A work in progress by Michele Bledsoe
Life got busy.
Really busy.
It happens..
but I let it pull me from my easel
for too long.
That was a mistake.
Suffice it to say
I was no longer myself..
I had become
an unbalanced load of laundry.
So, I ran to my neglected painting
to set things right
and threw myself into it
with wild abandon
falling fearlessly
and gratefully
into the glorious embrace
of God’s gift.
My sister asked me to make a painting
to hang in her dollhouse.
So I did.
With squinting eyes,
I leaned in close
and poured my soul onto that tiny canvas.
Is it a waste of time to put so much of myself
into a 2″ x 2″ square?
No.
Art is all or nothing.
Every time.
I work with young adults on the autism spectrum.
In other words, my days are spent with some of the most
fascinating, honest and creative individuals
I have ever known.
I am there to lift them up..
and encourage them to grow.
I am also their writing instructor.
In addition to a monthly newsletter,
my students create the content for their own blog
where they can share all their unique interests
and experiences with the world.
I am glad to be a part of it.
SEEDs for Autism is a vocational training program that teaches young adults on the autism spectrum a multitude of job skills focused on the arts. For more information about this life-changing program, please visit SEEDs for Autism.
“Portrait of Munchkin Giggle-Sprinkles” by Michele Bledsoe
Recently, I put aside my work in progress..
and ignored a looming deadline
to pour myself into a special request –
A portrait of my sister’s beloved cat
who passed away last year.
This is what art is all about.
Not the galleries and the exhibits.
Not the personal attention
and public exposure…
it’s about the gift
and what you choose to do with it.
“The Ghost and My Obsession” by Michele Bledsoe
Several years ago I was sitting at my desk
in my high-level corporate job
and I had a terrifying vision.
I imagined myself far in the future
sitting at the same desk..
doing exactly the same thing
and wondering to myself
what life would have been like
if I had decided to pursue my art instead.
Not long after that, I quit my job..
and let my path take me to where I was meant to be
instead of where I thought I should go.
In life, as in art
we must be fearless.
Trust the gift.
It’s hard to paint with a cat in your lap.
Many years ago I painted a portrait of my sister
for her Christmas present.
I am a slow painter.
If I remember correctly…
I started that painting
many months before Christmas
giving myself time
to linger over my work.
“Portrait of Sherry” by Michele Bledsoe
This Christmas
my sister asked for another portrait.
Not of herself,
but one of her beloved cat, Munchkin
who passed away this year..
leaving me 6 days to finish the painting.
6 days.
As of today, it is 5.
Did I decline her request?
Did I make excuses?
Did I explain that I simply had too many other things to do before Christmas?
No.
I just grabbed a blank canvas and started painting.
The Bridge by Michele Bledsoe
The desire to create is a gift from God.
The ceaseless passion to paint and draw
has been with me since childhood..
and by embracing this gift
it has defined my path in life
and led me to my purpose.
By nature,
the gift is selfless.
It has nothing to do with
the empty pursuit
of fame and fortune..
it is so much more than that.
Through art,
I met my husband
made friends..
and forged relationships.
Through art,
I became a volunteer drawing teacher
for a group of inner city kids..
and began working with young adults within the autism spectrum.
As an artist
I’ve found that’s it’s not all about me..
I am just a paintbrush in God’s hand.
