“There is a vitality, a little force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never express itself in any other medium and will be lost.”

Martha Graham

I wrote this on the first page of my website because it rings so true! For many years I have blocked my potential talents. I grew up in an extremely creative home. My mother had a good eye both in what she put in our home and what she wore. She was good with color and design. Once, I remember sitting on the steps going down to our basement watching her take apart the fabric on our old sofa piece by piece. She would lay it down, and use it as a pattern for cutting out the new and improved fabric. She put new life into that sofa, amazing! I was spellbound! I didn’t know you could do that.

My Uncle Vince, an artist, who graduated from the Maryland Institute of Art, lived with us for a time. He could make anything from leftover scraps, obviously draw anything he wanted, and made me three dimensional costumes at Halloween. We were a crew. We did lots of projects together. After watching those two, one of the ways I would play was to make little villages and houses from items my mother was throwing out. One time, I made a village on stilts from an old bamboo curtain. Since I modeled it after a picture in one of my textbooks, my mom suggested I take it to school. When I did, I was surprised my teacher invited the principal to come to the class to see it. I was a little embarrased, but also happy inside that they all liked it. I was only nine.

I always wanted to learn to draw and paint, but didn’t because I thought I’d never be as good as my uncle, so I blocked that area of creativity. For many reasons, I took awhile to get out of my own way and do what I love; no more! There may be something that you are good at, maybe something you really feel compelled to do, but haven’t. Don’t block that energy that can be translated through you because there is only one of you in all time and your expression is unique!

Janet