by J. Gracey Stinson

Every now and then I wonder what would happen if I went back to the beginning of my creative roots and started over - fresh.

As babies, the first time we can close our chubby fists around a crayon we are urged to create. For me, crayons came even before finger painting.

My parents wouldn’t consider themselves artistic people, but my dad was a darn good photographer, and my mom…she could cook anything - her recipes were mostly her own and she cooked without written recipes.

Fingerpainting didn’t come until my little self went into the world (ie: grade school); not only was fingerpainting messy, but when I think back on it, it was tactile - you could feel the art, not just with your heart and mind, but physically with your fingers, through your skin (though many often wound up with painted fingers in their mouths too).

From that point forward, there always seemed to be someone directing me - my mother towards other things (sewing, knitting, crewel & embroidery), my father towards photography, my art teachers toward drawing and painting, the music teacher towards vocal arts…and I willingly went in the way the fingers pointed.

Now, I have a few definitive creative leanings (photgraphy, stained glass, digital art) though I often explore other avenues that tweak my interest from time to time.

Mostly, I feel like a butterfly…flittering from one technique or style to another, sampling a little of this, tasting a sweet bit of that and then moving on.

But, what if, I started over…

Images:

Chalk on Canvas with fingers
Chalk on Canvas - Tinkered (digitally worked)
Conte Crayon Trees on Wet Canvas
Conte Crayon Trees Digitally Worked