Paint! Dance! Sing! Everyone is an Artist.

Submitted by Barb Truax

Have you ever mindlessly doodled, scribbled or made vigorous circles, lines on paper? I have. The desire to draw comes naturally. Give a toddler a crayon and they will instinctively start to scribble! As we grow, the act of art making progresses from a flurry of ‘meaningless’ scribbles to images and words that make order of our world. In short, drawing and other forms of art are simply part of our instinct to communicate and express ourselves.

My serious awareness of the artistic field began in an unusual manner. I undertook a short contract as a title searcher in a law office. Following the conveyance of land on those title documents made me fully aware of the history surrounding the succession of land and antiquities. This led me to realize the value of these records and what it was that made them so precious.

I cannot draw a straight line, yet over the years I have constructed a huge wire heron, abstract floor cloths and re-finished antique furniture. To me, this is being an artist. This creative process allows me to express my true feelings, triggering creative juices essential to thinking beyond boundaries and visiting where I have not been before.

‘Creative arts’ such as drawing, painting, sculpture, drama, dance, music, and so on - are not only great ways to create or enjoy something I did not think I could do, they are fantastic stress relievers. The simple act of participating in an art project - however simple – brings me much enjoyment - and it even uncovers hidden talents of which I was totally unaware.

The most enjoyable aspect of my taking part in anything artistic is the social connections I make. After all, to me, art is not intended to be created in isolation, but shared with others. In the end, art is simply a way of expressing myself.

As a champion of the Arts, Barb Truax was the very first paid member of the Kawartha Lakes Arts Council, in January 2015.