Go Make Something

Was reading a friend's blog today and it reminded me of my favorite passage from Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s book A Man Without A Country: "The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something." I often think of that quote when I recall my days building props when I lived in an apartment. The Pumpkinrot scarecrow, Roots, Johnny Appleseed, two of my Witches - all built in the corner of a one-bedroom apartment on some spread-out black plastic trash bags to keep the carpet free of mache. I'd paint them on the balcony or drive them to some clear spot when I used spray paint or sealers. I'd add detail with a brush while I was watching TV. I'm glad I never waited for a garage or a basement or a better work shop to build my monsters. They never would have existed. I have this dream of hanging out in a massive workshop barn with a wood-burning stove, drinking coffee while listening to my dark music or watching horror films - scarecrows hanging from the rafters, skulls on shelves, and creatures in every corner. A good dream. In the meantime, I'll use the space I have. Every square inch of it.