Artisan Dreams

It's January...not only a brand new year, but a new decade. Everyone is talking and tweeting about New Year's resolutions: eat healthy, exercise more, set goals. For me, it's a time to look back and see how much I've accomplished in the past year and then set specific goals for the upcoming year.

In 2010 I plan to:

• obtain an agent
• send query letters
• format an agent chart
• choose a writer's conference
• polish completed manuscript, Seeds of Salton
• work through changes from copyedit
• write...read...write...write more

From 2000 to 2010 I committed the full decade to my writing, and thankfully have much to show for ten years of work. While I want to continue my pursuits in prose, I recently decided I don't want to limit my creativity to a singular art form. For the first time I allowed myself to wonder if there are other artistic abilities hidden away, deep within me, just waiting to come out. My inspiration for this notion came during an episode of "Hidden Heritage" when host Paul LaRoche sat down with Native American recording artist Bill Miller as his guest.

I thought--mistakenly so--that Bill Miller was "just" a musician. He's a musician all right--a 2009 Grammy-nominated one at that, (for his album, Spirit Wind North.) I soon learned he is so much more. Check out his website http://www.billmillerarts.com/ and view firsthand the full array of his many amazing gifts and talents. As it states on his homepage, "Bill Miller is an award-winning recording artist, performer, songwriter, activist, painter, and world-class accomplished flute player. Over the past four years, Miller has produced two incredible albums, received a Grammy Award and led Wisconsin’s La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a member of the League of American Orchestras."

I'm not fooling myself to believe that I have talents anywhere near the likes of Bill Miller, but in listening to him share his passion and ideas with Paul and seeing the beauty of his stunning artwork, it inspired me to consider what other art forms I might pursue. I've mentioned before that my husband and I are planning to list our house for sale and look for a place "in the country." I've already made up my mind I no longer want a home office--it sounds far too restricting, too confining...too much like "office work." My hope now is to have a loft or a studio, a place that will allow the creative juices to flow in multiple art forms.

Someday--maybe by the end of this decade--I can call myself an "artisan."

Here's to your dreams in 2010...and beyond.
Barbara