Why I am Also Thankful for Art

During this Thanksgiving season, I am, as always, deeply grateful for a loving family, dear friends and our many freedoms. I am also thankful for art.

About eight weeks ago, we decided to sell the house we have lived in for 17 years. When we learned a house we loved would soon be coming on the market, we saw this as a good opportunity to downsize and be closer to family and friends. Getting through some renovations, repairs, negotiations, clearing out with a smaller house in mind, and packing in such short order has been a challenge. But If all goes according to plan, we move in three weeks.
 
So what does this have to do with art? Well, the drawings, prints, paintings and photographs are coming off the walls. The pottery, wooden bowls and handcrafted baskets are being cleared from shelves and tabletops. The books we love are quickly filling boxes. 

I cherish each and every piece that gets wrapped and packed away. I am reminded of the individuals who made them and the moments when we discovered or received them. I pause to appreciate their beauty or to remember the stories shared between their covers. I am keenly aware of how bare and lifeless our home looks without their presence, and appreciate how much they contribute to making a house a home.

I am excited about the move—about living closer to family, friends and my studio; about creating a new home and establishing new routines; about taking these pieces of art out of boxes and finding the perfect spot for them in a new place. So this Thanksgiving, in addition to being thankful for family, friends and freedoms, I am thankful for all of the artists who share their talents and express themselves in creative ways, and whose work enhances our home.

And as an artist, I am thankful for those who support me in my artistic endeavors—whether through a kind and encouraging word, by purchasing work to enjoy in your home, by participating in my workshops, or by sharing my work with others.