We are all artists, are we not, in one way or another? I am definitely a jack of all trades. This is one of the paintings that I have done on slate. It is an image of getting together to share stories of the heart. Let's talk about art...

Art... my earliest remembrances are of Gail and I making our own paper dolls and the clothing to dress them in. I also remember my mother spending hours coloring with us. I learned early on to color carefully and stay in the lines.

My next artful memories are of elementary school where I would draw pictures from anatomy books and science books...can't remember why...

Then there were the junior and high school years where I took art classes. Of course, I was NEVER as good as everyone else. It made me realize, though, that it was important for me to find my own style and that I wasn't happy doing it like everyone else.

In my senior year (taken a year after my first son was born because I dropped out to have him and then returned,) I took a creative writing class. This is when I first got the real inkling that I could do any sort of writing. Later, after the first divorce, I took night courses in creative writing at Northern Essex, which got me into journalling. (I look back on those journals now and they are full of unhappiness and how I wished I was dead.)

Later, I discovered poetry was a wonderful tool to unburden my soul. My mother was very disappointed. She wanted me to be a "REAL" artist and found my poetry sad and didn't like it because it didn't rhyme. I disagreed. I felt so good after I wrote a poem. It was a tremendous release, an unbaring of the soul. Sometimes, the written word helped me to unravel some of the chaos that banged around inside my head.

What I love about free style poetry is that is doesn't matter if it doesn't rhyme or is not metered. Punctuation and grammar do not matter, nor does spelling. For me, it's about an outpouring of the soul. Put pen to the paper and let the poems write themselves. Yes! They will say when they are done and THEN you can go back and edit.

Of course, I dabbled in other arts. I still paint once in a while, I've made some jewelry, knitted scarves, and I play around with photography. I also play Native American flute which I absolutely love... oh, and I drum.

I don't have to be perfect. If I had to be, I'd never do anything, would I. Would you?

Talk to me about your art(s.) What makes you feel most alive.