The Painted Pen

Hi, I’m Joanne,
a brainy creative sharing my imagination with you. I hope I spark a few ideas in you along the way.

It started with a great idea that developed and grew, filling you with hope and anticipation for the future. It filled your thoughts with plans and possibilities.

Then, one dreary day, the storm of reality hit with force. Responsibility took over. Time dwindled. Someone said you didn’t have what it took to live that dream. You watched that precious dream wither and wilt, so you picked up your shovel and started to dig.

You buried a piece of you that day, and your world became a little bit darker, a little less hopeful, a little more common.

The Painted Pen came from one such dream.

It’s a story all too familiar to too many people. It began with the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I was in fourth grade, so about 10 years old. I thought I could do anything.

My choice? Art teacher.

It sounded like the perfect job to me, but when I shared hopes for my future career, someone told me it wasn’t a very marketable option. One art teacher per school.

I heard, “You shouldn’t be an art teacher.” And I believed it.

As an adult, I can see this comment for what it was, not a limiting statement but an opportunity to think more broadly. Maybe a double major in teaching to open my options or finding a new way to teach art (blogs weren’t a thing then). But my child brain understood the statement differently.

And over time, I drew less and finally stopped creating art. I had less ambition to pursue art classes, and I didn’t feel like I had the talent needed to be an artist.

I forgot my dream. I buried it and moved on. Life happened.

Years later … 30ish years later …

I picked up a pencil again and rediscovered my love for putting hand to paper. In some ways, I feel as though I’m learning basics that I could have learned years ago.

But it’s different now. My art is different because I’m different. I’m learning creativity from a new viewpoint with the added depth of my life experiences.

Now when I make something, I can relive a moment of memory, fight through a frustration, express my thoughts and dreams, capture something beautiful on paper, and feel the mental peace that creating something brings. I didn’t have any of those things in fourth grade.

So, here I am with that art dream again. I won’t be taking it to the local school district, and I don’t know if I’ll teach it. But I’m going to create it. I’m going to learn more about drawing and watercolor, painting and lettering.

I want to show you how to find oasis moments within your busy, stressful, overwhelming life. I’ll help you create some bright spots in your week, giving you a few moments to anticipate. I’ll throw in some project ideas to try with me, and we’ll talk about life and tools.

It starts with permission. I give you permission to create. Play, doodle, fiddle with tools and paint and ink. Don’t worry about getting it perfect.

Just start …

Write it. Draw it. Dance it. Dream it.