UNITED....ARTISTS STAND! UAS!

YOU HEARD IT FIRST....at least I don't think it's a slogan yet...I was bloggin' with a fellow Estian and it just went from my brain to my fingertips! LOVE when that happens. Being an artist, it's often times hard to toot your own horn and really get into the trenches and network. I think what makes it easier for me is the human connections I make along the way. This all started with a dear friend of mine, Denise, at changingdesigns.blogspot.com (her link is in my blogroll). We have been friends now for OVER 30 years. Okay, well now I dated myself. She has been a full fledged artist since the day she was born. I don't think I can remember a time when she didn't have a paint brush, marker or some other art form medium in her hand. I always admired her talent. Still do! She's one of those multi-faceted, Can-Do anything type of artists. Then, there's my son Andrew. I could go on for days about his talent. He too has the ability to lay his hands on just about anything and make something beautiful with it. Again, I admired from a distance, never dreaming I'd find a medium that I could actually excel at much less fall in love with. I don't like scissors, I don't like sharp objects, I always leave the knifes out of the dish water and wash them one by one for fear of cutting myself, and WHAT do I end up loving to do????? Stained Glass. THE UNIVERSE IS TALKIN HERE FOLKS! So here I am, immersed in the art that I love and decide that in order to continue this venture I must embrace the world and "network". I love to write, talk, communicate, and type 120 words a minute so how hard can it be???? Right? The "building of the blog" was a week long marathon, morning, noon, and night. If it's one thing I am; it's tenacious. At one point I was laying in bed, unable to figure out a certain protocol within the blog program and WHAM, I got it, jumped out of bed, and went blogging into that good night. Now that it's built I find that yes, it's been an invaluable tool but more than that it has allowed me to really develop what I perceive to be some very meaningful relationships with like-minded artists across the globe. They inspire me, prod me along and brighten my day with their gifts! Nothing could be better. So, on the cusp of ESTY appearing on the Martha Stewart Show on April 29th I was reflecting on how powerful it is when a group of people, ANY group of people, come together and work towards a common goal; hence, United Artists Stand! Thank you to the individuals that had the insight to create Etsy, promote Etsy and believe in Etsy! By believing in THAT, they believe in every artist willing to put themselves out into the world. For that, I am forever thankful. Blessed Be Fellow Artists! Laurie B.