Finding Happiness Through Art

Hello friends!  This is my first post as a contributor to Inspiration Studio.  I am SO excited!

When I met Kim, it was an instant connection and I knew that I wanted to contribute to this lovely blog before I even really knew what it involved.  I love when there is such clarity!

So, my topic here is "Finding Happiness Through Art..."  I plan to feature other artists and share any and all things related to this topic- how fun!  

But first, I thought I'd start with my own journey to find happiness through art.  This is my REAL BIO- the true one, that lead me to my art business today.  I am so grateful...

Finding Happiness Through Art

My story

Graduated from college, married, worked as a teacher

Got my masters in mental health counseling. 

Thought I would work in a school forever and earn a safe, reliable income. 

Read The Artist’s Way. 

Began making art again at age 30-something for the first time since tenth grade. 

Heard my husband say he didn’t love me anymore. 

He actually meant it. 

And my heart broke. 

And we divorced. 

And I felt abandoned and angry and afraid and shamed. 

And somehow, I kept making art. 

I turned a blank book into a visual journal where I sat in meditation, wrote my intention, prayed and let the art pour out of me and onto the paper.  It gave me a place to hold my grief and fear about the past and my hope and excitement about the future. 

Everything changed. 

My heart opened. 

And sometimes I rode the waves of pain on a boat of pastels, paints, chalk and inks.

It was quite a bumpy ride.

I grew deeper, more spiritual, more compassionate. 

Sometimes happiness can be elusive.  It comes in, graces us with its presence and light and then disappears, leaving us with only shadows.  That’s okay.  Happiness always returns again.

And I am still finding happiness through art. 

These days I am remarried and happily living in a cute cape-cod home in upstate New York with my loving husband, my gorgeous step kids, gentle-hearted greyhounds, and calico cat.  We love to read spiritual books, drink green juice, travel, go on hikes, and snuggle in to watch movies and eat dark chocolate.  I am so grateful for this life here; doing work I love and watching my creative dreams open up and become real.

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I am so looking forward to doing more posts here and getting to know all of you!  

Hugs and Kisses,

Lori