Effect of Creating

I recently started thinking how creating has always been a way to either calm me or uplift me, depending where life has taken me. I started to remember the time my husband joined the Air Force and I had to move with him to Colorado. I was leaving behind everything that I knew and that  felt comfortable. I was working and going to school and all of my family and friends were in Miami. Not to mention a BIG change in the landscape and weather. As a young girl, suddenly having nothing happening in my daily life, I was down in the dumps. My husband told me to go to the base and find something of interest. I decided to join a ceramics class. I did not know a thing about molds, slip and glazing, but I was soon immersed in creating. My entire family received something I made while healing. Just as I was in the swing of a new passion, we had orders to move to Fort Walton Beach. 

The only ceramic piece I have made in 1976.

Another major change, no family, no friends, no ceramics and the hormonal changes because I was pregnant. I was ready to pack up and move to Miami. A friendly, elderly lady in the building, saw me pregnant, and lonely,  and decided to teach me how to knit and crochet. She had no idea, but she was my life-saver. She got me the supplies, which I could not afford, and asked me to join the knitting group in the building.......all seniors.  The creative side of me took off with a brand new passion. 

One of the many pieces I have made since then.

After the baby came, I was very busy, but soon needed to do something,  since the baby already had blankets, booties, hats, sweaters, and more. My husband again stepped in and said that I should go to the town's recreation center and see what I could take up. He would watch the baby and give me a few hours to disconnect. I joined an oil painting class. I always sketched, but knew nothing about colors and mixing them. The rest is now history. I continued to paint for the next thirty years. As retirement was approaching eight years ago, I took up watercolors and acrylics. I also started to sell my creations on line in preparation for those long hours that awaited me with nothing to do. I must say that creating is a way of life for me now. I tell everyone that  making art is much cheaper than paying for a therapist. 

My first oil painting done in 1977.