Please go see the first big (it feels big to me) public display of my art at Boundary Bay Brewery. It will be up through the month of April.

Every piece of original art contains something of its creator. We expose ourselves by sharing our work. These drawings grew out of who I am in the world. I look at them and see reflections of me. What I choose to include, to emphasize, to soften, all speaks of who I am. If you look deeply enough, gently enough, quietly enough, you will know the real me. I am vulnerable.

Should I be scared to be so visible? How will I be treated if people really know me? Does it make me weak? Once I asked myself these questions. No. I didn’t ask myself. I knew the answers. I knew people would hurt me and they’d be able to do it because I was weak.

I was wrong. Vulnerability is strength. It’s an illusion that others don’t see us. We think we have the mask firmly in place, but we do not. People know who we are no matter how we try to hide it. Therein lies freedom. And lots of energy. Imagine if we took all the effort put into faking and did what we really wanted. Who could we become? What dreams could we realize?

As more loved ones fall prey to the painful scourge of cancer, I am reminded to live as intensely, as authentically, as fearlessly as I am capable. And then to go farther. Some day it will be my turn to “shuffle off this mortal coil”, but in the meantime I am surrounded by glorious, beautiful life that begs to be lived! On these walls hangs some representations of my love affair with life. I hope they fill you with some of the joy that I experienced making them.

Thank you Boundary Bay Brewery for giving me an outlet to share my work.