Debra Linker

March 15 - Everyday Angels

Admittedly, I muse a great deal when I'm painting, or when I'm thinking about painting. Today's muse is about Everyday Angels. I am being interviewed for a feature piece on another blog and asked questions about how I got started painting. I don't think I will go in to the minute details for them...but I might "think out loud" here. Thus the beginning of the muse about everyday angels.

Angel #1 - Shana, a mentor and spiritual guide, told me one day - out of the blue - that I "should paint". I had not previously painted nor ever considered it. Much in line with my natural response to any suggestion, I immediately disregarded it.

Angel #2 - Bruce, my husband. I told him what Shana said. He immediately packed me up and took me to the art store. He has been long accustomed to me starting some new craft and buying all the crap to do the craft, and before too long - I'm bored and all that junk is cluttering up some closet. His reaction this time was different. He didn't roll his eyes or bring up all the past craft binges. He said, "I think it would be very cool to see what paintings are in you." How about THAT?

Angel #3 - Anonymous, (or perhaps I just can't remember where I learned this but whomever it was - it became immensely important in this process). At the art store - in the paint department - among stuff I have never looked at twice and had no idea what it was... I remembered hearing about just walking slowly among *whatever* (the forest, the people in a crowd, unfamiliar "stuff"), breathing, and being "open" to what ever "jumped out". So...I did that.

Angel #4 - Pat R. Prior to the above, Pat recommended I read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Angel #5 - Brandie. The very next day, Brandie called me from a bookstore to tell me of a workshop that she wanted me to attend with her. You guessed it. An Artist Way workshop. Coincidence? Synchronicity? God? Sign me up!

Angel #6 - Julia Cameron. Her book changed my mind, and that changed my life.

Angels #7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 - Brandie (again), Jessi, Kerri, Kris, Tracy, Cyn, Sidse, Dora, Merrie, and Beth - participants in an Artist Way workshop who encouraged me to keep painting.

Angel #17 - Michelle - art teacher. Talanted, skilled, spirited, encouraging, and honest. Thank you!

Angel #18 - Brandie, again. Brandie opened a beautiful store in Kirkland, WA and invited me to bring my paintings to hang on her walls, and sell. It was surreal, dreamy, and the hallmark day that is truly the first day of the rest of my life.

Angel #19 - Jennifer D. - referred me to ETSY.COM as a good online store to sell my paintings.

Angel #20 - etsy.com - for being there, easy to use, reasonably priced, and creating a community that fits me as if it were custom made JUST for ME! debralinker.etsy.com

Angel #21 - Name Unknown - whomever it was at ETSY that posted a referral to stumbleupon.com.

Angel #22 - stumbleupon.com - the COOLEST way to find websites you didn't even know you wanted. That site led me to blogspot.com.

Angel #23 - blogspot.com - 'nuff said. Here we are.

Unlimited Angels - all the people who encouraged me to build a website, publish, and sell my paintings. Especially Peilin and Kathleen for helping me with the website. www.debralinker.com

That's a lot of Everyday Angels who, just being themselves and doing what they do, changed my life forever. I am so grateful and so humbled and so happy. Thank you.

"But maybe if we are surrounded in beauty
Someday we will become what we see. "
-- Jewel "I'm Sensitive"