Art has always been a part of my life. Since I was old enough to hold a pencil in my hand, I have been drawing. Art has brought me through difficult times in my life, kept me sane when things were out of control, helped me bond with my mom as we shared a love of art and creating things together for many years before she passed away and also helped me get back to who I am in recent years.
I inherited the creative and artistic gene from my mom. My three siblings and I all inherited this gene and express our creativity in either music, art, or both.
Through the years I have always found myself creating things. Whether that be making crafts, helping friends decorate or doing decorative painting in their homes, or decorating and painting in my own home.
Several years ago I moved to a quiet seaside town on the Gulf Coast after working for my now-ex-husband and his family's business for over 2 years. Those two years were full of stress and took a toll on me personally and in my marriage. After moving to my quiet little town, I began to look back on my life. When I moved, I left behind a very busy and hectic life.
Moving here and getting away from all that I was going through changed me. I started to look at who I was and realized I was so much to so many other people, but had no idea who I really was to myself. I felt I had lost my own true identity.
I started running and riding my bike here and exploring the beautiful area; the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, the magnificent dune lakes and all the beauty that was within my gaze. I began taking photographs as a hobby. One particular photograph was of some sand dunes, sea oats and fence just down the street from me. I felt the urge to recreate this photograph as a drawing. The next day I went to the craft store and purchased some colored pencils and a drawing pad. I had not drawn with colored pencils since high school. Colored pencils were always my favorite medium in school. I drew that photograph and several other drawings of photographs I had taken.
One of my drawings was of a little shop in Seaside, FL called Casa Costa. One day I decided to stop by the store and show the owner/manager what I had drawn. Not knowing that they sold art in their store (I drew what was on the sidewalk), the manager said she could sell my art for me. I was astounded! She invited me to be the "featured artist" during an event called "Art Walk" that is held every first Friday of the month in Seaside. I did. It was wonderful meeting people and drawing as they watched.
From there I began drawing home renderings, which I now do as a business. I really enjoy the challenge of recreating someone's home and adding the warmth and charm they feel about their home. I feel I am able to add that warmth to the drawings.
Drawing has brought me back to who I am. Oh, I am still a mom to my 16 yr old son and 10 yr old daughter. I am also a substitute teacher at my daughter's elementary school and I volunteer as well, but art is a gift that I use to remember who I am. It gives me purpose and helps me live a peaceful life. Expressing myself artistically brings peace to my life.
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