Me.

I'm taking a 20-week art-journaling class online from Shimelle Laine.  It has been a great way to get me playing again, something I struggle with in making art.  I start taking myself too seriously and then I get stuck.  Recently I've been taking a lot of pictures and wanting to use them in my work, so this is a great way to play around and figure out what I like and don't.  This particular page came out looking a lot like a scrapbook, but I actually really like it.  It started with a prompt about risk, and how I feel about taking risks.  I've been thinking a lot recently about how I present myself to the world, and how there is a lot of inherent risk in just living my life honestly and openly, because I don't fit it to the common accepted idea of "normal."  Though I think my life is pretty normal, really.  I've also been working through learning to accept myself for exactly what I am, no more, no less.  Making peace with being myself, and not trying to bend to fit in or emulate characteristics that aren't honestly me.  This image really captures both of these ideas for me.