Our local art fixture, the Franklin Arts Festival  gets underway today and this year, I am up to my neck in it! 

Community art shows are a wonderful expression of the richness of the creativity that we were designed with.  This week, as plinths have been painted and art has been hung I have seen something magical happen.  I have seen professional artists, incredibly skilled crafts people, kids and passionate amateur artists join together in an absolutely beautiful celebration of creative expression.  And I am moved.  

Now committee meetings are SO not my thing...BUT I decided to join the Festival committee after winning an award at last year's festival for "Strata" (you can read all about that here).  I felt that it was right that I support my local art community by giving back.  Given that I am in the privileged position of being a full-time artist, I should be able to carve out a bit of time to help build something that's bigger than me and that benefits my local community.  And I can honestly say that, in spite of the fact that it has been LOTS of work, I have received more than I have given;

• Over the last few years, building and promoting my "art empire", I have learnt a few things. Online marketing, website design, graphic design....the list goes on. It has been such a buzz to be able to use these new skills - I have LOVED seeing them in action in a different context.

• There is a thriving art community in Franklin, made up of all of the various types of artist listed above and I am a part of it. Feels good.

• I love my work, and often other people do too....but when you are on your own in your studio day after day, perspective can become a little distorted. It has been GOOD to be in an environment of mutual support and encouragement specifically focussed around art.

So, after all the hard work (and it's not over yet!), here I am feeling refreshed and blessed!.  Obviously getting involved for what we can get out of it is completely unwise.  If that is what motivates us, we are setting ourselves up for a whole lot of disappointment!!  BUT I have seen again and again that, when we step up purely out of a desire to bless other people, getting double blessed right back just seems to be an inevitable by-product.  I'm certain that's God's way of letting us know that He sees ;-)