I can't remember how young I was when I first discovered that I enjoyed art more than anything else. However, I know I've always chosen to be involved in some form of art. In my case it has been like collecting things, I never learned to specialize. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I considered myself a dabbler (not an expert) in photography, watercolor, oil and acrylic painting, collage and other mixed media, paper making, wood working, miniaturist, jewelry making and design, quilter, book maker, faux painting, furniture painting, tole painting, rock collecting and gemology, garden art, metal work and the list goes on.
The problem with dabbling in so many forms of art, and in some cases crafts, is that you really don't excel in any of them.
I've always felt that I put my artsy side on the back burner while I chose something else as the more important thing in my life at the time. I always took an art class in high school, but the other classes tended to get priority. In college, I really wanted to go in to art but was discouraged by what I thought that a 'commercial' artist had to do. I ended up in accounting. Hmmm, quite a stretch. Husband and family were first place next, in fact while the kids were small I did decorate their baby books with original art and sew a bit, but I don't remember much else. I remember promising myself, as I put unfinished projects away, that once the kids were grown up I would be more involved with my arts. As the kids grew up I did get back in to art, a watercolor class now and then, a bit of experimentation in acrylics, and several years as an active amateur photographer with the local camera club. I loved the competitive photography and got involved in home computers because of the creative side of photography and eventually, digital photography. I was still working, however, and that definitely took up the most of my time. Once again, I promised myself that once I retired I would have plenty of time for arts.
Now I'm retired from earning a living, but not from anything else. I had planned at this stage to be able to dedicate myself to living the artsy life. I haven't updated the blog for quite a few years, shame on me, but I have been busy with a variety of art projects.
The problem with dabbling in so many forms of art, and in some cases crafts, is that you really don't excel in any of them.
I've always felt that I put my artsy side on the back burner while I chose something else as the more important thing in my life at the time. I always took an art class in high school, but the other classes tended to get priority. In college, I really wanted to go in to art but was discouraged by what I thought that a 'commercial' artist had to do. I ended up in accounting. Hmmm, quite a stretch. Husband and family were first place next, in fact while the kids were small I did decorate their baby books with original art and sew a bit, but I don't remember much else. I remember promising myself, as I put unfinished projects away, that once the kids were grown up I would be more involved with my arts. As the kids grew up I did get back in to art, a watercolor class now and then, a bit of experimentation in acrylics, and several years as an active amateur photographer with the local camera club. I loved the competitive photography and got involved in home computers because of the creative side of photography and eventually, digital photography. I was still working, however, and that definitely took up the most of my time. Once again, I promised myself that once I retired I would have plenty of time for arts.
Now I'm retired from earning a living, but not from anything else. I had planned at this stage to be able to dedicate myself to living the artsy life. I haven't updated the blog for quite a few years, shame on me, but I have been busy with a variety of art projects.
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