One of the things that brings me joy is using the creative part of my brain and psyche. In fact, I consider it to be an “Essential.” In my “day job,” I teach law – an occupation I quite enjoy and one that rewards logical, methodical thinking. But it’s a mistake – a BIG one! – to only feed part of your head, so when I discovered watercolor painting two years ago, I was thrilled! Watercolor is a tricky medium – it works best with layers and you work from lightest color to darkest (oils work the other way around). Further, since watercolor dries so quickly, you have to work fast and be willing to make mistakes – that was HUGE for me. (Still is, to tell the truth.) For going on three years now, I’ve been part of the global “100 Day Project,” in which participants select a creative activity of their own choosing and practice it for a hundred straight days – or as close as possible; everybody gets busy.
I’ve had so much fun doing this and I really enjoy looking back at my progress. Ignore anyone who tells you that artists are born, not made. If you want to draw, or paint, or sculpt (or anything else, really) – by golly, get thee to the internet! You can learn. Maybe you’ll be a genius, maybe you won’t, but I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll get closer to being able to do what you want to do if you practice.
This past weekend, I was a vendor at an art show. This was only my third show and my first in nearly a year (Covid – ugh). It was a sunny, cool day and while the crowds were light, I sold a number of pieces and really, really enjoyed talking with other artists (yes, it’s taken me a couple of years, but I do consider myself to be worthy of that title, even on the days when my daily project is a bit of a mess) and with the general public. Someone even asked me if I gave lessons!
So I’ve decided to spend some time cleaning up the “River of Cream” part of this site to display recent works. I hope that, as Covid begins to recede as people get vaccinated*, that outdoor art and craft fairs pick back up. And I hope that when you’re out at these events and you see something you like, that you talk with the artisan who created it. And I really hope that you consider exploring your own creative outlets.
* Speaking of which, my darling Other Half set up my display for me at the Maker’s Market so I could keep my appointment to get my first dose of the vaccine. I was SO impressed with how the vaccination event was run – it was crowded, but they kept the drive-thru line moving and had plenty of information and “swag” – including masks, selfie cards and pens, stickers, and follow-up directions. Everyone was cheerful and helpful. Then I got to the market and wow! my table looked great! The baskets let me “color code” the paintings in terms of price while letting people flip through the protected-by-plastic original pieces and I created a painting during the show for my daily entry in The 100-Day Project. You can find all of those on Instagram – just follow this link!
Seek joy, Divas!
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