Be a kid again : )

Some of the struggles I've had in the last year or so with my creative process and life endeavors pertaining to said process has led me to believe that I maybe have lost sight of the fact that art can be fun. Not only is it a serious and real practice of study, but it is also enjoyable. Art for fun's sake; can you imagine?


I have been working with the children's education program this summer at the Asheville Art Museum. It has been such a joy! Trust me, I wish I didn't have anything else to be responsible for except spending time with these amazing artist teachers and their wonderful students (unfortunately, I was not only burning the candle on both ends, but I believe I went ahead and put the candle on a hot plate and melted it totally) but I was also working at night and therefore got a bit sick towards the end of my internship.


As I was spending time with these students I began to remember what it was like to be 6 or 7 years old and be totally enthralled with something new and different because it really was just plain fun! I decided I would start making a list of all of the things I used to do when I was a little bit younger that I truly, truly did because I enjoyed it... total self-indulgence and happiness... not trying to make anything that pleases anyone else, but makes me happy.


So, first on my list is making necklaces. When I was little I used to make necklaces all the time! I made my own beads out of clay you baked in the oven and I would string seed beads into long strands of necklace creations for hours and hours. So, off the bead store I went. Downtown Asheville to Chevron Trading Post on Lexington Avenue. Man, a bead lover could get lost in their for hours! I love this place! There is something truly zen and meditative about being in this store and it is definitely one of my happiest and most favorite places in downtown. So, I'm making some necklaces. As a result of freeing myself and giving myself permission to be a bit of a kid, I can feel my painting process start to loosen up again and become a bit more natural. I hope that this little bit of bead nurturing can spill over into many areas of my life, not to mention my art practice. Either way, I'm having fun making some neat things. I'll keep you updated as I complete some projects with the ole seed beads.


I'm going to continue to think of those things that I loved as a kid and slowly reintroduce them into my life again, as I had mistakenly pushed them aside to make way for more "serious" practices on a daily basis. Perhaps playing does have a major purpose after all! 


How could you be a kid again?