Yes, I mean YOU. Welcome to Carmel Sundae, Learning to Art. A few years ago, if anyone told me I could be artistic, I would have laughed. In fact, I did. My beautifully artful daughter kept telling me anyone can learn it. I did not believe her. Then one Christmas, I got a fountain pen from my son. I loved the feel of it, and didn’t have anything I wanted to write, so I started doodling. I pulled out a book I had somewhere hiding about Zentangles, and I realized that was pretty close to what I was already doing. Then I remembered that when I had bought that book (several years earlier, but it just sat on a shelf) I had also bought some oil pastels at the same time. Hey, why not give them a shot? So I drew a picture of a baby shoe that happened to be sitting nearby. I couldn’t believe it. It was actually identifiable as a shoe.

A while later, I discovered art journaling, and it has become a passion. I love slopping paint onto a makeshift art journal. I love drawing delicate, flowing designs on drawing paper, with soft colored pencils. I love making art journals. I love copying the brilliant ideas of others. (Really, if that sounds wrong to you, read Steal Like an artist.) I love the feeling of creating. Even when it’s just colors with no form. even when it comes out ugly. Because we humans were made to create.

We are made in the image of the Ultimate creator. How can we not have an urge to add something to the world?

In the process of all of this, over the years of stumbling along from blog to blog and from YouTuber to YouTuber, I have learned one of the most important lessons of my life: Creativity can be learned. And I love to learn.

So please, dear reader, consider joining me on this magical, fun, healing, beautiful journey toward learning to art.