~ Doria ~

ROUGH Unfinished SKETCH....


I began blogging quite a while back and essentially it was to create a journal for my kids. I didn’t realize until just recently what I was capable of and even amazed myself!

For the past few weeks I have been immersed in mixed media. A while back, a little over a year ago, I came across a beautiful artist on Youtube who not only had gorgeous art work but had an infectious nature. Funny, and knowledgeable and excellent at giving lessons on Mixed media, SuziBlu brought a smile, many smiles to my face. When she offered an on line class, there was no question if I was going to take it but when?

I have been very down in the past few years with the change our family had to bear. Not only that, but less than adequate health and loss of dear friends has made my life, somewhat blue. Depression was not mentioned and probably shunned by many, a word that unfortunately many shy away from when essentially the way to beat it is to acknowledge it and confront it by change of mind matter!! In fact, I lost a few blogging acquaintances due to lack of posting and dark material content, if you can call it that.
But I am one who also luvs the dark side of art in many forms, writing, photography, film, whatever stirs up the passion in me and progresses to beautiful works of art, I will definitely experiment in. Life after all is both light and dark, and one has to grasp that notion to understand and appreciate it even more.

Blogging and SuziBlu brought out the artist in me. I have always luved writing and art and now with the internet at my figure tips… I am unstoppable, well to a point; I still need to address daily life and my family which comes first!!!
I have always adored the idea of writing a book, a dream of mine, and never for the life of me, thought I could ever draw more than a stick. What I have posted here, I am very proud of. I have never in a million years thought I was capable of such a thing. I know it is just la di da as my husband and kids call it but I luv my Little Mermaid. And maybe, if I can do this, which I didn’t think was touchable, then anything is possible.

One of my mottos is “where there is a will there is a way” and seriously, I have found the way to art through SuziBlu…..and encouragement to excel through my artful mediums by comments like this one left by Deborah Grasty:


Annabelle,

I loved reading your blog - you need to be a writer - I loved reading your posts - so well written. I, too, have 'a love affair' with England. We spent four years living there and I would go back in a heartbeat - if only I could. Deborah Grasty

And my reply:

Wow, thanks for the lovely compliment; makes my night to dream about becoming one at my old age! You just jogged my memory of the old gal from England; I think she is in her nineties and just published her first novel. She intends to donate the profits for keeping seniors at home instead of a nursing home if they are well enough to do so. The story of her charity gift sort of reminded me of how John {Robert} Merrick spent his last years in a nice home dwelling section of his hospital and how much joy he got from it, I thought what a lovely idea! I can’t recall her name, but she did give me inspiration when I first heard her speak on the CBC earlier this summer, but then I forgot all about it, until tonight, strange how things seem to unfold.
What was very interesting about her story was, she had kept a journal in her trunk, I believe. Just recently it got published, again another of many magical tales originating from good old romantic England, our united passion.
My daughter is a natural when it comes to weaving a tale; I think she will be pursuing literature. She will probably be our writer in the family.
I started out with this blog in hopes of enticing my children into seeking their passions and paths in their life by reading mom’s journal…I think somewhat; it is working well with that original intention. What came out of blogging that I didn’t expect was my realization that the passions I had within, transformed into tangible conceptions I never realized I could create, that I possessed, somewhat …a bit of ability. I began writing poetry on a friend’s suggestion and started creating art.
It is people like you who find the time to give a compliment that triggers that hidden, shy and insecure self into view and makes them proceed on the path. Thank you for doing so. Someday, someone’s dream may be fulfilled, weather it’s my children’s, a friend like you, me or just a stranger passing by.
Hope you get to go back to England someday; it is a place I will always long to see once more before I die.

Annabelle

p.s. Also if anyone has any information pertaining to the British gal I am talking about in my reply to Deborah, I would be more than grateful in receiving.