Life as an artist means to always be doodling, journaling, writing, reading and conjuring.

Rinse repeat.

”Rainy Day and I See’ – 10″ x 9″ Watercolor in my journal. 

It was a rainy day looking out a window at a parking lot. Only the tree looked like it appreciated the moment. I just had glaucoma surgery and spent the night totally blind in one eye. The Dr. said my iris was floating around during surgery. That night I had been afraid to cry because I didn’t want my iris to accidentally float away! 

When I don’t know how to deal with an emotion or a situation, I draw or paint about it. I may not know how to describe what the picture is about. It can be obvious and revealing or abstract and confusing. I know one thing. Making art gets me out of my fear. It gets me back into the now. I don’t usually show these psychological and personal things. I’m doing it here to comment on choosing art as a career path. I’ll sprinkle in some of my latest journal art while I write. 

‘I Am Just Me Now’ – 12″ x 9″ , alcohol based art markers in journal.

I am still dealing with the loss of my husband of 30 years, to cancer.

Thinking back to my first day of school at CCAC (California College of Arts and Crafts. Since then they changed it to CCA California College of the Arts.) My favorite teacher, Jordan Hanson, gave an intro speech to the new incoming students. He said, “Only 5% of you will go on to be connected with art, in any way.” At the time I was an unmarried mother with a 4 year old. I dropped out in the last semester of my senior year.

I have been involved in the arts ever since. I’m not sure if it was the love of art. Perhaps it was the drive to be creative. Or maybe it was a bull-headed determination to prove something to someone. 

‘Haunting Faces’ – 12″ x 9″, Ink pen in my journal 

I recently connected with an artist in South Carolina. She shared a little about her career in art. I’ve often pondered why art and receiving an income is difficult. 

If you believe that we mortals were created in the image of God, then we were created to be creative. It implies we all have a natural ability to create. It’s hard to stand out when everyone is an artist to some degree. People tell me they can’t draw a stick figure. I say whatever you do a lot of, you will become an expert at. 

Art doesn’t necessarily pay. I’m thinking maybe because art tends to play to the emotions or it is used as decoration. Is that why it gets devalued? I’m remembering after CCAC I became a secretary to a painting contractor. I learned a lot about painting. It came in handy when I started painting murals on the exterior of buildings. But at the time, our accountant told me to “give up that silly art stuff.” He said I should get some real training, like in accounting or something useful. On another occasion, I recall the women at my church took me aside. They told me to quit art and get a real job, for the sake of my son.

‘Turtle Stretching his Neck’ –  12″ x 9″, watercolor in my journal. 

Like most of us, I did get real jobs, mostly clerical jobs. Still, I always did my silly art “stuff” behind closed doors, just like I continue to do now. Whenever possible I take classes and test other fields in art. I’ve worked with adults using art therapy. I was a fitter in a frame shop. I learned woodworking. I was the development department secretary at a museum. Eventually I finished my degree in Psychology. Speaking of jobs that don’t pay much. 

‘In the Garden Behind the Center’ – 7″ x 9″, watercolor in my journal. Plein Aire. 

I chose this location to plant my 3-legged chair and paint for an hour. I imagined myself to be the woman behind a wall tending to the garden. Sometimes when I’m painting I’ll fill in a dark area because it’s in shade and I can’t really define it. Here, at the end of the path is one of those dark area. I love it because it’s mysterious and I can imagine whole other stories as to what is happening back there. 

I’ve been learning more about AI and listening to my granddaughter, who is very artistic. She’s considering what to major in college. Like many she’s concerned that she could be replaced by AI in a few years.  

I read recently that jobs requiring creative talents and skills would be less likely to be replaced.  

So there you go. That which makes us human is unique. It separates us from AI. We can’t be replaced by something that depends only on large quantities of data being inputted into a machine.

We are God’s creations!