I feel the air lifting me and see my perspective change. I can’t say it’s unsettling. On the contrary, muscle memory is taking over and apparently I have flown before … a long time ago.
September sailed past and I have been remarkably busy. Events came and went and I was aware that somewhere during the last 40 years I became more reticent to act impulsively. Perhaps it’s the effects of the structure of long term employment or it’s as simple as acquired habits, but I am winnowing and choosing to regain my healthy sense of self.
I did an art fair in Freeport, Illinois – an upper midwestern town that I went to high school in. It was a merging of various times of my life as I ran into old friends I hadn’t seen since high school, met new patrons who had never seen my work before, and welcomed current friends who popped in to give me support because they know that I am an emerging artist despite my age. It was such a mix of emotions and insecurities and surging inner-strength, that it was startling.
It, like each of the events that have been taking place recently, had its unique role in this new rediscovery phase of my life where all of my pieces are starting to come back together.
With very little break between events, we then unpacked the Art from the fair and repacked for a history event in Platteville, Wisconsin where I talked about a different era in art. I went from 21st century emerging artist to 18th century cottage industry artist without missing a beat.
The children on school days that Friday numbered in excess of 2300 and the public the next day were interested and excited and asked great questions about art in the 18th century. It is always an absolute joy to see the fascination on the face of a child when they see someone in this historical context talking about art. They are curious as to where artists got their pigments, tools, and how they did things back then. As I talk about being an artist and see the hope that it gives them to know that they, too, can be one, I soar.
Each one of these events was fascinating, stimulating, and challenging both emotionally and intellectually, and yet I am having a ball!! True, I need to slow this pace down before I burst into flames but I feel like I am doing what that old adage says about sliding over home plate in a cloud of dust and exclaiming, “… heck of a ride…”. Indeed!
As I watched the sun setting in my rear view mirror coming home from this last, weeklong, historical teaching event in Minnesota I was absolutely enthralled and wonder what life has in store for us next.
Kelly E. James 