I’ve Been Liberated!

August 27, 2011 by seabluelee 16 Comments

I recently participated in the Liberate Your Art postcard swap. This is another brainchild of the creative and talented Kat Sloma, whose Find Your Eye photography e-courses I’m taking.

The proposition was to have participants each make five postcards of their own artwork and send them to Kat, along with some postage and return address labels. She would sort and resend five different cards to each participant. Since the sign-up goal of 200 participants was reached and surpassed, we each received a bonus postcard from Kat herself.

Now, I’m more than a little shy about my artistic efforts. I take photographs, but don’t call myself a photographer. I paint a little, but don’t consider myself a painter. I write a bit, but don’t think of myself as a writer. And above all, I have never dared to call myself an artist. For me, just deciding to participate in an art swap was liberating. There’s an artist inside me that wants to come out of the closet!

Here’s the postcard I sent out into the world:

My postcard: Sunstruck

I heard back from four people who received my card, in Idaho, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Slovenia. Wow! My art has now been places I’m not likely to see in this lifetime!

For my “bravery,” here’s what I got back:

Palm trees framing a tiny fingernail moon in the desert sky, from Cindy Chilton, Phoenix, Arizona

This one from Marie Johansen cracked me up at the end of a rough day

Sadly, no contact information, but a nice inspirational quote from Mary Oliver, one of my favorite poets, on the back. If this was yours I’d love to hear from you!

Wonderful textures, beautiful blues, and touches of iridescence from Brigitte, The Netherlands

Vintage-looking Mexican cowboys from Donna Parker, a transplanted Canadian

The beautiful blue door from Kat was the icing on the cake, and very symbolic for me. Thanks, Kat, for helping me unlock that closet and let myself out!