While we’re all feeling pretty dang trapped by this situation, I am trying to find a sense of freedom within this new normal. If you think about it, the second that we decide to loosen our grip and just let the new normal develop as it will, we are liberated. Because the truth is, it’s not up to us. And it won’t be for a while.
I’d love it if you would join me. For those of you on Facebook, I have started a private group called “QuARTantine”. This group is a place to share your art, craft, music, essays, poems, monologs, skits, etc. while we're under quarantine. It looks like we're going to be inside for a while. The good news is art is NOT cancelled. Let's inspire each other during this time and stay in touch with our creative nature.
In 2017, The Washington Post brought the Lily back as an online publication with the two-fold mission to, "Empower with news and information and promote inclusivity by exposing diverse voices." I am ecstatic that I have been selected to be one of those voices.
Today I long to keep things simple. Simple mind and simple actions. Slow and simple, I say. The idea of getting into a long blog post about how I’m feeling seems a sad prospect. So, here I am, attempting a simple poem. I don’t write poems that often, but today, poetry seems to fit. So here you go.
I had been working on a painting that wasn’t coming along well. I was attempting to create the first in the series of “breathe paintings” that I told you about last week. What was coming out was the prickliest looking “breath” I have ever seen. It was pointy, sharp, not at all the feeling of inhale and exhale that I had hoped to create. I realized that my state of mind at the time was abrupt, self-critical, and racing like it was running around on fire.
I always want to start the new year bright eyed and bushy tailed, with confidence exuding from my pours and optimism oozing from my eye balls. AND I always find that come New Year’s Eve, I’m so stinkin’ tired from the holiday, that all I want to do is sleep. I mean, who wants to start 2020 in a coma.