Art in Recovery: A new Discovery, a new Beginning

I've been sober for several years now. The entire time I was a work horse: had my own business, extracurricular activities (the gym, etc) and of course meetings and conventions/roundups. But I never once tried painting or drawing. Until this last year.

Staying at home with my kids, I needed to be doing more with my own hands. I'd help the kids with their things, but I really needed to feel like I was creating something of my own. I draw and paint as much as I can now, and I know I have so much to learn. But I am so happy I've found this outlet. I just think if I was still using and drinking, there's no way I would've discovered this.

I find discoveries like this all the time. Or I have flash backs to how I was before I started using. I miss that chick and I like being reminded of her.

My heart is full today and I hope to get some painting done.

Love to you,
Kath D

Hellllooooooo. Welcome to my blog!

Hi, I'm Katharine and I'm an alcoholic. I've been sober, to date,  3 years 9 months and 13 days.  I got sober in a little town in North Dakota, although I did most of my using in Ohio.  It's been a crazy, beautiful, wonderful journey, and now I can see God working in my life and a new chapter beginning.

ANYWAY. I've started making art. This is very, very new for me. I guess I'll start at the beginning.

My parents, and grandparents, all artists in their own right-each in very different ways.  I remember coloring and painting, like I think most kids do. As I got older I did more sketching and doodling, but nothing exceptional.  I would doodle, write song lyrics and patterns on the backs of my notebooks in high school and middle school.  It was like a fresh canvas when I got a new notebook!  I loved to read, write poetry and some stories so my parents put me in creative writing classes.  I even received a writing-geared diploma.

I then went to Cosmetology school and became a hair stylist.  I believe that hair stylists, make up artists, tatoo artists, etc. are all very artistic people at their core. They can have a creative vision, and then make it a reality.

I was in the hair industry for 8 years. After I had my second child, we moved across the country. I gave up my business, my clients, everything I worked for for 8 years. It was all I knew. Who was I now, without my work? Shortly after we moved I started writing (my go to) and then I had this overwhelming desire to start drawing. I was really bad haha! But I bought a few sketching books and began learning/drawing.

My mom came for a visit and showed me Zen Tangles. I thought they looked cool, and similar to those notebook doodlings from high school, but I didn't think another thing of it.

I decided maybe painting would go better for me than drawing so I bought canvases and paints and brushes, watched a bunch of YouTube videos and started making some abstract type paintings. Again, less than desirable results. During one of my YouTube binges on art, zen tangles came up. I watched a few videos, gave it a whirl and loved it. Then I thought "I can add these to my canvases!" and Viola!! Katharine Dreier Art was born.

A lot of my art is recovery based, not all of it. My art is stuff that I'm passionate about or am interested in.  I absolutely love making art pieces and bringing sobriety and recovery to the forefront of my life and available for others.

I hope to truly help others in recovery and those who are looking for recovery. I hope you enjoy my art and my blog!

-Katharine