Renaissance women and the "H" word

Portrait head of Lita, clay version
by Marcia Labelle © 2009
(My friend Marcia just started her blog
yesterday. This is the second work
on it. Get ready to be dazzled).

Okay I ended up spending the day on administrative
tasks, and marking, and didn't get far enough with
my painting to show you anything. I apologize. But
just like the bakery that doesn't have one variety
of cookie, I do have something else to show you.

My friend Marcia Labelle has started a blog and her
work is fabulous beyond compare. Marcia is a
wonderful friend, with a superb wit, a great laugh
and she is a Renaissance woman. She trained as
an actor in New York and Britain -- hit the boards
around England, came back to Canada and studied
art, became a world class sculptor and also paints
and draws figures that will make you swoon.

The topic of renaissance women, or people (men
included) for that matter, is one I understand.
My training was both in art and literature. I've
earned a living painting, writing and teaching.
Like many freelancers I understand the multiple
paths choice. Today someone asked me if
art was my hobby. The reason for that was
innocent enough -- the thought line being that
if I teach, how can I be an artist really? How?
My answer was yes I teach, and I'm also an
artist, or you can flip it depending on the day.

Tip for future reference. Any artist worth her/his
salt is allergic to the "h" word. Hobby. Art
for most of us is a passion, an itch in our souls,
a need, a part of each day, a blessing, but it is
not a hobby. It is play, and hobbies are about
play, but hobby is a light word for a deep process.

Marcia volunteered to step into the breech for me
today knowing I'm working very hard right now.
So my image today is of her wonderful sculpture.
Please go to her blog and tell her how glad you
are that she's come out into the blog world.

Have a living-in-the-Renaissance day.