You are an artist, too!

If you know me, you may be surprised when I say "I am an artist." But I am; and so are you. Br. David Stendl-Rast of the Gratefulness website listed below, said something like: most people say an artist is a special sort of person, but actually, every person is a special sort of artist.

I went to an art and spirituality retreat yesterday, which reaffirmed that concept. God is THE Creator; we are made in the image of God; we, too, are creators. But lots of things get in our way or we allow them to. (Oops! There's that poor grammar again!)

Since I took a class using"The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, I have increasingly allowed my creativity to come forth in ways large and small. Part of that shift came from getting past my "blurts", as she calls them. You'll recognize them: I'm not artistic; other people are much better; everything worth writing has already been written; who do you think you are; I don't have time; I don't have the money; others will make fun of me. On and on they go. I expect you have a set of your own. Very effective, too. The Dark Forces probably delight in these barriers which prevent us from gifting the world with what we uniquely have to offer.

When I was in grade school, "art" meant copying something "real", like greeting card picture, or coloring neatly a mimeographed figure, or gluing cotton batting on a rabbit at Easter time. Everything was prescribed and was either right or wrong. Mine never measured up. Besides which, I had a particularly gifted cousin about my age with whom I was unfavorably compared. So I always knew I couldn't draw/paint/whatever. Now I could play the piano and sing, but I didn't think of that as artistry. I could write, but...I couldn't dance. In each case, I tried too hard to "do it right."

That's why, dear reader, it has been a long journey to the place where I would have the freedom and the confidence to start a blog or paint a picture (yesterday it was finger paints. Whee!!). But it's in there and it's pouring out, even at this stage of my life.

I hope you're letting your creativity loose, too. We all need you.

Thanks for reading. Meanwhile, remember to breathe, listen, look, laugh and love!