"Learning to Love Us More Every Day"

 Collage by Lani, textures by FlyPaper Textures and Kim Klassen.

Why do you do what you do?

Maybe it's just as simple as the inspiration behind everything.  I love the creative process.  While in college I worked at an orphan's home, and I loved how the kids seemed to feel when they were working creatively.  I wanted to understand that process so I went on to study and practice art therapy.  My experience of art therapy was basically using the creative process to ameliorate some rather negative life situations.  One woman I worked with explained it this way, that in the art room she discovered that she could love who she was, that there was something in the creative process that allowed her  to love herself more, love others more, and be less dependent in her relationships.  There was more freedom, confidence, and joy.  Because of that, she was more capable of doing things for herself, which just increased her sense of self worth, a very nice positive loop to get into. 

And I'm thinking maybe life teaches us all things that we all need to rehabilitate from.  There are many paths to create this kind of rehabilitation.  Art is my path.   And the internet provides me with a very spacious art room.  So here I am.  A simple story.