9/9/05

Last night I attended the Artist’s Reception at the Puyallup Fair to receive my awards. After the awards were presented, a woman came up and introduced herself. I recognized her name; she is a well known digital artist in the area. She told me she was one of the judges in the digital category and she wanted me to know how much she liked my work, and how hard she pushed for “verb” to be given Best of Show. I was stunned. Later, I watched as people looked at my work. They were entranced with it; they would look at it for a long time, standing back then moving up close. It was extremely gratifying – seeing how much people enjoyed my work.

I came to visual art in my 40’s. I only began doing digital collage four years ago. I had no idea what I was doing, but I kept experimenting and learning and eventually the dross began to turn to gold.

So why am I telling you all of this? Because I bet every single one of you has unfulfilled dreams, things you would like to try, creative projects that call you quietly in the night. So – as Nike so eloquently says – just do it! My friend Ginger is doing it; she has had several photography shows this summer. My friend Anne is doing it; she has worked very hard to make her art business a success. My friend Lora Lea is doing it; she turned a cheese-making hobby into a meaningful family business. My friend Sue is doing it; she took her passion for healing and became a massage therapist and now an acupuncturist. My boyfriend Stu is doing it; he combined his love of cartooning with his passion for truth and is creating political cartoons that are being published weekly. My daughter Katie is doing it; she wanted to be a California girl (at least for awhile) and so she packed up and moved down to San Diego.

You have something you would love to try? Don’t hide from it, don’t make excuses, don’t let your fears stop you. Just do it.

Someday is now.