Recently, my artistic journey has taken an interesting turn. Metaphorically, you will find me in my paintings. Just look for the birds. Sometimes the birds don’t represent me. They may be other people. They can simply represent a feeling or emotion. This gives me a lot of creative freedom. I’m not bogged down in trying to draw myself or someone else. I’m not bogged down in trying to make things look real. I can just focus on telling my story. Having other ways to represent things gives me a chance to share my journey in a way that can be a little more private, too. Others can look in at my work and have their interpretation, but I only need to divulge the more private parts of my journey to those I choose to share with. I have privacy and the freedom to say exactly what I want to say. It’s also fun to see what others see. Their interpretations often speak more about their journey, not mine. The viewer is presented with the opportunity to learn about their own story without even realizing that they’ve gone down that road. My art opens them up to what is within them. My art opens me up to what’s within me. We find hope in discovering new things about ourselves and we find peace in our own creative process. Everyone grows and learns. Your journey can take an interesting turn. You can make something. It doesn’t have to look real and it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Find your own way of sharing your story. I use birds, trees, swirls, apples, and objects to communicate through my work. What can you use to communicate your journey on canvas? Maybe this blog won’t compel you to share your journey here, but I hope it compels you to explore your options for sharing your own journey. May you find the freedom that I find when I create. The process I use when I am deep in the art making zone is personally powerful. Even when "Right Now" is hard, my canvas gives me a place to transform the present moment. I have power over time and space. My canvas is a place that's all mine. I believe you can have this power, too. Create and see where the journey takes you. Come back and share your travels here at Journey on Canvas Blog.