Because most of our lives are almost totally out of our control, I believe that everyone should have something that can be done alone, almost anywhere, and with our own hands.
Whether you paint, draw, sculpt, scrapbook, knit, macrame, crochet, or tat, your work is your own, and you have control. If you don't like the work, pull it apart, rip it up, and start over. Gardening is a particular subset of this activity category because it isn't portable. It is similar, however, because if you don't like the red one, you can pull it out and plant a pink one. Unlike an illness, a chronic condition or a cranky in-law, none of which can be unwound or plucked out, your craft, art or garden is yours.
There are some limits, however. It would be wonderful if everyone had at least one portable version of his or her work, and I strongly recommend projects that can be picked up and put down without creating an artistic disaster. Sadly, this eliminates 10x10-foot murals, lampworked beads, and potato sculpture, but every good idea has limitations.
I have had something in my hands since I was a small child, beginning with un-lamented Paint by Numbers in the 1950s. I made lanyards at summer camp, and I have done embroidery, macrame, seed art, soft sculpture, cheerfully incompetent quilting, batik, and needlepoint (Blue Ribbons in the Minnesota State Fair). I am now a painter of nanoscapes, which are the source of an apparently unending amount of pleasure. My first nanoscapes were painted on 3x5 cards. Now many of them are much larger (22x33), but I always travel with brusher, paper and paint on palettes that fit into a makeup bag. Have paint, will travel.
Did any of this work cure an ailment? Probably not. However, having work to do every day that gives me pleasure every day has certainly helped to keep me on an even keel throughout what most people consider trying times (death of my Dad, loss of a long-time job).
My name is Susan Gainen and you can see more of my work at www.susangainen-nanoscapes.com
I love his web site, and have not read the archives. I award you the Tokyo Blues Blue ribbon for being the first contribution that made me laugh right out loud. Kinda loud out loud.
talented and ever so funny. Who could ask for more?
Posted by: lois vonfricke | February 03, 2010 at 07:39 PM