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My grandmother had a major influence on my life...teaching me how to be a good homemaker and seamstress. When she passed, her Button Jar was one of the things I requested.

Grandmother's Button Jar spilled out many childhood memories along with the buttons. In the summer we had outdoor adventures and outdoor chores...but in the winter months grandmother's button jar always came out.  We invented a 'spinning game', seeing who could make the buttons spin the longest. We created a mini shuffleboard game.  We sorted them and pretended they were coins. I could go on and on but you get the idea.

Graphite was used on this pencil drawing around the lip of the glass jar.  The reflective qualities of graphite work well for rendering glass. The rest of the drawing, even the soft shading on the buttons was done with a carbon pencil. However, for the rough texture of the aged lid I did use a charcoal pencil.

This drawing was pure joy to create. I hope "Grandmother's Buttons" brings to mind good memories of your child hood...when times were simpler and life moved at a much slower pace for all.

Psalm 52:8
But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:7-9 (in Context)
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This happens to me at least once a year, sometimes twice...where I ask the question, "am I an artist"?  To my salon customers, I'm their hair dresser.  To Fine Art Studio Online artists, I am a tech support agent. To my friends I am a very talented person.  Then there is my 'tax person'...to her I'm the lady with three jobs!

Now, my framer...she refers to me as "her artist". I've always been quite complimented by this statement. We talk about my art and my future as an artist. Yet, when I walk away I am still just me, Marsha Robinett, a frustrated creative person with so many visions in my head, just waiting for paper, that at times I feel as though I will explode if I don' let it out.  So does this make me an artist?

My drawings have won awards, even several best in show...yet when the opportunity arises I have difficulty introducing my self as an artist.  The phrase still gets caught in my mouth!  What Is My Problem??

I have business cards that say I am an artist. So...I must be an artist, right?  I'm going to stick one on the bathroom mirror for awhile until I get over this slump, and another one on my computer.  I do know one thing for sure...if I don't consider myself an artist, others certainly wont either.

OK...I'm done moaning. I just seem to need to go through this periodically to get my head on straight again.  I guess the bottom line is this. I know I can paint and draw...but does that make me an artist or just an artistic person?  Is there a difference?

What makes you an artist? Is it because you have a group of loyal collectors who buy your art, or because you create wonderful paintings?  Does your art have to be your main source of income? Can you be an called an artist and sell nothing?  Can you be called an artist and create art only for the sake of creating?

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:9-11 (in Context)
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