Where Have I Been??

Friends, being a human in this world we live in is hard!! Starting a new life after a 25 year divorce is really hard!! Starting a new career as an artist after a 25 year divorce is even harder!!

I’m going to be completely transparent here. My last blog was in July, and I haven’t been able to get back since. No matter how hard I have tried or how many times I tried to get back up, life has just been handing me a lot of hard things to handle. And honestly, who wants to write about those things? Who wants to hear about them either. I try so hard to always put out positivity into the world, because I think we all need it. But sometimes, there just isn’t anything positive to say. Sometimes our lives are just not easy and we don’t want to talk about it. I’ve had struggles with rebuilding the relationship with my kids. I’ve had some health issues which have greatly affected my energy levels. I’ve had to pivot in my art career because the economy has hit the art business hard. We had a huge hurricane which impacted so many of my friends and neighbors. And all the “no’s” that come with being an artist have really affected me. Without my sweet husband’s constant encouragement, I’m sure I would have quit many times. All of this has affected my artwork and my desire to create. My desire to push forward had really wained!!

So last week, I went on an artist residency/retreat. It is like sleep away camp for artists in a beautifully natural environment of The Atlantic Centers of the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Did I mention the gourmet food or the other amazing artists friends that I got to paint with for a whole week?? Soul healing is the word I would describe about my time away. Reminding myself that we all have our struggles and I am not alone!! Reminding myself how important it is to be in community with other creatives who understand my life and can encourage me forward!! Did I mention the warm homemade cookies that met me everyday at the lunch table?? These are people who knew me before my divorce and love me just the same, if not more. These are people that spoke life into me and sent me back out into the world to fight another day!! And for that, I am eternally grateful!!