"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home."
Twyla Tharp
I've been told by many that I am "creative" and "artsy." I like that and I admit I enjoy being creative and artsy. But I must tell you that as a young child, I wasn't as confident about my art. In fact, in all my elementary years and indeed in all of high school, the only "C" I made on my report card was in ART!
How can one make a C in ART you ask? Especially in elementary school? Well, I will tell you. You can make a C in art by being too shy to show your art! Did that help a bashful little girl gain confidence in anything, especially art? Of course not. So when I ran across the quote, "It takes courage to share your creativity," I worked on being courageous. I learned to share my art.
While we lived in Texas, I formed a group of 4 women who enjoyed experimenting with art. We met once a week and visited, drank wine, and had fun with art. I called us "The Escape Artists." One night a week, we escaped from our working lives and immersed ourselves into making art and making friends.
That little group was encouraging and supportive of each other. For me it was just what I needed to have courage to do more art and to display it for the "world" to see. Actually, the "world" that was looking was very small and really it still is, but it doesn't matter. It takes courage to share your creativity whether it is writing or painting or singing or whatever even to one other person. You are sharing a little of your soul.
So in this blog I am going to share some of my soul with you through writing about my thoughts on art, my art, how art is an escape for me, and who knows what else. I hope I am brave and courageous enough. There are remnants of that bashful little girl is still inside me. Be brave, Leta; be brave!
