I have always wanted to try painting. I am a poet. I cannot draw. I used to watch a painter on PBS. He would walk you through a painting, and I would dream. A friend of mine on Facebook started something she calls Pray & Paint. The pray part can make me a bit weary. My faith is a deeply private and quiet part of my life. I am not one who can just in the spur of the moment lead prayer. It would need to have thought carefully and written it out.

I watched Patti advertise over the course of a few months. Finally, the lighthouse above was to be the next class. Sea and shorelines weave into and reoccur in much of my poetry. The shapes looked like something I could do – very simple. I signed up. It got canceled twice. I thought that would be it. Then, a painting of dandelions showed up. Dandelions (weeds, wildflowers) also weave their way through my poetry representing most people on Earth. We lack monetary wealth, and yet have a wealth, a beauty, the privileged cannot understand. I signed up again and this time the class went on. Below I am painting. My daughter went with me and took the picture.

The prayer was just a simple one at the beginning of class. Patti did not preach at us. She took us step by step through the process of painting the dandelions. It went so well I decide to host a class. I picked the lighthouse painting (my painting above). There were only 5 of us at the class. Great fun. I have 2 paintings of my own hung in my house where I can see them. I get a lot of peace seeing them – not sure why. Writing poetry is a different kind of release for me. It is deeply personal, and many times I cry while writing them. My poetry comes from dreams and the emotions I attach to them many times. Poetry I create alone. While cathartic, it can be emotionally wrenching. When painting, I am with others laughing. Yet, I chose the paintings because they reflect something in my poetry.

I am going to try again at the end of July. This time it will be a bird in a teacup hanging from the branch of a tree. I write about birds once in awhile and trees and breezes. It looks much more difficult, but I am game. I am no Picasso, but who knew I could paint. I will share it after – even if not so good.