Direction

"As the Crow Flies" encaustic and mixed media, 2013

 This piece arose out of the fear of taking control of who I want to be as an artist. There is a fine line between following the path you want to take and taking a route already laid out. Both ways, of course, have validity and a balance of both is probably ideal, but accepting what others have to teach and discovering your own personal journey is sometimes a delicate equilibrium.
I tend to have a fear of leaving that path, stepping out on my own and finding the courage to admit that what works for other is not necessarily right for me. I must do things my way and stay true to myself in spite of the doubt I harbour and in spite of my lack of confidence in what I have to offer the world. Overcoming these fears is difficult, and in fact they never go away-defeating those voices is a daily task. But sometimes it is good to face these fears, stray from the beaten path, accept your own direction.

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.”           

 ― Mary Anne Radmacher