Ars Gratia Artis

So my friend Emily and I were discussing 2018 and the plans we have for the coming year. She has a beautiful post on her blog, https://riverandlakedesigns.blogspot.com/2017/11/be-still.html about her motto for the year and it got me thinking about what I want to accomplish during the year. 

One of my biggest issues is that I need to create but I usually look at making something with the idea of whether or not I can sell it, which isn't exactly a bad thing but makes me nervous about trying different crafts, artwork etc. 

So I have decided that my motto for 2018 is ARS GRATIA ARTIS. Art for the sake of art.

 To give myself the OK to just do something because it looks interesting, not just because it looks like it will add to my business or be something I can sell. I get burnt out if I don't try new things, and I am tired of feeling pigeon-holed in not having time to new things. 

So, for 2018 I am going FINALLY use my embroidery machine. The vinyl cutter. Try out the leather carving tools I have. Maybe I'll break out some paints (I'm a *really* bad artist, but that's not the point, right? ha!). Do more coloring with Curly - hey, those adult coloring books are pretty cool! Maybe try a pottery class. Or quilting. Or any of the million other ideas I have in my head of things I'd like to do some day. "Some day" never comes if you don't make time for it, and then you sit there saying, well, I wish I had tried that. 

I am going to remind myself more often that sometimes, it's fun to do something just for the experience of trying it. So that's it, art for the sheer love of creating. 

Thanks, Emily, for making me think on that :)