Developing My Artist Side

I grew up believing I was not an artist. Whenever we had art class in school or an art project I did not recieve good grades nor did I like doing the project. As I look back on those days I now realize there was most likely some ADD going on although it was not called that and my fine motor skills took some time to develop, resulting in messy projects from coloring in the lines, drawing pictures or later in mechanical drawing class where I always pressed to hard on the pencil.

Then in my first church there was a man who started a stained glass hobby. I thought I would like to give it a try. It took about five more years before I decided to take the plunge. I discovered a grinder could take away cutting mistakes and some solder could fill in the gaps. I made lamps, panels, and even some windows but for the most part my glass has remained untouched for the last couple of years. Even in all that time I would not have considered myself and artist, I sort of saw myself as a person putting together a puzzle in which you make the pieces yourself with glass.

Then this year I decided to expand my horizons and get ino the world of glass fusing. In going through the class a discovering some new talents and exploring some new ventures in the hot glass arena I have found some ability to create all sorts of new things.

Later on this Fall I was introduced to a book entitled "The Artist's Way" which helped me to see everyone has an artistic side but in my case I had allowed people to suppress it through criticism. As I look back I now realize there is an artistic side of my life and all I had to do was discover the right medium.

I have also found there is a freedom in expression, not based upon how others see it but how I through the help of God have expressed it. I have found this to be transforming for my life and my relationship with others and with God.