Sometimes, art takes precedence. Or maybe it should more often.

And if it is not art, then maybe it is cooking, playing an instrument, carpentry, gardening, photography, or some other creative endeavor. Something tactile, something you have a passion for. Something you actively create.

I grew up with family who nurtured my creativity–making sure I had plenty of sketchbooks, pencils, brushes and paint. Nothing fancy or expensive, but they always had encouraging words when I showed them my newest work. I studied illustration and graphic design in college, but later switched to English as my major and went on for my Master’s in English.

I recently picked up my pencils and started drawing again–pulling from the smaller pieces I have done here and there and incorporating some of them with new designs. Most of these older pieces were incomplete due to being pulled away to take care of a marriage and a son, a daughter and various career choices. No regrets, but a new promise to myself to focus on a series of drawings for a simple coloring book. It’s been on the proverbial back-burner for too long. We’ll see where it goes from here.