Capturing Joy

You'd think with two weeks off work that I'd have time for one measly blog post, but no such luck. My two week break went fast. It was filled with writing, researching, critiquing, kid time, house time and the biggest one of all, art show organizing.
April is art show month. The art shows are held on the same night as the Open Houses. This is when parents view an onslaught of kid-made wonders: paper mache volcano's, hand-made Egyptian artifacts, Chumash Indians dioramas and for being an interested parent, be treated to melted ice cream sundaes. Ahh, the life of a mom and dad.

But the best part, is visiting the art gallery. I chose one piece of art from the student's portfolio, dedicated parent volunteers mount the work, then it's all displayed in the multi purpose room. Walking into the sea of brightly colored masterpieces truly lifts my heart.

I often wonder when I'll be inspired to write about the journey of an art teacher, or the life of an art student. It's such a metaphor for life, really. The process of creating something, whether it be art or writing, is rejuvenating. Emotions are expressed through art, and no one does it better than kindergarten kids. As the kids get older, I stress the importance of enjoying the process and that if you do, the end result will be pleasing.

That transfers into everything in life. Especially writing. I have loved every stage of writing Greenwood Girls. It has been a passion for so long. Now that I'm in the submission stage, I can't say that I love the process, but it's part of the journey. Right?

So after a recent post about whether to critique or not to critique before a first draft is finished, I've decide that I'm absolutely on the fence. I know, so not me. Greenwood Girls was written before I offered it up for a critique, but my second novel "What Guys Want" (working title!) went straight to critique group before I was half way through. I decided that the help I received on the first few chapters resulted in decisions that will affect the entire book. I'm pretty sure this will save me from deleting hundreds of pages down the line. A very good thing!

So now, it's off to organize my art show....