably couldn't have accomplished otherwise.


You are viewing some pictures from my art show at Spring Fest in Southern Pines, NC last weekend. My first show ever was last year at this time. I would never have imagined just a few years back that I would be doing a show myself instead of walking around wishing I could do what others were already doing. It was in 2008 that I took another leap of faith by sending my work off to be published. Before that, I'd admire others work by afar and wish I could do what they do. I've always wanted to be published but I never took the risk before that day when I sent off my query. Since then, I've been blessed to be published numerous times. It seems that the pieces fall together when you open yourself up to faith and take chances. Embrace the possible and don't look back. I'm ready to embrace more of this world. I have been going back and forth in my head about the pros and cons of living the artistic life full time and there are certainly more pros then cons. I still need someone to push me off the ledge so I can continue to embrace what is ahead without running myself ragged (haha). I've been listening to some that say jump now, jump now! Others say, wait and make sure you can afford it. Just like having a child, who can really ever afford it???? You make it work though and your life becomes fuller and more beautiful because of it. Are there rough times ahead? Most certainly. Will I get through it? I may even prosper! There are many things I haven't been doing because I'm stretched. There are things I want to do but I've had to put them on the back burner until more time opens up in my world. I want my world to open up to those things soon. I'm going to put my plan into place this year and embrace what comes with open arms. My gift was given to me to unwrap and transform not just in the bad times. This is the life I was called to lead.   Art does Save.