I rarely expressed myself as an artist for fear of being exposed as a not-so-great one. As an adult, I loved the arts through the eyes of my two children. I took them to musicals, plays, and pottery classes and encouraged them to appreciate music, reading, writing, and performing. My life was challenging to manage when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and I didn’t have a place to go to quiet my mind and body.

Fast forward, my children are grown, I am retired, and I wanted to express the artistic need I hadn’t felt before. I picked up an art journal and a paintbrush, and with the help of online art teachers and lots of practice, I learned to draw, collage, paint, and express myself in a way I didn’t know existed within me. Now I have a place to go to that helps me get through fatigue, brain fog, and difficult days. Most importantly, I am proud to call myself an artist. I want to inspire you to try something you never thought you’d love, and maybe you will also find a passion you never knew existed in you!