Life! Art! Choices! Good News! Ranger U!

Life is a funny thing. In life things seem to come back around. One big circle. Fateful events. I'm a strong believer in fate. Events that happen in our lives guide us and mold us. Sometimes we act further upon these events.
Some say life acts and then we react.


Four years ago I was in Seattle teaching and running a program for the Seattle Children's Museum. One of my employees came in with a book. She raved about this book all day. She couldn't put it down. She attempted to force her book on me for several days. For several days I declined. I had no time. She finally hid the book into my teacher crate (you know the bundle of bags or tow crate every teacher carries with them). That night I discovered the book in my pile of notes and reports. So I began to look at several pages. An hour later I had read it all- I absorbed every bit of it. It was a huge inspiration. It was what I wanted to do with all my drawings, photos, and found objects. It talked about transfers, gel mediums,various techniques, and tools. It was the art book that answered many burning little questions I had. It was filled with collage examples that made my head swim.
I wanted to create my own form of everything I saw in the book.

However at the time I was tired, so tired. Also at the time I was way to busy with work and life to create these projects. No studio space, no supplies, no time. I took the book and copied a few notes and pages and stored them away in my little studio.
I then went on with all that seemed so important at the time.

The Cat and I returned to Phoenix a year after that.

I have always had a studio or a space wherever I have lived since high school. Sometimes its in a closet,a garage,a man shed, the kitchen corner. I have always made sure that I had a space. But never really committed to that space. I thought at different times that I had. You will know when you do.
There is a huge difference.
When you actually decide to commit to your art making space you will feel it.

Your creative place as an artist. Its damn important. Its like carving out a piece of territory. Putting your flag in the ground - and then
you begin to build a foundation.
A foundation as an artist.

So back to my main thought... we moved back to Phoenix. Before we left Seattle, I took a fall on my back. When we arrived here I couldn't stand or walk longer than a few hours. I had done something to my back. I ended up being on my back for several months. Early arthritis, disk problems, and over weight. During this time I was down- upset, angry , and feeling pretty stupid.
I began to really evaluate where and what I wanted to be doing with my life.

Once I got better- I decided to go back to what I did to make extra money during my years as an actor. Faux painting furniture, antiquing and distressing. It started with a doll crib that I made for my niece. I enjoyed making the piece for her so much-that I decided that I would do this for the next few months. To make a side income while I nursed my back to a healthy spot. I began to sink my unemployment check into all the wooden pieces I could find. I went nuts. It felt good. I was working out of my mother's backyard. She was the only one I knew with enough free open space. I had completely covered her backyard at the time with wooden pieces that I was aging and antiquing. Then one day I ran across those pages and notes
from that book a year earlier.

Sorry Bloggers.I just received a phone call.I need to head out the door. I will finish my story later tonight....Talk soon.