". . . a brush with nature"

Recently I read this quote by, Robert Henri.

“Art is, after all, only a trace - like a footprint which shows that one has walked bravely and in great happiness.”

I feel that artists do have to “walk bravely” when we first decide to create something from our heart and soul, then take the next step to share it with others . . . to show it to the world. That can be scary. Very scary. It does require a certain level of courage. But at the same time . . . the very same time . . . there is so much joy in the actual creation of the art, and yes, weirdly enough, even in the sharing of it. 

As we as artists move through our careers, we may experience many changes in mediums, styles, subject matter, and the like, but that underlying need to create is always there with us. It remains steadfast and strong as we explore, experiment and continue to create. The other constant, at least in my own experience, is the joy I feel while creating, completing and then sharing my work with others. I do experience a great sense of happiness that I want to share with others.

So, with the creation of each and every piece of work the artist is leaving another small trace of themselves for the world to discover. The artist is proclaiming, “Yes, I was here. I was brave and I was happy!”