After decades of mulling over the idea of website/blog/Facebook/Instagram and not knowing where to start beyond needing good photos of my artwork, it seems surreal to be out there in the social media world in all of these formats.

MarketTap in Toronto did the research and got me going strongly on Facebook before my Urban Gallery show in October and for a few months into the New Year.

Jim, Ian and Sandra from MarketTap eased me into Instagram even when I panicked because I had accidentally “liked” my own post.

Jan Ferrigan at NearBuyArt in Collingwood, her husband, Mark and their two photographers, Bonnie Fox and Dennis Campbell have been exceedingly helpful with hands-on and at-home visits to take photos and go over the details of the website.  NearBuyArt also displays my paintings on their own website and hung some of my paintings at the local Home Expo and Creative Space on Hurontario.

My West Dublin Hansel and Gretel studio.

After years of painting in relative seclusion in my treetops studio in West Dublin, N.S. I made a conscious decision when we moved to Collingwood to make myself and my artwork more present in the community, near and far. The support of the people mentioned and that of family and long-time friends and those on FB and Instagram has made the leap much gentler than expected.

The coaching guidance of Carlayne Gilberton brought this poem by Anais Nin into focus:

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”