https://Art2Life.com - The process of art-making is one of waking up. I believe this is its big draw for so many of us. Making art provides a way to feel more alive and this is made evident in our improving art. We are all in different stages of awareness, of course. The experiences we encounter in life can grow us if we are willing. All of it matters. All of the challenges that felt insurmountable, count.

The day you opened a book of poetry to just the right page. That chance meeting with a perfect stranger. Making or seeing that particular piece of art. Falling in love. The indescribable times when everything felt so perfectly right and, of course, the heartbreaks. What comes to grow our souls is a mystery, but whatever the gift or peril that arrives, we have some choice in how we receive the learning that ultimately brings change and transformation to our door. Not just for ourselves but for those with whom we share our life and art.

Recently, I received a note from Margaret Christison, an artist who has gone through several of our programs. Although understandably one of the darkest and most challenging experiences of her life, her current life-threatening battle with cancer has also become one of startling beauty and grace. Margaret's unstoppable creative spirit and how it informs her world, due in part to her diagnosis, has become an incredible invitation for her to become more and more alive. Her positivity, creativity, and joy reminded me that I already have what I value most. Margaret's insights and breathtaking clarity opened my heart and helped shift how I think about my art. This conversation is simply a gift to all who may be fortunate enough to listen.