Early opportunities and praise had positive impact on who I am today

I've been extremely lucky. From a very young age I've had my creative talents encouraged. Sure, every kid learns how to finger paint and make Popsicle stick castles, but I had teachers who always took art time to the next level. For example, in the first grade I remember cutting out construction paper cats, attaching spiral tails to the bottoms and then hanging them from the ceiling above my desk. In the third grade I got to make a Christmas tree candy dish out of clay, paint it and then have it fired in a pottery kiln. I still have that candy dish today and proudly put it out every holiday season. In later years I put just as much effort in my school reports, adding illustrations at each opportunity that presented itself. And every teacher I had embraced this expression full throttle. I never got told something I created was ugly, or not good enough. Every piece was worthy of Picasso praise. I know that validation had a major positive impact on the creative person I am today.

Outside of school my creative influence was just as strong. For 12 years I was a Campfire Girl, lead by a woman who put the craft in crafty. Mrs. Graf was super talented in her own right, but perhaps more importantly she had the patience, the thoughfulness, and the generosity to help us girls create something new each and every week. Over the years I learned things I know I never would have otherwise. I learned how to do macrame, cross-stitch, paper mache, paint, sew, embroider, and the list goes on. A lot of those skills stayed in my youth, but I know learning once made a lasting impact on me.

So now I'm not in school or Campfire anymore, but I am reigniting my crafty side by participating in a local Ladies Art Social group. Being exposed to so many different mediums, I've realized that every activity is a new opportunity to grow and express myself in new and unexpected ways. I feel so invigorated by the process and the results.

I think back to even when I was too sick to really be creative. I was recovering from a serious respiratory illness and I was on oxygen for several months. I stayed a majority of my time at home, too tired and weak to be out and about. I asked my mom to bring me home a puzzle to work on. She bought a 10,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that formed a 24 x 36 inch portrait of beautiful sunflowers. I kept and framed that puzzle, and have it hanging in my home office. It is very special to me. Not only does it remind me of a valley in my life of which I climbed out, but it reaffirms that even at my weakest, a fire burns deep inside of me to always keep creating.