Art.

I have been creating art.

I started the trip and didn’t do much for Art. I did some Sharpie art on a friends chair and then that was it for about three days. Yesterday I started doodling. Today I’m doodling. I love it.

One of the reasons I wanted to go on my adventure was to create. Creation based on observation in places other than my own. I have found my mind absent of creative thought as of late.. or at least thought that is willing to travel from my brain to my hands and cause my fingers to create. I have been typing and writing, but for me that’s not the same. Talking comes easily to me. Telling stories through words is a calming, but a much less magical, stress relief than applying lines and shapes to paper.

So. I have been applying lines and shapes to paper.

I have a cousin who is awesome at lines and shapes. He does ink art – like me – except he also applies it to skin. I stopped by his place and got a refresh on my ink and we also visited.

Before the trip I lived with an artist. I worked with artists, taught artists, hung out with artist, now I find I am the only artist.

That is an exaggeration. The truth is most everyone a person meets is an artist in their own right. We all have the ability to create, it is a beautiful thing. However, it is difficult to find people who converse about it. Hardly anyone goes through life announcing “I’m an artist. I do so-and-so and am very passionate about it.”

I think they should. People like to announce their jobs. They announce their marital status and the love they have for another person, but they don’t annonce the things they enjoy to do for themselves to pass the time. We should.

Anyway, my cousin, he’s an artist. He purchased one of my pieces,  redid one of his pieces on my skin, and we talked Art. What more could an artist ask for? Well, I guess not much, because right after I started doodling again.

The inspiration that is derived from another; I felt like a mosquito when I left. Drawing on the passion of another person to fuel my own. Neat how that works.

The best part about talking Art with another person is the ability to allow ones true self to shine. I am pretty open and straight forward as it is, but I still have trouble swapping tales of creation and passion with other humans. It comes easy with those I know, but not so easy with those I’m just meeting. I should work on that.

The problem is that I was raised humble. Taught how not to go on about the things I knew I was good at. I swear it is a Mid-Western/ Minnesotan trait. We just don’t speak up.

Yah. You betcha.

Thinking about it I now feel the need to ammend my prior statement. I am NOT the only artist. That was as inaccurate as it was an exaggeration. The TRUTH is most everyone is an artist. I also have several people in my family that do fiber art, which is also something I enjoy. I can get down with knitting and crocheting, but I consider them to be much like writing – not quite as great at relieving stree as drawing. However, my family, they are amazing with the fiber arts. Weaving, knitting, carding, crocheting, spinning, you name it they probably do it. From sheep to hat.. or whatever your desired wool product is. It is amazing the things one can do with a bit of fiber.

I now have a sheep skin for my rear end, two wool hats, and a redone ink design on my foot. The art I am receiving is exceptional.

This is where the inspiration is coming from. People with the ability and want to create make me want to create.

The whole trip has been filled with creation though. Whether it is music or sound, engineering or construction, ink or fiber, it seems everyone I meet has something they love and want to share with the human race. Most everyone is an artist.

Artists, creators, openly weird people, they are the cool ones.
I love passionate people.

I have decided that I am officially going to ride through life exclaiming “I’m an artist. I do so-and-so and am very passionate about it!”

Then everyone will know. There will be no question that I am an artist and people will feel free to share their passions and weirdness with me as well. Or, so I hope, we shall see. I will let you know how it goes.

Art. Isn’t that something? I’m going to go do that. Drawing on Little Wing.