The Hip Traveller launched today, a fabulous travel web site with an article from my portfolio in it.

I believe in the cycle of support and not in the worry of competition. I believe if I want to continue to have a career in writing and in art, I must support it with either time, donations, work or purchases.

I’m anxiously awaiting my copy of Small Spiral Notebook’s first print edition to arrive in my mailbox. One of the reasons, besides loving their on-line versions and being inspired by Felicia Sullivan’s spirit, is that this was the first time I had ever done commissioned artwork for not only a magazine, but for a cover.

I wrote about the experience and how it changed things for me. It made me realise that I’m not just Alex the Writer but Alex the Creator. And that just gives me so many more possibilities.

Someone wrote me and left their web site address which I checked out. On a recent entry they wrote:

When I was younger I spent a great deal of my time doing “art”. I used to sketch, paint, sculpt and take photographs. I was into magazines, advertising and theatre lighting design. Seeing and creating imagery was life giving and I aspired to be a great visual artist. Too bad reality takes over. Why is it so scary and hard to do the things we really love?

I couldn’t help but reply to this and said:

I read your post and I don’t think “reality” takes over. I think we just succumb to the pressure of making “right” choices. And, also as we get older, fear sets in more. We feel irresponsible to do “art” (especially if we loved it as a kid and viewed it as play.) It’s scary because we don’t want to fail at something we love. The truth is, when you do something you adore doing, you do not fail. Ever. I say, do the art – even if it’s just 10 minutes once a week. You’ll feel like a rock star. Really.