9 October 2013 Journal Page

Thanks for your patience with the journal sale. It looks like a few of the buttons broke so I fixed everything last night. I will remove the journals that sell as fast as I can. There are still some here and I can ship them out as gifts if you'd like.

"The emotions are sometimes so strong that I work without knowing it. The strokes come like speech." Vincent Van Gogh

I love finding quotes that knock me on my ass. The last few years I've had folks comment to me that they'd wish that I would go back to painting or combine paint with collage. I learned a long time ago that I have to follow my heart. When I make or teaching something, it's because I *have* to and *want* to. Yes, I make my living from what I do but at the same time if I teach something and my heart isn't in it, it shows. It shows in the work and it shows in the class. I am extremely passionate and emotional about what I do. 

Using my scissors like a paintbrush and forming my shapes and imagery on the page, I put my puzzle pieces together. I am constantly creating myself on my pages. I try to give myself fully in my classes and everything that I offer. I get offended when folks call what I do a craft (as in hobby, not Craft with a capital C.) It's so much more than that to me. It is me.

If you want to do something with your artwork and someone is telling you otherwise, follow your heart. Quiet yourself down. Drown out the voices and listen. Listen to what truly calls you and follow it. It took me awhile to learn that but it's the path that I'm on now and the one that calls to me the most.