Thursday, November 3, 2011

30 Days of Holiday Cards - Day 8: Don't Stop Believing



Today I am featuring my Believe Dragonfly Fairy Holiday Card.  Daphne the Dragonfly Fairy is a character inspired by my painting "As Wise As The Dragonflies."  She appears in many different designs in my shop and is popular with kids and kids at heart.

I think fairies fascinate and delight people because they represent what is possible when we use our imaginations.  When I was younger I felt that I got mixed messages about the power of imagination.  As a child, I was taken to Disney World and Disney Movies and encouraged to watch shows like Sesame Street but as I grew older I felt that my own creativity and whimsical nature was not always valued.  I would hear people say things like, "you're not living in the real world" and, "that's not real, that's just your imagination."

I'm sure that on some level I needed to hear these criticisms.  In the long run they may have helped me learn how to balance my imaginings and dreams with the hard work and practicality necessary to make them come true.  I'm glad, however, that I did not let them convince me to see my imaginative and creative abilities as flaws.  I'm grateful to all the people in my life and in the world who inspired me and taught me how to "Believe", in my imagination and in myself. 



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