Why Blog?

I was sitting in Borders Bookstore, in the coffee shop, browsing through art magazines. This is someting I have rarely done, but was visiting my hometown with some spare time, when I decided to look at a magazine about blogging, specifically about art and creativity blogging. I looked up and saw a picture on the wall featuring a red umbrella. For some reason that was like a message telling me I needed to start a blog for myself. Just because I liked the image of the red umbrella? Well, why not. It was red. I love color. I use red whenever I can in my paintings. It was inspiring. But, probably what really made me want to do it was reading the blogs in that magazine. The bloggers talked about being in touch with other creative people, how sharing your ideas and thoughts and creations with others can lead to great creative inspirations, and online friendships.

Frankly, I need a kick in the butt sometimes. I thought this might give me that push to put on paper or canvas the creative ideas I get from time to time and then let go without doing anything. I have been feeling such a strong creative urge, something I had not felt for a long time, for whatever reason, like just too much stuff to deal with. But, recently I found myself involved in a group for local artists and supporters of the visual arts, and being exposed to the art of others, which is probably why my creative juices began to stir.

I love to paint. I was headed toward the path of pursuing some kind of creative career my first year of college, then I got a summer job, liked the money and didn't go back. When I met the love of my life, I decided to get married and raise kids, and found I just couldn't do that and art, too. I wonder how other people do it. I just didn't have time. I didn't have the space in my house. I didn't have the energy after working all day and taking care of two kids in the evening. I would fall into bed late at night and drag myself out the next morning just to get dressed, drag the kids to day care, go to work and do it all over again.

Then my husband was killed, and I was the breadwinner, sole parent support, for my kids. I tried a few times to get back into art, and struggled with it. Then I decided to enroll in art school at the university, and I had a couple of years of wonderful creativity, with other creative people, that fed my soul. But, too soon, had to go back to full time work. Three years later I remarried, and found myself back in the rut of no time, no place, no energy.

Now, many years later, single, retired and financially unstable, I have gravitated back to where I was headed as a young woman. Trying to feed my soul with art, among other things. Other things, like good old friends, my Unitarian Universalist church friends, and my new art group friends. I am going to try harder this time to do what I love and hope for the best.