Handle With Care

The project is called Liberate Your Art. And when I took the plunge last year and signed up to participate, it was all about that for me. Liberating my art from the confines of my studio and, for the first time in over 30 years, sharing it with the world.

Five post cards. That's all it is. Transferring an image that reflects where you are in your creative journey onto five small rectangles. Mailing them to the marvelous Kat Sloma. And waiting to receive five postcards from other artists in return.

But that's NOT all it is. Not for me, anyway. It's about courage. Being brave enough to tear off five tiny pieces of my soul, put them in an envelope, and send them to the mysterious Kat Sloma--a complete stranger.

It's about trust. Trusting that Kat will keep her promise to stamp them and put them in the mail. Trusting that she'll handle them with care, knowing what they represent. Trusting that, like those chain letters from my teen years, miniature works of art from five other courageous souls will magically appear in my mailbox. And trusting that each participant will hold the souls of the others in safe and supportive hands.

This year, in the absence of the fear and anxiety that accompanied last year's effort, I've realized that Liberate Your Art is also about something else. It's about connecting. Sharing. Being part of an incredible and inspiring creative community. The anticipation, the waiting to see what shows up next--and the "oh, wow!" as each treasure arrived--are like nothing I've ever experienced. And each card was like a voice in my ear saying, "Keep making space in your life for self-expression!"

That's the reason I decided to be part of this amazing project again. My deepest gratitude to Kat & to everyone who has shared their (he)art. Can't wait 'til next year!