Why I do what I do

Ever think about why you pursue a certain activity, pick a certain job or follow a certain career path? I have been thinking a lot about this lately. It might be because I have reached an age – 60 ( although I do not relate to this number at all) where I thought it was important to examine my chosen path and see if I was still content.

I needed to examine where I am now and see if anything I wanted or needed to do was glaringly absent-dreams I may have had, activities I always wanted to do, or trips that I wanted to plan. I am going to Antarctica on January 1,  a place I have always wanted to experience. I will report on the trip when I get back if I don’t get eaten by a penguin.

Let’s face it, in reality the clock keeps on ticking , and later, might be too late- physically and mentality.  Damn, I have friends that are already dying!

So I  examined my current life with the help of a therapist- and guess what? I decided for now- right now- for this year- I was  still content doing what I do.  Next year I will evaluate things again and see if anything needs to change. I was happy that I  had the courage to look more closely instead of wondering what if …

WHAT DO I DO?

I create. Daily.  I love creating beauty and making art and am fortunate to be able to do so. For me, the purpose of making art has always been about the process of discovery and exploration. Discovering not only the medium I may be working in, but to uncover and give voice to what is inside of me.  Blank canvases are never blank for me.  I welcome the endless possibilities. I need the journey it takes me on and the challenges that I must overcome to have a successful outcome. I love working on my own, immersing myself in the task at hand and producing work that looks unlike anyone else’s.

My creating takes many forms:  felting, painting, drawing, teaching , gardening and interior design. But my main focus right now is on making one of a kind Nuno Felted garments and accessories.

Clothing is one important way we demonstrate that we are unique beings. As an artist, I want to help people express their distinctiveness through their choice of apparel.

In my paintings  or drawings which I describe as ‘Surreal Expressionism”, symbolism and color are important components.  My images emanate from my subconsciousness, and humor and playfulness are curiously employed to deliver statements of a more serious nature.

When I created my gardens it was important to create little vignettes that made me smile and  plant perennial gardens that I would be able to enjoy all year long.

When the  chickens needed a home, not just any home would do. We designed some fancy digs for them.

The barn was not left untouched either. If I was going to be in there everyday cleaning up after my  farm pets, I wanted to something nice in there as well. I painted the entry way to the barn in an  faux underwater motif, played with a Matisse collage  for the barn bathroom and added some murals in the main barn area.

I know I need to make this journey full of surprises, and wonder. It keeps me going and makes me want to do another day.