Why do I paint???

I have always wanted to be an artist: to paint, to draw, to create... to bring what I see and feel to life in color and dimension. My spirit soars and travels while I create, opening the doors to freedom within. And as much as I long to visually express myself, I long to be free.

I realize as I write this, that it is not so much that I want to paint; it's that IT needs to move through me. It's like I have this raging river of creativity flowing within. I can dam it up or let it run free.

I have so many different emotional responses to color and to art. (Are they separate?) Art walk in Portland Oregon one night... I saw enough pieces that hit my heart just right, that I became euphoric. It's like being enchanted, and falling into a state of love where I believe that anything is possible. Just the other night, my friend had on this perfect shimmery sea foam color. Next to her dark eyes and hair, it was stunning; my heart was so happy.

Color and art connect me to love. It connects me to the deepest parts of myself. This helps me understand why I need it so much.
Details from: Caring, 08, acrylic and pencil on unstretched canvas, 17 x 17 in, framed, SOLD