original art by Karla
I have always enjoyed beginnings. The newness and excitement of stepping into the unknown. There is always so much possibility just waiting to be realized! I figured, what better way to start a new blog than by sharing the story of my artistic beginnings.
I have always been a creative person. Starting when I was a child, I had the privilege of having a mother who was also a creative person. She shared her love of sewing, crochet, knitting, & embroidery with me. There was something about being able to use my hands to create that resonated with my spirit.
In school, my favorite subjects were math, music, and art. Music and art in particular, enabled me to express myself in ways that I could not yet do with words. As a young teenager I discovered the world of poetry and this became my primary creative outlet for a long time. It provided me with a safe space to express myself. I was beginning to find my voice.
Along the way I began to experiment with new creative mediums every chance I could. I continued to write poetry, crochet, and sew basic clothing items although I've never been good at following patterns! I also taught myself how to make jewelry and took a few art classes. I always thought of art as a nice hobby, but never allowed myself to think that it could ever be anything more.
I found a passion for helping people and have been blessed to do work that I love ever since. Despite this, my spirit was still whispering that there was something more; something I was missing. A couple of years ago, I was deeply entrenched in my career and didn't notice that I had stopped creating. It wasn't until I was on the brink of burnout that I was forced to reflect on what was happening. When I looked back, I noticed that I had stopped creating! It finally clicked that for me, art was not optional; it was necessary.
With that knowledge, I became intentional about being creative on a regular basis. Once I did that the world began to open-up. I felt more connected, more grounded, and more balanced.
Towards the latter part of 2011 a dear friend of mine introduced me to the work of Kelly Rae Roberts. This was the beginning of putting the final piece of the puzzle together. Through her work and story I found my way to other mixed-media artists. I devoured you tube videos and practiced different artistic techniques. I signed-up for an online course and kept making art.
In the spring of this year I was able to attend my first ever Art & Soul retreat, and I knew that I was home. These artist were from all over the world, had different specialties and niches, but we all fit. It was the first time that I was around so many people who loved art in the same way that I did. The elation and frustration- the challenge of trying to communicate your heart on the paper, canvas, assemblage, and any other surface you can think of. There was nothing like it!
This is both a re-birth and a new beginning. This is my creative journey and I can't wait to see what happens next!
I have always been a creative person. Starting when I was a child, I had the privilege of having a mother who was also a creative person. She shared her love of sewing, crochet, knitting, & embroidery with me. There was something about being able to use my hands to create that resonated with my spirit.
In school, my favorite subjects were math, music, and art. Music and art in particular, enabled me to express myself in ways that I could not yet do with words. As a young teenager I discovered the world of poetry and this became my primary creative outlet for a long time. It provided me with a safe space to express myself. I was beginning to find my voice.
Along the way I began to experiment with new creative mediums every chance I could. I continued to write poetry, crochet, and sew basic clothing items although I've never been good at following patterns! I also taught myself how to make jewelry and took a few art classes. I always thought of art as a nice hobby, but never allowed myself to think that it could ever be anything more.
I found a passion for helping people and have been blessed to do work that I love ever since. Despite this, my spirit was still whispering that there was something more; something I was missing. A couple of years ago, I was deeply entrenched in my career and didn't notice that I had stopped creating. It wasn't until I was on the brink of burnout that I was forced to reflect on what was happening. When I looked back, I noticed that I had stopped creating! It finally clicked that for me, art was not optional; it was necessary.
With that knowledge, I became intentional about being creative on a regular basis. Once I did that the world began to open-up. I felt more connected, more grounded, and more balanced.
Towards the latter part of 2011 a dear friend of mine introduced me to the work of Kelly Rae Roberts. This was the beginning of putting the final piece of the puzzle together. Through her work and story I found my way to other mixed-media artists. I devoured you tube videos and practiced different artistic techniques. I signed-up for an online course and kept making art.
In the spring of this year I was able to attend my first ever Art & Soul retreat, and I knew that I was home. These artist were from all over the world, had different specialties and niches, but we all fit. It was the first time that I was around so many people who loved art in the same way that I did. The elation and frustration- the challenge of trying to communicate your heart on the paper, canvas, assemblage, and any other surface you can think of. There was nothing like it!
This is both a re-birth and a new beginning. This is my creative journey and I can't wait to see what happens next!