I've spent a lot of time looking for that one thing. That one thing that would consume my attention, make time pass without me noticing it, keep me wanting for more.
You know, that thing that ignites a passion deep inside the soul of an artist.
I admire those folks who have uncovered their talent - the artist who can't stop making watercolor paintings of dogs, the musician who spends all their time writing and performing songs, the quilter who has 90 plus quilts neatly folded in their closet and three more in progress.
I've always felt I needed to find that one thing too because I always seem to jump from what I'm working on to something new. Did I have some type of attention disorder? Why couldn't I stay focused on one interest.
Then one night I was watching Wheel of Fortune and Pat was chatting with a contestant about what they liked when the gentleman said, "I'm a serial artist. I have many interests."
Lightbulb moment! I realized that is exactly what I am - I am a serial crafter and artist. For me, there is no "one thing", there are many. And that's okay!
I see some fascinating piece of art or a craft project and I'm all in - then reluctantly, I'll admit that once I have figured it out, I often think, this is nice, but it is not something I want to do over and over again.
There are some pros to being a serial crafter / artist, I learn a lot of different techniques, tips, and tricks that I can apply to other projects and interest. I become one of those people who know a little about a lot, which is nice, because I can talk to different people about all kinds of topics.
Not sure if this one is a pro or a con, but I have also collected enough craft and art supplies that my basement looks like a hobby store.
The funny thing is that all this time I've been searching for that one thing I finally realized the things that have always kept my interest have been around me my whole life.
I got my first dollhouse when I was six and 60 plus years later I still have dollhouses - yes, I have more than one. I can't remember when I started drawing but I was younger than six. If there was a piece of paper and pencil nearby I had it in my hand doodling something. Now, I doodle and draw on an iPad almost every night.
The one other thing that I did as a kid and still love doing is spending time at antique malls and thrift stores. It reminds me of my dad. When I was a kid we would go to auctions and estate sales. He owned an old building and filled the basement full of stuff. I bet he probably had the first antique mall, but unfortunately, he died when I was 19.
I can see now, that I've always been a serial artist.
So, does this mean we've spent years, even decades looking under rocks for that pursuit that would fill some void when the simplest thing was to look back at our childhood and rediscover those activities, interests, and curiosities that consumed our attention and made the time pass without noticing?
Thanks so much for stopping by!
JD