Why I Am Thankful to Be an Artist

As we move toward Thanksgiving season, I am reminded once again for the myriad reasons that I feel thankful for my creative life and all the things that nurture and enlarge it.

As an artist, I am grateful for…

1) The gift of seeing. Everywhere I go, I am compelled to look deeply into the beauty of things—how light shines through trees and pools on grasses, the palette of colors that delights the eye, the dark outlines of stately pines and distant mountains, the shifting shape and wonder of clouds.

2) The gift of wonder. This is the familiar territory of my inner child who is entranced by this beautiful world and looks at it with awe and curiosity and open-eyed amazement. She is the source of my delight, of my creative renewal, again and again.

3) The gift of uncertainty. As an artist, I am never certain how things will turn out because the art inevitably takes on a life of its own…like life itself. This helps me approach life in a more open way, allowing the river of creativity to lead me where it will.

4) The gift of cultivating stillness and deep knowing. I know that the source of much of my creativity arises when I can allow myself to be still and to trust things to arise from the deep well within. It gives me me a way to hold life in a larger perspective, even when I don’t like the direction things are taking me.

5) The gift of being part of a community of artists. I am surrounded by people who see things in unique ways and then courageously interpret that world through their own individual expression. I love and admire these friends and feel in a place of belonging with them.

Now, tell me, what are you grateful for?

Cyncie and Kathy are always grateful to our wonderful clients! Let us know if we can empower you in your creative expression and art career! artcoachingforyou.com