Art course - scary and exciting

If push came to shove, I would label myself as CREATIVE, but I have never considered myself ARTISTIC. To me, these words have vastly different meanings.

As a crafter (scrapbooking, photographer currently - pottery and other forms previously) I have always considered ART to be the creation of something from nothing, whereas CRAFT is creating something from something. I guess.

I have the gene-pool - my maternal grandmother took to photography as a young woman more than 100 years ago. Her daughter, my mother, was a frustrated artist who could sketch 1950's women and tried to fit oil painting classes around her role as a 1960s mother (unsuccessfully trying a night class while my father "babysat" my sister and I, resulting in domestic chaos). Although I am no longer in contact with her, my memory of my mother is of a disappointed creative woman without an outlet. My father was musically talented.

My sister is a skilled theatre make-up artist and face-painter for children, her eldest daughter is studying design and is skilled with line art. My own off-spring have done well in art subjects at school, with the oldest and youngest taking it to senior high school studies. My daughter designs and creates costumes and my son is also creative.

I adore artworks by women of women and children. I fantasize about creating such works myself. My love of photography and writing still leave that small voice saying "maybe I could do that?" But how? My own days of art class at high school are decades ago and I have no knowledge of techniques for drawing or painting.

So why on Earth did I connect with a link in a young friends blog post, and rashly join another online group, one entirely focused on art? What led me, at this intensely busy time, to sign up for a free course Art, Heart & Healing? Two weeks after it officially began, so I am behind even before I begin? http://willowing.ning.com/

Still, life was meant to be exciting, right?

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