All of the posts since the start of 2017 have been based off of a list I wrote over four years ago. On the list I wrote out everything that I loved. Number One was food. But, Number Two was kind of interesting and much less obvious.
It was art.
There have been many times I have wondered why I never took an artistic route in school and my career. At one point in my early twenties I even asked my mom why it never seemed like the right path. She said that it was never pushed because I never expressed a huge interest in things solely artistic.
It’s true.
I had too many interests.
I went to one of those high schools where there were so many options of things to do and I flurished in this environment. I played sports, lead organizations, wrote for the paper, and took an art class for four of the eight semesters I was there.
But, for as comfortable and confident as I was in high school, it was in those art classes I felt a little odd. The students who took those art classes were “artistic” in every high school stereotype you could think of. Think piercings, tattoos, black clothing, goth jewelry, crazy hair colors. I wore ribbons in my hair, owned plenty of Hollister, dated the Prom King, watched The O.C. (… religiously) and got excited for the school’s pep rally.
When I think about it, I don’t think I really pursued art because of this. I didn’t fit the “art” mold. I wasn’t “cool” or “edgy” or “weird” enough for art. At least at my school…
I even remember when I was a junior, my drawing teacher, who was a young guy that was incredibly shy and just a little strange- likely an “art-y” guy ten years later- try to tell me that I was good. It was an awkward conversation and was almost like he didn’t know how to talk to a girl like me. And, he didn’t have the conviction that would perhaps have changed my education and career path.
So, here we are.
I am a girl with a sales job who dabbles in art when I make my yearly Christmas card, play with my calligraphy pens and send little cartoons to my friends. Oh, and make doodles on conference calls.
But, I also have food. And, food, I have found, is a great artistic medium.
After a day on my butt in front of a screen or the road, my body craves making something with my hands. Slicing and dicing is good for my brain and my soul. So, is getting creative with the ingredients I have on hand and the flavors I know.
Photo by Hive and Honey Photography
Cooking allows me to play, create and see something go from a blank canvas to a finished product.
Then, there is the extension of this creativity here on the blog.
I have explored photography, something I never had gotten into before besides just taking way too many photos out at fraternities with my friends in college. By no means am I great at food photography, but I know I have improved since Day One. And, because food photography has lead me to have a better understanding of a DSLR camera, I love that I have been able to take that new skill to being able to take sweet photos of Theo growing up.
Even just writing has been a fun form of “art” for me. These few little essays since the start of the year have been really enjoyable. Because of them I have been writing more offline too. And, I think moving forward I will have more posts on Bloom that are my thoughts versus just recipes. They may be about being a mom, a wife, a business owner, a friend or just whatever comes to mind. It might be a little unconventional; but, I hope it will be fun, interesting and good for both of us. And, don’t worry: Gardening and, of course, food will still be in the mix.
Because food is one of my favorite ways to express myself and to be artistic. So, it will always be a big focus.
And, I love that about food.
Hi there, Claire;
I read your blog and thought; Did I think about becoming an artist when I was in high school? My answer is, “Not at all.” I don’t think there was even an art class in my school. The only form of art at that time was cooking a meal and taking care of the home. I was the person who demonstrated to my Home EC class how to cut up a chicken. If you were proficient in making a garment, curtains, etc. you were prepared for life. When I graduated from high school and left home, I didn’t have to do chickens anymore….until I saw and remembered the benefits of what I learned on my grandparents farm.
It is interesting that as we grow and mature, our talents evolve into other things. Those interests take you on a journey where you learn to do things you thought you would never do or think to do. Even though I still work in my business, my art form has become quilting. I prefer using older sewing machines. I use them because they are simple . I have learned to do the repairs and mechanical work that some have needed. When you do some of the repairs, you can’t fear the machine or what you have to do to repair it. The most intimidating repair I have had to do is split a tiny bobbin screw in a rare treadle sewing machine. I guess cutting up a chicken taught me more than I thought!
My best,
Art is a way of expressing your feelings and love, just like cooking.