I’m Back: Why the pause
Expectation . Pastel . 9 × 12 . Pat Thompson
I’m restarting my blog, The Derailed Artist, that began in 2020. I finally found a permanent home for it. It took a minute, but I’m back!
In early 2020, I was exhausted. My husband and I had worked hard opening a teaching studio in 2001, and through the years had developed seven weekly classes including two open studios, periodic workshops and occasional art exhibits. I loved it, loved the people who had become a community, and had every intention to keep going.
Suddenly everything stopped; the world stopped, and we all shut down in the most unexpected way. As horrible a time as that was, it gave me an unwanted break, one I hadn’t allowed myself to take for so long.
During that pause, I realized how much I missed my classes, talking to people, sharing lessons I learned through my journey, telling stories of how I got past stalls and blocks. I missed our community during the shutdown, and decided a blog would allow me to keep talking!
I felt qualified to start The Derailed Artist, because I am one too. Life shows up: jobs, raising children, helping our family, friends, neighbors, and caretaking; so many stalls that can shut us down during this journey, but getting back to it, not letting life stop you, then moving forward, I personally found that it’s the only way.
When we were finally able to reopen our teaching studio, as we were building back up, we faced another stop. The Factory at Franklin, where we had built our teaching studio and taught for 21 years, was sold, and the direction of the new owners didn’t include us. Just life, I guess?
We closed down and moved my studio home; his was already there, but mine needed a buildout. A huge change for us both.
The Derailed Artist blog was now also on pause. I needed time to find a new home for it where I could continue to send out stories. Moving my website to an e-commerce site on Squarespace proved more complicated than I thought it would be, but well worth the time it took. So if you visit it, please forgive me if it’s not perfect; I’m still learning!
For those of you who followed me in the past, thank you. You will notice some familiar posts along with new stories. If you’re just finding my blog, I hope you will enjoy it, and perhaps my stories can help you too on your own journey or restart if you’ve had a break in your path?
I’ll begin posting soon.