A Day of Painting

All in a days work, some would say.  However, my painting is not what I would call work.  I do sell some of my paintings, but it's not what pays the bills.  It is something I "love" to do.  I drew, painted and loved art growing up as a kid and into college.  But somewhere along the path after college it got placed on the back burner.  Marriage, kids and making a living decorating cakes tend to put a damper in trying to keep an easel and paints left out for little hands to get in to.  And there was my love for art....on the back burner.

It wasn't until about 4 years ago, that my older brother, Ron encouraged me to get back to "slapping some paint" as he called it.  He was a great painter, sculptor, photographer, you name it, he was a natural Renaissance Man.  He contracted Hep C, which turned into liver cancer and he knew his wise words were so ever truer than they had ever been.  "Life is too short, he told me."  Why was I a spending so much time making cakes for everyone and yet not doing what he knew was still in my heart.....painting.  So his words stuck with me and I was tired of the rat race of decorating cakes to the point I had to have some knee surgery and knowing I didn't have to be killing myself all the time to make cakes.  It was time to put something on hold and get back to painting.

I slowed it down on the cakes and so thankful I have.  I mean, I still have a booming business with my wedding cakes, but it has lifted the load off to where I can take time out to have "A Day of Painting" if I want to.  And painting is good for my soul, as I have missed it for so many years.  Thankfully, my brother was able to see some of my paintings before he passed away in 2014.

There is not a time when I am sitting with a fresh canvas sitting in front of me and I go to pick up the paint and a brush, where I don't think of my brother, Ron.  His encouragement fills my heart as I begin to see life come to the canvas in colors being "slapped" out and I feel his words ring in my ears of making life count.

So it is with many others who have a passion for singing, writing a book or short stories, painting, quilting, anything that you love to do and brings you joy.  It's what makes us live and feel good.  What brings that understanding in our heart and soul of doing what we feel we have been called to do.  It's where we fit and feel the most.  

A day of painting....good for this soul for sure.