A New Place

It’s no secret that social media is unpredictable, volatile, divisive, distracting, and carries many other undesirable qualities.

That’s why I’m rekindling my affinity for blogging. I ran a blog on Blogger since the beginning of 2008, and have largely neglected it over recent years due to social media posting. In all honesty, I’m not that regular with social media either. I’d rather be making art or sharing it at in-person events than posting and scrolling. Conversations are so much better than comments.

At least with a blog, I can actually share concise thoughts and not be bombarded with ads, suggested content, trending videos, and other brain shredding material. Here, I will try to post at least weekly—more if the caffeine hits me just right—letting you in on what’s brewing in the studio, what shows are coming up, what our various pets are up to, and whatever else comes to mind. If it’s okay with you, I may also post personal happenings, like camping and fishing photos, pics of family trips and hikes, something impressive that I ate, and so on. I think it’s important to know who people are. Personally, I’m much more inclined to buy art or music from those who I think I understand, or people who have made a positive impact on my life. Maybe, in some tiny little way, I might make a positive impact on you. Maybe this blog will inspire you to create, to go on a walk, to appreciate your coffee rather than chugging it on the way to work.

That’s always been my goal with art. To slow down. To appreciate every little detail. To take time and realize that life is short and wonder is everywhere. How many of us overlook the beauty around us in our haste to “get likes”, or “get ahead”, or “get someone to agree with us”? Our real friends are drifting away. Our children are growing up. Our bodies are in decline. We are fading from this life into the next. The problems of today are temporary. Your soul is what needs to be attended to. Not your status. Not your profile. Not your trending capabilities. It’s your soul. Your eternal energy. It’s the life-force that carries a permanent record of how you interact with others and whether or not you place them before/above yourself.

There’s something to be said for slowing down. You may or may not believe in prayer, or that an infinite Creator hears them, but I believe it’s impossible to pray and NOT benefit from it. If you’ve never done it, or perhaps it has been a while, can I suggest you take a moment and do it now? Stop reading this, close your eyes or look up to the sky. Whisper or shout. It doesn’t matter. Call out to the Almighty and see what happens. Regardless of your belief, I promise you have nothing to lose. If you’re not a believer, you might think you also have nothing to gain, but what have you gained by scrolling social media for hours on end? If nothing else, prayer gives you a break. It gives you restoration. Best of all, if your prayers are heard, they just might get answered.

I hope you’ll check in from time to time, send me an email at bryancollinsart@gmail.com, and continue stopping by my booth at RAM and other events. There’s no possibility that I could do this without you, so thank you, thank you, thank you!