When I first was starting out as an artist I had a studio and time to explore what I wanted to do as an artist, mostly in acrylics, sometimes in oils. 
I painted alone in a large barn converted as a studio. 
No one saw my work — not even my former husband (RIP) —
unless I wanted him to see it.  I liked not having commentary on works in progress.  Actually, I did not care about feedback at all because my high came from creating. 
There was a lot of experimenting and learning going on.
Sometimes I painted over my canvases because I didn’t want to
keep a particular image, and happily went on,
not bothered by my “failures” as they were all part of the process.

I moved to watercolors because of space.  Wow learning curve, still going. 

By then we had Facebook… FB rarely effected me —
my interactions are few and mostly with actual friends, not the public. 

IG was a game changer, however, a double edged sword. 
I loved seeing what other artists created all around the world,
artists I didn’t know at all, and found fun to follow. 
But like all things having to do with masses of people, eventually the crap started. 

Gads people can be nasty, and not just to me but to others, and I read it.  You don’t know that you are about to read crap until you are unfortunately into the comment.
And I don’t understand it crappy people.  If I HATE something someone has done I move on. 
Why be nasty?  But it seems nasty comes along with social media and I don’t like it.

And then there is the news…
How do we stay informed so we can do what we can,
and run from depressing stories at the same time?

Anywho, it has all depressed me and I withdrew from posting here too,
but maybe I am ready to be back here.  After all, this is not the place where I have had negative responses.  I want a more honest relationship on social media — I would rather know if my friends are struggling.  So this is me being honest…  I’ll go first.

How are you all?