When a friend on Facebook nominated me for an art challenge, my first response was that I'm no artist. And I remembered a Balinese saying I once read: "We have no art; we do everything the best we can."
I've always loved that thought and would love to see more folks doing the best they can rather than leaving all the fun to the "real artists." So I post my amateurish* efforts on my blog and on Facebook, hoping others will find joy in creating--whether it be painting, photography, clay, woodworking, fiber arts, or any of a number of creative endeavors.
The challenge was to post a piece each day for ten days and on each day to nominate another to share their work. I nominated two--then quickly realized how very many FB friends I had whose work is worth looking at. Many already share their work. Several work in more than one medium. Some are professional artists, others are amateurs.* And I've undoubtedly inadvertently left some out. But here's the list:
Shawn Miles Bilodeau -- photo manipulation
Jill Harman Smith-- painting, sculpture
Katy Gilmore -- watercolor
Pepper Cory- quilting
Andree Freeman -- photography
Merisi - photography
Yolanda Fundadora-- graphic art
Suzanne DesLauriers-- watercolor and more
Barbara Weitbrecht-- AI manipulation
Jennifer Woodruff --quilting, dyeing,
Mary Maupin--painting, quilting
John Rayner-- photography
Jean Barden--alcohol ink and more
Barbara Rogers--pottery and sculpture
Rich Burnett Baker--narrative photography
Ida Twining--quilting
*Amateur--the word amateur comes from the Latin for lover and originally meant one who does a thing for the love of it, rather than for pay. Nowadays it tends to mean one who does a thing clumsily (and without pay.) I am an amateur in all three senses. And that's okay--I'm doing the best I can--and loving it.
