my creative journey...so far

I am enrolled in Kelly Rae Roberts ecourse, FLYING LESSONS TIPS AND TRICKS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS SOAR. Today was the first day of "class".

Kelly really makes you think and of course the first thing you want to think about is - where do you want to go? What are your goals?

Before I share with you my goals I thought I would share with you my artistic journey...so far.

It all started in Middle school when I met the most wonderful art teacher...this may be a little too far back. So, let's jump out of the 80's, run through the 90's and imagine it's the year 2003.

In 2003 it actually hit me that I really wanted to be an artist. I had a "creative" job as a graphic designer, but that really wasn't the kind of creative I was looking for. I was looking for the get your hands dirty and on a project kind of creative.

So, I started searching and I wanted to be an artist instantly!! The first creative thing I tried was to be a OneStroke Certified Instructor. Take this class, teach decorative painting. BAM! An artist! Well, it wasn't for me.

I was intimidated to even try drawing or painting. But finally, I started looking around and I saw the work of Paulette Insall, Claudine Hellmuth, Lisa Kaus, Kelly Rae Roberts (to name a few)...and LOVED the whimsical style. But I didn't feel confident that I had a style of my own in painting. I was just seeing what these other artists were doing and training myself.

But I really wanted to be an artist yesterday!!

So, I discovered art quilts. And thought...that's what I'll do. I've had a lot of experience sewing and so I developed a style and had a solo exhibit in November 2008. The exhibit was a success. I sold at least half of what I had exhibited. Then I felt trapped...I was a quilt artist, but I didn't want to be a quilt artist...I wanted to be a painter!!

In June 2009 I finally summoned up the courage to quit my day job. I had been working at this particular job for 6 years, so it was pretty hard for me to leave. I had a lump of money squirreled away and my husband was willing to take on most of the expenses. The plan was to develop a body of larger quilts and seek representation at a local gallery.

Well, I started working...and nothing was happening. I went and dabbled with painting. I tried again...nothing happened with the quilts...went back to painting. I was absolutely miserable!

So, now it's 2010 and I have got nowhere! I was beginning to think getting a job would be the only way to go. Then I rationalized that since I had success with the art quilts I should just keep going in that direction...it was better than going back to work. So I started my "Color Story" series. I have 9 pieces complete in the series and I'm not sure what to do with them.

I don't want to say that I don't want to be a studio quilter, but I keep being pulled back into painting. So, I feel that I really need to give myself a chance to be what I had always wanted to be...way back in middle school and until now.

As a painter I am still struggling with my style. I know what subjects I want to paint, now I just have to work on how I want to present these subjects. Should I work in oils or acrylics? Should I include bits and pieces of papers, and other odds and ends in my work? Is the subject whimsical enough that I just need to paint? Those are questions I ask myself now. It's just going to take some time. I think by then end of the summer I will have a lot of this figured out.

I have more goals that I will share with you tomorrow.

Thank you for reading my story...so far.