Changes are part of life.....and after 4 years, I felt my art blog needed a change.
My life in the past 4years has been rocky, at besy. I started this blog in the spring of 2013. At the time, I had just returned to the real estate business after a two year hiatus. I had really good intentions with this blog, but work commitments and the demands of maintaining a second job as a published author made this little project sit in the corner. I admit, I gave it little love over the years.
And yet, this blog was aptly named Lily's Art and Soul Adventures. Art, and creating, is my heart and soul. So, after a year and a half of chasing a sale in real estate, and not making enough for a full time living, I left real estate in the fall of 2014. I focused mostly on my publishing career, as a romance novelist. I posted here randomly, every time my poor, neglected art muse would tap me on the shoulder and get my attention. I apologize if you have come here looking for regular content and not found it.
I have a good excuse, honestly! In May of 2014 my spouse had major surgery, was in ICU for four days and then off work for a good two months. I had to step up the real estate game to help pay the bills. From November 2014 to September 2015 I had three major surgeries, three joint replacements, so I was recovering most of that 10 month period. I played with art, but mostly did coloring books as I dozed in my opiate induced haze and went to physical therapy. (Ouch, PT sucks! Don't do it.)
And on the writing front, I was doing ok..... just okay. I managed to publish two books since leaving real estate in the fall of 2014, and then having 3 major surgeries. I published a time travel fantasy romance in May of 2015, Some Enchanted Dream, and then a Historical Romance in February 2016, Noble Assassin.
I kind of beat myself up for not doing more, although why, I don't know! When I look back on 2015 and the spring of 2016, it's amazing I got anything published at all, let alone just two books in that period. Some Enchanted Dream is a full length historical romance novel (90k words, or 350 pages) that takes place in Montmartre Paris at the time of the building of the Eiffel Tower and the World's Fair. I have artists in the story, and absinthe, the avante garde lifestyle. Its my literary equivalent of a painting. I've always loved that era of history, when the great impressionists were struggling to be found, when the Moulin Rouge was the place to be. So, I have to look at it in perspective, it's a wonder I got one book written and published in that time, let alone two. Noble Assassin is part of a different series entirely, another 90k word project book four in Reluctant Heroes, my main book series. I had readers waiting for these two projects, so I had to finish them.
Since then, I've been trying to write, and not doing well. I have had serious writer's block. And guess what? There is a reason for it. My art was suffering, I was neglecting that part of my soul, and so my other creative iendeavors were suffering as well. I finally decided, after months of angst, that I needed to just do art. Focus on art, let my soul play again. I cleaned the clutter from my studio, dusted off my supoplies, bought some wine for the fridge in there, and went back to just doodle. With that little bit of play time, I'm feeling better, and getting inspired.
Anyway, here I am. I'm Baaaack! And I'm excited about the in changes that are happening now. I have officially named my Art Studio, that poor room in my home that remained empty and untouched for a year and a half, and I've started a Youtube Channel where you can see my work and see me in action. ZEN KITTY STUDIO is now open, and the artist is in! Check out my first You Tube Video, and take a tour of my studio here:
Zen Kitty Studio
Yes, I'm thrilled to be starting over, and getting back into the art that makes my soul sing!
You will be getting regular posts about art, Zen Kitty life, and more! Hope you will subscribe, and I hope you will make art today!
