Art Heals

It's been nearly 40 days since I last updated my Twitter or Facebook... and months since I substantially wrote here. I've been in what I call a "cocoon phase", which means I checked out like JD Salinger.

I deal with a myriad of health issues that prevent me from working in a "regular" job. Fortunately I have a wonderfully supportive and amazing Husbang who financially supports our family single-handedly and quite comfortably. Plus, he consistently tells me to stop beating myself up and do what I love. I am blessed.

The past 2 months have been difficult. I've been mostly bedridden with the inability to walk due to a 10 year old back injury and severe depression. I know it's cliche but, the chronic pain I have is not something I'd wish on anyone.

So the first few weeks was spent mostly sleeping, zoning out on movies and doing my best to shower on "good days" when I wasn't hobbled like a geriatric line-backer. It was not a good place.

Since getting laid off from my theatre job in 2009, we made the decision that I would follow one of my dreams and work on art full time. I realized about 3 weeks ago that I didn't have to get out of bed to make art. I decided that I wanted to find other artists with which to trade ATC's (artist trading cards) to have a "reason" to make art.

Well, it worked. Since finding Swap-bot, a website connecting people who love to make stuff, at the beginning of May, I have successfully made more progress with my art than I have in the past year. I am making art every day. And slowly, but surely, I'm having more "good" days than bad.

I also learned from another artist that Frida Kahlo suffered from chronic pain her whole life... and she accomplished so much. If she can do it...so can I.