Spreading Her Wings: Artistic Side

My father is a painter. So is my sister. I've always thought of them as the artistic ones in the family. My mom and I are avid journalers and love poetry so I've always considered us the more wordy ones in the family. My mom has this beautiful handwriting and mine is similar but not nearly as neat as hers. We are right handed. My sister is left handed. Her handwriting is so bubbly it is more of an art form. I never considered myself artistic because as a child when we had to draw in school nothing really amazing came out of me. I was more into socializing :)

Then I began dancing around 5th grade and continued through jr high school, high school, then college. I suppose that was art. I didn't really think of it that way. When my dancing days were sadly through I began teaching. I was drawn to elementary school because of the creativity required and involved. Teaching made me more artistic. I began to understand that anything can be "fixed". Papers were torn? I could tape them. Edges were off, I could trim them. Wrong color? Mix it, white out it, tape something over it.

A few years ago my mom sent me a gift-a tin of color pencils and a sketch pad. I was so inspired when I received it that I just sat and sketched the exact drawing on the color pencil tin.

Then I had a journal that was very large and so I started journaling in color sketching things as I wrote. The more I sketched and drew the more I wanted to. Even though I wasn't great even though I had no idea what I was doing.

It was just....fun. Peaceful. I realized I could have never drawn well as a kid because I did not have nearly the patience. I was more into teather ball, Chinese jump rope, running around. But as an adult I have come to find drawing a way to work on my patience.

So now I see things on Pinterest or in books or magazines and I think I would like to draw that! Everything I draw makes me think of someone or something from my life that I love.

It helps me process emotions, and feelings, and embraces sarcasm at times.

It has been for me and only me. I have only shared a few things because it is mine. It is something I have only done for one reason. Because I love it. It is enjoyable. How many things as an adult do we get to say that about? Of all the things we HAVE to do it is so refreshing to do something that is expressive, fulfilling, and only because I WANT to.

It is a great escape and something I can do when I want to run away!

I still am more of a wordy girl so I add words or phrases to all the things I sketch. The words are usually the reason I wanted to recreate the drawing in the first place.

Art is therapeutic in ways that can inspire, calm, reassure, and give hope.

I love when I add something to my sketchbook that it is there, a permanent creation. Over the years I pick up my sketchbook a few times a week or once every few months to draw. But as I go back through it I am always surprised at what is in it. Things I forgot I drew. Things I drew for inspiration. My kids will sometimes pick it up and even though it is only for fun they are always amazed that mom drew that. Because it's something new, different for me.

I really think art adds quality to people's lives. I think it is a do everyday kind of thing. And not just drawing but any art. Music-playing or listening, dance, visual, movies, cooking, decorating, designing, writing, building, playing.

There is something powerful in creating something of your own! Something you can look back on. Something that can bring back the memories and feelings you had at the time you created it.

Even if it's just words on paper, or doodles with he words on paper.

Even if it's just a sips and strokes class where you can laugh and paint with your friends! Do it! Make some art!

I truly believe we all have an artistic side you just have to try a lot of new things to find out in what capacity!

My husband is a plastic surgeon which to me is all about art and body colliding.