I wanted to title this post "The Inner Artist" but I can't draw. Something to do with depth perception I think ;-) but even my stick figures look rather sickly skinny in my eyes.... and the word 'artist' conjures up in my mind someone sitting and sketching or producing paintings to scale.
Having been a dismally poor art student at school I gave up and decided not to bother to create anything. Sadly as children we are reliant on the adults around us to encourage us to try and explore the world, creatively and academically. As there are not enough hours in the day if you don't show potential in a particular field you are smartly moved along so the next child prodigy can be tested for potential greatness. My potential lay in academics and so it was to that area that I was directed.
And therein lies the sadness... we lose that creative spark which should be encouraged. So what if you can't draw the Mona Lisa. Create a beautiful piece of mosaic art or an origami masterpiece. The beauty should lie in the creation, not the medium.
So I came to crafting later in life and by accident. In the last few years scrapbooking had become all the rage and like any dutiful Mother I collected all the bits and pieces of my kids childhoods. I had to do something with the stuff... and so scrapbooking took off in my home - might also have had something to do with the fact that I was outnumbered 5 to 1 and the 'girly' bits and pieces on my desk were at least protected for a while from the pawing hands of my offspring and husband (2 of the offspring being step!!).
Scrapbooking is hugely appealing and creative but I soon found myself itching to create something else... and I went on a mission to try as many different craft options as possible. Of course this mission has left me with enough stock to open my own small shop but be that as it may.. I discovered the beauty of a mosaic piece, the satisfaction of getting the folding correct for my own gift box, the peace of mind in mindless painting while just listening to music and the comfort of cross-stitch.
I was hooked.
But life intervened and unfortunately over the last 2 years my craft boxes have been neatly stacked in my sunroom, never opened and never looked at. Until recently. I've got that itch again and the last few days I've been hauling out the boxes and sifting through the very rich pickings while deciding what to create first.
And as with my photography I'm past the point of worrying whether YOU see the beauty in my creations. The beauty is for ME to see and savour. Each piece is a masterpiece in my opinion. The overcoming of the long held thought that I am useless at art. I'm not - just like the Greats I too can create something of value - even when that value is only to me.
And with each of my masterpieces I am reaffirming my own self-worth to myself. That is something which nobody will ever be able to take away from me again.
Having been a dismally poor art student at school I gave up and decided not to bother to create anything. Sadly as children we are reliant on the adults around us to encourage us to try and explore the world, creatively and academically. As there are not enough hours in the day if you don't show potential in a particular field you are smartly moved along so the next child prodigy can be tested for potential greatness. My potential lay in academics and so it was to that area that I was directed.
And therein lies the sadness... we lose that creative spark which should be encouraged. So what if you can't draw the Mona Lisa. Create a beautiful piece of mosaic art or an origami masterpiece. The beauty should lie in the creation, not the medium.
So I came to crafting later in life and by accident. In the last few years scrapbooking had become all the rage and like any dutiful Mother I collected all the bits and pieces of my kids childhoods. I had to do something with the stuff... and so scrapbooking took off in my home - might also have had something to do with the fact that I was outnumbered 5 to 1 and the 'girly' bits and pieces on my desk were at least protected for a while from the pawing hands of my offspring and husband (2 of the offspring being step!!).
Scrapbooking is hugely appealing and creative but I soon found myself itching to create something else... and I went on a mission to try as many different craft options as possible. Of course this mission has left me with enough stock to open my own small shop but be that as it may.. I discovered the beauty of a mosaic piece, the satisfaction of getting the folding correct for my own gift box, the peace of mind in mindless painting while just listening to music and the comfort of cross-stitch.
I was hooked.
But life intervened and unfortunately over the last 2 years my craft boxes have been neatly stacked in my sunroom, never opened and never looked at. Until recently. I've got that itch again and the last few days I've been hauling out the boxes and sifting through the very rich pickings while deciding what to create first.
And as with my photography I'm past the point of worrying whether YOU see the beauty in my creations. The beauty is for ME to see and savour. Each piece is a masterpiece in my opinion. The overcoming of the long held thought that I am useless at art. I'm not - just like the Greats I too can create something of value - even when that value is only to me.
And with each of my masterpieces I am reaffirming my own self-worth to myself. That is something which nobody will ever be able to take away from me again.