Nearly everyone has something tough to deal with. Life does that. We need a place to go where we can be refreshed and come back with renewed energy and hope. I know I’m not alone when I say that my God-given place of refreshing is in my art. When I take time out to paint, yes, it’s pleasure, and at times work, and sometimes – it’s just plain survival. Taking creative time enhances my ability to deal in a positive manner with whatever challenges are currently waiting on my doorstep.
J.R.R. Tolkien seemed to get it. When someone challenged him for spending so much time creating fantasy worlds, he responded, “Why should it not be the escape of the prisoner, rather than the flight of the deserter?” Why not, indeed.
(Acrylic painting by Cheryl O)