I stepped away from my painting for 5 years and then came back just dabbling off and on for another 5 years while I was trying to find my new normal.  The first 5 years were devoted to and recovering from being the primary care giver for a termially ill relative, and finding my way through the grief of losing the 3 most important men in my life within a 12-month period.  These last five years have been spent on reconnecting with my own authentic self in my mid-70s and rediscovering all that used to give me my creative juice.  I recently sold my home of nearly 30 years and relocated to my favorite happy place 500 miles far away - Michigan's beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula (tons of inspiration for art here). Then, four years ago the Universe saw fit to deliver a wonderful life partner into my world (the most unexpected and amazing surprise of all)!  Life is Good!!!
Note:  4"x6" Watercolor & ink sketch in art journal 

The Lessons .....

1. Our creativity never dies - it does go to sleep.  No matter the circumstance, it's emotionally intense to return to anything that we have been away for a long time. And as 'they' say - it is all about the journey. I learned our expressive voices do flourish, even after being dormant.  In fact, I found that this 'sleeping' stage gave me an opportunity to return and focus on interpreting with a renewed fresh perspective and emotion.  It's all about listening and responding to your inner voice. Slow down - breathe - listen!
2. Forgive yourself! Whether your break from art was intentional or unintentional, we are only human. Let go of any guilt and reclaim yourself as the creative person you are.  Afterall, being an Artist is just one moniker and not a total identity and it's not about our productivity.  We are friends, brothers/sisters, parets, working professional, retired truck driver, stay-at-home Mom/Dad, and anyother title you wish to bestow upon yourself. You can start today by calling yourself an Artist!
3. Ease back into your Art.  This is not a race. It's all about you and your creativity - keep it fun and keep it simple. Attend local art groups and hang out with other artists, catch gallery exhibit openings/receptions and art guild presentations, follow a few artists on YouTube, watch videos on tips & techniques. Keep it Simple!
4. Make Space & Time for Yourself. Make space to do some art or a creative project. If you don't have a dedicated space, buy a new pad of art paper, a journal or use old newspaper or paper bags and make that paper or journal your space. Make time for yourself - make a date with yourself and put it on your calendar and keep the appointment. Clear distractions during this time and announce you are going to your 'studio' to all who dare to interrupt you. Keep your appointment - SHOW UP!
5. Start a Creative Project.  Start with thinking basics - nothing fancy is necessary. Create something that doesn't require a lot of time.  Try a doodle pad, an art journal for sketching & simple water colors or pencils, Zentangle.  Try incororporating new ideas or techniques from those videos you watched or artist you followed on YouTube. You get the idea - keep it simple and keep it something that is just for you. What's important is that you now have that time slot and something to get your juices flowing. Play - Have Fun - Repeat!
6. Be Proud of Yourself!  Be proud of the person you are today, at this moment ..... proud of the very person you are exactly where you are. As Dr. Suess reminded us, there is no one more youer than You!

​I wish you well on your creative journey and hope you share your works of art with me on my Ochodnicky Design FaceBook page....see link below. And finally. remember we all have a choice.  We can choose to be a human 'being' or a human 'doing'.  Life is Great - Be in It - Do it !!!

I'm privileged to be a part of 'Feminine Spirit ~ A Visual Dialogue' exhibit at ArtVentures Gallery December 1st - 17th.  I say privilege because I am humbled to be one of a handful of other esteemed women artists sharing their works.  

The gallery owner brought us together to brainstorm our vision for the exhibit and it was a moving and insightful conversation about our inner 'artist spirit'.  You know, that force within that drives us to do what we do.  Strangely enough, I find many artists aren't able to identify just what that inner voice is or say they just paint (or whatever) for the sake and joy of it.  I'm convinced that whether one realizes it, all creative people have that 'spirit voice' communicating with the world through the artist.  It's as basic as figuring out what 'speaks' to the creative person that drives them to decide on a subject matter, medium, theme, etc.

Creative endeavor is communicating and we all have a story to tell.  Mine comes from a love of history and a passion for preserving the untold stories and forgotten tales from our shared history.  I guess I would say that my art is the voice of the souls who laid the foundation for so much of what we have today.  The forgotten voices and faded memories of another time, and often slices of history that weren't a core part of our history books yet profound chapters of our history left and neglected.

My current focus is on the rich mining history of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. The ghost towns and abandoned remains of once grand mining companies and sites are so plentiful that it's mind-boggling. The beautiful and grand architecture of places like Calumet, Houghton, Hancock that are crumbling or the charm and magnetic energy of Copper Harbor. One of the most noteworthy historical sites in Keweenaw County is Central, or Central Mine, a village that once was the home for over 1,200 people, and the site of one Keweenaw's most successful mines. The mine, opened in 1854, produced nearly 52 million pounds of copper by the time it closed in 1898.  Today it is a ghost town with a few preserved structures.  As you hike into the woods you come upon foundations, remains of an old apple orchard or overgrown lilacs and heirloom plantings.  I come upon foundations that represent where a home once stood and a family lived, the ruins of a school and old mining structures ; I feel the presence of the family - the men deep in a dark and dangerous mine or women laboring over a wood stove or carrying buckets of water, or the children playing in the school yard and, mostly, I try to grasp the level of strength and bravery it must have taken just to survive in such a powerful environment. Most were immigrants far from anything that resembled home. I find great beauty in what little remains today - most has been reclaimed by Mother Nature and has returned to the earth.  If I can preserve some of this history and speak through my art, then I have fulfilled my artful purpose.

As I have shared before, my art is inspired by simplicity, realism depicting my subject matter without idealization, and above all by embracing life as it is and not omitting the imperfections, I find beauty in rust, weathered wood, rubble and peeling paint. I also hold a deep respect for the Shakers who had a quest for simplicity and perfection as reflected in their love of function and fine design. You will see the Shaker simplicity and Keweenaw history reflected in many of my works where realism prevails.  

I'd love to hear from other creative folks - tell us about your 'inner artist spirit' !