​Having just recently moved to Spokane, WA, I find there are areas of town that draw me to them as a lover of beauty.  Downtown is packed with buildings that are old and architecturally interesting.  The eye doesn’t skip over them like some modern buildings.  We are on the outskirts of Spokane which is a nice area up in the hills.  However, going toward downtown, there are frankly ugly strip malls and equally ugly streets of utilitarian stores and cramped housing.   So to feed my soul I look to the mountains.
The second-floor windows treat me to a beauty fest practically every time I look out.  For me, its all about the clouds and the mountains.  Enjoy.
​  ERC

​Blog 1  
In this first blog I am dashing headlong into the nebulous subject of fragility.  Yes, I know I labeled this blog “Cheerleaders” and for good reason.  Whatever career and lifestyle a person accepts into his/her life, hopefully there is a collection of cheerleading types that applaud when we succeed and roll their eyes when we need direction. 
Speaking as an artist, I thrive on good reviews, smiley faces, ‘beautiful’ remarks and strangers purchasing my paintings.    My personal cheerleaders are quite varied from family, my besties who work in art, people I’ve forged face-to-face friendships with over the years and Facebook buddies. 
Now here is the fragility equation.  I know my cheerleaders don’t want to smash my ego when I display a painting, but there are times when my ego needs a good smash.  I want to be the best painter I can be. 
One of my art besties recently told me, in a fit of truthfulness, a painting might not be exciting.  After my ego fled the room in terror I took another look and had to agree.  Yeah!  Adverse reactions can be wonderfully constructive.  Fragility be dammed!