This post was originally published on December 7, 2019. It was my first art blog post, and I stand by every word.

If I ever write a book or sonnet about friendship, it would include this single idea: My favorite friends are more interested in who I am becoming than in who I was or need to be to make them comfortable.

~ Julie Sweeney Bogart

Artists walk a fine line between imposter syndrome and the liberating joy of creation. A successful artist attempts to find a balance between wanting affirmation and valuing feedback. Sharing artwork becomes even more difficult when you add in the money aspect. Yes, I’d like to get paid, and no, I am not trying to spam you with a marketing campaign. There are three types of people who should subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on social media:

1. You are interested in my art for any reason. This covers a lot of ground, but maybe that isn’t why you are here. That’s okay.

2. You are interested in my message. What message? Don’t worry, it is still trying to find its way out into the world.

3. You are the kind of friend described by Julie Sweeney Bogart in her 12/04/2019 FB post:

   “If I ever write a book or sonnet about friendship, it would include this single idea: My favorite friends are more interested in who I am becoming than in who I was or need to be to make them comfortable.”

Julie speaks to my heart and mind with every word she writes. Julie’s words transformed my home, my perspective on learning and school, how I view myself as a mother, and most importantly, how I view myself as… myself.

My best-self lets her mind wander across fields and lakes, considering the possibilities while being enveloped in the moment.

For the past two years, I have slowly created more and more space in my life for the joy and meditative nature of creation.

It showed up in my life before, but it wasn’t an intentional priority. Since I never imagined that going to school for an art degree would be an option, I certainly didn’t imagine I could just choose to be an artist.

I am choosing to be an artist. It is a very vulnerable choice. Becoming an artist might be about talent for some people, but for me, it is about holding life and ideas with an open hand. It is about observation and correction. It is about letting go of perfection, sticking with it, and finding beauty in happy accidents.

That is what life is about.
Observation.
Correction.
Imperfection.
Vulnerability.
Grit.
Mistakes.
and
Happy Accidents.
Also,
Holding beliefs with an open hand.
And cherishing our favorite friends.

~ Tia Sunshine Dye, Artist