I am definitely a rule follower.

And I think it all began as a child.  One evening, we went for a family drive. My dad knew this great ridge where we could see the lights of the city. Sounds great, right? When we arrived at the entrance to the ridge, there was a gate, with a sign, NO TRESSPASSING. This is a red flag for me that immediately tells me I should not go there. But, we do, we go. The view was pretty spectacular. As we go to leave, the gate is  locked. I quietly go into panic mode in the backseat. My dad says he will go and get help, but I am pretty sure we are all going to be arrested! I was terrified, knowing we had broken the rules, and very afraid of the consequences. Well, my dad came back with the guy with the key and we were off. The police were not called, and all these years later I wonder if my dad knew the guy. That would have been useful information for me, while I quietly panicked in the backseat of the car.

This is how life has been for me. Thousands of others can get away with little infractions of the rules, but as for me, I always get caught and questioned and life seemed for me to be less complicated when I lived inside the rules. A little more carefree and much less time spent in panic mode!

Then I started to play with art and being creative.

I have been working on a series of Arabian Doors. This is outside of the lines and the rules because the designs and patterns that I am using can be found in various doors, however, I am making my own patterns and using colors I want to play with.

Yep, someone said something! Someone mentioned to me that these are not the colors used in the doors. I felt like I had trespassed, colored outside the lines, yes, broken the rules.

So I started a door in the traditional colors and I felt like a fraud! I felt like I was totally copying the work of someone else. And more than that, I was not enjoying the work. It was then that I realized I was using the beautiful doors I had seen as inspiration. As an artist, I can interrupt what I see as I like, that is what makes me, well, me!

I edged closer to doing mostly textile art instead of quilts because it just felt freer. I got to decide. There is not this list of rules for the work I do, because it all comes from me.

I do find it interesting that I do still follow the rules of life and community. When it comes to art, I am totally outside of the lines, breaking rules and loving it!

This piece form WishHunt.com sums up exactly how I feel about creating art.

I hope you are having all the fun!