Evening boat dock, Alexandria Bay, Virginia, 1992
oil pastel on paper
My artmaking started in childhood and lasted into my twenties. I became an art therapist after completing my masters degree, which I did right after college. I worked in a psychiatric hospital full time as an art therapist. I did several groups a week, they lasted about two hours. There was a big art room full of great supplies on our unit. While the patients created art in the first hour, relaxing music playing in the background, I often painted with them. It was just a part of my daily life.
Now I carry a smaller purse and I don't even have a sketchbook. I bought one this summer, but it sits on my desk, crisp, clean, still new. I am trying to break through the resistance. I don't know how to get back there to daily artmaking. I have been painting some. I feel like I don't have the free time to get myself into that creative space. I do have some free time in the week, but it's hard for me to get there. But every time I take the time I enjoy it so much.
Laura Howard and artist me, 1992.
Laura made such an impression on me. She was my friend. We worked at the hospital together. She was a nursing staff member. She had a great sense of humor and a fierce sense of loyalty. She was really intelligent, but totally approachable to staff and patients alike. Some people are solid. They are who they are and they never change. Laura is one such friend. To this day she is a fan of me and my entire family. I miss her. How lucky we are to find the friends we do on our life's path.
11 comments:
TAke a time to paint again...it will go ok for you...
And yeah it is difficult to find real friends....and keep them
Lovely night impression!
I often have the same feeling of finding it hard to activate my creativity. Sometimes I have what I call "the flow", when things come out easily and without hesitation. But there are also times when there's no flow at all, even a logjam in extreme, and it's hard to accept when you know the other hand. But I think it's finally quite normal. Obviously you did many many beautiful paintings and sketches already, an impressive output anyway!
isn't it interesting how our lives change. your drawings are great, you're very talented.. You should get back to drawing/sketching again.
I have a friend like that. They are priceless.
I know exactly what you are feeling. Not only can it be hard to get going again after a break, it is harder still to know I have such short snippets of time for immersion.
Nice story. I hope you'll find time to paint, but, maybe, you found another way to create???
I've had to let go of many things that were part of me when I became a mother - but I have found others (more compatible with parenting)! I'm not at the point yet when I can look back, and consider how important those things are still for the person I am now, and whether I want to go back to some of them.
I know what you mean. You cannot force creativity, but as you have so much talen, I hope that you get inspired and cover those pages!
How wonderful you had this friendship.
I eased into making photography by dedicating three hours every wednesday evening. My husband would come home and I would leave.
at first i felt guilt, i didn't know what to do with myself and eventually i was able to claim that time for me.
Did you read Julia Cameron? it really helped me
As they say "paint as you like and die happy".
the easy part is get going. you know that, you've been there and you remember it well. your description of your younger years as an active artist and your professional years are proof to that.
so, the easy part now really is, just get going. it sounds controversial, but try it anyhow. you'll see. surprise yourself. hopla!
n♥
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