"Art Can"

On Sunday, I put on my favorite straw hat -- the one with all the flowers -- and drove 90 miles to a birthday party and show at the State Botanical Gardens. The cake was exactly right for an artist's birthday. The paintings were light and airy, full of color and energy and perfect for the space. The paintings were not what I had come to expect from my friend of thirty years.

An established painter with a grand following for both her originals and her reproductions, Judy had decided to go out on a limb and try something new for this show. She was rewarded for her bravery with excellent response from the 100 or so friends and patrons and a number of those coveted red dots. She knows that whatever she wants to do: "Art Can."(Her website is http://www.judyjarrettgallery.com; her work is also at her ArtCan Studio and Gallery.)

I wonder how often I stay in my rut because I fear the new and unknown? How often do I stay with the tried and true because I am "too old" to change directions? How often do I stop the creative energy which lends excitement and new expression to my work? Maybe I should I put on my flowered hat, have some cake and punch and view my own paintings. Maybe I'm not brave enough.