Balancing Art and Life

Even though I'd like to be an artist full time I cannot deny my pedestrian life. Five and half years ago I shattered my tibia. As I went from wheelchair to walker to cane I thought my life was going to always include pain. When I returned to the surgeon after four years he told me my leg had never healed which was why I was needing continuous supply of advil. Finally he decide a bone graft was necessary but in the meantime I had appendicitis which burst without the emergency staff noticing. I was septic by the time I went to surgery, nearly dying. A month in hospital fighting a post surgery infection followed by three months of home-care nursing. I started painting class during this recovery period. Last April I had the bone graft surgery. Success! The pain is all but gone which is a relief.

So why am I talking about this? Well during this time my husband valiantly tried to keep up with housework, cooking and taking care of me. A lot of things fell to the wayside. This brings me to my current pedestrian life. Although pain free I can no longer ignore and am actually excited about housework and repairs. Just finished painting the dining room and am on to the kitchen and family room.

In the meantime I did a drawing of my husband using a tutorial on The Empty Easel site. I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out as well as it did and ecstatic that I sat down and did it. I will post it once I can get to the scanner.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts about your lives and art. I feel less lonely than when I started. You've opened my world to many resources and given me the courage to paint and share.