Sitting here pondering my upcoming birthday in a couple of days. I don't like birthdays, haven't for many years. I'm happy to see each one of them come though. I'll be celebrating 43 in 2 days. So that means I outlived Elvis, even though I don't think he is dead. Birthdays are the time I reflect the past year, there have been a lot of things happen since I failed to show for my birthday party last year. Not the first time I've done that either.
I've been through a lot and made a lot of changes. Finally realized that nothing was going to change unless I made some. So I ended a long up and down relationship and moved to the mountains. I wanted to be around creative people and people who appreciated art. I found both and so much more. What I found is the most eclectic group of people you can imagine, welcoming new comers with open arms and showing love to all. I have strengthened relationships with many fellow artist friends and have met and made friendships with other artists that I didn't previously know. I'm very thankful to be where I am now. I have found the place in the world where I belong.
It's had it's challenges though. I've been a full time artist for almost 3 years. It was much easier financially when I wasn't alone. The heavy amounts of rain this spring and summer made it difficult for myself and many other artists to make a living. I've taken on a part time job to help pay the bills. I'm thankful that God always provided what I needed, just in time. I'm very thankful to him for a lot of things.
I went through a pretty rough period of depression. I felt like my spirit had been broken. I had no desire to make art or do much of anything else. God and great friends got me through it. I still don't feel like i've regained my art magic though. I'm happy with most of the work that i've done, but productivity has really slowed down a lot. I'm ready to get my magic back, rebuild my confidence in myself, refocus on my art and be all the SamG that I can be. I have goals and dreams. An old wise junkman once said, "Dreamers have a way of making them come true." I plan on doing just that... and I have some pretty big dreams!!!!
Looking forward to 43 and all it will bring. I'm thinking it's going to be something special.
I also want to pay my respects to Carter Wellborn, who passed away today. Want to thank Peter Loose for taking me along for a visit about a month ago to meet him, along with Eric Legge and Kip Ramey. We spent several hours there that afternoon. Most people viewed Carter as a mentally challenged artist. What I saw was a pure genius. A man completely innocent from the world around him. A man who lived in a world in which he did not belong, who had suffered his whole life because of it. He was happy nonetheless.
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