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Eighteen days ago, I left a career that I never intended to have, after many many years of faithful, rewarding service.  It provided for my family's needs, kept health insurance that saved my husband's life, gave me a social life and now provides a very generous pension for the rest of my days.  I was an artist before I started that work, through those many years, and now, I still am.  I painted, created, developed an art "career", sold work and developed my professional persona. Much of that confidence came from selling my work through a tiny little one room gallery that began 15 years ago in Mount Pleasant, SC. Over time, it became a much larger concern,and my work matured along with it.  I became a highly collected artist through the gallery, and many of my artworks decorate homes, businesses and public spaces all over the Lowcountry and beyond.  I painted late at night and on weekends to supply one gallery, occasionally creating for other representatives in my local area as time allowed.  I was driven to prove to myself that I really was an ARTIST, a professional, and I lived that intense, focused, somewhat perilously balanced existence - time for art and time for the nine to five, fitting my family somewhere in between.

But change isn't finished with me.  In six weeks, that mainstay gallery where I learned so much, will close. A thriving business will stop, as the owner has chosen retirement and will do something else with HIS life.  That strong security that has been at the base of my life will have served its purpose.  I've outlasted other galleries over my art life, but this is the longest of those relationships.  I've learned from them all, and I am sure I will continue to learn as I move on to other venues.  This was just where I hung my hat for a long time -- where I felt comfortable and learned the most (so far.)  You might say it was my artistic business nursery.  I've met so many wonderful clients, kind people who found something in my art that spoke to their hearts, and grew to know other artists who have shared my love of that coastal plain full of marshes and tidal creeks. The gallery owner and highly accomplished staff became family to me, and partnered with me to drive sales and commissions.  What a powerful collaboration! I was cranking it!

Without that safe haven of an artistic home, I'm suddenly on my own. Time for more change! I have more time to work on my creative efforts, and I'll be expanding my exhibition opportunities.  I hope I can maintain my client base and find other ways to remain in my lowcountry market.  I've added one gallery in the downtown Charleston area, and will be following leads for other outlets.  I can travel more now, and visit other areas of possibility.    Marsh landscapes are in more places than I ever knew...they just don't all have palmetto trees!  And there are other things to paint, too, and other ways to express myself. Plein air painting is on my list, and who wouldn't want to learn another medium, or do a bit of sculpture?

 I realize I need to grow in my skills, in my sense of artistic expression, and explore ideas I have long wanted to pursue. It has been some time since I had the precious gift of time to use on learning. A workshop or two would be a good push out of my comfort zone. Who knows what my art will develop into as the future unfolds?  It is an exciting prospect, but one that shakes me at my core.  Stepping out to effectively start over is a bit daunting.  But I remain committed to the dream.  It is who I am.  I am an artist, and I can't be anything  else.  It is my calling, only now, I don't have to be driven....I am being led.