I have a new way of thinking about my projects and I am beyond ecstatic! I was recently contemplating a sort-of art contest online. I kept staring at the word artist. I felt like artist defined me, but knew what I was doing did not fit the classic idea of an artist’s work….. BAM! I AM an artist, a lifestyle artist! Everything aligned perfectly into place with satisfying clicks and snaps. All of a sudden everything I have been doing made perfect sense and seemed to lead me to this moment.

When I started this blog a little less than a year ago, I was unsure of it’s direction. What I did know, was that it was going to be a lifestyle blog. The plan was to simply post the projects I always found myself doing. I had hoped to focus on interior design, my professional background. However, living in a small apartment and having two small children has not afforded many interior design projects. I kept thinking the lifestyle projects (tablescapes and holidays) I was sharing were too focused on appearances and lacked depth and meaning. Something I could easily convey in my personal interior design projects. I had already begun to try to make my lifestyle projects more meaningful by thinking of them as “making memories”. Something my mother would often say while growing up. I added whimsical touches and pieces that were inspired by my life and loved ones.

This continued, but I kept mulling over how I could push my lifestyle designs to a new and different level. I started to apply my interior design skills to my tablescapes and parties in a more direct manor. I would think of each project more conceptually instead of just coordinating objects and creating beautiful compositions. I started sketching my thoughts. I started using more creative concepts for my design inspiration. Things you do naturally as an interior designer.

This process made me remember something very important… I was an artist before I was an interior designer. My entire life I have strived to be creative in all things I do because it is something I have always loved. I was drawing floorpans before I even knew interior design was a profession. I asked for easels, oil painting sets and sketchpads for Christmas as a child because I loved making art. I asked for telescopes, microscopes and star maps for my birthdays because I loved discovery. I planned exciting parties and events because, for me, it was a natural way of celebrating in a fun and meaningful way. I had forgotten the path that lead me to interior design had been destined by my love for art and creativity.

This new idea of lifestyle art has put me back on the journey I had started from the beginning. Being a lifestyle artist is helping me break free of the molds that define beautiful and exciting environments and events. How can we make our tablescapes more than centerpieces and plates besides rearranging and reconfiguring? I know it will take time to evolve this new idea… once you have children you realize not everything can happen immediately. However, it has given me a strong direction and a new challenge for my projects. Something I am greatly looking forward to!