Lauren Frey

I was born with a creative spirit, and at different parts of my life expressing my creativity has come in different forms, and has been influenced or encouraged or challenged by different people along the way. I can tell that my natural inclination is to create special gifts for others, and to engage the ideas I have and make something of it. I went to school for architecture and in the midst of receiving that education, I learned the joy of creating sketches, watercolors, models, images, even laying out complex concepts and decisions into simplified presentations. I've been practicing architecture for almost 15 years now. Parts of my daily work demands seem to have overloaded me and buried the creativity that I still have underneath.

Recently I've been going through the book, the Artist's Way with a close friend. It has challenged me to just show up at the page. This has been freeing, life-giving, and restful. I have found motivation to just allow myself to put something on the page, no matter how imperfect it is, because then I'm growing, I'm gaining momentum in areas of my life. I'm learning to let things go more quickly, and to find rest in the process.

I had the blessing of time spent with one of my grandmothers in the last several years of her life, before ultimately she passed this fall. We spent time at the table painting. Painting acrylic was a passion of hers, and I wanted to come alongside her in her journey and working through her emotional trials of fighting cancer. While I showed up to paint with her on and off throughout those years, I had no idea what a gift it was giving me in my own life. One year, she brought out a small canvas and was adamant that I paint something to have at my desk at the office, to "show others that you're a great artist." While I found that to be a far stretch then, today I can see where the practice and diligence brings forth something we don't yet see in ourselves.

After sharing how this time with Grandma painting had impacted my life, this past Christmas my nephew and nieces gifted me with this class. I'm showing up today for myself, as well as for them. I want to continue to see what unfolds in my story of creative expression. My hope is that I will find more beauty, depth and expression.