Today I start a new venture, a new class. This one’s at the Goggleworks in downtown Reading. The Goggleworks is a community art and culture center.
Last year my wonderful daughter and husband bought me an easel and paints for my birthday. For almost one year everything sat, gathering dust. I was taking classes at Penn State and writing stories and books. And I thought I would probably make a mess of it. You see, I hadn’t done any art in years…more than forty years. I wanted to paint. I really did. So I watched You Tube videos on painting. I saved pictures of scenes that I thought I could eventually paint…eventually.
But not yet.
And then Heather showed me the Goggleworks catalog of classes. “Acrylic painting,” she said, pointing to the description. “I’ll think about it,” I said.
The description stated that beginners were welcomed. Well, if the room was mostly beginners, I guess I couldn’t make too much of a mess.
Or look too foolish.
Maybe that was my problem. I didn’t want to look like the foolish old woman who thought she was the new Grandma Moses. I wanted to be good. Hell. I wanted to be better than good. I have to be good just to be close to the artists around me. I’m surrounded by artists: my husband, my step-kids, my nephew. Even my ex-husband.
So today I have my first class. Part of me is looking forward to it and part of me isn’t. I know I can write and write well. Painting? That’s a totally different thing.
I’ll let you know how it goes and maybe even post a picture of my progress.
Maybe.
At least you get my words.
Mitzi Flyte 