June Squam 2014, part 3

("Blossoms unspooled from her mouth"; June Squam 2014, part 2; all Squam entries.)  Why has it taken me two and a half months to finish blogging about June Squam? I guess I've wanted to focus on drawing rather than writing about drawing. I'm doing it, I'm really doing it—one drawing a day for eight minutes (or more, depending on how much I'm into it). Some drawings are meh and others I'm really proud of. Either way, the point is, I'm doing it, for almost sixty days in a row now!—and I'm tweeting my drawings. I'm so grateful to Kerry Lemon for giving me the space and encouragement to make that breakthrough. 

    An essential part of this drawing-and-sharing process has been learning to recognize the stories I tell about myself—stories that are outdated, or were never accurate to begin with. In this case, the story was I'm a better writer than I was an artist, with variations on that theme:

If I were talented enough, I would have run with it when I had the chance.

I didn't get that portfolio together in time to apply to art college, and that was MEANT TO BE.

I should leave drawing and painting to people who are real artists. People with VISION, who know what they're doing. It's enough for me to appreciate and support the real artists.

I can't draw faces.

And so on, and so on. Most of these "stories" are nonsense, and yet we live out our lives believing them, and letting them hold us back. It feels so good to have reached the point at which I don't care what anyone says or thinks of what I make, if anyone considers it "worthwhile." It's my time, so I get to be the person who decides that. And anyhow, everyone who saw my drawings said lovely supportive things, so it's not like I have any naysayers buzzing nearby. I'm so blessed to have friends and family who support me no matter what I want to do.  There'll be more Squam awesomeness coming soon, since this time I'm going back to teach!