Fear of rejection has caused many of us to hide... to shrink from the spotlight and stay in the safety of the shadows. Safe. Same-O. By contrast, the nature of creativity is by definition new and exciting... breaking out of the norm to create meaningful new ideas, methods or interpretations... using your imagination... it's not, and can't be, the same old thing. It means being different. And at a young age society teaches us to fear and reject that which is different. But why? We're all different. All unique in our own individual way... and that should be celebrated... with arms wide open.

When I started this website I set out to accomplish a couple of things: to build a website by myself, and to get over my fear of showing my art. I've been designing websites for many years, but never actually put one together. So I decided to give it a whirl. I designed a website ... albeit from a template... for my painting. I got really excited about the project and tried out lots of the many functions available. In doing so, I posted my paintings along with some for my graphic design work and I started this blog. Who knew I would have anything to say in a blog... certainly not me. I have to say though, that I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. And, I did it!

The other reason for building this website, and likely the most important one, was to get over my fear of showing my paintings. I have painted on and off over the years, but always for myself. I hid behind the guise of "painting was therapeutic" and "it's more about the process than the finished work". I suppose that is still true, in part... I do paint because I get immense joy out of the process, and a high, which I can only imagine is like a runners high when they are in full stride. (I can only imagine it because I'm not likely to become a runner any time soon.) The energy, vibration and adrenaline rush are fantastic. All good reasons to paint exclusively for me. But lately I've been asking myself... if I get that much energy out of painting them, is it possible that others will get some energy, even a little bit of joy, from viewing them? So why not share? What am I actually afraid of? The big R... rejection? Does it all stem from childhood feelings of rejection because I'm different, because I see things differently? Perhaps. But I think we allow ourselves to feel the fear of rejection because if we hang onto it we can stay in the safety of the shadows. Safe, but lacking in excitement... not the way I want to live.

We all have unique talents and gifts to offer the world. Let's share them, freely without fear! And to those who try to tear us down, I say show us your talent and we'll celebrate it too!