For the Love of Art

Sharing and giving art is one of my favorite things to do.

With time constraints and normal life obligations, it doesn't happen as often anymore as it did in the past, but I do try to keep it up. My mom has always been a huge inspiration to me in this area since, for as long as I can remember, she has always sewn clothes for her family, knitted booties and hats for wee one's, made oven mitts and night gowns for craft show goers, and still today, she tries her hand at painting silk scarves and other types of art. If I attribute my love for variety, it might also come from her. Heredity ain't so bad.

In the last few years, I've been very fascinated with collage-ing. Many things I've tried, and others mastered, has been with scissors in my hand so I thought it would be an easy transition. As a first collection, I finished an eight piece series of 3X4 painted canvases with a colour theme that made each piece stand alone. Being very proud of the collection (which most pieces sold), more variations were later born.

I loved the smaller format, not simply for better turn around time, but for the revealing of the finer subliminal details that I love to hide in there. It is not always appropriate to talk about some things or risk the chance of hurting someone's feelings, so this way I am able to let things out that are perhaps private but aren't really for anyone to hear.

Anyway, at the possibility of this getting more philosophical than intended, the idea that most people make art to express themselves is not a new concept, but it certainly could be elaborated on in much more detail than I am going to do now. However the idea for this blog came when I was going to look for a piece that I am offering to a friend as a birthday present, even though it was last month, and we're finally meeting up for coffee this week. It reminded me that giving art, whether it's a rough sketch on a lined sheet of paper, little gouache covered hands slapped on cardboard, a piece of clay that has been shaped into a pot, or a canvas with a message on it, the fact remains that not only is is great to receive a present but it's also an experience to give one. And especially if it's something you have created or made yourself.

What a good feeling! Please feel free to post up or share some of you artwork too.
Thank you.