This is my first ever blog post. I am welcoming myself to this as much as you as to be honest I never thought of myself as a bloggy kind of person before.
Anyway things do change.
So I looked up the formal definition of the silver lining idiom, as of late it’s a phrase I use often in relation to my Art practice (note the capital A because it is a capital activity for me).
Silver Lining
It is appropriate to use the term silver lining when you want to emphasise the hopeful side of a situation of a situation that might seem gloomy on the surface. The common expression “every cloud has a silver lining” means that even the worst events or situations have some positive aspect.
Now I don’t believe this in totality, clearly some events have no positive aspects at all so my intention isn’t to negate those, or to be insensitive but to highlight how it applies to me. Maybe you too have experienced your own silver linings?
Today I am getting ready to meet and greet the public in my locality at my first Artists Open studios art trail. I’m sharing a venue with 6 other local artists and have no idea how the 4 days will go. This time last year I didn’t have a clue I would be doing this, I was working as an Art Psychotherapist with young people, doing all the other normal family things, seeing friends etc. Anyway ongoing symptoms led to a diagnosis which has given me no choice but to adapt my life. This post is about Art and my life, not a health forum so I’m not going into the details here; I have thought about using my Art for fund raising and awareness for rare diseases but want to concentrate on how amazing Art is here for now.
I’ve always loved all things creative, Art, music, dancing, singing, a bit of acting. You will usually find me on the dance floor at a party (I can still do this thank goodness!) I still do a touch of grown up ballet with with grown up daughter where we have much fun and laughter in a truly competitive yet supportive kind of way.
So I suddenly found myself with lots more time. Time to reflect, adapt and importantly make Art! I’m a qualified Art Psychotherapist so In theory in knew all about the benefits of Art making but now I know for myself too. It’s been truly brilliant (and challenging at times) getting to this point and I’ve only just begun really. I’ve met some amazing people over the last few years who have all contributed to me developing what I love to do most and what makes me feel truly me. It can sound like a cliché but being able to engage with the activities that are close to your heart can be truly life-changing. I really do believe that everyone has a creative side no matter how it’s expressed.
So short and sweet I hope, but definitely hopeful.
I’ll let you know how it goes..
Tracey D xxx