“Art enables us to find ourselves and loose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton
My cottage industry of designing and making products to sell started in the 1980’s and everything was done on a square folding card table. It worked well enough, as that was the only work surface available. A year for two later, my father witnessed the limited space and said “your business can’t grow on a small table.” And from that a blue print was drafted and a wing off the second floor was built…a space for my businesses to grow.
Time passed and I began wearing another hat- a divorcee raising 3 energetic and busy children alone. A job was found and even with the demands of school, sports, housework, shopping, etc etc etc, I kept creating. After the kids were asleep, I would go into the studio and create. Rather quickly it was apparent that being able to make what my hands and heart told me to do was becoming a source of quiet, peace, and relaxation. The loud volume of life was turned down and problems disappeared when I was creating. It was a vital lifeline to my sanity and helped balance life.
Later on I hosted instructional workshops in the studio as the room was large enough accommodate 4-6 people. When they walked in, envious comments were shared and many said “I don’t craft because the only place is the kitchen or dining table and I have to put everything away so we can eat.” Others joined in the battle cry and spoke to wanting a place to create but felt discouraged that there wasn’t a place of their own.
Realizing how necessary it is to create I urged them to find a place, even if it was an ironing board or a plywood sheet on saw horses in a closet. Whatever it takes, it’s important, if not vital, for one’s well being. It saved me.
“Creating artwork allows your mind to be in a safe place while it contemplates the tougher issues you are dealing with. One can use the tools of brush, paint, pastels, crayons etc to expose and even for a short time color those issues in a different light.” ― George E. Miller