Taking a Risk

Sometimes in life an opportunity comes along that makes you look at what you want or what you need that requires a risk or maybe a leap of faith. As I'm sure anybody who has read my blog since the beginning knows that I had a couple of setbacks in my artistic life. I shared those setbacks until I stopped sharing them and then thankfully a few really great buds got me to thinking about what my hand embroidery means in a different way.

Emily who got me to realize that it's really about my love of the stitch not so much what happens after the stitchery. It's not about the price tag it's about the stitch. She knows me so well, I guess we're kind of sisters of Panerahood where we meet every Tuesday morning. Doing something because you love it not because you can make money at it really makes all the difference. The saying about doing what you love and the money will come is really kind of true.

Kathy who got me to look at everything I do, right down to the littlest piece, as a piece of art. She also was the person who told me when people looked at my hand embroidered work they wondered how the hell I did it? I myself love to look at art that makes me wonder about that too, like my friend Judy's photographed turtle which I swear she must have been laying in the sand to take and Chung Ah's beautiful gourd doll houses which once again I have no idea how she does it.

And then there is Cheryl, my artist and life guru. She has encouraged me to do so many wonderful things. I am so thankful that she has traveled with me all over upstate NY giving me the confidence I didn't have when we started traveling. She is also married to the wonderful Jules who is her partner in crime and art. They love to make glass together and I love to watch them do it. She is also a wiz at everything artist business related which I am not, so I'm hoping she rubs off on me.
It was Cheryl who convinced me to send in pieces to the Garden show last January at Valley Artisans Market and it was Cheryl who convinced me to try again to become a member there now that I had found my artistic focus(one of those earlier artistic setbacks). Through her and Valley Artisans Market I have met wonderful artists and accepted that I too am a working artist.

Which brings me to tonight. Full circle moment. Tonight was the Valley Artisans Market artist invitational opening and the piece up above is Serenity, my piece for the show called Reflection. Reflecting on the last year it has really changed my life. Serenity is an example of the serenity I find when I hand embroider. That quiet serious focused part that I don't let out into the light of day too often. The DebraAnn in Debbie. I was struck at how wonderful it was to see people acknowledged for their vision and for taking the risk to put their work out into the universe. It really does take a leap of faith to be an artist. It's an even longer leap to take that art and put it into a show. I hope that each and every one of them realizes this night for the important moment it is and that they use this wonderful night as inspiration to take a few more leaps and maybe even become a coop member.

So in closing, if you have an inner artist and you are just waiting till the time is right, take that leap, it could end up changing your life in so many fabulous ways. I think 2012 is the year of the artist so make it your year and share the visions you carry in your head. Blessings.